KARBALA -
Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
Bacalah dan fahamilah..... kerana Allah SWT.
KARBALA - UNMASKING THE OTHER VILLAINS
Retelling the tragedy of Karbala has traditionally been an important feature of Shi抜 spirituality. The passion plays of Iran and the Indian subcontinent, the literature, both prose and poetry, composed upon the subject of the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu and the general atmosphere of mourning that reigns amongst the Shi抋h during the month of Muharram, all bear eloquent testimony to the importance of that event in the Shi抜 calendar. To the Shi抋h, Ashura is probably the most important day of the year.
However, it is regrettable that despite the huge amount of attention the subject of Karbala enjoys, the event is persistently portrayed as two-sided. It is always depicted as Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu against Yazid, Right rising up against Wrong, the Quest for Justice against the Forces of Oppression. Many an opportunist has even gone to the extent of superimposing upon the event the theme of Shi抋h against Ahl as-Sunnah.
In this partial retelling that concentrates upon what actually happened at Karbala, and conveniently draws attention away from the other guilty party in the Ashura tragedy, lies another tragedy in itself. For while Sayyiduna Husayn抯 martyrdom has been oft commemorated, and his physical opponents and killers identified, cursed and eliminated, no one has spared a moment抯 anger for those who deserted him at the crucial hour. It is these men in the shadows, who squarely deserve to be called the REAL Villains of Karbala, upon whom this article seeks to cast light.
It was in Ramadan 60AH that the letters from Kufah started to arrive at the house of 慉bbas ibn 慉bdal-Muttalib in Makkah where Husayn ibn 慉li radiyallahu 'anhu was staying after his flight from Madinah, letters urging him to lead the Kufans into revolt against Yazid ibn Mu抋wiyah, and assuring him of their loyalty and allegiance. Mu抋wiyah radiyallahu 'anhu died two months earlier, and there was much resentment for his son Yazid for whom the bay抋h was taken as his successor. The people of Kufah especially were looking at Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu for leadership, and soon there was a stream of letters coming in from Kufah. On certain days there would be as many as 600 letters, with messengers who enthusiastically described the support he would receive from the Kufans. Kufah was a unique place, and the Kufans a peculiar people. In 37AH Sayyiduna 慉li Radiyallaahu 慳nhu shifted his capital from Madinah to Kufah, and ever since that city became the home of those who claimed partisanship of the Ahl al-Bayt. After the reconciliation between Hasan radiyallahu 'anhu and Mu抋wiyah radiyallahu 'anhu in 41AH many of those who had been in Sayyiduna Hasan抯 army settled in Kufah. At the time of Sayyiduna Mu抋wiyah抯 death in 60AH pro-扐lid sentiments were still to be found in abundance in Kufah. At the time of Mu抋wiyah抯 death in 60 AH Kufah was still very strongly pro-扐lid. Thus when the opportunity arose the Kufans, who still regarded themselves as the Shi抋h (supporters) of the Ahl al-Bayt turned to Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu to lead them against Yazid.
18,000 PLEDGE SUPPORT
Sayyiduna Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu decided to send his cousin Muslim ibn 慉qil to investigate the situation in Kufah. If he found it feasible he would write to inform Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu, who would depart with his family from Makkah to join him in Kufah. Muslim arrived in Dhul Qa抎ah. The Kufans, when they learnt of his arrival, presented themselves at the residence of Muslim ibn 慉wsajah al-Asadi where he was staying. Soon there were 12,000 Kufans who had given their solemn pledge to support and protect Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu with their lives and all they possessed. When this number rose to 18,000 Muslim felt confident enough to dispatch a messenger to Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu informing him of the bay抋h of the Kufans, and urging him to proceed from Makkah.
YAZID ORDERS KILLING
Rumours of what was happening in Kufah soon reached Yazid in Damascus. He immediately replaced Nu抦an ibn Bashir, the governor of Kufah, with the ruthless 慤baydullah ibn Ziyad with orders to find Muslim ibn 慉qil and kill him. Ibn Ziyad entered Kufah early in Dhul Hijjah, accompanied by seventeen men on horseback. With the end of his turban drawn over his face he was unrecognisable, and the people of Kufah, who were expecting Sayyiduna Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu, mistook him for Husayn radiyallahu 'anhu. "Peace upon you, O son of Rasulullah," they hailed him. Thus it was that Ibn Ziyad learnt the truth of the rumours. It was only when one of his mounted men shouted at them, "Stand back! This is the governor 慤baydullah ibn Ziyad!" that the Kufans realised the seriousness of their blunder.
Soon after reaching the governor抯 residence 慤baydullah sent a servant of his own with a bag containing 3,000 dirhams to pose as a newcomer from the Syrian town of Hims eager to join the imminent revolution, and thereby discover the whereabouts of Muslim ibn 慉qil. He located Muslim in the house of Hani ibn 慤rwah, and took the pledge of allegiance at his hands. The money he handed over to Abu Thumamah al-扐miri who was acting as Muslim抯 treasurer. After staying with them for a few days, during which he learnt most of what there was to know about their intrigue, he returned to Ibn Ziyad and informed him. Hani ibn 慤rwah was arrested. At first he denied all knowledge of Muslim抯 whereabouts, but when the "newcomer from Hims" was brought before him he confessed. But he still refused to reveal where Muslim ibn 慉qil was.
...to be continued...
