The
Siege of Qarqisa
You have read earlier that prior to
the caliphate of Marwan bin Hakam, Zafar bin Harith had been ruling over
Qansareen. After Marwan's victory Zafar went to Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه and informed him of Marwan's occupation of
Egypt. Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه
sent him away as the administrator of Qarqisa, which was a border district
between Syria and Iraq. Marwan after the Battle of Ain al-Wardah assigned
Obaidullah bin Zeyad the task of ejecting Zafar bin Harith from Qarqisa.
Obaidullah laid siege to Qarqisa.
Zafar bin Harith defended with great courage and determination. The siege and
its defense prolonged until Obaidullah bin Zeyad received the news of Marwan's
death and becoming discouraged about the success of the siege lifted it and
returned to Damascus.
Succession
of Marwan's sons
Having ordered Obaidullah bin Zeyad
to lay siege to Qarqisa, Marwan bin Hakam put all his effort into arranging the
caliphate to go to his sons Abdul Malik and Abdul Aziz. He publicized the idea
that Amr bin Sayeed bin Aas, who according to the original agreement that
brought Marwan to the caliphate would be second in line after Khalid bin Yazid,
said, "I will not allow Khalid bin Yazid to succeed.
Marwan after his death rather I will
take bay'at from the people for my own caliphate". The publicity made the
people gossip. Taking advantage of this manufactured opportunity, Marwan by
tempting and deceiving Hassan bin Malik Kalbi who was Khalid bin Yazid's
greatest supporter, persuaded him to make the proposal that after Marwan, Abdul
Malik bin Marwan and then Abdul Aziz bin Marwan be made caliph. Hassan bin
Malik stood up in front of the general public in the central mosque of Damascus
and said, "We have been hearing that the people will certainly quarrel
about the matter of the caliphate after the Amir al-Muminin Marwan. In order to
ward off this danger I put before you a proposal. I hope the Amir al-Muminin
and the general Muslims will agree to it. The proposal is this that Amir
al-Muminin nominate his sons Abdul Malik and after him, Abdul Aziz for the
caliphate and take bay'at from the people for this." No one dared to
oppose or contradict this proposal and immediately the people took bay'at for
the succession of Abdul Malik and Abdul Aziz.
Death
of Marwan bin Hakam
The ba'it was against Khalid bin
Yazid but all his supporters had already been won over by Marwan, he felt
shocked and disappointed but he could do nothing about it. After this political
victory, Marwan continued to damage Khalid bin Yazid's influence and popularity
and went to the extent of humiliating and degrading him. However, even this
failed to satisfy Marwan, who still considered Khalid as a possible threat to
his political strategy, and he began planning his murder. Khalid complained to
his mother, who was, Marwan's wife that Marwan was planint to murder him. His
mother said, "Keep quiet I will take revenge on Marwan before he
accomplishes it." She therefore persuaded four or five of her slave girls
to murder him. Marwan came to the palace at night and went to bed. The girls in
obedience to the Khalid's mother, stuffed linen into his mouth to suppress his
outcries and strangled him to death. This happened in Ramadan 65 A.H. That same
day the people took ba'it for Abdul Malik's caliphate in Damascus. Abdul Malik
killed Khalid's mother in retaliation for Marwan's murder. Marwan was 63 at the
time of his death. He had ruled for only nine and a half months.
Abdullah
bin Zubair
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه and his situation and the circumstances of
his caliphate have been recorded in the previous pages. As Marwan bin Hakam's
death occurred during Abdullah bin Zubair's caliphate and as his caliphate
continued even after Marwan's death, we thought it proper that Marwan bin
Hakam's situation and circumstances be recorded after those of Yazid bin
Muawiya and Muawiya bin Yazid to be followed finally by those of Abdullah bin
Zubair رضى الله عنه. Abdul Malik
succeeded to the throne and since the period of his rule and caliphate lasted
even after that of Abdullah bin Zubair, the prevailing conditions and
circumstances of his reign entitled Abdul Malik will follow that of Abdullah
bin Zubair's. The period that began with the disaster at Karbala is as
difficult to present as the period between 30 to 40 A.H. We are about to study
a very dangerous age and in recording it, the chronology is difficult to
maintain. The conditions are so complicated and confused that even if they are
categorized outside of their chronological order it is not feasible to make
them fit into a simple presentation. Even with these difficulties we have tried
in comparison to other histories that this book should have more order and the
readers should not feel over burdened mentally and so the reflection on the
reality of these events should establish itself with more understanding in
their minds.
Early
life and Habits
His genealogical table is as
follows: Abdullah bin Zubair bin Awwam bin Khuwailid bin Asad bin Abdul Uzza
bin Qussai. His familiar name is Abu Khubaib (Editors note: In Arabic it is
endearing to refer to a man by the title of "father of" followed by
the name of his first son. Therefore, the Prophet صلى
الله عليه وسلم is called Abul Qasim and Ali رضى الله
عنه is known as Abul Hasan. This is also applicable to a woman and
she is entitled "mother of" and the name of his first son. In Arabic,
this is known as kunya and has no English equivalent). Himself a Sahabi
(companion of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم)
he is a Sahabi's son. His father Zubair bin Awwam is counted among the Ashrat
Mubashshireen (Literally: "The ten given good news," meaning ten
companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
who were given the good news that they would go to Paradise). His mother Asma
was Abu Bakr Siddiq's daughter and Aysha Siddiqa's sister. His grand mother was
Safia who was the Prophet's paternal aunt.
Abdullah bin Zubair was born one
year and 8 months after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
emigrated to Madinah. He was the first child born to a Muhajir (those who
emigrated to Madinah) in Madinah Munawwara. His birth was highly celebrated by
the emigrants because when the Jews saw that no child was born to an emigrant
in Madinah for a long time, they publicized the idea that they had cast a spell
over them and therefore no child could be born to the emigrants. That was why
the Muslims were very joyous when he was born and it also caused as much grief,
humiliation and shame to the Jews. He was taken to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم immediately after his birth. He صلى الله عليه وسلم chewed a date and put a little in baby
Abdullah's mouth.
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه used to observe fast very often and would
remain engaged in prayer. Sometimes he stood up in prayer and remained in that
position for the whole night; sometimes he remained in ruku (bowing) for the
whole night and, sometimes he spent the whole night in sujud (prostration). He
helped the needy especially his relatives. He was very brave and was a great
general. His horsemanship was exemplar and a matter of pride among the Quraish.
He was a man of great perseverance and stood like rock in the face of
difficulties. He was a fine orator with a deep voice. His voice echoed and
resonated as if he was in the mountains.
Omar bin Qais says, Abdullah bin
Zubair رضى الله عنه had one hundred
slaves who spoke a hundred different languages and he talked to each of them in
their own language. Whenever anybody saw him do some religious deed, the
observer would gather the impression that worldly desires could not have
entered his heart even for a fraction of a second.
One day Abdullah Asadi called on
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه and said to him,
"You and I are related to each other through such and such genealogy.
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه said, yes, you are
right. But if you ponder, you will conclude that the whole of mankind is interrelated
because all of us have descended from Adam and Eve. Abdullah Asadi said, my
funds have run short and I have no money to spend. Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه said, I did not stand as a guarantee to
your funds. Asadi said my camel is dying of cold. Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه said, take it to some warm place and put
some woolen cloth or a blanket on it. Asadi said I did not come to you to take
counsel but to beg something. Accursed be the camel, which brought me to you.
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه said, curse the rider
of this camel too.
No comments:
Post a Comment