The Imam sent Ibn Qurdah al‑Ansari to Umar ibn Saad to ask for a meeting between the two camps. He agreed and each of them came with twenty guards. The Imam said to his followers to wait behind, except for his brother Abbas and his son Ali. Umar ibn Saad did the same leaving everyone behind except for his son and his slave.

وأرسل الإمامُ ابنَ قرظة الأنصاري الى عمر بن سعد يسأله أن يلاقيه بين المخيمين. فأجاب، وحضر كل منهما محاطاً بعشرين من الحرس. فطلب الإمام من مرافقيه أن ينتظروا بعيدا وألا يكون معه إلا أخوه العباس وابنه علي. وقام عمر بن سعد بذات الشيء، فغادره الجميع إلا ابنه وغلامه

The Imam said to Umar, “Are you going to fight with me? Do you not fear God on the Day of Judgment? You know who I am. Why do you not leave these people and join me?”

قال الإمام: “يا ابن سعد أتقاتلني؟ أما تتقي اللّه الذي إليه معادك، فاني ابن من قد علمت، ألا تكون معي وتدع هؤلاء فإنه أقرب إلى اللّه تعالى » 

Umar said, “I am afraid that my house will be demolished.”

فأجاب عمر: أخاف ان تهدم داري

The Imam said, “I will rebuild it for you.”

فقال الإمام: أنا أبنيها

Umar said, “I am afraid my village will be confiscated.”

قال عمر: أخاف أن تؤخذ ضيعتي

The Imam said, “I will give you a better village from my property in the Hijaz area.”

فقال الإمام: أنا أخلف عليك خيرا منها في الحجاز

Umar said, “I have children and I am afraid Ibn Ziyad is going to kill them.”

قال عمر: “إن لي في الكوفة عيالا وأخاف عليهم من ابن زياد بالقتل”

The Imam, knowing that his excuses were fake, said to Umar, “God is going to order someone to kill you in your bed and you will not get even a handful of the wheat of Iraq.”

ولم يجد منه الامام أي تجاوب، فاندفع يدعو عليه

« مالك ذبحك اللّه على فراشك عاجلا، ولا غفر لك يوم حشرك، فو اللّه اني لأرجو أن لا تأكل من بُرِّ العراق الا يسيرا » 

Umar said sarcastically, “Barley is enough for me.”

فقال عمر بسخرية: “إن في الشعير كفاية”

Umar ibn Saad sent a letter to Ibn Ziyad and in it he claimed, “The Imam agrees to return back to the place he came from or any other place in the army camp and be like one of the individual Muslims or come to Yazid and put his hand in his hand so they can see what they do to each other.” He added, “That is the best solution for you and for the whole nation.”

وأرسل عمر بن سعد برسالة الى ابن زياد يدعي أن الإمام وافق على العودة من حيث أتى أو الى أي مكان آخر وأن يكون كأي فرد مسلم أو أن يضع يده بيد يزيد ثم يتفقان. وأضاف عمر: “إن هذه افضل الحلول لك وللأمة”

Ibn Ziyad gathered his council and said, “This is not a bad idea.”

فجمع ابن زياد حاشيته وقال: “ما هي بفكرة سيئة”

Shimr interrupted him, “No! This cannot be! If you do not get him now, you will not be able to get him again! He is weak now and you are now strong!”

ولكن الشمر قاطعه وقال: “لا يمكن أن يكون الأمر هكذا. إن لم تقبض على الحسين الآن فلن تتمكن منه أبداً. فهو الآن ضعيف وأنت قوي”

Ibn Ziyad immediately wrote to Umar ibn Saad “Indeed, I did not send you to Hussein as a mediator nor to give him promises. Look! If Hussein and his followers accept my rule, take them alive and send them to me. If they do not, attack them, kill them, and cut off their hands, feet, noses and other parts. If Hussein is killed, march the horses on his chest and his back. I do not think that would hurt him after death! If you do so, you have your reward with us. If you do not, you must immediately resign and Shimr ibn Dhil‑Jawshan will be your replacement as the leader of the Army. I have ordered him to do so.”

فكتب ابن زياد الى عمر بن سعد: “لم أرسلك الى الحسين وسيطاً أو كي تعطيه مواثيق. فإن رضي الحسين وأتباعه بالنزول على حكم يزيد، فاعتقلهم ثم أرسلهم لي. وإلا، فهاجمهم واقتلهم واقطع أيديهم وأرجلهم واجذع آنافهم وأوصالهم. فإن ذلك لا يضرهم بعد الموت. فإن فعلت، فلك الجائزة عندي. وإن لم تفعل، فعليك الإستقالة حالاً وسيبدلك شمر بن ذي الجوشن في قيادة الجيش، فقد أمرته بذلك”

Shimr brought the letter to Umar ibn Saad who read it and said, “You are responsible for this! We have planned for a solution and you destroyed it! Indeed, by God, Hussein is not going to submit. Indeed, the soul of his father is between his chest.”

وحمل الشمر رسالة ابن زياد الى عمر بن سعد. فقرأها وقال: “أنت صاحبها والمسؤول عنها. وقد كنا رسمنا حلاً ولكنك هدمت كل شيء. والله، لن يستسلم الحسين، فإن روح أبيه ما زالت بين جنبيه”

Shimr said, “Tell me, are you going to obey your leader or not?”

فرد الشمر: “أخبرني هل ستطيع أمر قائدك أم لا؟”

Umar said, “I am going to do it, and I will not let you have that honor. You take leadership of the infantry.”

فقال عمر: “بل سأطيع، ولن أدعك تأخذ المنصب مني. ولكني سأؤمرك على الرجالة”