Conquests
During Yazid's Reign
We have reached Yazid's death but it
remains to be mentioned that Oqba bin Nafe, the founder of the city of Qairwan
(in modern day north-central Tunisia), had left North Africa and had gone to
Amir Muawiya رضى الله عنه in Damascus and
complained against Abul Muhajir. Amir Muawiya رضى الله
عنه had promised to send him to North Africa as the commander in
chief. Death had overtaken Amir Muawiya رضى الله عنه
before he could fulfill his commitment. Immediately after becoming caliph,
Yazid deputed Oqba as the commander and sent him to North Africa. Oqba reached
Qairwan, arrested Abul Muhajir and threw him into prison. The reason was that
Abul Muhajir, during his reign tried to defame him unjustifiably by abusing him.
In that state of captivity Abul Muhajir died but before he died he warned him
to beware of a newly converted Berber Muslim named Kusaila. It was Abul Muhajir
who had convinced him about Islam and he knew his nature and habits, he was
sure that because Oqba had imprisoned him, Kusaila, if he had the opportunity
would certainly take revenge. Oqba did not pay much attention to it and he let
him continue to be chief of one part of his army. In 62 A.H. Oqba called his
sons and as his last will and testament, said to them: "I am going in the
way of Allah for Jihad and I wish earnestly to get martyrdom". Then he
left Zuhair bin Qais Balwi with a small army for the protection of Qairwan and
he set out along with an army of the mujahideen (Literally: those who struggle,
connoting warriors fighting for the sake of Islam) to the west. There was a
confrontation with the Roman army in the city of Baghana. After a sharp
encounter, the Romans retreated. Again, the Romans fought them at the city of
Arba and they also lost that battle. Seeing the onrushing flood of Muslim
victories they allied themselves with the Berbers who had not yet converted to
Islam. That huge army of Romans and Berbers stood their ground against the
small Muslim army. After a bloody battle, the Muslim gained a decisive victory.
Finally, they fought the last battle with the Romans at the city of Tangier in
which the Roman governor surrendered himself to Oqba bin Nafe. Oqba set him
free and without causing any damage to the city moved on. He conquered the
entire territory of Morocco and he arrived at the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Having reached the coast, he ran his horse into the sea and said,
O Allah! Had this sea not intervened
in my way I would have gone on fighting in your way until the end of the earth.
Martyrdom
of Oqba
Oqba thought about returning to
Qairwan. The whole of North Africa had been included in the Islamic conquests.
On his return journey, he subdivided his army into various parts and sent them
off separately and one part he kept with him. On the way, they reached a place
where water was not available. They began to die from thirst and Oqba made a
du'a (prayer) to Allah. His horse began to strike its hooves on the ground and
amazingly a fountain shot up from that exact place. They all drank to their
hearts content. It came to be known as 'Ma-ul-fars' (the water of the horsemen)
and it is still known by this same name. When he set out with his small
regiment and reached Hatuza, the Romans and the Berbers, seeing his small
regiment wanted to fight even though they had already surrendered to him.
Kusaila who was with Oqba took advantage of the situation, he parted with him
and joined the Romans, encouraging his countrymen, and led a large army on the
attack and surrounded the small regiment.
The handful of Muslims unsheathed
their sword and set to killing their enemies. They killed a large number of
Romans and Berbers and made a pile of dead bodies and then they fell martyred
one by one, and Oqba bin Nafe's longing for martyrdom was finally fulfilled.
Kusaila along with his large army
marched towards Qairwan. When the news reached Qairwan that Oqba met his
martyrdom and that a large army was approaching, Zuhair bin Qais made
preparations for battle, but dissension and disunity broke out among his army.
Qais failed to bring it under control. Compelled by this, the Muslims had to
leave Qairwan and proceeded towards Barqah and Kusaila occupied Qairwan.
A
Glance at Yazid's Caliphate
Yazid reigned for about three years
and nine months. During that period no territorial victories outside of North
Africa came to the Muslims, to be more precise following Amir Muawiya's رضى الله عنه 20 year long rule as caliph the period of
infighting and indifference to foreign conquests had commenced. The greatest
slur on Yazid's caliphate was Imam Husain's martyrdom, which has brought into
prominence his other shortcomings. Considering these factors with the desire to
get to the truth we should in going to the heart of the matter peacefully
ponder over what were the motives working behind the tyranny perpetrated upon
Imam Husain رضى الله عنه and the brutal
treatment, which was meted out to him at Karbala.
It can not be denied that at the
instance of Mughira bin Shoba رضى الله عنه
Amir Muawiya رضى الله عنه nominated Yazid as
his successor otherwise he would never have thought of making his son the
caliph after him. It was Mughira bin Shoba who was the first to introduce that
idea. Because that proposal was absolutely against the tradition of the
'Khilafat-Rashida' (the rightly guided caliphate) and the spirit of Islamic
democracy, opposition to it started at once in Madinah. Therefore, আব্দুর Rahman bin Abu Bakr, Abdullah bin
Umar, Abdullah bin Zubair and Imam Husain رضى الله
منهم opposed it vehemently. When Marwan put the problem before the
wise and sober people of Madinah, it met with stiff opposition from all
quarters.
Abdullah bin Zubair رضى الله عنه said clearly: "No other modes but
those of the Prophet ﷺ and Khulfa
ar-Rashideen will be acceptable to us in selecting the caliph. Commenting on it
Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr رضى الله عنه
said: the style which Amir Muawiya رضى الله عنه
has adopted in selecting the caliph is that of the Roman and Iranian emperors.
It is not acceptable to us. Imam Husain رضى الله عنه
said, "This selection is not meant for the betterment but for the
annihilation of the Muslims because by this way the Islamic caliphate will be
like that practiced by Caesar or Kisra, that is the son will succeed his father
as king.
Amir Muawiya رضى الله عنه in order to make them agree went to the
extent of sending the following words to those wise people. You should accept
him as caliph only in name. The rest of affairs, law and order, appointments
and transfers of post-holders and other administrative activities will be done
with your consultation. But even that failed to produce the desired result and
none of them was ready to accept it.
Now imagine the sentiments of the
common masses and the character of Yazid. Amir Muawiya رضى الله عنه issued instructions to all his governors
to narrate to the people Yazid's virtues and send to him delegations of the
influential people so that he himself might have a direct talk with them on the
issue. Consequently he talked to the delegations separately that came to him
from all the provinces and then gathered them all at one place and made a
speech in which he, after highlighting the rights and duties of caliphs,
obedience to the rulers and the responsibilities of the common masses, mentioned
Yazid's bravery, generosity, wisdom, suitability and administrative skill and
finally expressed his wish that bay'at should be taken for Yazid's succession.
However, in response a member of the delegation from Madinah, Mohammad bin Amr
bin Hazam, stood up and said, "Amir al-Muminin! You are making Yazid the
caliph but you should think about that you will have to answer to Allah for
this act of yours on the Day of Judgement." These words amply prove that
the people in general did not like Yazid's caliphate. Coupled with this that
even at Amir Muawiya's death the type of disobedience he displayed throws light
on how far he was fit for the caliphate.
With the joint efforts of Mughira
bin Shoba and Amir Muawiya, Yazid became the caliph of the Islamic world. Taking
ba'it for Yazid in his lifetime was Amir Muawiya's blunder and it was committed
probably out of fatherly affection. But Mughira bin Shoba's mistake was worse
than his because it only came to his mind at Mughira bin Shoba's suggestion.
Furthermore, Yazid, after taking over the reign, failed to prove himself fit
for the caliphate. He knew fully well that there were living elders who by
virtue of their chaste habits and disposition, high morals, habits of worship,
abstinence from material pleasures, their practical life and their strength of
Iman were guiding lights, yet he did not take advantage of their presence.
Instead of running his administration by availing himself of their counsel he
began to perpetrate tyranny immediately after becoming caliph, and issued
instructions to all his governors to take ba'it from all the elders present in
Madinah and Makkah. When Imam Husain رضى الله عنه
received the message, how could he, a man of such high status, take bay'at for
Yazid? First of all his selection was out and out unlawful and his government
was also unlawful. Secondly, from the viewpoint of deeds and character he was
so debased that he was always engaged in amusement, fun, touring and hunting.
He had appointed eunuchs to serve him, participated in singing and dancing
parties openly, those and other character faults in him rendered him absolutely
unfit for becoming the Muslims' caliph even for a single minute. How could Imam
Husain رضى الله عنه accept him as caliph
and take bay'at at his hands? These were the motives that compelled Imam Husain
رضى الله عنه to oppose the illegal system of Yazid's
reign. By his act against the unlawful government he lighted a lamp the light
of which will continue to guide the caravans of the lovers of truth and justice
until the Day of Reckoning. Imam Husain رضى الله عنه
therefore mentioned this fact in his addresses he delivered at Karbala and
during his journey. At Baida, he addressed Hur and his companions thus:
O people! The Prophet ﷺ has said, "One who sees a king who is
a tyrant, makes lawful the things made unlawful by Allah, breaks his pledge
made with Allah, opposes the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ,
rules over the slaves of Allah with sin and oppression and the onlooker is not
ashamed at his speech and practice, then everyone is justified in throwing into
Hell instead of the king in question." Understanding fully that these
people (Yazid and his court) obeyed Satan and gave up obeying Ar-Rahman (Allah).
They have spread mischief on the earth, paralyzed the laws prescribed by Allah,
taken the lion's share of the spoils of war, have taken the things Allah has
made lawful and made them unlawful and vice versa and therefore I am justified
in fighting according to the rules of Islam such misdeeds.
These were the causes that brought
Imam Husain رضى الله عنه to Karbala. He and
his family while uttering words of truth were martyred in their attempt to
exterminate an unlawful system.
From the general view, Yazid was not
a true successor to Amir Muawiya رضى الله عنه.
He had not much to do with religion and spiritualism. He did not display any
merit in governance and politics. Had he been even a little discerning he would
have first made an attempt to make the people forget the dispute between Amir
Muawiya رضى الله عنه and Ali bin Abi Talib
رضى الله عنه. But he either did not pay much heed to it
or failed due to his own character faults. The model of practical life that
Yazid presented before the people also contained sins and unlawful acts, harmed
the Muslim's religious outlook and their practical lives and people of weak
Iman witnessing the royal model, felt emboldened to commit sins. It was Yazid's
ugly example that provided impetus to the Muslims to take up singing, playing
music otherwise prior to his display the Islamic world was absolutely free from
these defects. Even up to Yazid's reign, the Muslims had not accepted the
principle of caliphate by succession in government and politics. They knew that
the act of Yazid succeeding Amir Muawiya as caliph was a gross mistake and it
needed to be rectified. It was because of this that Haseen bin Numer wanted
Abdullah bin Zubair to be the caliph. However, after Yazid's death the idea of
succession was strengthened by the actions of Banu Umayyah and finally this
evil practice took such a deep root that until now the Muslims have not been
able to get rid of it.
Yazid was first married to Umm
Hisham bint Utba bin Rabiya and had two sons, Muawiya and Khalid, by her. He loved
Khalid more but he made Muawiya his successor. Then he married Umm Kulthum bint
Abdullah bin Amir who gave birth to Abdullah bin Yazid who was well known for
his excellent archery. Besides these, a few sons were born of his female slaves
also.
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