top of page
Search

Karbala Series Part 7: Did Yazid kill al-Husayn (AS)?

  • Writer: Anonymous
    Anonymous
  • Oct 12
  • 22 min read
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The growing endorsement of Yazid b. Mu‘awiyah (LA) and his followers have become ever so prevalent today that it has conveniently cleared Yazid of any responsibility for the entirety of Karbala and instead shifts the blame onto the commanders, most notably Ibn Ziyad. 

The problem with this analysis is that it reduces responsibility for a crime solely to direct participation in it. Since Yazid was not physically present at Karbala, he is therefore absolved of guilt, even though he ordered it and desired for it to occur. In this logic, Benjamin Netanyahu is not responsible for the killings that the IDF carried out in Gaza, but rather only the soldiers themselves. 

Allah (SWT) rejects this sort of thinking, for he says in the Holy Qur’an:

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters. [28:4]

Allah (SWT) said that the Pharaoh slaughtered the newborn sons and humiliated the women, despite that Pharaoh himself did not directly carry out these killings.

Although Sunni scholars disagree about the jurisprudential consequence of this matter (i.e. committing murder out of obedience to a ruler), where some scholars like Ahmad b. Hanbal opined that the ruler is the one who needs to pay the blood money or is killed, there is no disagreement that he will bear the sins for what he commanded. This is evidenced by this verse above, where Allah (SWT) attributes these sins to the Pharaoh.

Thus, in order to prove Yazid is responsible for Karbala, we only need to establish his support and command for al-Husayn’s death, which is undeniable when revising the historical accounts.

Yazid’s order to Ibn Ziyad

The most compelling evidence for Yazid’s order to kill al-Husayn (AS) is his letter exchanges with Ibn Ziyad where he clearly ordered the killing of al-Husayn (AS) to take place.

This letter was clearly recorded in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir Vol 3, pg. 115, Hadith # 2846:

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، ثنا الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ الْحِزَامِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: 
خَرَجَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ سَاخِطًا لِوِلَايَةِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَكَتَبَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ إِلَى عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَهُوَ وَالِيهِ عَلَى الْعِرَاقِ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ حُسَيْنًا قَدْ سَارَ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ، وَقَدِ ابْتُلِيَ بِهِ زَمَانُكَ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْأَزْمانِ، وَبَلَدُكَ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْبُلْدَانِ، وابْتُلِيتَ بِهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْعُمَّالِ، وَعِنْدَهَا يُعْتَقُ أَوْ يَعُودُ عَبْدًا كَمَا يُعْتَبَدُ الْعَبِيدُ ". فَقَتَلَهُ عُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، وَبَعَثَ بِرَأْسِهِ إِلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا وُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ تَمَثَّلَ بِقَوْلِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحُمَامِ: نُفَلِّقُ هَامًا مِنْ رِجَالٍ أَحِبَّةٍ ... إِلَيْنَا وَهُمْ كَانُوا أَعَقَّ وَأَظْلَمَا "
Narrated Ali b. Abd al-Aziz: al-Zubayr b. Bakkar told us, Muhammad b. al-Dahhak b. Uthman al-Hizami told me, from his father, who said:

Al-Husayn b. Ali set out toward Kufa, angry at the rule of Yazid b. Muawiya. Yazid b. Muawiya wrote to Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, his governor over Iraq:

“It has reached me that Husayn has gone forth to Kufa. Your time, among all times, has been afflicted with him; your land, among all lands, has been afflicted with him; and you, among all governors, have been afflicted with him. At this point, he will either be freed or will return as a slave, as slaves are treated.”

So Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad killed him and sent his head to Yazid. When it was placed before him, Yazid recited the verse of al-Husayn b. al-Humam:

“We split the skulls of men most beloved to us…

yet they were the most stubborn and unjust.”

ree

Note: Al-Haythami notes all the narrators are reliable, but al-Dhahak b. Uthman al-Khuza’i (d. 153) did not witness this. This irsal is not an issue since it's a historical account that concerns a letter (which is physically transmitted not orally).

The extra commentary from Dhahak regarding Husayn’s anger & Yazid’s poetry is idraaj (commentary), which is permissible according to Sunni scholars, and this idraaj is established by many other reports which we will present below. Thus, the report is acceptable and there is no issue with it. 

It was also recorded and affirmed by: 

This account is corroborated by a similar letter to Ibn Ziyad which calls for the killing of Muslim b. ‘Aqil in Tarikh al-Tabari Vol. 19, pg. 30 - 31:

According to Hisham (b. Muhammad al-Kalbi) - Awanah: 

When the letters reached Yazid-and there were only two days between their letters-he summoned Sarjūn, a mawla of Mu'awiyah and asked him, "What is your view of the fact that Husayn has directed his attention toward al-Kufah, and Muslim b. 'Aqil is in al-Küfah receiving the oath of allegiance on his behalf? I have also learnt that al-Nu'man is weak, I have had other bad reports of him." 

Then he read them their letters (and asked), "Whom do you think that I should appoint as governor of al-Kūfah?" 

Now Yazīd was angry with Ubaydallah b. Ziyād, so Sarjūn answered him, "Do you think, if Mu'awiyah were recalled to life for you, that you would take his advice?" 

He answered, "Yes." 

Sarjūn produced a letter of appointment for 'Ubaydallah b. Ziyad was governor of al-Kūfah and said, "This is the advice of Mu'awiyah written before he died." 

So he took his advice, joined the two cities under the authority of Ubaydallah, and sent him his letter of appointment. After this Yazid summoned Muslim b. 'Amr al-Bahili- who was there with him and he sent him to al-Başrah to 'Ubaydallah with his letter of appointment, and he wrote to him as well: "My followers among the people of al-Küfah have written to me to inform me that Ibn 'Aqil is in al-Küfah gathering units in order to spread rebellion among the Muslims. Therefore, when you read this letter of mine, go to al-Küfah and search for Ibn 'Aqil, as if you were looking for a bead, until you find him. Then bind him in chains, kill him, or expel him. Peace be with you."

ree

In this letter, Yazid turned to Mu’awiyah’s advisor, a Christian man by the name of Sarjun, who told him that Mu’awiyah’s last advice for Yazid was in-fact to appoint Ibn Ziyad for Kufa. Yazid only appointed Ibn Ziyad to combat Husayn's revolt, and in turn tasked him with killing Muslim b. ‘Aqil (AS)- the representative of Husayn.

For this reason, Ibn Ziyad claims that Yazid ordered him to kill al-Husayn (AS) in al-Akhbar al-Tiwal. pg. 419:

اما قتلى الحسين فانه خرج على امام وأمه مجتمعه، ‌وكتب ‌الى ‌الامام يأمرني بقتله، فان كان ذلك خطا كان لازما ليزيد

As for the killing of al-Husayn, he rose against an Imam along with his community, and he wrote to the Imam ordering me to kill him. If that were true, it would necessarily implicate Yazid.

ree

In another report, Ibn Ziyad claims that Yazid’s death was a victory for Yazid, showing his motives was for the caliph’s orders and not himself in Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 19, pg. 167: 

Ibn Ziyad ascended the pulpit. He said, "Praise be to God, Who has revealed the truth and the followers of truth . He has given victory to the Commander of the Faithful, Yazid b. Mu'awiyah, and his party. He has killed the liar who is the son of a liar, al-Husayn b. 'AII, and his Shi ah."

ree

This ordering of al-Husayn’s killing began all the way back in Medina when he commanded al-Walid b. Utba the same thing in Tarikh al-Tabari Vol. 19, pg. 2 - 3:

According to Hisham b. Muhammad (al-Kalbi) - Abū Mikhnaf:

Yazid's only concern, when he assumed power, was to receive the oath of allegiance from the individuals who had refused to agree with Mu'awiyah's demand for this oath of allegiance to… Therefore he wrote to al-Walid: "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, from Yazid, Commander of the Faithful, to Walid b. Utbah… Seize Husayn, 'Abdallah b. 'Umar, and 'Abdallah b. al-Zubayr to give the oath of allegiance. Act so fiercely that they have no chance to do anything before giving the oath of allegiance. Peace be with you."

ree

Al-Walid b. Utba, however, was not able to carry this order out, and we mentioned this under why Husayn left Medina. For this reason, Yazid replaced al-Walid with a more violent governor, Amr b. Sa’id al-Ashdaq who would later happily burn down the Ka’aba if it was for the sake of Yazid.

As for the Shi’a sources, there is no doubt that Yazid is held accountable for al-Husayn’s death. A reliable report in al-Kafi Vol. 15, pg. 534 - 535 has Imam al-Sadiq (AS) condemning him as the killer of al-Husayn (AS):

قَالَ: وَ ثَلَاثَةٌ هُمْ شِرَارُ الْخَلْقِ ابْتُلِيَ بِهِمْ خِيَارُ الْخَلْقِ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ قَاتَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَ عَادَاهُ وَ مُعَاوِيَةُ قَاتَلَ عَلِيّاً (عليه السلام) وَ عَادَاهُ وَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ قَاتَلَ الْحُسَيْنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ (عليه السلام) وَ عَادَاهُ حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ.

“And there are three who are the worst of creation, through whom the best of creation was tested: Abu Sufyan, one of them, fought against the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and opposed him; Muawiya fought against Ali (AS) and opposed him; and Yazid ibn Muawiya, may Allah curse him, fought against Husayn ibn Ali (AS) and opposed him until he killed him.”

ree

Yazid receiving the Head of al-Husayn

Another proof for the responsibility of Yazid for the death of al-Husayn (AS) is his playing with the dead head of al-Husayn. This is despite the Prophet’s command in Sahih al-Bukhari 2474:

The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade robbery and the mutilation of bodies.

What about the body of his beloved grandson? What is the crime and sin behind sucha man? It is so heavy that Sunnis have tried to deny Yazid of ever doing such, but rather claiming only Ibn Ziyad did so, when the reports illustrate both of them played with his holy head. 

Yazid b. Abi Sufyan (d. 47 - 137) was a reliable narrator per al-Dhahabi and a direct witness of this event. He narrates in Tabaqat Ibn Sa’ad, vol. 6, pg. 448: 

He said, "Inform us, Kathir ibn Hisham narrated to us, he said: Ja'far ibn Barqan informed us, he said: Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad informed us, he said: 

When Yazid ibn Muawiyah brought the head of al-Husayn b. Ali, he began to play with its beard while saying, 'I never thought that Aba Abdullah would reach this age.' He said, 'And his beard and head were smeared with black dye.'"

ree

 Another direct witness was the grandson of Imam al-Hasan (AS), Muhammad b. Amr, who narrates in Ansab al-Ashraf Vol. 3, pg. 401:

‘Umar b. Shabbah narrated to us, saying: Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri narrated to us, my uncle al-Fudayl b. al-Zubayr narrated to me, from Abu ‘Umar al-Bazzar, from Muhammad b. ‘Amr b. al-Hasan b. ‘Ali, who said:

We were with al-Husayn at the banks of Karbala when a man came to us and said: “Where is Husayn?” He replied: “Here I am.” The man said: “Receive glad tidings of the Fire, which you will enter this very hour.”

Husayn replied: “Rather, I receive glad tidings of a Merciful Lord and an Obeyed Intercessor. And who are you?” He said: “I am Shimr b. Dhi al-Jawshan.” Husayn then said: “Allahu Akbar! The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Indeed, I saw a mottled dog lapping up the blood of my family.”

He said: Then al-Husayn was killed, and his head was carried to Yazid. We too were carried, and Yazid seated me on his lap and seated one of his sons on his lap. Then he said to me: “Will you wrestle him?” I said: “Give me a knife and give him a knife, and leave me with him.” He said: “You do not cease showing enmity toward us, young and old alike.”

ree

Another direct eye-witness, Harem b. Uthman claims he heard from Zayd b. Arqam (d. 68) in Kitab al-Mihan, pg. 136: 

Bakr ibn Hammad narrated to us, he said: Zuhayr ibn ‘Abbad al-Ru’asi narrated to us, he said: Abu ‘Umar al-San‘ani narrated to us, from Haram ibn ‘Uthman, who said:

The head of al-Husayn b. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib was brought and placed before Yazid b. Mu‘awiya b. Abi Sufyan. Yazid began striking his face with a stick, inserting it into his mouth and his eyes.

Zayd ibn Arqam said: “Lift your stick away from that place!”

Yazid replied: “And why?”

Zayd said: “Because I saw the mouth of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at that very place.”

Yazid said: “You are an old man who has become senile.”

So Zayd leapt down from the seat where he had been sitting with Yazid, and said: “What a wonder this is! Bear witness that I saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, seating [Husayn] upon his left thigh, placing his hand upon his head while saying: ‘O Allah, I entrust him and the righteous believers to You.’ So how have you preserved the trust of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him?”

Haram ibn ‘Uthman said: I narrated this report in Iraq, and when I came to Madinah, Sa‘id b. Mu‘adh and others told me that they had been present at that very moment when Zayd b. Arqam said this to Yazid.
ree

Layth b. Sa’ad (d. 94 - 175) is a prolific narrator & historian. He narrates in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir Vol 3, pg. 109 - 110, Hadith # 2806: 

Abu al-Zinbaʿ Rawh b. al-Faraj al-Misri narrated to us, saying: Yahya b. Bukayr narrated to us, saying: al-Layth narrated to me:

Al-Husayn b. Ali refused to be taken captive, so they fought him and killed him, and they killed his two sons and his companions who fought alongside him, at a place called al-Taff. ʿAli b. al-Husayn, Fatima bt. al-Husayn, and Sakinah bt. al-Husayn were then taken to ʿUbayd Allah b. Ziyad. At that time, ʿAli was a youth who had reached maturity. He sent them on to Yazid b. Muʿawiyah.

Yazid ordered that Sakinah be placed behind his throne so that she would not see the head of her father and her relatives. As for ʿAli b. al-Husayn—may God be pleased with them both—he was shackled in irons. They set down the head, and Yazid struck the teeth of al-Husayn—may God be pleased with him—saying:

"We split the skulls of men who were dearest to us, Yet they were the most disobedient and unjust."

ʿAli b. al-Husayn (AS) then recited: {No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves but that it is in a Book before We bring it into being—indeed that, for God, is easy} [al-Hadid 22].

This weighed heavily upon Yazid, that he had recited poetry while ʿAli recited an ayah from the Book of God. Yazid said: “Rather, it is as He says: {By what your hands have earned, yet He pardons much.}

ʿAli replied: “By God, if the Messenger of God—peace and blessings be upon him—were to see us shackled, he would love that we be released from the irons.” Yazid said: “You have spoken the truth,” and they were released from the shackles.

ʿAli then said: “And if we were to stand before the Messenger of God (SAW) at a distance, he would love that we be brought near.” Yazid said: “You have spoken the truth,” and they were brought near.

Then Fatima and Sakinah tried to stretch up in order to see the head of their father, while Yazid kept stretching himself upon his seat to shield the head from their view. Finally, he ordered that they be provided for, treated well, and sent back to Medina.

Note: The narrators have been certified al-Haythami in the footnote.

ree
According to Hisham (b. Muhammad al-Kalbi) - Abū Mikhnaf - Abū Hamzah al-Thumālī - Abdallah al-Thumālī - al-Qasim b. Bukhayt: 

When the delegation from al-Küfah brought the head of al-Husayn, they went into the mosque at Damascus. Marwān b. al-Hakam asked them, "How did you do it?" They told him, "Eighty men of them came against us. By God! We wiped them out to the very last of them. There are the heads and the women prisoners." Marwān jumped up and left. His brother Yahya b. al-Hakam came to them and said, "What have you done?" They repeated the words to him. He said, "A curtain has been drawn between you and Muhammad on Doomsday. I will never agree with any action of yours." He arose and left. 

They went in to Yazid, put the head before him and told him the story. Hind bt. 'Abdallah b. 'Amir b. Kurayz, who was married to Yazid b. Mu'awiyah, heard the story circulating. She put on her cloak and went out. She said, "Commander of the Faithful, is that the head of al-Husayn, son of Fățimah, daughter of the Apostle of God?" Yazid replied, "Yes. Lament for him and put on mourning garments for the son of the daughter of the Apostle of God, the son of the pure woman of Quraysh. Ibn Ziyad hurried against him and killed him. May God kill him." Then the people were summoned and they came in. The head was in front of him. 

In Yazid's hand there was a cane and he was poking it into al-Husayn's mouth. He said, "This man and our family were like al-Husayn b. al-Humām al-Murri. Then he said:

[Swords] split the skulls of men who are dear to us, but they were more disobedient and oppressive.

One of the Companions of the Apostle of God called Abū Barzah al-Aslami, cried out, "Are you poking the mouth of al-Husayn with your cane? Take your cane away from his mouth. How often have I seen the Apostle of God kiss it! As for you, Yazīd, you will come forward on the Day of Resurrection, and Ibn Ziyād will be your advocate. But this man will come forward on the Day of Resurrection, and Muhammad will be his advocate." Then he got up and turned away.

ree

Yazid’s poetry 

Yazid revealed his motives and intentions with the killing of al-Husayn (AS) in his poetry and revealed the kufr he was upon with it. 

Ibn al-Jawzi likewise records a more extended version of this poetry with a chain back to Mujahid in al-Radd 'ala al-Muta'asib, pg. 59 - 60:

أنبأ علي بن عبيد الله الزاغوني قال (أنبأ محمد بن أحمد الكاتب) قال أنبأ عبد الله بن أبي سعد الوراق قال ثنا محمد بن حميد قال ثنا محمد بن يحيى الأحمري قال ثنا ليث عن مجاهد قال: 
جيء برأس الحسين بن علي فوضع بين يدي يزيد بن معاوية فتمثل بهذين البيتين:
ليت أشياخي ببدر شهدوا ... جزع الخزرج من وقع الأسل
فأهلوا واستهلوا فرحاً ... ثم قالوا لي (بغيب) لا تشل
قال مجاهد: نافق فيها ثم والله ما بقي في عسكره أحد إلا تركه أي عابه ولامه.
Ali b. Ubayd Allah al-Zaghuni narrated, saying: Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Katib narrated, saying: Abd Allah b. Abi Saad al-Warraq narrated, saying: Muhammad b. Humayd narrated, saying: Muhammad b. Yahya al-Ahmari narrated, saying: Layth narrated from Mujahid, who said:

"The head of al-Husayn b. Ali was brought and placed before Yazid b. Muawiyah, and he recited these two lines of poetry:

I wish my forefathers at Badr had witnessed… the panic of the Khazraj at the striking of spears.

They would have cried out in joy and exulted… then said to me: "May your hand never be paralyzed."

Mujahid said: "He showed hypocrisy in this, and by God, there was not a single person left in his army except that he turned away from him, meaning they rebuked and blamed him."

ree

We see here that Yazid saw happiness in the killing of al-Husayn (AS) and longed for his pagan forefathers that were killed in the Battle of Badr by Imam Ali (AS) to witness what he had done to the son of Ali. Even Mujahid notes the disgust the people had for Yazid’s statements. 

Ibn al-Jawzi further comments:

I say: These verses are originally by Ibn al-Zubara, and they go:

I wish my forefathers at Badr had witnessed the panic of the Khazraj at the striking of spears. 

When fate cast its cloak upon them, and the killing raged among the descendants of al-Ashhal. 

And we slew the weak among their women, and balanced the scale of Badr, so it equaled out.

That is because the Muslims had killed a great number at the Battle of Badr, and the idolaters killed a number at the Battle of Uhud, so Ibn al-Zubara said these lines in that context. Yazid quoted from them, though he altered some of it, and merely his citing of such poetry is itself a disgrace.

With his chain to Layth b. Sulaym, from Mujahid:

When Yazid was brought the head of Husayn b. Ali and the heads of his family members, Ibn Muhaffiz said: “O Commander of the Faithful! We have brought you the heads of these vile disbelievers!”

Yazid replied: “The mother of Ibn Muhaffiz has given birth to someone more disbelieving, more vile, and more blameworthy than they are!” 

Then he uncovered the teeth of Husayn’s head and struck them with his cane, reciting:

Our people refused to be just so I acted with justice.

Patience was our firm resolve… We split the skulls of noble men

With swords dripping blood in our right hands… Our swords sever arms and wrists, 

They were more treacherous and more unjust to us

One of those sitting with him said: “Lift your cane! By God, I cannot count how many times I saw the lips of Muhammad (SAW) kissing that very spot.” Yazid then recited:

O raven of separation, say what you wish.. You only lament what has already passed.

Every king and every delight will perish… And the daughters of time play with all.

I wish my forefathers at Badr had witnessed… The panic of the Khazraj under the strike of spears.

They would have rejoiced and cheered, saying: ‘Well done, Yazid! May your hands never be paralyzed!’

I am not of Khindif if I do not take revenge… On the descendants of Ahmad for what they did.

Hashim played with kingship… There was no revelation that came, and no message was sent.

We took our revenge on Ali… We killed the lion, the valiant warrior.

We killed their chiefs and leaders… And we balanced the scales of Badr, now they are even.

Mujahid said: “We do not know anyone who said such words except that he had become a hypocrite by saying them.”

ree

Mujahid was astonished by these words and concluded that he was a kafir for saying such statements. He wasn’t the only one, Ibn Hajar al-Haythami (d. 974) likewise agreed this was kufr in his Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, vol. 2, pg. 630:

وينشد ابيات ابن الزبعري : (ليت أشياخي ببدر شهدوا) الأبيات المعروفة ، وزاد فيها بيتين مشتملين على صريح الكفر.

[Yazid] recited the verses of Ibn al-Zubayri: "Oh, how I wish my elders who witnessed Badr Had seen this..." And he added two verses that clearly contained disbelief.

ree

Despite all this, Ibn Khalikan is described as follows by al-Samhudi in Wafayat al-A'yan, Vol. 4, pg 354:

وهو أول من جمع ديوان يزيد بن معاوية بن أبي سفيان الأموي واعتنى به ، وهو صغير الحجم يدخل في مقدار ثلاث كراريس ، وقد جمعه من بعده جماعة وزادوا فيه أشياء كثيرة ليست له و كنت حفظت جميع ديوان يزيد لشدة غرامي به ، وذلك في سنة ثلاث وثلاثين وستمائة بمدينة دمشق وعرفت صحيحه من المنسوب إليه الذي ليس له ، وتتبعته حتى ظفرت بصاحب كل أبيات ، ولولا خوف التطويل لبينت ذلك وشعر يزيد ، مع قلته ، في نهاية الحسن ، ومن

He was the first to compile the Diwan (collection of poems) of Yazid b. Muawiyah b. Abi Sufyan al-Umawi and took great care in its preservation. It is a small volume, roughly the size of three booklets. After him, several individuals compiled it and added many things that were not originally his. I had memorized the entire Diwan of Yazid due to my intense admiration for it, and this was in the year 633 AH in the city of Damascus. I distinguished the authentic parts from those falsely attributed to him and traced each verse until I identified the true author of every line. Were it not for the fear of prolonging the discussion, I would have elaborated on this. Despite its brevity, Yazid's poetry is of the utmost beauty and excellence. 

ree

Ibn Khalikhan goes on to say that he has “intense admiration” and “an obsession" with Yazid’s poetry, despite many of its attributions being fabricated! For what should this man praise Yazid’s poetry, when much of it consisted of kufr and ma’siya (disobedience to God)? Just consider what al-Damiri records in Hayat al-Hayawan Vol. 4, pg. 272:

ومن شعره في الخمر قوله:
أقول لصحب ضمت الكأس شملهم ... وداعي صبابات الهوى يترنم
خذوا بنصيب من نعيم ولذة ... فكلّ وإن طال المدى يتصرم
وكتب فصلا طويلا أضربنا عن ذكره ثم قلب الورقة وكتب: ولو مددت ببياض لأطلقت العنان وبسطت الكلام في مخازي هذا الرجل. 

Of his poetry on wine, he said:

I say to companions whom the cup has brought together… While the caller of passion’s longing sings aloud:

Take your share of delight and pleasure… For all things though time may stretch will surely end.

He wrote a lengthy section (on Yazid's faults), which we have chosen not to quote. Then he turned the page and wrote: “Had I been given more blank pages, I would have unleashed the reins and expanded the speech on this man’s disgrace.”

ree

A man who would go make poetry on wine, fornication and other disturbing things, is supposed to be someone of utmost excellence in poetry? Subhan’Allah with these people.

Did Yazid feel remorse?

Some accounts mention that Yazid cried and felt remorse after hearing the news of al-Husayn’s death, but these accounts fail to portray an accurate chronology of the events that unfolded. The correct turn of events was recorded in Tarikh al-Tabari Vol. 20, pg. 9 - 10: 

Abū Jafar (al-Tabari) said: According to Abū Ubaydah Mamar b. al-Muthannā - Yünus b. Habib al-Jarmi: 

When Ubaydallah b. Ziyad killed al-Husayn b. Ali (AS) and his kin, he sent their heads to Yazid b. Muawiyah. At first, Yazid was pleased about their killing and Ubaydallah's standing with him improved as a result of it. 

It was not long, however, before Yazid began to repent of the killing of al-Husayn, saying, "What would it have been to me if I had borne the injury and lodged him with me, allowing him to decide about what he wanted, even if it had been for me a loss and weakening of my authority, out of respect for the memory of the Prophet and regard for al-Husayn's rights and kinship with him? God's curse on the son of Marjanah! It was he who drove him out and oppressed him. 

Al-Husayn asked him to allow him to go back, but he would not, or to put his hand in mine, or to go to one of the frontiers of the Muslims where God might take him unto Himself, but he would not. He refused it, flung it back at him and killed him. He has made me hateful to the Muslims by killing him, and he has cultivated enmity for me in their hearts. Both the pious and the profligate hate me because of the gravity with which the people view my killing of al-Husayn. What have I to do with the son of Marjanah, God's curse and hatred be upon him?

ree

Yazid was pleased with the killing of al-Husayn (AS), for he was the one that ordered it and played with the head of al-Husayn (AS) while reciting lines of kufr in his poetry. However, when he realised the political gravity of killing al-Husayn (AS) and how he was losing power with the people, he began to weep away. Yazid tried to save his political career by blaming everything on Ibn Ziyad and making up reports about al-Husayn (AS). We mentioned this earlier in Chapter 2. And think about it, if Yazid wasn’t present at Karbala then how did he know Husayn said these things when Ibn Ziyad never claimed this? 

This conclusion was also arrived by expert historians such as Ibn al-Athir who says in Kamil Fi al-Tarikh, vol. 3, pg. 190:

وَقِيلَ: وَلَمَّا وَصَلَ رَأْسُ ‌الْحُسَيْنِ إِلَى ‌يَزِيدَ حَسُنَتْ حَالُ ‌ابْنِ ‌زِيَادٍ عِنْدَهُ وَزَادَهُ وَوَصَلَهُ وَسَرَّهُ مَا فَعَلَ، ثُم لَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا (حَتَّى بَلَغَهُ بُغضُ النَّاسِ لَهُ وَلَعْنُهُمْ وَسَبُّهُمْ) فَنَدمَ عَلَى قَتْلِ ‌الْحُسَيْنِ

And it was said: When the head of Al-Husayn reached Yazid, the condition of Ibn Ziyad improved, and he (Yazid) increased in his arrogance and joy over what he had done. He did not remain for long until people began to hate him, curse him and insult him, thus he regretted killing Al-Husayn. 

ree

As for Yazid’s repentance, this is also false. It is clear and apparent for three reasons:

  1. Yazid never held anyone from the killers of Husayn (AS) accountable nor did he punish a single person for this death. If he had wanted to repent, he had all the time & power to do so, but he refused, instead he promised them money, gifts and gave them authority in the lands.  

  2. When Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sajjad (AS) was brought before the court of Yazid, he was blamed for the massacres that occurred to him. If Yazid had any remorse for them, why would he blame them for their own deaths & tragedy?

This was mentioned in Tabarani that we quoted earlier, but has another chain in Kitab al-Mihna pg. 134: 

Abi Ziyād said: Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī narrated to me, saying: We were brought before Yazīd b. Muʿāwiya — twelve youths, chained together in iron collars, wearing tunics. Yazīd said: “You have secured yourselves for the slaves of the people of Iraq! By Allah, I did not know of the departure of Abū ʿAbd Allāh (al-Ḥusayn) when he set out, nor of his killing when he was killed.”

Then ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn recited: “No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a Book before We bring it into being, indeed that is easy for Allah, so that you not grieve over what has escaped you, nor exult in pride over what He has given you; and Allah does not love every self-conceited boaster” (Q 57:22–23).

Yazīd became angry, twisting his beard, and said: “And whatever calamity befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned; but He pardons much” (Q 42:30). Then he said: “O people of Syria, what do you say about these?”

ree

We see in this report Yazid tries to claim he had nothing to do with Karbala and was not even aware of its occurrence, but we have demonstrated this as false already, and Yazid was lying to save his political career. This is highlighted with his own words where he tries to blame Al-Sajjad (AS) for his own calamity, when he was the one oppressed. 

  1. Yazid continued his massacres against companions and innocents in the sanctuary of Medina under Harra. This shows he had no remorse, for we would expect him to learn from his ‘mistake’ with al-Husayn (AS), but rather he continued with his evil. 

It’s very clear for these reasons that Yazid had no interest to repent from his crimes, but rather only became remorseful about losing his political career. 

Scholarly Attestations

We will conclude by mentioning a list of sources which scholars attest that Yazid was the killer of al-Husayn (AS). 

Al-Dhahabi (d. 748) records in Siyar A'lam al-Nubala. Vol. 4, pg. 37 - 39:

قلت: كان قوياً شجاعاً، ذا رأي وحزم، وفطنة، وفصاحة، وله شعر جيد وكان ناصبيا، فظا غليظاً، حلفاً. يتناول المسكر، ويفعل المنكر. افتتح دولته بمقتل الشهيد الحسين، واختتمها بواقعة الحرة، فمقته الناس.

He was strong and brave, he had a mind of his own and was a strong willed person, intelligent, eloquent, and a good poet. He was a Nasibi, rough, hard-hearted, lunatic, used to drink alcohol, and do unlawful things. He began his reign by killing the martyr al-Husayn (AS) and ended it with the event of Al-Harra, for that, people hated him. 

ree

The popular Islamic Historian and Hadith science scholar, Maghlatay b. Qalij (d. 762), records in his Al-Isarah ila Sirat al-Mustafa, pg. 479:

He entrusted the pledge to his son, Abu Khalid al-Muntasir Yazid. Then he killed al-Husayn b. ʿAli, may God be pleased with them both, and he committed the massacre of the people of Medina on the day of al-Harra at the hands of Musrif.

ree

Ibn Kathir (d. 774) says in al-Bidaya wal-Nihayah Vol. 8, pg. 313: 

وقد أخطأ يزيد خطأ فاحشاً في قوله لمسلم بن عقبة أن يبيح المدينة ثلاثة أيام [ مع ما انضم إلى ذلك من قتل خلق من الصحابة وأبنائهم . وقد تقدم أنه قتل الحسين وأصحابه على يدي عبيد الله بن زياد ]

And Yazid committed a grave error when he instructed Muslim b. Uqba to permit the plundering of Medina for three days; together with what was added to that of the killing of many of the Companions and their children. It has already been mentioned that he killed al-Husayn and his followers at the hands of Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad.

ree

The Ash’ari theologian, Al-Taftazani (d. 792), records in Sharh al-Aqa’id al-Nasafiyya. pg. 124:

والحق ‌أن ‌رضا ‌يزيد بقتل الحسين واستبشاره بذلك وإهانته أهل بيت النبي -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- مما تواتر معناه وإن كان تفاصيلها آحادًا فنحن لا نتوقف في شأنه بل في إيمانه لعنة الله عليه وعلى أنصاره وأعوان

And the truth is that Yazid’s satisfaction at the killing of Husayn, his rejoicing over it, and his humiliation of the family of the Prophet (SAW) are matters whose meaning is mass-transmitted, even if the details are transmitted singly. Thus we do not hesitate regarding his case, but regarding his very faith. May God’s curse be upon him, his supporters, and his helpers.

ree

Another Ash’ari giant, al-Suyuti (d. 911), records in Tarikh al-Khulafa, pg. 165 - 166

فكتب يزيد إلى واليه بالعراق عبيد الله بن زياد بقتاله… ولما قتل الحسين وبنو أبيه بعث ابن زياد برءوسهم إلى يزيد، فسر بقتلهم أولًا، ثم ندم لما مقته المسملون على ذلك، وأبغضه الناس، وحق لهم أن يبغضوه.

Yazid wrote to his governor in Iraq, Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, ordering him to fight against Al-Husayn… After Al-Husayn and the sons of his father were killed, Ibn Ziyad sent their heads to Yazid and he was pleased with their killing at first, but later regretted it due to the criticism and hatred he received from people. It was their right to despise him.

ree
bottom of page