Muslim bin Oqba replied that he was
loyal but unwell at the time. Yazid told him that even in that state he was
better than the other healthy persons and that no one else could do the job
better than he. Compelled in this way, he selected one thousand soldiers and
left from Damascus on the third day after he was ordered. Yazid, at the time of
departure, urged him:
"Try to bring the people of
Madinah to the right path with all possible soft measures. However, if you are
convinced that such measures will not work, then I give you all the power not
to be slow in causing bloodshed and slaughter. But be careful and see no harm
is done to Husain bin Ali (Imam Zain al-Abedeen) because he is loyal and a
supporter. I have his letter, which says that has nothing to do with the uproar
and rebellion. If your condition deteriorates and rendering you incapable of
commanding the army, you may depute Haseen bin Numair in your place. You may also
make him your deputy."
After sending the army, Yazid sent a
messenger to Obaidullah bin Zeyad with a letter asking him to take an army from
Kufa and invade Makkah and eradicate Abdullah bin Zubair's disruption.
Obaidullah wrote back that it was beyond him to do both things: he had already
killed Imam Husain رضى الله عنه and that he would not
ruin and lay the Ka'bah to waste. That work should be entrusted to somebody
else. When Muslim bin Oqba reached near Madinah with his army, the inhabitants
of the city told Abdullah bin Hanzla that Banu Umayyah who were in Madinah
would side with the enemies if the army of Damascus came and thereby cause
civil war, which would inflict a great loss on them. Therefore they argued, it
was better that they should all be put to death before the arrival of Muslim
bin Oqba. Abdullah bin Hanzla replied that if they killed Banu Umayyah, Yazid
and Obaidullah bin Zeyad with the Syrians and Iraqis respectively would invade
them and demand revenge. He said it was better that all the Banu Umayyah should
be called, make them swear neither to fight with them nor help the invaders
against them and after that they should be turned out of Madinah. All agreed to
the proposal. The proposal was executed accordingly with the only exception of
Abdul Malik bin Marwan who was granted full liberty to remain in the city. The
people who were turned out of the city came across the army of Muslim bin Oqba
in Wadi al-Qura. Muslim bin Oqba asked them from which side he should launch an
attack on Madinah. They refused to answer him in view of their pledge and
pleaded helplessness in assisting him. Muslim bin Oqba wanted to know whether
there was anybody among them who did not take any pledge. They said that Abdul
Malik bin Marwan was such a man and he was in Madinah. Muslim said that Abdul
Malik was young while he needed an old and experienced man well versed in the
strategies of war. They told him that this young man was better than an old
man. Muslim bin Oqba therefore sent someone to Madinah and contacted him.
Muslim bin Oqba was stunned to hear his counsel and implemented it. He reached
near Madinah and sent a message to its people: The caliph, Yazid, considers you
to be noble. He does not like to shed your blood. You must obey or we shall be
forced to take our swords out of their sheaths.
Having sent the message, Muslim bin
Oqba waited for three days. The people of Madinah prepared to fight. At last
Muslim bin Oqba invaded Madinah from the Harra side. They people of the city
fought them valiantly and repulsed the Syrian soldiers. However, due to Muslim
bin Oqba's valor and experience, the people of Madinah were defeated. Abdullah
bin Hanzla, Fuzail bin Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, Mohammad bin Thabit bin Qais,
Abdullah bin Zaid bin Asim, Mohammad bin Amr bin Hazm Ansari, Wahab bin
Abdullah bin Zama, Zubair bin Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Abdullah bin Naufil bin
Harith bin Abdul Muttalib and many other leaders of Madinah met their end in
that battle. The victorious army entered Madinah. Muslim bin Oqba continued a
general massacre with looting and arson for three days. That battle and
massacre saw one thousand people dead, which included three hundred noblemen of
the Quraish and the Ansar. On the fourth day, he stopped the massacre and
ordered them to take 'bay'at. Those who took 'bay'at at Muslim bin Oqba's hands
survived and those who refused were killed. It was on the 27th of Dhul Hijja 63
A.H. that Muslim bin Oqba entered Madinah as victor and issued the orders for a
general massacre. On that very day, Mohammad bin Abdullah bin Abbas bin Abdul
Muttalib was born. He is known as Mohammad Abul Abbas Saffah and is regarded as
the first caliph of the Abbasids. Muslim bin Oqba made a hectic search of
Mundir bin Zubair but he had escaped to Makkah.
The
Siege of Makkah and Yazid's Death
Freed from Madinah, Muslim bin Oqba
with his army, advanced towards Makkah. He was ill and on the way his condition
deteriorated and when it turned more serious at Abwa, he called Haseen bin
Numer and made him commander in chief in his place, and died. Those who fled
from Madinah also gathered in Makkah. The Khawarij also thought it worthwhile
to help Abdullah bin Zubair who had arrived in Makkah. That year all the people
of the Hijaz had taken 'ba'it' for the caliphate of Abdullah bin Zubair. Haseen
Numer taking his army arrived, near Makkah and sent a message to Abdullah bin
Zubair رضى الله عنه to obey Yazid or he
would invade Makkah. Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه
made preparations for battle. His brother Mundir bin Zubair رضى الله عنه who came from Madinah was appointed chief
of a section of Abdullah bin Zubair's army. It was he who first came out onto
the battlefield and challenged the Syrians. In the initial fight, he killed
several Syrians and then the full-fledged battle started. It continued until
the evening without any tangible results. It started on Muharram 27th 64 A. H. The
next day Haseen bin Numer set up a catapult on Mount Qubais and started
targeting the Ka'bah and laid siege to Makkah. The siege and stone firing
continued until Rabia al-Awwal 3, 64 A.H. On the 3rd of Rabia al-Awwal the
Syrians made projectiles of cotton and sulfur and igniting them began to shower
them on the Makkans. They burnt the Ka'bah's cover and blackened its walls. Two
catapults were constantly launching stones and projectiles. It was difficult
for the people of Makkah to venture out of their houses. The walls of the
Ka'bah were broken under the impact of the flying stones and its roof caved in.
The Syrians that were making the siege became tougher, their total number after
reinforcements came to five thousand. The Syrians were continuing to launch
stones on the House of Allah and the city while on the 10th of Rabia al-Awwal
Yazid died at Hawarin at the age of 38 or 39 after governing for three years
and eight months. The news of his death first reached Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه. He shouted loudly to the Syrians: O
unfortunate ones! Why are you fighting? Your leader who had gone astray is
dead.
Haseen bin Numer did not give
credence to it but attributed it to one of Abdullah bin Zubair's strategies.
However, on the third day Thabit bin Qais Nakhye came from Kufa and informed
him of Yazid's death, he at once ordered the army to raise the siege and march.
Before his departure, he sent a message to Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه expressing his desire to see him at Batha.
In keeping with the terms of the
agreement, Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه
took ten persons with him and similarly ten persons accompanied Haseen bin
Numer. Haseen said to him, "I am ready to accept you as caliph and take
ba'it at your hands. I have five thousand Syrian warriors with me. They will
also follow me. Please come to Syria with me and I shall persuade all the
Syrians to take ba'it from you. All the people of Hijaz have already taken bay'at
at your hands and after the Syrians the whole Islamic world will accept you as
the caliph." Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه
thought that he was being deceived, so he refused and said that so long as he
did not have retribution against the Syrians, he would never forgive them.
Haseen talked in a low voice while Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه replied loudly and roughly. Haseen said,
"I want to give you the caliphate and you quarrel with me and reply in a
rough voice." In short, Haseen left the place and ordered it to march.
Later, Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه
realized his mistake and he sent a messenger to Haseen asking him not to force
him to go to Syria rather to take ba'it in Makkah. Haseen said, "The
purpose would not be served if you don't come to Syria." In the end,
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه did not leave and
Haseen departed from Makkah. When he reached near Madinah, he came to know that
upon hearing of Yazid's death the people in Madinah again stood against the
Banu Umayyah and drove the governor who Muslim bin Oqba had deputed there out
of Madinah. When Haseen encamped near Madinah, the uproar in Madinah subsided
and all the Banu Umayyah joined Haseen's army and requested him to take them to
Syria with him. Haseen asked them to stay for the night promising to march with
them the next morning. At night, he went out in search of Ali bin Husain. He met
him and said to him: .
Yazid is dead. There is no Imam of
the world of Islam at present. Accompany me to Syria. I shall persuade the
whole world to take bay'at for your caliphate. Don't take the Syrians to be
like the Iraqis. They will never betray you nor will they harm you.
Ali bin Husain said: "I have
made a pledge with Allah that I shall never take ba'it in my lifetime. Leave me
alone and find somebody else for the caliphate." Having said that he
parted from Haseen. Haseen returned to his army and taking the Banu Umayyah
with him marched to Syria.
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