Najdeh
bin Amir Captures Yamâmah
Najdeh bin Amir bin Abdullah bin Sad
bin Mufreh had started an uprising in the adjoining areas of Yamamah in 65 A.H.
He wisely did not accept the command of his men rather he entrusted one of his
group called Abu Talut with the task. That group had not acquired any
significance by 65 A.H. except for making night attacks on caravans and making
the roads dangerous for travelers. In 66 A.H., they became so powerful that
they began to loot and annihilate cities. At this point, Najdeh assumed the
leadership by removing Abu Talut and at the end of 66 A.H., he established
himself as the permanent ruler of the place and its adjoining areas. Abdullah
bin Zubair رضى الله عنه could not send an
army towards Yamamah during that period because Syria and Iraq were more
important to him at the time. Consequently, Najdeh's rule over Yamamah lasted
until 69 or 70 A.H.
Preparation
for the Invasion on Kufa
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه was recognized as caliph in 64 A.H. and in
the same year Egypt, Palestine and Syria were excluded from the jurisdiction of
his caliphate and the caliphate of Banu Umayyah was re-established. In 65 A.H.,
there were uprisings in some provinces but Abdullah bin Zubair continued to be
regarded as caliph and no other province was lost from under his control. In 66
A.H., both Kufa and Yamamah went out of his jurisdiction. Mukhtar and Najdeh
bin Amir established their rule in Kufa and Yamamah respectively. Basra and
Persia were controlled by Harith bin Rabia and Muhallab bin Abu Sofra
respectively and the mischief of the Khawarij was crushed immediately as soon
as it raised the specter of revolt. Basra was being lured and swayed by
Mukhtar. Both Abdullah bin Moti, the ex-Governor of Kufa, and Amr bin Abdur
Rahman, the nominated Governor of Kufa, were present in Basra. They avoided
Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) and their presence
in Basra might mean danger to him as their complicity in some sort of
conspiracy could not be ruled out. When Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) heard that Obaidullah bin Zeyad was
killed by Ibrahim bin Malik, he heaved a sigh of relief and was relieved of
some pressure from the side of the Syrians plus it meant that Abdul Malik bin
Marwan's power had received a set-back and therefore he could not venture to
attack the Hijaz any time soon. However, the dangers around Basra multiplied
many fold because Mukhtar bin Abu Obaida's attention was likely to be focused
on Basra itself. Because of this he at once removed the Governor of Basra,
Harith bin Rabia and in his place deputed his own brother Mus'ab bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) as its Governor.
During this time, many people fled
from Kufa for fear of Mukhtar and his revenge and took shelter in Basra. They
were those who had an apprehension they might be killed by Mukhtar in
retaliation for Husain's death. Among the fugitives were Sheeth bin Rabi and
Muhammad bin Al-Ash'ath. Mus'ab bin Zubair (رضي الله
عنه) took control of the government and leadership of Basra and
began to study and take stock of the different situations minutely and in
detail. The people from Kufa among whom were some respected and experienced
persons, advised Mus'ab bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه)
to invade Kufa. Mus'ab said, "I have been ordered by Amir-ul-Muminin
Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) not to invade Kufa
without taking Muhallab bin Abu Sofra with me so he should first be called from
Persia." So, Mus'ab wrote a letter to Muhallab and sent it through
Muhammad bin Ash'ath. Seeing Ash'ath, Muhallab said, "Couldn't Mus'ab lay
his hands on anyone else besides you to be his messenger"? He said,
"I am not a messenger. I have come for my own selfish end, to narrate to
you the conditions prevalent in Kufa. Our slaves sons have dispossessed us of
our assets and houses and the afflicted ones have sought refuge in Basra and
cry for help and rescue from this catastrophe."
Muhallab handed over the
administration of the Persian Province to his son, Mughira bin Muhallab, and
made satisfactory arrangements for the territory. Then he collected a huge
amount of money, material and troops and marched towards Basra and met Mus'ab
bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) there. Abdullah bin
Zubair's letter had already reached Muhallab advising him to see Mus'ab bin
Zubair (رضي الله عنه) in Basra and invade
Kufa. When Muhallab hesitated and delayed a bit, Mus'ab had to send a messenger
from Basra to Makkah. Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله
عنه) might have delayed a bit more in launching an attack on Kufa
but when Mukhtar began to massacre people on a large scale in Kufa and
announced his claim that Jibrail (the angel of revelation) visits me with the
Wahi (revelation) from Allah and I have been made a prophet", the
inhabitants began to flee from the city. Some went to Basra and some went
direct to Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه)
and narrated to him the atrocities perpetrated by Mukhtar and his claim to
prophethood. Hearing that Mukhtar announced his claim to prophethood, Abdullah
bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) did not think it
proper to delay even a little in exterminating this abomination. He wrote to
Muhallab to move quickly and answered Mus'ab insisting that he wait for the
arrival of Muhallab in Basra and then together with him invaded Kufa.
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