Mukhtar a Biograghy
Chapter 19 - Mukhtar Rules Over Kufa At dawn, Mukhtar sends a spy named Saeed to assess Abdulla Muti's position; he reports back that Abdulla Muti and his army are gathered at a mosque near the palace.
It is the dawn of Thursday, 13 Rabil Awwal 66 AH; both sides are prepared for battle with the war drums beating everywhere.
Whilst the battle between the two sides is going on, Abdulla Muti runs away to the relative safety of his palace and is protected by his personal guards; Mukhtar makes no attempt to invade the palace, but adopts the policy of waitÂ-and-see; after three days, the palace is running short of food and Abdulla Muti sends a letter to Mukhtar.
Abdulla Muti tells Mukhtar: I remind you of our friendship, of working together to bring about the rule of Abdulla Zobayr in Mecca and Medina; I tried to use my influence to convince Abdulla Zobayr of fulfilling his promise to avenge the Kerbala killers; I gave you transportation and money to leave Mecca in order to save your life; and so having saved your life once, you should now save mine and let me go free.
Mukhtar replies: I am aware of your debt, but by such arrogant reminder of yours, you have nullified any good you did to me; nevertheless, I have given you three days of no battle against you; since you became the governor here, you have sought advice only from the anti-Shia, but had you teamed up with me, we would have indeed by now avenged the perpetrators of Kerbala; you are not intent on helping me in this mission and your actions have caused many deaths to my supporters and Shias.
Abdulla Muti now replies in a very humble way: I am now at your mercy; I have had no part in Kerbala; please forgive me for my actions in siding against you and let me at least get out of Kufa alive; I will not cause any more trouble for you.
Mukhtar seeks Ibrahim's advice, explaining to him of the friendship between himself and Abdulla Muti; Ibrahim says he will support Mukhtar whatever the decision; Mukhtar decides to let Abdulla Muti go alive and sends a message saying that he will be allowed to leave the palace that night.
At night, Abdulla Muti disguises in a woman's clothes, leaves the palace and Mukhtar tells him that this freedom effectively pays off his debt when Abdulla Muti saved Mukhtar's life; Abdulla Muti escapes into the night looking for shelter in Kufa, but no one is willing to take him in; at last one Abu Musa Asha'ri is willing to shelter him.
Abdulla Muti now has no money and transportation, and Mukhtar provides both to enable Abdulla Muti leave Kufa alive; Mukhtar also sends the message that this completely pays off any debt he owed to him when Abdulla Muti provided transportation and money to Mukhtar to escape quickly from Mecca from Abdulla Zobayr.
Abdulla Muti manages to escape from Kufa alive, and Mukhtar is now the governor of Kufa.
On taking the office of governorship, Mukhtar calls for a public meeting and informs the people that his aim in fighting for the office was to enable him to avenge the Kerbala killers; he will not harass innocent people, nor
will he tolerate any harassment between the people themselves; he would administer justly and according to Islamic rules.
Mukhtar's immediate actions are humanitarians; he releases prisoners, helps the poor into better housing and better medical care for the sick; he specifically ensures that the Banu Hashim in Kufa are now well treated after years of persecution, and also that the Khums Sehme-Sadaat is rightfully paid.
The revolution in Kufa took place in Rabil Awwal 66 AH, and after the Hajj of that year (in Zilhaj 66 AH), Minhal Kufi went to Medina and met Imam Zainul Abideen (as); Imam Zainul Abideen (as) asks Minhal of the situation in Kufa, to which Minhal replies that with Mukhtar in power, the Kerbala perpetrators are rounded up and executed; this news very much pleased Imam Zainul Abideen (as).