Men Expressing Fear for Al-Husayn
View of ‘Umar al-Atraf
‘Umar al-Atraf then said to him,“O son of the Commander of the Faithful!259 Abu Muhammad, al-Hasan (‘a), told me that his father, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), had told him that you would be slain. If you swear fealty, it will be better for you.”
Al-Husayn (‘a) said,“My father told me that the Messenger of Allah (S) had told him of his murder and mine, and that his resting place would be close to mine. Do you think that you know what I do not know? I shall never yield to lowliness. Fatima (‘a) shall meet her father (S) complaining of what her offspring suffered at the hands of his nation, and none who had harmed her offspring shall ever enter Paradise.”
‘Umar Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib came once to al-Mukhtar when the latter revolted in Kufa. Al-Mukhtar asked him, “Is Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyya with you?” He answered in the negative, whereupon he dismissed him, so he marched on to Mis’ab till he participated in the battle and was killed among those who were killed there and then.
Fatima is bound to come on the Judgement Day,
With her shirt stained with Husayn's blood.
Woe to one who seeks intercession from his adversaries,
When the Trumpet is blown on the Judgment Day.
View of Ibn al-Hanafiyya
Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyya said
, “Brother! I love you more than I love anyone else, and I cherish you the most, and I do not advise anyone as I advise you. You deserve such an advice most. Abandon both your fealty to Yazid son of Mu’awiyah and the metropolises, too, as much as you can, then send your messengers to people.
If they swear the oath of allegiance to you, praise Allah for it, but if they rally behind someone else, Allah will not have diminished aught of your creed or wisdom, and your magnanimity and distinction will not have been wasted. I fear for you lest you should enter one of these metropolises and people will split into parties, some with you and some against you, then they might fight with one another, and you will be the first person sought by their lances.
So, you will either remain the best of this nation in person and in lineage, or the one whose blood is spilled most vainly and whose family is humiliated the most.”
Al-Husayn (‘a) asked him,“Where should I go?”
Muhammad said,“Settle in Mecca. If you do not find yourself comfortable there, you should seek the sands and mountain passes, and you should move from one country to another till you see what the people decide to do.
Your view will be the most wise and your actions the most terse when you are ahead of events. Things will be most complicated for you if you turn your back to them.”
Al-Husayn (‘a) said,“Brother! Had there been on earth neither resort nor a hiding place for me at all, I would still refuse to swear the oath of
allegiance to Yazid son of Mu’awiyah.” It was then that Muhammad interrupted his statement when he burst out weeping.
Al-Husayn (‘a) then said to him,“Brother! May Allah reward you well. You have offered your advice and given a terse suggestion, and I am determined to go to Mecca. My brothers, nephews, and supporters see what I see, and their view is my view. As for you, you may stay in Medina so that you may keep an eye on them and not conceal anything of their affairs from me.”
Imam Husayn (‘a) left Ibn al-Hanafiyya and entered the [Prophet’s] Mosque as he recited these verses:
The eminent ones are not frightened in the morning
By an assailant, nor shall I be called a Yazid
;
Should I, fearing death, to injustice yield,
While the fates watch over me against deviating?
Abu Sa’id al-Maqbari heard him, so he realized that he was undertaking a great matter1
.
Umm Salamah's View
Umm Salamah said,“Do not cause me grief by going to Iraq, for I heard your grandfather the Messenger of Allah (S) saying, ‘My son al-Husayn will be killed in the land of Iraq in a tract of land called Karbala’,' and I have a specimen of your grave's soil in a bottle which the Prophet (S) had given me.”
Al-Husayn (‘a) said to her, “Mother! And I, too, know that I will be slain unjustly and oppressively, and the Omnipotent has decreed to see my family and followers in chains, seeking help and finding none to offer it to them.”
Umm Salamah then asked him,“How strange! How do you march there knowing that you will for sure be killed?”
The Imam (‘a) said to her, “Mother! If I do not die today, I will tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then the day after.
By Allah! There is no avoiding death. And I even know the day when I will be killed, and the time when I will be killed, and the grave in which I will be buried just as I know you, and I look at it just as I look at you. If you wish, mother, I can show you my grave and those of my followers.”
She asked him to do so, whereupon he showed her the graves of his companions.
Then he gave her a little of that soil, telling her to keep it in a bottle. Once she saw it boiling in blood, she would know that he had been slain. On the tenth day of the month of Muharram, in the after-noon, she looked at both bottles [the one given to her by the Messenger of Allah and the other given to her by Imam Husayn (‘a)]; they were both boiling in blood.
View of The Hashimite Ladies
His departure very much grieved the daughters of Banu ‘Abd al-Muttalib who assembled for a group mourning.“I plead to you in the Name of Allah,”
al-Husayn (‘a) said to them after going to their place of gathering,“not to reveal this matter in disobedience to Allah and His Messenger (S).”
They said,“Who should we save weeping and mourning for, since the day of your departure to us is like the demise of the Messenger of Allah (S),
that of ‘Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan (‘a), Zainab, or Umm Kulthum?! We plead to you, may Allah consider us as your sacrificial ransom from your own demise, O one loved by the righteous from among those who reside in the graves!”
Some of his paternal aunts informed him that they had heard a voice saying:
The one slain at al-Taff from Banu Hashim
Dishonoured necks from Quraish, so they are abased.
Al-Husayn (‘a) admonished her to be patient, telling her that that was something already decreed.
View Of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar
Abdullah son of [second caliph] ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab asked al-Husayn (‘a) to remain in Medina, but al-Husayn (‘a) refused saying,“O ‘Abdullah! One of the reasons why this whole world is worthless in the eyes of Allah is that the head of Yahya (John the Baptist) was given as a present to one of the tyrants of the Israelites, and that my head will be given as a present to one of the Umayyad tyrants. Have you not come to know that the Israelites used to kill seventy prophets as the sun rose then buy and sell as if they did nothing?!
Yet Allah was not swift in punishing them. After some time, He seized them, the Omnipotent and the Vengeful Lord that He is.”
Once Ibn ‘Umar was convinced that al-Husayn (‘a) was determined to leave Medina and to face the promoters of misguidance in order to put an end to abominations and to remove the thorns from the path of the sacredShari’a
, he said to him (‘a),
“O Abu ‘Abdullah! Please uncover for me the place where the Messenger of Allah used to always kiss you.” The Imam (‘a) unveiled his navel for him, and he kissed it thrice then burst in tears.
The Imam (‘a) then said to him,“Fear Allah, O father of ‘Abdul-Rahman, and do not abandon your support for me.”
The Will
Before leaving Medina, al-Husayn (‘a) wrote his will in which he stated:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
“This is the will of al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali (‘a) to his brother Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyya. Al-Husayn testifies that there is no god except Allah, the One and Only God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad (S) is His servant and Messenger who brought the truth from Him, that Paradise is right, and that hell is right, that the Hour is approaching; there is no doubt about it, and that Allah will resurrect those in the graves.
I did not march out exultingly, nor recklessly, nor seeking to make corruption in the land, nor to oppress anyone. Rather, I marched out seeking to reform my grandfather's nation. I desire to enjoin what is right and to forbid what is wrong and to follow the Sunnah of my grandfather and of my father ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib.
So, whoever accepts me an acceptance of righteousness, Allah is the Master of what is right, and whoever refuses, I shall persevere till Allah judges between me and the people; surely He is the best of judges. This is
my will to you, brother, and my success comes only from Allah; upon Him do I rely, and to Him is my return
.”
He folded it, sealed it, then handed it to his brother Muhammad.
With his heart did he raise the flag of guidance,
With his splendour shattered the darkness of the blind.
Through him thisShari’a
was corrected,
And its lofty corners towered.
Glories were built through his determination,
The creed grew green only through his blood.
With his life he bought the life of the creed,
What a precious price he paid indeed!
With his soul he brought life to guidance,
With his wounds the creed's wounds he healed.
Gardens of knowledge with simum winds dried,
None watered them but the oppressed one's blood.
So mellow leaves their trees grew,
Fragrant, fresh in taste and in hue.
He raised those for whom they did fight and fall,
Till the creed, after he slipped, stood quite tall.
Through him the pillars of Tawhid stood,
Since they resorted to their mighty support,
Through him they turned into lofty domes,
And they did become comfortable homes
For knowledge, the Sunnah, and the Book.
Like a spring it gushed forth for its seekers,
With the water of life, though he died of thirst,
Killed with thirst, while in his insides
Is Allah's nourishment for those whom He guides.
His insides from thirst burnt like fire,
So sacred clouds rained blood with ire.
Departure from Medina
Al-Husayn (‘a) left Medina for Mecca on the eve of a Sunday, two days before the end of Rajab, accompanied by his offspring, brothers, and the offspring of his brother al-Hasan (‘a) together with his family
He kept reciting this verse from the Holy Qur’an:
“So he went out of it fearful, apprehensive. Said he: Lord! Save me from the oppressive people!” (Qur’an, 28:21).
The Imam (‘a) took the main highway, whereupon some people suggested to him to take a side route as Ibn al-Zubayr had done, perhaps he would not be caught by those who sought to arrest him. “No, by Allah,” said the Imam (‘a), “I shall not abandon it till Allah carries out His will.”
He reached Mecca on a Friday, three days after the beginning of the month of Sha’ban as he was reciting,
“When he went in the direction of Midyan, he said: Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the right way”
(Qur’an, 28:22).
He stayed at the house of al-’Abbas Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
here the people of Mecca and those who went there for the‘umra
met him, and so did those who came from the suburbs.
[‘Abdullah] Ibn al-Zubayr was camping near the Ka’ba as al-Husayn (‘a) kept meeting people. It was hard for him to see al-Husayn (‘a) entering Mecca because he (‘a) was greater than him and more prestigious and because people were more willing to swear fealty to him; so, nobody would go to Ibn al-Zubayr to swear it to Yazid.
Al-Husayn (‘a) went out one day to visit the grave of his grandmother Khadija. He prayed there then supplicated to Allah for a good while.
My heart do I present to the noble ones who
To nobility they saddled their mounts
Trailed by fates, troubled with eulogies,
A caravan for whom Paradise is the destination,
Passing through many a trial and tribulation,
The earth shrunk for a man like al-Husayn,
Not knowing a haven, an entrance,
Seeking security in the desert while
Being ever apprehensive of Banu Sufyan.
The Sacred House was honoured by him,
After blindness, his line became clear to all.
O perturbed one! None other than the light
Of your will can guide anyone at all.
Vast in munificence, to space confined,
Should anyone else be with calamity strained?
Who would from his trouble free?
O king! You did your own subjects oppress
Your Lord decreed caliphate should you possess.
In Mecca
In Mecca, al-Husayn (‘a) wrote one copy of a letter that he arranged to be circulated to the five individuals charged with collecting the khums from the Muslims of Basra. They were: Malik Ibn Musmi’ al-Bakri
, al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays, al-Munthir Ibn Jarud,
Mas’ud Ibn ‘Amr, Qays Ibn al-Haytham, and ‘Amr Ibn ‘Ubayd Ibn Mu’ammar. He sent his letter with one of his slaves named Sulayman
and its text was as follows:
“Allah chose Muhammad (S) from among His creation and blessed him with being His Prophet. He chose him to convey His Message, then He took him away after he had advised His servants and conveyed the Message with which he was entrusted. We are his family, supporters, wasis, heirs, and the most worthy of all people of his status.
Yet our people usurped our right, so we put up with it out of fear of disunity and out of love for people's safety, knowing that we were most worthy of what belongs to us than those who took it away from us.
I am sending my messenger with this letter to invite you to the Book of Allah and to the Sunnah of His Prophet, for this Sunnah has been killed, while bid’a has already been revived. If you listen to me, I shall show you the path of guidance.”
Al-Munthir Ibn al-Jarud al-’Abdi handed al-Husayn's messenger to Ibn Ziyad who crucified the messenger during the night. Then he went out in the morning to Kufa in order to reach it before al-Husayn.
Bahriyya daughter of al-Munthir was Ibn Ziyad's wife. Al-Munthir lied to her, saying that that messenger had been sent to spy on Ibn Ziyad. Al-Ahnaf wrote al-Husayn (‘a) saying,“Be patient, for Allah's promise is true, and do not let those who have no conviction take you for granted.”
As for Yazid Ibn Mas’ud
, he gathered Banu Tamim, Banu Hanzalah and Banu Sa’d. When they all assembled, he said, “O Banu Tamim! How do you see my status among you and my lineage?”
They said,“Very good, very good, indeed! You, by Allah, are our backbone and the source of our prestige. In distinction, you are the most distinguished one, and in lineage you are ahead of everyone else.”
He said, “Then I have gathered you for a matter about which I wish to consult you and for which I seek your support.” They said, “By Allah! We shall grant you our advice and still find your view the best; so, say what you wish, and let us hear you.”
He said,“Mu’awiyah died. It is better, by Allah, to see him dead and lost! The flank of oppression is now crumbled and the corners of injustice weakened. He had undertaken a fealty for which he thought he did his best to secure. Far away, indeed, is he from the truth, though he tried very hard to achieve what he wanted.
By Allah, he has failed; he sought advice then betrayed those who offered it to him! Yazid has now taken charge! Yazid, who drinks wine and is the source of all evil, now claims to be the caliph of the Muslims. He now rules them without their agreement, the youth that he is, and the ignorant one that he is, the man who does not know where his foot should stand in order to be right.
I swear by Allah a true oath that waging jihad against him is better than waging it against the polytheists. Al-Husayn is the son of ‘Ali and the son of the Messenger of Allah (S), the one whose prestige is pure, whose view is the wisest. His distinction can never be described enough, and his knowledge never ends.
He is more worthy of taking charge on account of his record, seniority, accomplishments and kinship to the Prophet (S). He is kind to the young and benevolent to the elderly. He is an excellent care-taker when taking care of his flocks and an excellent Imam from among people obedience to whom is mandated by Allah Through him is your proof and argument.
Wisdom is perfected through him; so, do not be blind from seeing the light of guidance, nor should you remain idle from suppressing falsehood. You betrayed Sakhr Ibn Qays during the Battle of the Camel, so wash away that stigma by marching out to support the son of the Messenger of Allah (S) and by helping him.
Should any of you fall short of assisting him, he will be given by Allah the shame that his offspring will inherit, while his tribe's number will be diminished. Here I am outfitted for war. One who is not killed will still die, and one who flees will never escape from death; so, be good, may Allah have mercy on you, in providing your answer.”
Banu Hanzalah said, “O Abu Khalid! We are the arrows in your quiver and the knights of your tribe! When you fight with us, victory will be on your side, and when you assault, you will be the conqueror. By Allah! You shall not enter in any battle without us, nor will you, by Allah, face hardship without us being on your side. We shall support you with our swords and protect you, if it pleases you, even with our bare hands.”
Banu ‘Amir Ibn Tamim spoke out saying, “O Abu Khalid! We are your brothers and allies! We are not pleased when you are angry, nor do we stay when you depart. The matter is in your hands, so order us as you please.”
Banu Sa’d Ibn Zayd spoke out saying, “O Abu Khalid! The most hateful to us is to do anything against your wish or to disobey you. Sakhr Ibn Qays had ordered us to abandon the battlefield during the Battle of the Camel, so we abided by his order and maintained our honour. Grant us a respite, therefore, so that we may consult each other, then we will let you know of our decision.” He said to them, “Should you do that, may Allah never remove oppression from you or stop you from killing one another...”
He then wrote al-Husayn (‘a) saying,“Your letter reached me, and I understood the task for which you seek my assistance.
You have called upon me to shoulder my share of the responsibility of obeying you so that I may win the rewards of having supported you. Allah has never deprived the world of a doer of good, or without someone to guide others to the path of salvation. You are the Argument of Allah against His creation and His trust on earth.
You branched out of an Ahmedi olive tree, the stem of which is the Prophet (S) while you are its branches. Come to us, may you be the recipient of glad tidings, for the descendants of Tamim are at your service, and I have left them racing to obey you faster than thirsty camels seeking water. Banu Sa’d, too, are at your command: rain water washed their hearts of any uncleanness, so they shine as brightly as lightning.”
When al-Husayn (‘a) read his letter, he said,“May Allah grant you security on the Day of Extreme Fear, and may He grant you dignity and permit you to quench your thirst on the Day of extreme thirst.”
(When Ibn Mas’ud was making preparations to march, news of al-Husayn (‘a) being killed reached him, so he was very grieved and sorrowful for having lost the opportunity to realize eternal happiness through the avenue of martyrdom.
Mariyya daughter of Sa’d (or Munqith) was a bondmaid and a sincere Shi’a. Her house was the place where other Shi’as used to meet to discuss the virtues of Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). Yazid Ibn Nabit, who belonged to the tribe of ‘Abd al-Qays, said to his ten sons,“Who among you will join me in marching?”
Two of them, namely ‘Abdullah and ‘Ubaydullah, came forth. At the house of that lady, he was addressed by his followers thus:“We fear for you the retribution of Ibn Ziyad.”
He said,“By Allah! Should camels' hooves be flattened because of the lengthy way, I would still place myself at the service of the one who has sought my support.”
‘Amir, his slave, accompanied him, and so did Sayf Ibn Malik and al-Adham Ibn Umayyah
They joined al-Husayn (‘a) at Mecca, adding their strength to his, till they reached Karbala’ where they were all martyred.
The Kufians Letters
While still in Mecca, al-Husayn (‘a) received the letters sent to him by the people of Kufa. Some letters were written by single individuals, others contained two, three, or four signatures, all requesting him to go there
because they did not have an Imam. They wrote saying that they never prayed congregational or Friday prayers with al-Nu’man.
Many letters were delivered to him, so much so that he received a total of as many as twelve thousand letters. He did not answer any of them. The last letter he received was sent by Shabath Ibn Rab’i, Hijar Ibn Abjar, Yazid Ibn al-Harith, ‘Izrah Ibn Qays, ‘Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj, and Muhammad Ibn ‘Omayr Ibn ‘Utarid. The latter's letter stated the following:
“The people are waiting for you. They accept no views other than yours; so, hurry, O son of the Messenger of Allah, for the grass is green, the fruits are ripe, and the trees are full of leaves. Come, if you will, for you will be coming to hosts already recruited for you.”
As many as the seeds were the letters he did receive:
Saying: Come to Iraq, to those who connive and deceive;
Caliphate has neither guardian nor anyone worthy of it,
While you are the best of those who deserve it.
So he came with hardened men like lions,
Like the leopards in their forests,
Mounted were those whose faces were
Like the moons shining, glorious, virtuous.
He crossed the sierra, reachingal-Taff
and
In their courtyards he did settle.
The horse stopped, so he said: Karbala’ is this,
Why did not your eyes avoid it at all?
Alight, for its flanks
Are cut only for our graves.
Descending, mending his sword
To cut the helmets on their heads,
As he looked around, he saw the flags
Of betrayal, of treachery.
Never for a moment did I believe it could or it might
A shining moon would in the desert be so bright,
And the sons of the blue woman would in its light
And in its halo receive the night.
Al-Husayn Responds
When letters filled two saddlebags, al-Husayn (‘a) wrote them one letter which he gave to Hani Ibn Hani al-Subay’i and Sa’id Ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hanafi. These were the last of his messengers. Its text was:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Benevolent, the Most Merciful
“Hani and Sa’id brought me your letters, and they are the last to deliver them to me. I understand what you narrate, and the gist of most of your letters is: “We have no Imam; so, come to us, perhaps Allah will gather us with you on the path of guidance and righteousness.”
I have sent you my brother and cousin and the confidant of my Ahl al-Bayt and ordered him to write me with regard to your conditions, views and intentions.
So, if he writes me saying that your view is united with that of those of distinction and wisdom from among you and in agreement with what your messengers and letters state, I shall, by the Will of Allah, come to you very
soon. By my life, an Imam is one who acts upon the Book [of Allah] and implements justice and follows the path of righteousness; he dedicates himself to follow Allah's Commandments, and peace be with you”
.
He handed his letter to Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil saying,“I am dispatching you to the people of Kufa, and Allah shall deal with you as He pleases. I wish that both of us should be in the status of the martyrs; so, proceed with Allah's blessing and help. Once you get there, stay with the most trustworthy of its people.”
Muslim Starts his Trip
With Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil (‘a), al-Husayn (‘a) sent Qays Ibn Mushir al-Saidawi, ‘Imarah Ibn ‘Abdullah al-Saluli, and ‘Abdul-Rahman Ibn ‘Abdullah al-Azdi. He enjoined Muslim to fear Allah, and to find out what the people of Kufa had collectively decided to do. If he saw them united and trustworthy, he should rush a letter to him.
Muslim left Mecca on the fifteenth of the month of Ramadhan
using the Medina highway. He reached Medina and went to the Mosque of the Prophet (S), then he bade his family farewell
after having hired two road guides from the tribe of Qays.
One night the road guides were lost, and they became extremely thirsty. And it was very hot. They said to Muslim (‘a) once they recognized some road marks, “Take yonder road and follow it, perhaps you will be saved.” He, therefore, left them, following their advice. Both road guides died of thirst.
He could not carry them because they were about to pass away. What those road guides had actually seen was not the road itself but some landmarks leading thereto. The distance between them and water was not known, and they were unable to ride on their own, nor could they ride with someone else. Had Muslim (‘a) stayed with them, he, too, would have perished.
The most urgent matter was to preserve precious lives and to continue the march till water could be reached, hence his decision to abandon them where they were. Muslim and those serving him barely survived till they reached the highway and the water source where they rested for a while.
Muslim sent a letter to al-Husayn (‘a) with a messenger whom he hired from those who settled near that water source. He told him about the death of the road guides, about the hardship he underwent, and that he was staying at a narrow passage at Batn al-Khabt awaiting his instructions.
The messenger met al-Husayn (‘a) at Mecca and delivered the letter to him. Al-Husayn (‘a) wrote him back ordering him to continue his march to Kufa without any delay.
Having read the letter, Muslim immediately resumed his trip and passed by a watering place belonging to the tribe of Tay. He alighted there then departed. He saw a man shooting and killing a deer, so he took it as a sign of good omen: the killing of his foe.
Entering Kufa
On the twenty-fifth of Shawwal, he entered Kufa
and stayed with al-Mukhtar Ibn Abu ‘Ubayd al-Thaqafi
who was highly respected among his
people, a generous man, a man of ambition and daring, one well experienced and determined, and a formidable opponent of the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them.
He was a wise man, a man of great discretion especially with regard to the rules of the battle and the means of subduing the foe. His experience taught him wisdom. He underwent calamities from which he learned self-discipline. He kept company with the Progeny of the most holy Prophet (S), so he benefitted from their ethics and virtuous morals, and he sought their advice publicly and privately.
The Oath of Allegiance
The Shi’as went in hordes to meet Muslim as he stayed at al-Mukhtar's house and expressed to him their obedience. This increased his happiness and elation. When he read to them al-Husayn's letter, ‘Abis Ibn Shibib al-Shakiri stood and said,“I do not speak about the people, nor do I know what they conceal in their hearts, nor do I deceive you in their regard.
By Allah! I can tell you what I personally have decided to do. By Allah! I shall respond to your call, and I shall fight your enemy. I shall defend you with my sword till I meet Allah desiring nothing except what He has in store for me.”
Habib Ibn Muzahir said,“You have briefly stated your intention, and by Allah, the One and only God, I feel exactly the same.”
Sa’id Ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hanafi made a similar statement.
Other Shi’as came to swear the oath of allegiance to him till his diwan counted as many as eighteen thousand men,
whereas some historians said they were as many as twenty five thousand men.
According to al-Sha’bi, the number of those who swore allegiance to him reached forty thousand.
It was then that Muslim wrote al-Husayn (‘a) a letter which he handed to ‘Abis Ibn Shibib al-Shakiri informing him of the consensus among the people of Kufa to obey him and to wait for his arrival.
In it, he said,“A scout does not lie to his people. Eighteen thousand Kufians have already come to me; so, hurry and come here as soon as this letter reaches you.”
That was twenty-seven days prior to Muslim's martyrdom.
The Kufians, too, added to it their own letter wherein they stated the following:“Hurry and come to us, O son of the Messenger of Allah! A hundred thousand swords are in Kufa on your side; so, do not tarry.”
This angered a group of the Umayyads with vested interests. Among them were ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d Ibn Abu Waqqas, ‘Abdullah Ibn Muslim Ibn Rabi’ah al-Hadrami, and ‘Imarah Ibn ‘Uqbah Ibn Abu Mu’it. They wrote Yazid warning him of the arrival of Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil and the rallying of the people of Kufa behind him, adding that al-Nu’man Ibn Bashir was not strong enough to stand in his [‘Aqil’s] way.
Yazid solicited the advice of his slave Serjun
who was also his scribe and entertainer. Serjun said,“‘Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad is your man!”
“There is no good in him,”
said Yazid. Serjun asked him,“Had Mu’awiyah been alive and suggested to you to employ him [as governor of Kufa], would you then do so?” Yazid answered in the affirmative. “Mu’awiyah had given him his own seal, and nothing stopped me from
recommending him except my knowledge of how much you hate him.”
Yazid, therefore, dispatched ‘Ubaydullah to Kufa and deposed al-Nu’man Ibn Bashir.
He wrote the latter saying,“One who is praised will one day be condemned, and one who is condemned will one day be praised. You are named for a task wherein the first part of this statement applies to you.”
Elevated, you were, reaching the clouds and beyond,
What ails you so you, crippled, watch the sun?
He ordered Ibn Ziyad to rush to Kufa in the company of Muslim Ibn ‘Umar al-Bahili, al-Munthir Ibn al-Jarud, and ‘Abdullah Ibn al-Harith Ibn Nawfal escorted by five hundred soldiers whom he hand-picked from among the people of Basra.
Ibn Ziyad rushed to Kufa, paying no attention to anyone who fell off his horse due to exhaustion even if he were one of his own closest friends.
Even when Shurayk Ibn al-A’war fell on the way, and even when ‘Abdullah Ibn al-Harith fell, thinking that Ibn Ziyad would slow down for their sake, Ibn Ziyad paid no attention to them for fear al-Husayn (‘a) would reach Kufa before him. When he reached al-Qadisiyya, his slave Mahran fell down.
Ibn Ziyad said to him, “If you remain thus on foot and reach the [governor's] mansion, your reward will be a hundred thousand [dinars].” Mahran said, “By Allah I cannot do that!” ‘Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad abandoned him on the highway then disguised in Yemeni clothes and put on a black turban.
He rode alone and whenever he passed by a checkpoint, its guards thought that he was al-Husayn (‘a), so they said, “Welcome, O son of the Messenger of Allah!” He remained silent till he reached Kufa via the Najaf highway.
When he arrived, people welcomed him and said in one voice:“Welcome, O son of the Messenger of Allah!”
This only intensified his ire.
He continued his march till he reached the governor's mansion. Al-Nu’man did not open the gate for him, and he spoke to him from the mansion's roof-top. Said he,“I shall not return the trust to you, O son of the Messenger of Allah!” Ibn Ziyad said to him, “Open the gate, for your night has extended for too long!”
A man heard his voice and recognized him. He, therefore, said to the people, “He is Ibn Ziyad, by the Lord of the Ka’ba!”
They, thereupon, dispersed, each going back home.
In the morning, Ibn Ziyad gathered people at the grand mosque. There, he delivered a speech warning them against mutiny and promising them generous rewards for conforming. Said he,“Anyone found to be sheltering one of those who scheme against the authority of the commander of the faithful and who does not hand him over will be crucified on the door of his own house.”
Muslim’s Stand
When Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil came to know about Ibn Ziyad's speech and his explicit threats, and having come to know about people's conditions, he feared being assassinated. He, therefore, left al-Mukhtar's house after th
dark and went to the house of Hani Ibn ‘Urwah al-Mathaji who was a very zealous Shi’a.
He was also one of Kufa's dignitaries,
one of its qaris of the Holy Qur’an,
and the shaikh and chief of Murad.
He could easily raise four thousand troops fully armed and eight thousand cavaliers. If he includes his tribe's allies from Kindah, the number would swell to thirty thousand.
He was one of the closest friends of the Commander of the Faithful Imam ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib (‘a)
on whose side he fought in all his three battles.
He had seen and was honoured by being a companion of the Prophet (S). When he was killed, he was more than ninety years old.
Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil stayed at the house of Sharik
Ibn ‘Abdullah
al-A’war al-Harithi al-Hamdani al-Basri, one of the main supporters of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, in Basra, a man who enjoyed great prominence among our men.
He had participated in the Battle ofSiffin
and fought side by side with ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir.
Due to his distinction and prominence, ‘Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad appointed him as Governor of Kerman on behalf of Mu’awiyah
. He used to be in contact with and in the company of Hani Ibn ‘Urwah. He fell very seriously ill, so Ibn Ziyad went to visit him.
Before his arrival, Sharik said to Muslim (‘a),“Your objective and that of your Shi’as is his annihilation; so, you should stay inside the storage room. Once he feels secure at my house, you should come out and kill him, and I shall spare you having to deal with him in Kufa while you yourself remain in good health”
As they were thus engaged in their dialogue, the arrival of the Amir (provincial governor) at the door was announced, so Muslim entered the storage room. When Sharik thought that Muslim had taken too long to come out, he kept taking his turban off and putting it on the ground then putting it back again, doing so several times as he recited the following verses of poetry in an audible voice which Muslim could hear:
Why do you not Sulma greet?
Greet her and those whom she does greet.
A pure drink is what I desire when thirsty,
Though drinking it brings sends me to eternity.
If you fear Sulma's watchful eyes, for sure
Against her conniving you will never feel secure.
He kept repeating these lines as he cast quick glances at the storage room. Then he raised his voice so that Muslim could hear him saying,“Give it to me to drink even if my death lies therein.”
It was then that ‘Ubaydullah turned to Hani and said,
“Your cousin, on account of his sickness, is surely hallucinating.”
Hani said,“Sharik has been hallucinating since he fell sick, and he does not know what he says.”
Sharik, at a later time, asked Muslim,“What stopped you from killing him?”
He said, “Two reasons: first, one hadith of the Messenger of Allah (S) narrated by ‘Ali (‘a) says, ‘Faith stops where murder begins; a faithful man does not murder others.'
The second reason is Hani's wife. She pleaded to me in the Name of Allah not to do so in her house, and she wept before my very eyes.” Hani said, “Woe unto her! She has killed me and killed her own self! That from which she fled, in it have I fallen.”
Sharik died three days later. Ibn Ziyad performed the funeral prayers for him
, then he was buried at al-Thuwayya. When it became clear for Ibn Ziyad that Sharik used to instigate people to have him killed, he said, “By Allah! I shall never perform the funeral prayers for anyone from Iraq! Had it not been for Ziyad's grave being in their land, I would have exhumed Sharik's grave.”
The Shi’as kept meeting Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil secretly at Hani's house without attracting the attention of Ibn Ziyad, admonishing each other to keep it to themselves. Ibn Ziyad, therefore, could not know where Muslim was. He called Ma’qil, his slave, to meet him.
He gave him three thousand [dinars] and ordered him to meet the Shi’as and to tell them that he was a Syrian slave of Thul-Kila’, that Allah blessed him with loving Ahl al-Bayt of His Messenger (S), that it came to his knowledge that one of the members of Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) had come to that country, and that he had with him some money which he wanted to hand deliver to him.
Ma’qil entered the grand mosque and saw Muslim Ibn ‘Awsajah al-Asadi offering his prayers. Having seen him finish his prayers, he came close to him and made the above claim to him. Muslim prayed Allah to grant him goodness and success.
He then accompanied him to the place where Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil was. He delivered the money to Muslim and swore the oath of allegiance to him.
The money was handed over to Abu Thumama al-Sa’idi who was a far-sighted and a brave Shi’a dignitary appointed by Muslim to receive the funds and to buy thereby weapons.
That man kept meeting Muslim every day. No secrets were kept from him, so he kept gathering intelligence and getting it to reach Ibn Ziyad in the evening.
Hani’s Stand
When the matter became clear to Ibn Ziyad, who by now knew that Muslim was hiding at the house of Hani Ibn ‘Urwah, he had Asma’ Ibn Kharijah, Muhammad Ibn al-Ash’ath and ‘Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj brought to him. He asked them why Hani had not been coming lately to visit him.
They told him that it was due to his sickness, but he was not convinced especially since his informers had already told him that Hani used to sit at the door of his house every evening.
These same men rode to Hani and asked him to meet the sultan, for“He cannot stand you staying away from him,”
they said, pressuring him till he yielded. Hani, therefore, rode his mule and went. As soon as Ibn Ziyad saw him, he said,“His feet, the feet of the treacherous one, have brought him to you.”
Then he turned to his judge Shurayh and cited this verse of poetry:
I seek his pleasure while he seeks my death,
Now from your fellow you have an excuse
To carry out what you intend to do
Then Ibn Ziyad turned to Hani and said,“You brought ‘Aqil's son to your house and gathered weapons for him, did you not?”
Hani denied, and when their argument became heated, Ibn Ziyad ordered Ma’qil to be brought to him. Hani, hence, understood that that man was actually Ibn Ziyad's spy, so he said to Ibn Ziyad,
“Your father had done me great favours, and I now wish to reward him. Why do you not listen to my good advice and safely depart for Syria with your family and wealth? Someone who is more worthy than you and your friend
of taking charge has come here.”
Ibn Ziyad said,“And under the foam is the pure sour milk.”
Ibn Ziyad then said to him,“By Allah! You will not stay out of my sight before you bring him to me.”
Hani said,“By Allah! Had he been under my foot, I would not have lifted it!”
Ibn Ziyad then spoke rudely to him and even threatened to kill him.
Hani, therefore, said, “In that case, there will be plenty of swords around you,”
thinking that the tribesmen of Murad would protect him from Ibn Ziyad who then pulled Hani's braids, hitting his face with his sword, breaking his nose and scattering the flesh from his cheeks and forehead on his beard. He then jailed him at his mansion.
‘Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj heard that Hani had been killed. Hani's wife, Raw’a, who is well known as the mother of Yahya son of Hani, was the sister of ‘Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj. The latter, therefore, rode with a multitude from the tribe of Mathhaj, and they all surrounded the mansion.
When Ibn Ziyad came to know about it, he ordered Shurayh, the judge
, to see Hani and then to tell those horsemen that Hani was still alive. Shurayh narrates saying,“When Hani saw me, he said in a loud voice, ‘O Muslims! Should ten persons enter here, you must come to my rescue!' Had Hamid Ibn Abu Bakr al-Ahmari, the policeman, not been with me, I would have conveyed his message, but I had to simply say instead that Hani was still alive. ‘Amr Ibn al-Hajjaj then praised Allah and went back accompanied by the other men.”
Muslim’s Uprising
When Muslim came to know about what had happened to Hani, he feared being assassinated; therefore, he rushed to rise prior to the date that he had set with the public. He ordered ‘Abdullah Ibn Hazim to call upon his men, who had then filled the houses surrounding him, to gather together. Four thousand men assembled. They were shouting Badr's call that was: “O Supported One! Annihilate them!”
‘Ubaydullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn ‘Aziz al-Kindi was placed in command of the Kindah and the Rabi’ah quarters.“March ahead of me,”
said Muslim,“in command of the cavalry.”
Muslim Ibn ‘Awsajah al-Asadi was placed in command of Mathhaj and Banu Asad. “Take charge of the infantry,” Muslim ordered him.
Abu Thumama al-Sa’idi was placed in charge of Tamim and Hamdan, whereas al-’Abbas Ibn Ja’dah al-Jadli was given the command of the Medina troops.
They marched towards the governor's mansion. Ibn Ziyad fortified himself inside it, locking all its gates. He could not resist because there were only thirty policemen with him and twenty of his close men and slaves.
But the substance from which the people of Kufa were made was treachery; so, their standards kept disappearing till no more than three hundred men remained out of the original four thousand.
Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays described them as a whore who demanded a different man every day.
When those inside the mansion called upon the people of Kufa saying,“O Kufians! Fear Allah and do not expose yourselves to Syrian cavaliers whose might you have already tasted and whom you have already tested on the battlefield,”
the remaining three hundred dispersed, so much so that a man would come to his son, brother, or cousin and tell him to go home, and a wife would cling to her husband till he returned home.
Muslim offered the evening prayers at the [grand Kufa] mosque accompanied by only thirty men. Then, when he went to Kindah's quarters, only three men accompanied him.
He hardly proceeded for a short while before finding himself without anyone at all to show him the way.
He alighted from his horse and cautiously traversed Kufa's alleys not knowing where to go.
When people abandoned Muslim, their noise died down, and Ibn Ziyad could not hear the voice of any of their men. Ibn Ziyad ordered his bodyguards to inspect the mosque's courtyard to see whether there were any men lying in ambush.
They, therefore, kept lowering their lanterns down its walls and lighting reeds then lowering them down with ropes till they reached the mosque's courtyard.
They could not see anyone, so they informed Ibn Ziyad who ordered his caller to call people to assemble at the mosque. When they filled the mosque, he ascended the pulpit and said,“‘Aqil's son has caused the dissension and disunity with which you all are familiar; so, there is no security henceforth to any man in whose house we find him.
Anyone who captures him and brings him to us will be paid his blood money. O servants of Allah! Fear Allah and safeguard your obedience and oath of allegiance, and do not expose yourselves to peril.”
Then he ordered al-Hasin Ibn Tamim, chief of his police force, to search homes and highways, warning him that he would kill Muslim should the latter succeed in fleeing from Kufa.
Al-Hasin stationed his guards at highway crossroads and pursued the dignitaries who had supported Muslim, arresting ‘Abd al-A’la Ibn Yazid al-Kalbi and ‘Imarah Ibn Salkhab al-Azdi. He threw them in jail then killed them. Then he jailed a group of prominent leaders as a safeguard against what they might do. Among them were al-Asbagh Ibn Nubatah and al-Harith al-A’war al-Hamadani.
al-Mukhtar is Jailed
When Muslim marched, al-Mukhtar was at a village called Khatwaniyya
. He came accompanied by his supporters raising a green standard while ‘Abdullah Ibn al-Harith was raising a red one. Having
planted his standard at the door of ‘Amr Ibn Harith's house, he said,“I want to stop ‘Amr.”353
It became obvious to them that both Muslim and Hani had been killed, and it was suggested to them that they would feel more secure in the company of ‘Amr Ibn Harith, and so they did. Ibn Harith testified that they had both avoided Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil... Ibn Ziyad ordered them jailed after having reviled al-Mukhtar and hit his face with a lance, gouging one of his eyes.
They remained in prison till Imam al-Husayn, peace be upon him, was martyred.
Ibn Ziyad ordered Muhammad Ibn al-Ash’ath
, Shabth Ibn Rab’i, al-Qa’qa’ Ibn Shawr al-Thuhli
, Hijar Ibn Abjar
, Shimr Thul-Jawshan, and ‘Amr Ibn Harith to surrender and to discourage people from rebelling
. A number of men, who were controlled by fear, responded positively to his call in addition to others who coveted rich rewards and were thus deceived, whereas those whose conscience was pure went underground, waiting for an opportunity to launch an attack on the camp of falsehood.
Muslim at the House of Taw’a
Ibn ‘Aqil's feet took him to the quarters of Banu Jiblah of the tribe of Kindah He stood at the door of a house of a freed bondmaid named Taw’a who had a number of sons. She used to be the bondmaid of al-Ash’ath Ibn Qays who freed her.
Asid al-Hadrami married her, and she gave birth to his son Bilal who was in the crowd when his mother was standing at the door waiting for him. Muslim requested her to give him some water, which she did. He then requested her to host him, telling her that he was a stranger in that land without a family or a tribe, that he belonged to a family capable of intercession on the Day of Judgment, and that his name was Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil.
She took him to a room that was not the same one where her son used to sleep, and she served him some food. Her son was surprised to see her entering that room quite often, so he asked her about it. She refused to answer his question except after obtaining an oath from him to keep the matter to himself.
But in the morning he informed Ibn Ziyad of where Muslim had been hiding. Ibn Ziyad dispatched al-Ash’ath accompanied by seventy men who belonged to the Qays tribe in order to arrest him. Upon hearing the horses' hoofs ploughing the ground, Muslim realized that he was being pursued
, so he hurried to finish a supplication that he was reciting following the morning prayers. Then he put on his battle gear and said to his hostess Taw’a:
“You have carried out your share of righteousness, and you have secured your share of the intercession of the Messenger of Allah (S). Yesterday, I saw my uncle the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) in a vision telling me that I was going to join him the next day.”
He came out to face them raising his unsheathed sword as they assaulted the house, succeeding in repelling their attack. They repeated their attack, and again he repelled them as he recited these poetic verses:
It is only death; so, do whatever you devise,
For you shall no doubt meet your demise;
So I shall be patient about the Command
Of Allah, His Glory is Grand!
Allah's decree is always done
In His creation; this is well known.
He killed as many as forty-one of their men
, and he was so strong that he would take hold of one man then hurl him on the rooftop.
Ibn al-Ash’ath sent a messenger to Ibn Ziyad requesting re-enforcements. The messenger came back to him carrying the latter's blame of his incompetence. He, therefore, sent him this message:
“Do you think that you sent me to one of Kufa's shopkeepers or to a Nabatean from Hira?! Rather, you sent me to one of the swords of [Prophet] Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullah (S)!”
Ibn Ziyad then assisted him with additional soldiers.
Fighting intensified. Muslim and Bakir Ibn Hamran al-Ahmari exchanged blows. Bakir struck Muslim on the mouth, cutting his upper lip, wounding the lower one and breaking two of his lower teeth. Muslim fiercely struck him with one blow on his head and another on his shoulder muscle, almost splitting his stomach, killing him instantly.
Then they attacked him from the house's rooftop, hurling rocks at him. They kept burning reed bales then throwing them at him. He attacked them in the alley as he quoted the following rajaz verses composed by Hamran Ibn Malik:
I swore not to be killed except as a free man,
Though I found death something repelling;
Every man will one day face evil,
And what is cold will be mingled with what is hot.
The soul's ray returned, so it did settle,
I fear only being charged with lying or being tempted.
His wounds were numerous; he bled extensively, so he supported his body on the side of the house. It was then that they assaulted him with arrows and stones. “Why do you hurl stones at me,” he asked them, “as non-believers are stoned, the member of the household of the pure Prophet (S) that I am?
Do you not have any respect for the Messenger of Allah (S) with regard to one of his own descendants?” Ibn al-Ash’ath said to him, “Please do not get yourself killed while you are under my protection.” Muslim asked him, “Shall I then be captured so long as I have some strength in me? No, by Allah! This shall never be.”
Then he attacked Ibn al-Ash’ath who fled away before him. They attacked Aqil from all directions. Thirst had taken its toll on him. A man stabbed him from the back, so he fell on the ground and was arrested.
Another account says that they dug a hole for him that they covered then fled before him, thus luring him into falling in it, then they arrested him.
When they took his sword away from him, he cried. ‘Amr Ibn ‘Ubaydullah al-Salami was surprised to see him cry.
Muslim Meets Ibn Ziyad
Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil was brought before Ibn Ziyad. At the mansion’s gate, he saw an urn containing cooled water. He asked to drink of it. Muslim Ibn ‘Amr al-Bahili
said to him, “You shall not taste one drop of it till you taste of the hamim in the fire of hell.”
Muslim (‘a) asked him,“Who are you?”
He said, “I am one who knew the truth which you rejected, and who remained faithful to his imam when you betrayed him.”
Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil said to him, “May your mother lose you! How hard-hearted and rude you are! You, son of Bahilah, are more worthy of tasting of the hamim.”
Having said so, he sat down, supporting his back on the mansion's wall.
‘Imarah Ibn ‘Uqbah Ibn Abu Mu’it sent a slave named Qays
to give him water. Whenever Muslim was about to drink of it, the cup became full of his blood. In his third attempt to drink, the cup became full of his blood and both his front teeth fell in it, so he abandoned it saying,“Had it been prescribed in destiny for me to drink it, I would have drunk it.”
Ibn Ziyad's guard came out to escort Muslim. Having entered the room where Ibn Ziyad was, Muslim did not greet him. The guard asked Muslim,“Why did you not greet the Amir?” “Keep your mouth shut,”
said Muslim,“he is not my Amir.”
It is also said that he said to Ibn Ziyad,“Peace be upon whoever followed the right guidance, feared the consequences in the hereafter, and obeyed the Exalted King,” so Ibn Ziyad laughed and said, “Whether you greet or not, you shall be killed.”
Muslim said,“If you kill me, someone worse than you had already killed someone much better than me.
Besides, you shall never abandon committing murders, setting a bad example, thinking ill of others, being mean; having the upper hand will be the doing of anyone else but you.”
Ibn Ziyad said,“You disobeyed your imam, divided the Muslims, and sowed the seeds of dissension.” Muslim said, “You have uttered falsehood. Rather, those who divided the Muslims are Mu’awiyah and his son Yazid. The seeds of dissension were sown by your father, and I wish Allah will grant me to be martyred at the hand of the worst of His creation.”
Then Muslim asked permission to convey his will to some of his people. He was granted permission, so he looked at those present there and saw ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d. “There is kinship between me and you,”
said Muslim to him, “and I need a favour of you which you should oblige, and it is a secret between us.”
But he refused to listen, whereupon Ibn Ziyad said to him,
“Do not hesitate from tending to your cousin's need.”
‘Umar stood with Muslim in a way that enabled Ibn Ziyad to see them both Muslim conveyed his desire to him to sell his sword and shield and pay a debt in the amount of six hundred dirhams
which he had borrowed since he entered Kufa, to ask Ibn Ziyad to give him his corpse to bury it, and to write al-Husayn (‘a) to tell him what happened to him. ‘Umar Ibn Sa’d stood up and walked to Ibn Ziyad to reveal the secret with which he had just been entrusted by Muslim! Ibn Ziyad said to him,“A trustworthy person never betrays you, but you have placed your trust in a treacherous person.”
Then Ibn Ziyad turned to Muslim and said,“O son of ‘Aqil! You came to a united people and disunited them.”
Muslim said,“No, indeed, I did not
come to do that, but the people of this country claimed that your father killed their best men, shed their blood, and did what Kisra and Caeser do, so we came to them in order to enjoin justice, and to invite all to accept the judgment of the Book [of Allah].”
Ibn Ziyad said,“What do you have to do with all of that? Have we not been dealing with them with equity?”
Muslim said,“Allah knows that you are not telling the truth. You, in fact, kill when angry, out of enmity, and for mere suspicion.”
Ibn Ziyad then verbally abused him and abused ‘Ali (‘a), ‘Aqil, and al-Husayn (‘a), whereupon Muslim said,“You and your father are more worthy of being thus abused; so, issue whatever decree you wish, you enemy of Allah!”
It was then that Ibn Ziyad ordered a Syrian
to go to the top of the mansion and to behead Muslim and throw both the head and the body to the ground. The Syrian took Muslim to the flat rooftop of the mansion as the latter kept repeating,
“Subhan-Allah! La ilaha illa-Allah! Allahu Akbar!” He also kept repeating, “O Allah! Judge between us and the people who deceived, betrayed and lied to us,”
then he faced Medina and saluted al-Husayn (‘a).
The Syrian struck Muslim's neck with his sword and threw his head and body to the ground
then hurried down. He was very startled. Ibn Ziyad asked him what was wrong with him. “The moment I killed him,”
said he, “I saw a black man with an extremely ugly face standing beside me biting his finger, so I was frightened.” “Perhaps you lost your mind for a moment,”
said Ibn Ziyad.
Hani was taken to an area of the market place where sheep were sold; his arms were tied. He kept saying,“O Mathhaj! Any man from Mathhaj to help me today?! O Mathhaj! Where has Mathhaj gone away from me?!”
Having seen that there was none to respond to him, he somehow managed to get one of his arms out of the ropes and said,“Is there anyone who would hand me a stick, a knife, a rock, or even a bone so that a man may be able to defend himself?”
Guards attacked him and tied him again. He was ordered to stretch his neck so that they might strike it with their swords.“I am not going to give it away to you so generously. I shall not assist you at the cost of my own life.”
A Turkish slave named Rasheed owned by ‘Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad struck him with his sword, but he missed. Hani said,“To Allah is my return! O Allah! To Your Mercy do I come and to Your Pleasure!”
Rasheed hit him again and killed him. This same slave was killed by ‘Abdul-Rahman Ibn al-Hasin al-Muradi who saw him at the Khazar
(Caspian Sea) in the company of ‘Ubaydullah.
Ibn Ziyad ordered the corpses of both Muslim and Hani to be tied with ropes from their feet and dragged in the market places
. He crucified them upside-down
at the garbage collection site, then he sent their severed heads to Yazid who displayed them at one of the streets of Damascus.
‘Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad wrote Yazid saying:
“Praise to Allah Who effected justice on behalf of the commander of the faithful and sufficed him having to deal with his foes.
I would like to inform the commander of the faithful, may Allah bless him, that Muslim Ibn ‘Aqil had sought refuge at the house of Hani Ibn ‘Urwah al-Muradi, that I assigned spies for them and let men infiltrate their assemblies and plotted against them till I forced them out.
Allah gave me the upper hand over them, so I killed them and sent you both of their heads with Hani Ibn Abu Hayya al-Wadi’i al-Hamdani and al-Zubayr Ibn al-’Arwah al-Tamimi who both are from among those who listen to and obey us; so, let the commander of the faithful ask them whatever he pleases, for there is knowledge with them, truth, understanding, and piety. And peace be with you”.
Yazid wrote Ibn Ziyad saying,
“You do not cease being the source of my delight. You have behaved with strictness and assaulted with courage, maintaining your composure. You have done very well and testified to the correctness of my good impression about you. I invited your messengers and asked them and confided in them, and I found their views and merits just as you indicated; so, take good care of them.
It has also come to my knowledge that al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali has marched towards Iraq. You should, therefore, set up observation posts, prepare with arms, be cautious for mere suspicion. Kill anyone whom you suspect.
Your tenure is put to the test by this Husayn rather than by anyone else, so is your country and your own self as governor. The outcome will determine whether you will be freed or whether you will return to slavery
;so, you have to either fight him or arrest and transport him to me.”
O cousin of al-Husayn! Tearful eyes of your Shi’as may
With blood provide you with water to drink.
Tearful eyes shall never cease
Greeting you as they come and go,
For you were not given to drink,
Not even once, as your fractured teeth
Fell into the drink.
From the mansion did they hurl you,
Having tied you; were you not their prince
Only the day before?
Should you spend without anyone mourning you?
Is there anyone in the land to mourn you?
Is there anyone in the land to cry over you?
Should you die, in Zarud there are
Many a mourner mourning you in the night and the day.
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Author: Abd al Razzaq al-Muqarram
