STRAIGHTPATHMONTHLY December 2011
footsteps of the Choesroes (the rulers of ancient
Persia) and Caesers (the rulers of ancient Rome). We
have come to enjoin justice and invite towards the Holy
Book and Traditions (of the Prophet)."
Ubaydullāh said,
"O transgressor! What relation you hold with these?
And why did you not do that among the people, while
you were busy drinking wine (Allāh's refuge) in
Madinā"?
Muslim replied,
"Did I drink wine? By Allāh! He knows that you are
not speaking the truth, nor am I similar to what you
have ascribed to me. While drinking wine is a practice of
those (referring to Ubaydullāh and his father Ziyād) who
in rage and enmity spill the blood of the Muslims, and
who rejoices and delights as if he has never ever
committed any indecency (referred to Yazid)."
Ubaydullāh was infuriated and said,
"May Allāh kill me if I do not kill you in a manner as
no one else has ever been killed in Islām.”
The oppressors accuse Muslim bin Aqeel (a.s) of creating
divisions and breaking the unity. Similarly Ahmad al Hassan
(a.s) is accused of dividing the Shias. The fact of the matter is
that Truth is always a divider- it filters the believers away from
the rest of the people.
See how they accuse the pure Ambassador of
creating rebellion. From Section 5 of Nafsaul
Mahmoom:
Abdullāh bin Muslim came out and then wrote a letter to
Yazid bin Mu'āwiyah saying,
"Muslim bin Aqeel has come to Kufā and the Shi'āh
have pledged the oath of allegiance to him on behalf of
Husayn bin Ali. Then if you desire that Kufā should
remain under your domain, dispatch a powerful man
who would implement your orders and act according to
your command. For No'mān bin Basheer is a feeble man
or is deliberately showing as weak."
Ammārah bin Uqbah and Umar bin Sa'ad bin Abi
Waqqas too wrote similar letters to Yazid. When these letters
reached Yazid he called for Sarjoon, the slave of Mu'āwiyah
and said,
"Husayn has sent Muslim bin Aqeel to Kufā and
people have started pledging their oath of allegiance to
him, while No'mān is a feeble man and there are other
bad reports regarding him. According to your opinion
whom should I nominate as the governor of Kufā in his
stead"?
During that period Yazid was annoyed with Ubaydullāh
bin Ziyād. Sarjoon replied,
"If today Mu'āwiyah becomes alive would you listen
to his counsel"?
67
Yazid replied in the affirmative. Sarjoon produced a letter
of Mu'āwiyah appointing Ubaydullāh bin Ziyād as the
governor of Kufā, and then said,
"This is the advice of Mu'āwiyah, for when he was
about to die, he intended bestowing the governorship of
Kufā and Basrā both to Ubaydullāh."
Yazid agreed and sent a message to Ubaydullāh. Then he
called for Muslim bin Umro Bahilee, the father of Qutaybah,
and handed over a letter in the name of Ubaydullāh whose
contents were as follows:
"Now then! My followers in Kufā have written to
me that the son of Aqeel is gathering troops to spread
rebellion among the Muslims. Then when you read my
letter, hasten towards Kufā and search for the son of
Aqeel as if you were looking for a bead, until you find
him. Then bind him (in chains), either kill him or banish
him from the city. Salutations."
Yazid also gave him the authority for the Governorship of
Kufā. Muslim bin Umro proceeded until he reached
Ubaydullāh at Basrā. As soon as Ubaydullāh received the
command and author-ity, he ordered to prepare for the journey
scheduled for the next day.
Similarly, when Ahmad al-Hassan (a.s) does the same as
Muslim bin Aqeel (a.s), the enemies accuse him of rebellion
and try to kill him.
To conclude, the case of Imam Hussain (a.s) and Imam e
Zamana (a.j.f) is similar- but with a crucial difference. Where
Imam Hussain (a.s) is the vessel of Allah (s.w.t) for the
redemption of those who love Him, Imam e Zamana (a.j.f) is
the vessel of Allah (s.w.t) for the revenge for those He loves.
This means that the Zulfiqar that was victorious in submission
to the will of Allah (s.w.t) in the sands of Karbala, will be just a
victorious as it spreads justice in the world in submission to the
will of Allah (s.w.t).
May Allah (s.w.t) grant us the position of being the Ansar
of Imam e Zamana (a.j.f).
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