Mukhtar a Biograghy

Chapter 3 - Imprisonment and Release of Kumayl Hamadani Kumayl Hamadani (other sources name him as Kathir Hamadani) was 70-80 years old in 60 AH; he was a madressa teacher in Kufa, a Maalim who taught Quran to many people since the time of Imam Ali (as); he was a staunch supporter of Ahlal-bayt, but he was hiding his faith, like many others, due to the political climate at the time.

(Note that this is not the same man as Kumayl Ziyad, after the famous Dua-e-Kumayl.)

Once, when conducting his class, Kumayl feels thirsty (considering his age, the heat in Kufa and his job requiring him to continually use his voice), when a water seller passes by; Kumayl buys some water and before drinking, remembers the Martyrs in Kerbala and loudly curses Imam Husein's (as) killers.

Amongst the children present in Kumayl's class is Sinan's son; he challenges the Maalim that the killers did Yazeed and his government a favour; Sinan's son finishes his class, and then on his way home, beats himself with a stone to bleed and tears his clothes.

At home, his mother enquires to the bloody state, and the son says that the Maalim beat him up because he objected to the Maalim cursing his father and Yazeed; the mother gets angry, and when Sinan returns home, she demands an immediate retaliation of the Maalim, saying that he lives under our government but harbours animosity against us.

Sinan immediately goes to Ubaydallah Ziyad who sends for Kumayl; Kumayl protests that he did not harm the boy, but Ubaydallah Ziyad chooses to believe Sinan's son, and imprisons Kumayl in the same dungeon where the rest of the Shias and Mukhtar were kept.

Kumayl meets with Mukhtar; Mukhtar tells Kumayl that he was awaiting Kumayl's coming as foretold by Maythame Tammar; Kumayl is very apprehensive of his imprisonment, but Mukhtar assures him of his freedom and his help in getting Mukhtar out, again as predicted by Maythame Tammar.

Now, one of Kumayl's niece, Bostan, was a nanny to the grand-son of Ubaydallah Ziyad (his daughter's son) and the nanny implores Ubaydallah Ziyad's daughter to use her influence to get her uncle (Kumayl) released for the alleged beating on Sinan's son.

In the evening, the daughter goes to Ubaydallah Ziyad and explains that Kumayl is an uncle of the nanny and that Kumayl is an old, feeble and honest man whom Kufa owes a gratitude for his teachings; Ubaydallah Ziyad agrees to free Kumayl the next day, but she insists it be done the same evening and she herself would go to the prison to convey the order.

At the dungeon, the guards change for the evening shift, on the eve of the day Kumayl was to be released (as told to him by Mukhtar on Maythame Tammar's predictions); Kumayl looses any hope of release that day because an evening change of guards meant the prison doors do not get opened until the day shift arrives; Mukhtar reassures Kumayl to have faith on Maythame Tammar's prediction; it is the same evening that Ubaydallah Ziyad's daughter arrives with the order to get Kumayl released.

Kumayl bids Mukhtar farewell, upon which Mukhtar requests him to find means of getting to him pen and paper; Kumayl promises to do so.