'Abdullah al-Azdi

Later, while the People of the House were imprisoned, Ibn Ziyad made a speech, saying, "The liar of liars, Husayn, was killed."

'Abdullah Ibn 'Afif al-Azdi, an old, blind man, interrupted him and said, "You are the liar of liars! You kill the children of the Prophet and you call yourself a Muslim?"

Ibn Ziyad became angry and ordered the guards to capture him and put him in jail. That night many of the people of his tribe went and forcibly took him out of the jail. When Ibn Ziyad found out what happened, he sent troops to go to 'Abdullah's house and burn it down.

The troops came to his home and when they set it on fire, he asked his daughter to bring him his sword. She was crying and wailing. She said, "I wish I were a man so I could fight for you!"

He told her not to worry and ran out of the house with his sword. His daughter was behind him, giving him directions. He was an old, blind man, but she told him where to swing, and 'Abdullah slashed at them with his sword, injuring the guards.

Finally, when they captured him and brought him to Ibn Ziyad, Ibn Ziyad said, "God has exposed you!"

'Abdullah asked, "Exposed me of what?"

Ibn Ziyad did not answer him, and asked him, instead, "What do you think of 'Uthman (The third caliph]?"

'Abdullah said, "What does that have to do with anything? Good or bad, God is going to be the judge. If you want to ask me questions, ask me about your father and your mother, I can tell you."
After the insult, the fatherless Ibn Ziyad said, "No, I will not ask you any more, but I will kill you with a unique and original form of death."

'Abdullah said, "I knew I would be martyred before you were born from your mother. When I became blind, I lost that hope, but it seems that hope still exists. Even if you kill me, I am not better than Imam Husayn."

Ibn Ziyad ordered him to be killed and hanged.

Adapted from the book: "Karbala & Ashura" by: "Ali Hussain Jalali"