Ali was just one of three boys called Ali, in his family. The two others were killed in The Battle of Karbala, one of them just an infant. Zayn al-Abidin survived the Battle, since he was ill, and did not participate in the battle. Later on he was sent to Kufa along with surviving women and children. In Kufa, he was about to be killed by Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, who disdained him by saying that God killed his family. Ali ibn Husayn, condemned ibn Ziad, by quoting a verse of Quran, which says otherwise. Ali, then was sent to Damascus, where he had a Sermon at Yazid I's palace, in presence of people who Yazid expected to take his side. In this sermon, Ali introduced himself and his family as Ahl al-Bayt of the prophet of Islam who were killed by Muslims!