Personalities

Al-Husain's Head

Al-Shimr beheaded al-Husain and gave his head to Ubaidullah bin Zyyad.

The people saw Imam Husain's head. They felt pain because they did not support him.

Ubaidullah bin Zyyad ordered some guards to bring al-Mukhtar.

Seeing al-Husain's head, al-Mukhtar said with pain:

"Alas! Alas!"

Then he thought about a revolution to punish the criminals.

Maitham al-Tammar

Maitham al-Tammar was a good man. He was one of Imam Ali's companions. From the Imam's knowledge, he learnt a lot.

Maitham al-Tammar was in the same prison with al-Mukhtar. One day al-Mukhtar said to him: "Ubaidullah bin Zyyad, the unjust man, had killed the Grandson of Allah's Apostle so, he will kill us!"

Maitham al-Tammar said: "My dear Ali (A.S.) has said to me:" 'They will tie you to a date-palm trunk. Then they will kill you. They will release al-Mukhtar from prison. He will kill the unjust tyrant. He will kick his face with his leg.' "

Safyyah

Safyyah was al-Mukhtar's sister. She was the wife of Abdullah bin Umar bin al-Khattab. Abdullah bin Umar bin al- Khattab had good relation with Yazeed bin Mu'awiyah. So, he asked him to release al-Mukhtar.

Ubaidullah bin Zyyad decided to kill al-Mukhtar. But Yazeed bin Mu'awiyah sent a man quickly to him. He ordered him to release al-Mukhtar.

Ubaidullah bin Zyyad read Yazeed bin Mu'awiyah's message. He obeyed him. So, he released al-Mukhtar. He said to him rudely:

"You must leave Kufa within three days. If you do not leave it, I will kill you."

So, al-Mukhtar headed for Mecca.

Abdullah bin al-Zubair

Abdullah bin al-Zubair appointed himself caliph. The people paid him homage. Some people liked him. Some disliked the Umayyads.

Al-Mukhtar knew that Abdullah bin al-Zubair was ambitious. Anyhow, he paid him homage because he hated the Umayyads.

Yazeed bin Mu'awiyah had killed Imam Husain and captured his family. So, the people of al- Madina al-Monawwara, the majority of the Prophets companions were with them, revolted against him.

Muslim bin Akkaba, whom the people called Mujrim bin Akkaba, headed the Shamian army. He attacked al-Madina al-Monawwara and the Prophet's Holy shrine. He committed massacre. The number of the killed was more than fifteen thousand people. He violated the women. Then he put them in the markets for sale.

After that massacre, Yazeed's Army headed for Mecca to occupy it.

Al-Mukhtar defends Allah's House

Mujrim bin Akkaba headed the Shamian Army. On the way to Mecca, a scorpion stung him. He died. So, al-Husain bin Numair, who took part at Karbala massacre, headed the army.

The Shamian Army besieged the Holy Mecca. The soldiers occupied the nearby hills and mountains.

The soldiers placed their Majaneeq (in ancient times, machines for throwing fire in war).

Al-Husain bin Numair ordered his soldiers to attack Madena:

"Throw fire at them!"

A soldier said: "Leader, they are meeting in the Kaaba!"

The leader commanded the soldiers with spite: "Throw fire at the Kaaba!"

The soldiers did. The fire dropped on the houses and the mosques. The walls of the Kaaba caught fire.

After the heavy fires, al-Husain bin Numair ordered the horsemen to break into Mecca. He also ordered them to kill the passers-by.

The infantry, heavily armed, followed the horsemen. They advanced towards Mecca.

Violent fights took place in the Kaaba. Al-Mukhtar was defending Allah's House against the invaders. He forced them to retreat.

A horseman came from Damascus while the violent fights were going on.

The horsemen met al-Husain bin Numair. He said to him: "I've sad news."

"Say."

"Caliph Yazeed bin Mu'awiyah has died!

"What?"

Al-Husain bin Numair was surprised to hear the news. He asked the horseman to keep silent.

But the news quickly spread among the Shamian soldiers, who were tired of the siege. They were displeased with attacking the Kaaba, Allah' House, because they turned their faces toward it when they said their prayers.

Al-Mukhtar comes back to Kufa

Al-Husain bin Numair withdrew his forces. He headed for Damascus. So, the siege was over.

After four years' stay in Madena, al-Mukhtar decided to come back to Kufa.

After Yazeed's death, Ubaidullah bin Zyyad escaped to Damascus. The people of Kufa took advantage of the situation and supported Abdullah bin al-Zubair.

Abdullah bin al-Zubair appointed Abdullah bin Mutea, ruler over Kufa. Some rulers who took part at Karbala massacre supported the new ruler.

One day, one of them said: "Your Highness, the Prince, al-Mukhtar is more dangerous than Sulaiman. Sulaiman went out to Kufa to fight the Shamian people, but al-Mukhtar wants to announce his revolution in Kufa. He wants to get revenge on Imam Husain's killers."

Another said: "I think you have to imprison him."

The Prince accepted their ideas. Thus, he imprisoned al-Mukhtar.

Sulaiman bin Sird

Sulaiman bin Sird was a good companion. He and the Kufians felt pain because they did not support Imam Husain at the Battle of Karbala. For this reason, he asked them to turn to Allah in repentance.

Four thousand Muslims followed him. He formed an army. He announced his revolution against the Umayyads, who killed Imam Husain and captured his family.

Although the soldiers were few in numbers, they were very eager to start the fight. First, they visited Imam Husain's tomb and wept very much. Then they headed for Sham.

Ubaidullah bin Zyyad formed an army of eight thousand soldiers. Violent fights took place.

The two armies met at Ain al-Warda on the borders between Iraq and Sham.

Sulaiman bin Sird passed away during the fights. Ryfaah bin Shaddad headed the army after Sulaiman bin Sird. Then he decided to withdraw the army to Kufa.

Al-Mukhtar sends a Message

From his prison, al-Mukhtar sent a message to Ryfaah and his companions. The message was as follows:

"Allah has made your reward greater. He has decreased your sins for fighting the unjust. Allah will reward you."

Ryfaah answered al-Mukhtar's message. In it he said: "We are ready to break into the prison to release you!"

Al-Mukhtar ordered them not to do that.

Al-Mukhtar announces Revolution

Abdullah bin Umar bin al-Khattab interceded for al-Mukhtar again. He was released.

Having left prison, al-Mukhtar began calling up the people to punish the persons who committed Karbala massacre.

In the meantime, he received a letter from Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyah, Imam Ali's son. In his letter, Muhammad announced his support to al-Mukhtar.

Muhammad's attitude encouraged people to stand by al-Mukhtar. Ibraheem al-Ashtar, a brave senior army leader, joined al-Mukhtar.

The revolutionaries fixed time to announce the revolution. The time was Thursday night, Rabi al-Awwal 14th, 66 A.H.

The spies were reporting about al-Mukhtar's movements. Meanwhile, the police were roaming through the streets in Kufa.

Adapted from the book: "The Companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w)"