Maqtal al-Husayn

Ibn Ziyad Delivers a Speech

Ibn Ziyad gathered people at Kufa's grand mosque where he delivered a speech to them, saying,
 “O people! You tried Abu Sufyan's offspring and found them just as you like, and you have come to know how good in conduct the commander of the faithful, Yazid, has been and how generous to his subjects. The highways have become, during his regime, quite safe. So was the case during the time of his father Mu’awiyah.

His son, Yazid, is even more generous towards Allah's servants, enriching them with wealth. He has doubled your payment and ordered me to make funds available to all of you and to require you to come out to fight his enemy, al-Husayn; so, you should listen to him and you should obey”.
 
As soon as he came down from the pulpit, he distributed money then went out to al-Nukhayla[^1] where he camped. He called to his presence al-Hasin Ibn Namir al-Tamimi, Hijar Ibn Abjar, Shimr Ibn Thul-Jawshan, Shabth Ibn Rab’i, ordering them to go to Ibn Sa’d's aid.

Shabth sent word saying that he was sick[^2], so he sent him a letter in which he said, “My messenger informs me of your pretending to be sick, and I fear lest you should be among those who, when they meet the believers, say that they believe, and when they meet their demons say: ‘We are with you! We only laugh at them!' So, if you are one of our subjects, come swiftly to us.”

He went to meet him after the evening prayers so that he would not clearly see that there were actually no signs of any sickness showing on his face. He agreed to do what he [Ibn Ziyad] had required of him.[^3]
 
‘Ubaydullah Ibn Ziyad put Zajr Ibn Qays al-Ju’fi in charge of five hundred cavaliers, ordering him to station his troops at the bridge in order to prohibit anyone from reaching al-Husayn (‘a). ‘Amir Ibn Abu Salamah Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Arar al-Dalani passed on the bridge, so Zajr said to him, “I know exactly where you are going; so, go back.”

‘Amir charged at him and at his company, forcing them to flee. None of them dared to come close to him. He reached Karbala’ and joined al-Husayn (‘a) and stayed with him till he was killed in his defense. He had previously participated in all the wars waged by the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib, peace be upon him.[^4]
 

[^1]: It is the same as al-’Abbasiyya, according to Ibn Nama, and it is presently called al-’Abbasiyyat. It lies near Thul-Kifl. On p. 147, Chapter 46, of Al-Yaqin by Radiyy ad-Din Ibn Tawus, al-Nukhayla is two farasangs from Kufa.

[^2]: al-Dinawari, Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal, p. 253.

[^3]: al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, citing Maqtal Muhammad Ibn Abu Talib.

[^4]: al-Hamadani, Al-Iklil, Vol. 10, p. 87 and p. 101. Dalan are a family branch of Hamadan. Among them are Banu ‘Urar, named after ‘Urar Ibn Ru'as Ibn Dalan Ibn Jabish Ibn Mashbih Ibn Wadi’ah. On p. 321 of Ibn Hazm's book Jamharat Ansab al-’Arab, the lineage of Wadi’ah is provided in detail.