Children of the Euphrates

It is the year 680, the eve of the Battle of Karbala; 51 lunar years have passed since the death of the Prophet (s), and his community is in disarray, its leadership having been usurped by the Prophet's erstwhile enemies, the Umayyad clan of the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. Müawiya's son Yazid, a drunkard, brutal and corrupt deviant, has been appointed by Müawiya as his successor, turning the caliphate into a hereditary kingship. Yazid is demanding that Husain ibn Ali (as) pledge allegiance to him - something the Imam cannot do on moral grounds. In a small village not far from where the eventual tragedy of Karbala unfolds, a band of three teenage boys attempt to join the Imam (as). But to do so, they have to escape the clutches of the cowardly village chief and his ruthless henchmen. The moral choices presented to the three teenagers by the situation that they are confronted with strain their friendship. This forces them to make the kinds of moral choices for which Imam Husain (as) took a stand and for which he was martyred. Readers of all ages will be able to relate to the parallel tragedy that befell these brave young boys.