Personality of Imam Husain (a.s.) is unmatched on many counts, like genealogy for instance. If only the Muslims had paid attention to these virtues, they would have no difficulty in choosing him (a.s.) over tyrants like Muawiyah and Yazid.
Here is an interesting report on how the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) introduces Imam Husain (a.s.) to the Muslims leaving no doubt about his and his father – Ali Ibn Abi Talib’s (a.s.) superior claim to caliphate.
Huzaifa relates:
I saw the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) take Imam Husain (a.s.) in his arms and put him on his shoulder and supported him from his back while he (s.a.w.a.) was saying:
O people! Surely, he is from the perfection of my proof on the wretched ones after me, those who will abandon the mastership of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). Beware! Those who abandon the mastership of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) have gone out of religion.
O people! This is Husain the son of Ali. He is the best of people vis-à-vis his grandfather and grandmother. His grandfather is the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) the leader of humanity and his grandmother is Khadijah the foremost in bringing faith in Allah and His Messenger.
This is Husain, the best of people vis-à-vis his father and mother. His father is Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the successor of the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, his minister and his cousin; and his mother is Fatima the daughter of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
This is Husain, the best of people vis-à-vis his paternal uncle and paternal aunt. His paternal uncle is Jafar Ibn Abi Talib, the one adorned with wings with which he flies in Paradise as he wishes; and his paternal aunt is Umm Hani the daughter of Abu Talib.
This is Husain, the best of people vis-à-vis his maternal uncle and maternal aunt. His maternal uncle is Qasim the son of Allah’s Messenger and his maternal aunt is Zainab the daughter of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
Thereafter, he (s.a.w.a.) brought Husain (a.s.) down from his shoulder, who walked in front of him (s.a.w.a.). Then, he (s.a.w.a.) said:
And this is Husain. His grandfather is in paradise, his grandmother is in paradise, his father is in paradise, his mother is in paradise, his paternal uncle is in paradise, his paternal aunt is in paradise, his maternal uncle is in paradise and his maternal aunt is in paradise. He will be in paradise and so will his brother (peace be upon them).
Then, he (s.a.w.a.) declared,
O people! None from the progeny of past Prophets (a.s.) has been granted what Husain has been given, not even Yusuf Ibn Yaqub Ibn Is’haaq Ibn Ibrahim, the friend of Allah.
Then he (s.a.w.a.) said:
O people! Certainly, the grandfather of Husain is better than the grandfather of Yusuf. Thus, let not any of the affairs (of the time) make you skeptical that the excellence, honour, status and mastership does not belong to anyone except the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), his progeny and his Ahle Bait (a.s.). So, allow not the doubts to destroy you.”
– Al-Taraif v 1 p 119-120
– Behar al-Anwar, v 23 p 111
From the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) detailed introduction of Imam Husain (a.s.), it is evident that in his mind, he (s.a.w.a.) was envisaging the event of Karbala, where Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred by Yazid who deemed himself superior to Imam Husain (a.s.) and demanded allegiance from him (a.s.) at all cost.
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in front all Muslims wanted to make it clear that there is absolutely no comparison between Imam Husain (a.s.) and Yazid. Imam Husain (a.s.) with his perfect lineage was peerless among the Muslims and Muawiyah and his son Yazid with their lowly genealogy were no match for him (a.s.) and did not have any right to caliphate.
Leave alone common Arabs and non-Arabs, even Yusuf (a.s.) a fourth-generation prophet from Ibrahim’s (a.s.) progeny was no match for Imam Husain (a.s.)!
However, Muslims in their wisdom formed consensus (ijma) in favour of the children of liver eaters and eternal enemies of Islam and Prophet (s.a.w.a.) like Muawiyah and Yazid and considered the sons of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Husain (a.s.) as unworthy of ruling over them.