Imam Husayn (a.s.) started paving the way from Sharaf until afternoon, and while they were proceeding, one of his companions called out “Allaho Akbar.” Imam Husayn (a.s.) repeated it and asked him the reason for uttering it at that moment. He replied that he saw palm-trees. A group of his companions said, “By Allah! We have never seen palm-trees in this area.” Imam then asked them what they thought, to which they replied, “In our opinion those are the ears of the horses.” Imam said,
“By Allah! I too see it.”
Then he asked,
“Is there a place of refuge here, so that we may turn our back towards it and face them from the front”?
They said, “Yes, there is a hill called Zu Husam at your side, then if we hasten to the left, we shall reach there before them, and shall achieve our goal.” Imam turned towards the left and they followed suit. After some time the heads and necks of the horses became visible and they were appraised. Imam and his companions changed their direction, and when they saw this, they hastened towards them. The points of their lances were like the honey-combs and their standards were like the flapping wings of the birds.
Imam hastened towards Zu Husam and reached there before them, then Imam ordered the tents to be pitched. The people, who were numbered around one thousand horsemen, were under the command of Hurr bin Yazid Tamimi. They came and stood in the heat of Zuhr, facing Imam and his companions. Imam and his companions had worn turbans on their heads and had unsheathed their swords. Imam then told his companions,
“Serve water to them and to their horses too.”
They filled the bowls and cups with water and served to the Horses. Only when the Horse drank three to four times, did they take it away from it and give to the other one. They did thus until they had fed all of them.
Reference : Nafasul Mahmoom – Shaikh abbas Qummi (r.a.)