Yazid
bin Muawiya
When Amir Muawiya (رضي الله عنه) was the governor of the whole of Syria,
Abu Khalid Yazid bin Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan was born in 25 A.H. or 26 A.H. His
mother's name was Maisoon bint Bahdal who came from the tribe of Banu Kalab. He
was very fat. His body was covered with a thick growth of hair. He was born
into kingship and wealth. Amir Muawiya (رضي الله عنه)
was a very scrupulous and far-sighted man. He paid special attention to Yazid's
upbringing and education. He sent him to Hajj as Amir-ul-Hajj (Hajj group
leader) once or twice and gave him the command of an army. He was commander of
a part of the army at the time of the attack and siege of Syria. He was very
fond of hunting. At the time of Amir Muawiya's death, he was not present in
Damascus. He was sent for by messenger but failing to realize the seriousness
of his illness, he went back to his hunting expedition. He returned after
several days and offered the funeral prayer at his father's grave. He was also
well versed in composing poems. In Amir Muawiya's lifetime bay'at for him was
taken. But most people were unhappy with this. A few great persons in Madinah
Munawwara even refused to take bay'at for him.
Amir Muawiya (رضي الله عنه) committed a blunder by taking bay'at for
Yazid in his lifetime that was probably the result of his paternal affection
for him. But Mughira bin Shoba's blunder exceeded his, because the idea and the
courage to act upon it came from Mughira bin Shoba's instigation. Hasan Basri
has therefore said: Mughira bin Shoba created the opportunity of introducing a
practice that put an end to consultation and the son started succeeding his
father as king.
After Amir Muawiya (رضي الله عنه), the Syrians, without any hesitation,
took bay'at at Yazid's hands. The people of other provinces also followed their
officials and dared not refuse for fear of the government. Immediately after
taking the reins in his hands, Yazid wrote to the officials of all the provinces
to take bay'at from the people in his name. On that occasion Madinah and Kufa
were governed by Waleed bin Utba bin Abi Sufyan and Noman bin Bashir
respectively both were noble-minded and peace-loving persons; compared to other
officials, they were less strict.
When Yazid's instructions were
received in Madinah, Waleed bin Utba called the influential people of Madinah
and read Yazid's letter to them. Imam Husain (رضي الله
عنه) heard of Amir Muawiya's death and expressed his sense of grief
and prayed for his forgiveness and asked Waleed not to make haste in taking his
bay'at for Yazid. "I shall think it over and then decide." Hakam, the
former governor of Madinah and advisor to Waleed bin Utba, encouraged Waleed to
take Imam Husain's ba'it then and there and not to let him go. But Waleed did
not agree with Marwan's counsel and postponed it to the next day.
Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) did not come to take bay'at for Yazid. He
was called but he refused to come and asked to be granted time for one night.
Waleed allowed him. Finding the situation compelling he, along with his family,
departed from Madinah and leaving the main road, he set out along a little
known path. The next day Marwan and Waleed took thirty armed persons with them
and went to arrest ibn Zubair. But they did not find any trace of him. They
returned in the evening because the whole day was spent in searching for ibn
Zubair (رضي الله عنه). The next night Imam
Husain along with his family also left Madinah. The next day when the news of
Imam Husain's flight broke out, Waleed said, "I shall not chase Imam
Husain. It is possible that he might take up arms and then I might have to
stain my hands with his blood which I do not want to do at any cost."
Waleed, after the departure of these two persons, took ba'it of the people of
Madinah for Yazid, there was no danger from Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنه) because he never wished to be caliph.
Yazid also issued instructions that if Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنه) refused to take bay'at he should not be
forced. Therefore, no one asked him to take the bay'at.
Abdullah bin Umar and Abdullah bin
Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) went to Makkah after
a few days. Yazid had already sent Harith as an official to Makkah.
Abdullah bin Zubair and Husain bin
Ali (رضي الله عنهما) entered Makkah at
the same time. Immediately after seeing him Abdullah bin Safwan bin Umayya who
was among the nobles of Makkah, took bay'at at his hands. Then about two
thousand noble men and the influential people of Makkah followed suit by taking
bay'at at Abdullah bin Zubair's hands. Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) put Harith under house arrest and took
over the rule of Makkah. Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه)
was also present in Makkah. He neither took ba'it for Zubair's nor did Zubair (رضي الله عنه) take bay'at for Imam Husain nor did he
want to take ba'it from any of the members of his family. When Abdullah bin
Umar (رضي الله عنهما) and Abdullah bin
Abbas (رضي الله عنه) visited Makkah,
Abdullah bin Zubair did not wish them to take ba'it from him. Abdullah bin
Zubair (رضي الله عنه) spent most of his
time praying at the Ka'bah. Except for these few persons, the whole of Makkah
took ba'it for him.
Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) often met Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه) and consulted him. It seems that Abdullah
bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) did not take bay'at
from the people for the caliphate but took bay'at with the intention that Yazid
should not be accepted as caliph and as long as the caliph was not selected
unanimously by the Islamic world, he should be recognized as the governor of
Makkah to maintain law and order. But Imam Husain (رضي
الله عنه) did not appreciate Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) being in power in Makkah so he and the
members of his family did not join him when he led the prayer.
Following these events, Marwan wrote
to Yazid about how Abdullah bin Zubair and Husain bin Ali (رضي الله عنهما) left Madinah and that the people of
Madinah took ba'it. Yazid at once removed Waleed bin Utba and sent Amr bin
Sayeed bin Aâs as the governor of Madinah. Amr bin Sayeed came and took control
of the government of Madinah. Waleed bin Utba left Madinah and went to Yazid.
Harith bin Khalid was present in
Makkah and did not venture out of his house, he sent Yazid the details
concerning the capture of Makkah by Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) and his own captivity. Becoming aware of
the conditions prevailing in Makkah Yazid wrote to Amr bin Sayeed: "Go to
Makkah and arrest Abdullah bin Zubair and send him to me in chains." Amr
bin Sayeed sent a strong army to Makkah. There was a confrontation and Abdullah
bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) was victorious. The
commander of the Madinah army was caught and imprisoned.
The inhabitants of Kufa, since the
time of Amir Muawiya (رضي الله عنه)
used to write to Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه)
repeatedly to visit Kufa where they would take ba'it for his caliphate. Amir
Muawiya (رضي الله عنه) knew more about the
nature and habits of the people of Kufa, and at the time of his death, told
Yazid as part of his last testament not to be cheated by them. Amir Muawiya (رضي الله عنه) also told Yazid that the inhabitants of
Kufa would certainly encourage Imam Husain (رضي الله
عنه) to rebel. If such a situation arose and he got the better of
Imam Husain, he should treat him respectfully and leniently. Since Makkah was
under the control of Abdullah bin Zubair, Imam Husain's thoughts were
concentrated on Kufa. When Noman bin Bashir, the governor of Kufa, received
Yazid's letter and the news of Amir Muawiya's death spread, the supporters of
Banu Umayyad took ba'it with Noman bin Bashir for Yazid. But the supporters and
followers of Ali (رضي الله عنه) and Husain (رضي الله عنه), who had been trying to bring Husain (رضي الله عنه) to Kufa, hesitated in taking ba'it for
Yazid and collected at Sulaiman bin Sard's house. All agreed that Yazid should
not be recognized as caliph and Imam Husain (رضي الله
عنه) should be brought to Kufa. While the secret consultation was
going on, they heard that Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه)
left Madinah and that the Makkan had selected Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه) instead of Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه) and that Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه) had arrived in Makkah and furthermore
that he had not taken ba'it for Abdullah bin Zubair. Therefore, they sent a
letter to Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه)
stating:
"We are your father's admirers
and enemies of Banu Umayyah. We fought Talha (رضي الله
عنه) and Zubair (رضي الله عنه)
in support of your father. We created havoc in the battle of Siffin and made
the Syrians acknowledge our superiority in valor. Now we are prepared to fight
along with you also. Please leave for Kufa as soon as you read this letter.
Come here so that we might kill Noman bin Bashir and hand over Kufa to you. One
hundred thousand fighters are present in Kufa and all of them are ready to take
bay'at for your caliphate. We believe that you are the rightful and worthy
caliph. Yazid does not deserve to be caliph in comparison with you. This is the
time. Do not delay in the least. We want to make you caliph of the entire
Islamic world by killing Yazid. Our elders have even stopped standing in prayer
behind Yazid's official, Noman bin Bashir because we think you and your
deputies to be worthy of the Imamat (Islamic leadership)."
When letters with similar contents
started reaching Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه)
in quick succession in Makkah, he called his cousin Muslim bin Aqil, whose
father Aqil bin Abi Talib was one of Amir Muawiya's chief associates and
advisors, and said to him:
Please go to Kufa secretly as my
deputy. Live there privately, among the people of Kufa and take ba'it from them
on my behalf secretly. Write to me the number and a few of the important names
of those who take bay'at for me. Try to keep yourself concealed, and encourage
those who take bay'at for me, and do not to start fight unless I am present.
Muslim bin Aqil, taking all
precautions that Abdullah bin Zubair (رضي الله عنه)
should not become aware of his movements, left Makkah. He thought a little on
the way and wrote to Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه):
"I do not visualize that the consequences of these actions will be good.
Please excuse me and send somebody else to Kufa in my place." Imam Husain
(رضي الله عنه) wrote back to him,
"Do not be a coward. You alone must go to Kufa." Muslim bin Aqil
therefore continued to Kufa and in Kufa he stayed at Mukhtar bin Obeida's
house. At once, the news spread among the followers of Ali the group after
group began to arrive and take ba'it. Muslim bin Aqil wrote to Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه) that he reached Kufa safely and how on
the first day twelve thousand people took ba'it. On the very first day
including 12,000 people Sultan bin Sard, Musaiyeb bin Najia, Raqata bin
Shaddad, Hani bin Urwah took ba'it for Husain bin Ali (رضي الله عنه). Two persons named Qais and Abdur Rahman
reached Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه) with a letter
stating: "When you come and start taking ba'it openly, hundreds of
thousands of people will take ba'it for your caliphate." Imam Husain (رضي الله عنه) was very pleased to read this letter and
immediately sent back the bearers of the letter with word that he would be
coming to Kufa very soon. Now Imam Husain (رضي الله
عنه) thinking that a good number of supporters of Ali (رضي الله عنه) lived in Basra, sent a confidant of his
with a letter to Ahnaf bin Malik and letters to the nobles of Basra, stating
that they should take ba'it and proceed to Kufa at once.
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