Rafed English

The Attitude of the Kufans towards the Event of Hijr

If Hijr had wanted to resist with the weapon, he would have been able to ignite the fire of the revolution that would be strong enough to shake the position of Mu'awiya in Kufa. Mu'awiya understood that when he said after the killing of Hijr: "If Hijr had remained alive, he would have created another war." Also Zyyad understood that when he sent his postman to Mu'awiya and said to Him: "Go quickly to M'awiya and say to Him; "If you need you authority, then save me from Hijr."
However, the Shi'te leader (ie, Hijr), who had taken lessons from the valuable sacrifices of Al-Hasan b. 'Ali (peace be on them) prevented bloodshed, and prevented his people from waging war openly (against Mu'awiya).

Still a group of Hijr's companions clashed with the police of Zyyad at the gates of Kinda. Another group of them clashed with Zyyad's polici men at the door of his house near the cemetery of Kinda. Among the herose of these two events were Abd Allah b. Kh'Alifa al-Ta'i, Umru b. al-Hamaq al-Khaza'i (We will mention them both in the chapters that follow), Abd al-Rahman b. Muhriz al-Tamhi, A'idh b. Hamla al-Timimi, Qays b. Yazid, 'Ubayda b. Amru, Qays b. Shimr, and Umayr b. Yazid al-Kindi, known as (Abu al-Umrrata). They said: "The sword of Abu al-Umrrata was the first sword to be used in Kufa on the day when Hijr (was killed). Qays b. Fhadan al-Kindi went out riding his own donkey walking through the meetings of Kinda to urge them to wage war (against Mu'awiya).
Zyyad dominated the people of Kufa. That was his legal inheritance from his mother Sumayya.1
As for Hijr Himself, he always ordered his people to scabbard their swords and said to them: "Do not fight (against Mu'awiya), for I hate to expose you to destruction. As for me, I will follow some of these ways."

The spies of Zyyad were unble to capture Hijr, for most people protected Him from them.
In this manner Zyyad was unable to bear Hijr and his companions.

So he gathered the natables of Kufa and said to them: "O people of Kufa, don't sad! your bodies are with me, and your deisres are with Hijr. you are with me while your brothers, your children, and your tribes are with Him. By Allah, this is some of your cheat. By Allah, you should renounce, Hijr: otherwise I will bring a group of people through whom I will reform your deviation and your wry faces." Then he added: "Each man of you should help this group of people against Hijr. Moreover, each man of you should summon his brother, his son, his relatives, and those who obey Him from his tribe, to the extent that you are able to provoge all people against Him (ie, Hijr)."

Then Zyyad ordered to the commander of his police, Saddad b. al-Haythan al-Hil'Ali to capture Hijr. Zyyad knew that his police would be unable to rest Hijr. So he summoned Mohammed b. al-Ash'ath al-Kindi and said to Him:" Abu Maytha by Allah, you should bring me Hijr:; otherwise I will uproot your date palms, demolish your house, and tear you to pieces." Shaddad said to Him: "Give me time to look for Him. Zyyad said: "I will give you three days. you should bring Him: otherwise you must regard yourself as one of the perished!"

I (ie, the author) say: Why was Zyyad full of rage? Was he full of rage for the religion?

Certainly not! For b. Sumayya (ie, Zyyad) was not worthier of religion than the worshipping Companion (ie, Hijr), who perfomed one thousand ruk'as a day, and who had no crime but that he wanted to forbid (the people) from doing evil deeds, and wanted the ritual prayers to be performed during their fixed times. Or was Zyyad full of rage for the life in this world? Surely not! For he lost his glory in history when he killed Hijr b. Adi.

Zyyad intended to make the Kindis kill each other when he ordered al-Ash'ath al-Kindi to capture Hijr. This was among the evil ways which rulers have used to dominate helpless people.

Hijr kew what Zyyad intended towards the Kindis. So he said: "However, I listen and obey."
The police men went about to arrest the prominent figures who supported Hijr. They arrest nine Kufans and four non-Kufans, according to the narration of al-Mas'udi.

Ibn al-Athir has counted them in this way: "Hijr b. Adi al-Kindi, al-Arqam b. Abd Allah al-Kindi, Shurayk b. Shaddad al-Hadrami, Sayfi b. Fasil al-Shaybani, Qubay'a al-Absi, Karim b. Afiif al-Khath'ami, Asim b. Awf al-Baj'Ali, Warqa b. Sumay al-Baj'Ali, Kaddam b. Hayyan, Abd al-Rahman b. Hassan al-Anzayan, Muhiz b. Shahab al-Timimi, adn Abd Allah, b. Hawba al-Sa'di al-Timimi," Ibn al-Athir said: "These are twelve men. Then Zyyad added two men to them. They were Utba b. al-Akhnas b. Sa'd b. Bakr, and Sa'd b. Nimran al-Hamadani, So they were fourteen men."
At that time the slanders became active and numberous in that unfortunate city (ie, Kufa).

Hijr remained in the prison of Kufa for ten days till the plicy men of Zyyad gathered his above mentioned companions. Then Zyyad ordered them to be sent to Sham (Syria). So all what was in kufa indicated that the situation would result in an uprising. No one knew the tribulation of that uprising against the ruler and the subjects.

However, Zyyad paid attention to that, so he ordered them to be sent during the night to make use of darkness and to decrease the violence of this bovious oppression.

Qubaysa b. dubay'a, one of Hijr's companions, looked left and right. He found Himself walking by his house near the graveryard of Arzam. Also he found his daughters looking at Him and weeping over Him. So he spoke to them and preached them, and then he went away. We will mention that in his biography.

A daughter of Hijr's feared for Him. So she recited the following lines of peotry during one of her black nights when she addressed the moon. It was said that Hind bint (the daughter) of Zayd al-Ansari recited these lines to bewail Hijr:

O bright moon, go higher
so that you may see Hijr walking!
He is walking to Mu'awiya b. Harb.
(Mu'awiya will ) kill Him as the Emir has c'Alimed.

(He will) hang Him on the gate of Damascus.
So the eagleswill eat from his charms.
The tyrants have become haughty after Hijr.
Al-Khawarnaq and al-Sidir (two palaces) have delighted them.
The country has become faded.
As if no rain had enlivened it.
O Hijr, Hijr b. Adi,
May safety and joy receive you.
I fear that you will be killed as 'Ali had been killed.
(There is ) a shaykh in Damacus with roar.
If you perishes, then every chief of people
moves from this world to destruction.

____________
1. In his book "Tarikh, vol.6, p.132, al-Tabari said: "From that day he took a compartment."

Adopted from the book: "Sulh al-Hasan (a.s.)" by: "Sheykh Radi al-Yasin"

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