Mukhtar a Biograghy

Chapter 16 - Abdulla Muti Tries to Imprison Mukhtar Now, Abdulla Zobayr in Mecca replaces the governor of Kufa from Abdulla Yazeed Ansaree to Abdulla Muti, who was his prime minister in Mecca; Abdulla Zobayr thinks that by making Abdulla Muti the governor, Mukhtar would not cause any opposition due to his friendship with Abdulla Muti.

Abdulla Muti was the one who intercepted for Mukhtar when Abdulla Zobayr, after having consolidated his power with the help of Mukhtar, broke his promise to help Mukhtar in avenging the perpetrators of Kerbala; Abdulla Muti, who was the prime minister of Abdulla Zobayr at the time, tried unsuccessfully to influence Abdulla Zobayr's decision not to allow Mukhtar into his courtyard for any discussion; then Abdulla Muti advised Mukhtar to leave Mecca for the safety of his life and Abdulla Muti gave him money and transportation to see himself out of Mecca.

With the new governor installed, the local Kerbala killers go to Abdulla Muti and advise him that he should imprison Mukhtar for if he is left free, Mukhtar would carry out his threat of avenging these killers who are in prominent and influential positions in Kufa; if these prominent and influential people are threatened, then that in itself could lead to the overthrow of Abdulla Muti himself.

Abdulla Muti says he just cannot imprison Mukhtar without him having committed any crime, and furthermore he was a good friend of Mukhtar; but Abdulla Muti is under intense pressure to take some action against Mukhtar; at the time when Abdulla Muti came to Kufa, Mukhtar had purposefully gone out of Kufa as a pretext to avoid Abdulla Muti.

Abdulla Muti finally decides to imprison Mukhtar; Ayaz Mazarib, the chief policeman in Kufa, advises Abdulla Muti: that the best way to trap Mukhtar is to first lure him to come to the palace to meet you as you are his friend; the message should be sent by two people whom Mukhtar could not associate with you (Abdulla Muti), as neutral messengers, and this should not raise any suspicion with Mukhtar.

Zaida Qudama and Husein Abdulla are chosen and they go to Mukhtar's house with the message that Abdulla Muti needs consultation on certain matters of state and is seeking Mukhtar's advice.

On reaching Mukhtar's house, they see him busy reciting Quran, and this influences Zaida into not wanting to see Mukhtar enticed into a trap; they pass on the false message of Abdulla Muti, but Zaida also talks about the wonders of Quran and recites a verse from a Sura clearly warning Mukhtar of the danger ahead; Zaida had to pass this coded message to protect himself from getting into trouble with Abdulla Muti if his partner Husein Abdulla reported him.

Mukhtar gets the message, feigns illness and tells them to tell Abdulla Muti that he is presently not well but will visit Abdulla Muti as soon as he gets better.

The two messengers leave, and Husein Abdulla tells Zaida Qudama: I understood the coded message you passed to Mukhtar, but I will not report you to Abdulla Muti; I have heard a story from people who heard the

Prophet (saww) say that Mukhtar was to avenge the killers of Imam Husein (as), and I would rather be with Mukhtar than Abdulla Muti.

Mukhtar realises that it will not be long before Abdulla Muti makes another attempt to imprison him, and therefore has to hasten his planning; due to the urgency now, he also realises that the plan will only work if he can find a partner who is as firm in his conviction of avenging the Kerbala perpetrators as himself.