ISLAM’S ROYAL FAMILY

by Silas

 

 

2 Timothy 3:1 - 5

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.  [1]

 

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari 4.590

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

The Prophet used to seek Refuge with Allah for Al-Hasan and Al-Husain and say: "Your forefather (i.e. Abraham) used to seek Refuge with Allah for Ishmael and Isaac by reciting the following: 'O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye.' "  [2]

 

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari 5. 91

Narrated Muhammad:

Anas bin Malik said, "The head of Al-Husain was brought to 'Ubaidullah bin Ziyad and was put in a tray, and then Ibn Ziyad started playing with a stick at the nose and mouth of Al-Husain's head and saying something about his handsome features." Anas then said (to him), "Al-Husain resembled the Prophet more than the others did." …

 

 

 

 

PART SIX:  HUSAYN AND YAZID

ABU SUFYAN DEFEATS MUHAMMAD!

 

 

INTRODUCTION

            This is part 6 of the examination of the fruit of Islam’s “Royal Family.”   These will be the final people we examine since their fruit makes the final statement.  Additionally, I’ll also note two later events – events that most Muslims are not even aware.  Of course the Royal Family’s lineage continued to sink in sin and corruption, but upon this last review, the case is made.

 

            In part 5 of this series we examined the conflict between Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, and Mu’awiyah, son of Muhammad’s chief enemy Abu Sufyan (prior to a coerced conversion).  We saw the feud between Abu Sufyan bloom again in the lives of Ali and Mu’awiyah.  There was war, thousands killed, and in the end, Ali’s grip on power crumbled.  Ali was murdered by fellow Muslims, and Ali’s enemies, including Muhammad’s beloved child-wife Aisha, gloated.  But the feud was not over.  Ali was survived by a number of family members, including Hasan and Husayn.

 

            We are judging Islam by its fruits and we need to see the extent of moral failure and spiritual sickness that existed in the hearts and minds of these early Muslims to see Islam's true failed spirituality.  The assumed spirituality of the early Muslims evaporated quickly after Muhammad died.  We’ve seen that in less than one generation, the leaders of Islam had become despots, murderers, liars, and thieves.  They were proud, envious, deceptive, duplicitous, hatful, and vengeful.  They used "Islam" as a weapon to attack other Muslims who did not see things their way.  These "Companions" of Muhammad were as corrupt as any organized-crime or criminal gang ever in existence.  The only difference was that they obeyed outward forms of religion, i.e. ritualistic prayers and observances.  Inwardly they were ravenous wolves.

 

            We close with 3 significant events in Islam's life:  Husayn and Yazid, the burning of the Kaba, and the stealing of the black stone from the Kaba.

 

            Again, I will use Tabari’s History, [3], volume 19 as my primary reference.  Tabari was one of the most prominent Muslim historians and scholars.  I will quote from other sources as noted. 

 

 

1)  Tabari composed his writings based upon various narratives or stories.  Thus one narrative will cover great details over a long time span, taking up many pages.  The following narrative will cover the same time period and usually repeats related details.  You will see that my selection of quotations will come from non-sequential page numbers, but they will relate to the same event chronologically.

 

2)  There are different English spellings for the same Arabic name, depending upon the source quoted.  Do not be confused by this. 

 

3)  I’ve endeavored to put all quotations in blue font.

 

4)  I’ve not quoted entire passages in full because some of the long narratives contain irrelevant details.  I’ve tried to denote this by the standard three dots 

 

 

 

KEY PEOPLE

 

HUSAYN – Husayn was Muhammad’s grandson.  His father, Ali, had claimed the Caliphate following Uthman’s death and essentially lost his struggle with Mu'awiyah.  Following Ali’s death Husayn’s older brother, Hasan, claimed the Caliphate but later recognized Mu'awiyah as Caliph. 

 

YAZID – Yazid was Mu'awiyah’s son.  Before Mu'awiyah died, he moved to instill his son Yazid as Caliph.  Earlier, Mu'awiyah promised that upon his death, there would be a council to determine the next Caliph.  But he lied and installed Yazid as Caliph. 

 

ABDALLAH IBN AL-ZUBAYR – Ibn Zubayr was the son of Az-Zubayr, one of Muhammad’s most prominent Companions.  Following Husayn’s death Ibn Zubayr also claimed the Caliphate.  He died during another later civil war, in 692.

 

HASAN – Hasan attempted to lay hold of the Caliphate but things went wrong from the get-go.  His men deserted him, an assassination attempt severely wounded him, and finally, Mu'awiyah bribed him to accept him as Caliph, and promised there would be a council to determine the next Caliph.  Hasan received a fortune, and spent the remaining years of his life engaged in the pursuit of women.  He was nick-named something equivalent to “the divorcer” because he had from 60 to 90 wives, and 300 to 400 concubines.  He either died of a sickness or poisoning by one of his wives.  He died prior to Mu'awiyah so he never had another opportunity to claim the Caliphate.

 

 

THE SETTING

 

            After Mu'awiyah died his son Yazid claimed the Caliphate.  Ali’s son Husayn opposed Yazid and likewise claimed the Caliphate.  This led to war.  At this point Yazid was very powerful.  Ibn Zubayr refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid, and thus was also seen as a rebel. 

 

 

HUSAYN AND YAZID

 

            Mu'awiyah had died, but prior to his death he began to make arrangements for his son to assume the power of the Caliphate.  Mu'awiyah’s father Abu Sufyan had been a clever politician and worked to insure that his sons obtained positions of office.  Mu'awiyah was ever his father’s son, gained power for himself, and now that he was dying, moved to insure that his son – Yazid, gained the power.

 

Volume 19 of “The History of Tabari” focuses exclusively upon the succession of Yazid to the Caliphate, the opposition he faced, and how he dealt with that opposition.  The translator of volume 19, I.K.A. Howard provides several key details about the transition.  He notes,

 

            “According to both Baladhuri and Ibn A’tham, Muawiyah had agreed, in the treaty he made with al-Hasan b. Ali on the latter’s abdication, that there should be a consultative council (shura) to decide the succession after him.” …Therefore al-Husayn (Ali’s son), Ibn al-Zubayr (Zubayr’s son), and Ibn Umar (Umar’s son), could naturally have expected to have been among the group who decided on the next Caliph, and almost certainly that group would not have chosen Yazid.  What Yazid was doing – and his father seems to have tried to do the same toward the end of his life – was trying to preempt the shura by obtaining these men’s oaths of allegiance   (Pages xi, xii). 

 

 

            Tabari starts off by setting the stage…

 

            Yazid’s only concern, when he assumed power, was to receive the oath of allegiance form the individuals who had refused to agree with Muwayiya’s demand for this oath of allegiance to Yazid.  Muawiyah had summoned the people to give an oath of allegiance to him that Yazid would be his heir.  Yazid’s concern was to bring their attitude to an end.  Therefore he wrote to al-Walid (the governor of Medina, where those that opposed Yazid lived), “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.”  (Pages 2, 3)

 

 

            No doubt Yazid was aware of all the trouble Ali and his family had caused his father and he was not going to put up with that.  Yazid moved forcefully to put an end to that conflict.  Yazid’s governor in Medina, al-Walid, also knew of the trouble his master faced and wanted to deal with it accordingly.  Al-Walid sent for a prominent advisor named Marwan (Marwan had been the Caliph Uthman’s advisor, and later Marwan was to become a Caliph).  Marwan gave his counsel to al-Walid…

 

            “I consider that you should send immediately to this group (the three that refused to give the oath of allegiance), and summon them to give the oath of allegiance and enter in to obedience.  If they do so, you should accept that from them and leave them alone.  If they refuse, you should take hold of them and execute them before they lean of the death of Muawiyah.  Indeed, if they learn of that, each one of them would rise up from a different direction, proclaim opposition and secession, and summon men to himself.    (page 3).

 

 

            After Zubayr and Husayn received their summons they conferred about it.   Husayn suspected what was up and said,

 

            “I have been wondering.  In my view their despot has perished, and he has sent for us to get the oath of allegiance from us before news spreads among the people.”  (page 4).

 

            Husayn went and met with Yazid’s governor al-Walid and Marwan and verbal conflict ensued.  Husayn left without giving the oath of allegiance.  al-Walid refused to kill Husayn and his followers.  Husayn and Zubayr, with various family members fled from Yazid and headed to Mecca.  On the way they met Abdallah Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas and told them the situation.  Abdallah and Abbas decided to give allegiance to Yazid.

 

 

            However, even within the hearts of these two men, Husayn and Abdallah Zubayr, the lusts of the flesh for power over others lived…..

 

            “Yet Husayn was the most unwelcome of God’s creatures in the eyes of Ibn al-Zubayr because he realized that the people of the Hijaz would not give the oath of allegiance to him and follow him as long as Husayn was in the town.  In their eyes and hearts, al-Husayn was greater and more capable of commanding the people’s obedience than he.”  (page 23).

 

 

            Yazid was disappointed in al-Walid and dismissed him as Medina’s governor.  He appointed Amr Sa’id Ashdaq to be the governor.  Amr Sa’id appointed Amr b. al-Zubayr, brother to Abdallah b. Zubayr, to be in charge of the police and to confront Abdallah b. Zubayr.  Not surprisingly, these brothers were in conflict.  Then Amr seized a group of people who favored Husayn and Abdallah Zubayr, including Abdallah’s son, and had them flogged. 

 

            Amr Sa’id then sent Amr Zubayr to Mecca to confront his brother.  Marwan told Amr Sa’id to not fight his brother in Mecca, but Amr Zubayr interrupted and said,

 

            “By God!  Let us fight against him, and let us attack him in the heart of Kaba and let those who hate it, hate it.”  (page 12).

 

 

            Previously Muhammad forbid fighting in Mecca.  But Muhammad’s teachings mattered little when it came time for power, hatred, and killing.

 

            Amr Zubayr fought his brother near Mecca and was decisively defeated.  Amr was captured and Abdallah had him severely beaten and imprisoned.  Amr died. 

 

 

            Meanwhile the Kufans contacted Husayn and told him that they would give him, instead of Yazid or any other, the oath of allegiance.  Husayn investigated this and found…

 

            “they streamed to him (Husayn’s representative) to give he oath of allegiance.  Twelve thousand of them gave the oath of allegiance to him.”  (page 17).

 

            The Kufans wrote to Husayn and said,

 

“…Praise be to God Who has broken your enemy, the obstinate tyrant who had leapt upon his community, stripped it of its authority, plundered it booty, and seized control of it without its consent.  Then he killed the choice members of it and preserved the wicked members of this place.  He made God’s wealth something that circulates only among the community’s tyrants and the wealthy.  He was destroyed as Thamud was destroyed.  Here is no imam over us.  Therefore come, so God may unite us in the truth through you…  If we hear that you will agree to come to us, we will drive him away until we pursue him to Syria, if God wills…”

 

 

AQIL AND HANI

 

            Yazid realized that losing Kufa could lead to a greater conflict.  He asked the advice of his father’s Christian counselor, Sarjun, on how to deal with the problem.  The result was that Yazid authorized Ubaydallah b. Ziyad, (his ill-favored governor of Basra), to have authority over Kufa.  He also instructed Ubaydallah to murder a man named Muslim b. Aqil, (because Aqil was receiving the oath of allegiance in Kufa on Husayn’s behalf). 

 

            Husayn also contacted the people of Basra.  He sent a messenger with letters to the nobles there and solicited their support.  All of the nobles guarded that secret except one, al-Jarud.  Al-Jarud took the messenger and letter to Ubaydallah.  Ubaydallah read the letter and had the messenger beheaded.  He then spoke to the people of Basra and warned them of a violent end by killing them and their families and fellow tribesmen if they were to turn against him.

 

            Ubaydallah was shrewd, he went to Kufa, confused many people regarding his identity, bribed some, threatened others, and began to carry out his primary objective of undermining and eliminating the support for Husayn.  He ordered the people to write reports about troublemakers and strangers.  Those that refused to do so would be killed….

 

            “But those of you who do not write anyone will have no guarantee that there is no opponent in his irafah who will oppose us and no wrongdoer who will try to wrong us.  Anyone who does not do so will be denied protection, and his blood and his property will be permitted to us.”  (page 35)

 

            Muslim Aqil got wind as to what was happening and hid out with a friend named Hani.  However, Hani was betrayed and Ubaydallah found out where Aqil was staying.  Ubaydallah, with his men, went to Hani’s house and demanded he bring Muslim Aqil.    Hani refused, and Ubaydallah reacted….

 

            “Ubaydallah ordered that Hani be brought closer.  He was brought nearer, and Ubaydallah struck him on the forehead and cut it open.  …. Ubaydallah declared that God had made it permissible to take his blood and ordered him to be imprisoned in a part of the palace.  (page 19).

 

 

            An interesting dialog occurred between some of Ubaydallah’s men…

 

            Amr b. al-Hajjaj al-Zubaydi retorted, “A zebra that you lamed would be a stupid one.”  Umarah said, “Shall I tell you of something stupider than all this?  A man whose father was an unbeliever was brought to the Apostle of God.  He ordered him to be executed.  The man pleaded, “Muhammad, who will there be for the children?”  He answered, “Hell-fire.”  You are one of the children and you will be in Hell-fire.”  Ibn Ziyad laughed.  (page 20).

 

            How ironic that the son of a man murdered by Muhammad would play an important role in killing Muhammad’s grandchildren.  Al-Zubaydi later led troops that attacked Husayn.

 

 

            Ubaydallah was worried about revolt from the Iraqis.  He addressed the people with more threats…..

 

            “O people, hold fast to obedience to God and to your imams.  Do not cause division and discord, for you will be destroyed, humiliated, killed, harshly treated or deprived.”  (page 47).

 

 

            Muslim Aqil came with a large force of men to help Hani, but Ubaydallah out-smarted Aqil, through threatening and bribing the people, and slowly Aqil’s support evaporated.  Later Muslim Aqil was captured.  Aqil and Ubaydallah had a debase dialog, each cursing and accusing the other of every sin in the book.  In the end, Aqil died…

 

            (Ubaydallah) ordered that he (Muslim Aqil) should be taken to the top of the palace and executed.  Then his body was thrown down to the people.  He then ordered Hani to be dragged to al-Kunasah, and there he was crucified.  (page 21).

 

 

            Following these deaths, Ubaydallah had other men who refused to give allegiance to Yazid beheaded.

 

            Ubaydallah had the heads of Aqil and Hani sent to Yazid.  Yazid commended Ubaydallah, and instructed him to look for Husayn in Iraq.  (ref. page 64).

 

 

FRUIT OF ISLAM:  Murders carried out before actual crimes have been committed, family member and former friends now attack each other, Companions of Muhammad now kill each other.  Islam’s fruit had ripened.  There was no discussion concerning who should be in power, there was no vote or voice of the people, there was no unity.  Rather, there was only the continual Islamic carnal lust for power.  It always overrode other Islamic precepts.  Just as in his quest for power, Muhammad had made up and broken the rules before, so now his followers murdered each other in the same quest.  All the while they cloaked their fleshly actions with religious garb.

 

 

THE DEATH OF HUSAYN

 

            Early on Husayn had received letters of Iraqi (Kufa) support and went there, thinking that the support continued.  He did not know that Ubaydallah had eliminated that support.  As he set out on his journey he encountered people who told him that the Kufans loved him, but their swords were for Yazid.  But being fatalistic, Husayn continued to Kufa.  (ref. page 73).

 

            About 19 miles outside of Kufa Husayn encountered a man who warned him to leave because Muslim Aqil had been killed and Kufa now supported Yazid.  Husayn still journeyed forward, his bitter end was not distant.

 

            Husayn encountered Ubaydallah’s cavalry shortly thereafter.  Husayn positioned his men near Karbala, a town on the south bank of the Euphrates river, just north of Kufa.  He had with him about 45 horsemen and 100 foot soldiers.

 

            Ubaydallah had put Umar Abi Waqqas and ordered him to move on Husayn.  Umar confronted Husayn and they dialoged.  Husayn presented three options to Umar:

 

            “Choose one of three possibilities:  Let me go back to where I came from; let me go to Yazid; or let me go and join one of the frontier posts.”  Umar accepted that, but Ubaydallah wrote to him:  “No, there will be no kindness until he has submitted to me personally.”  Al-Husayn said, “No, by God!  That will never be.”

            Then Umar fought against him.  All al-Husayn’s followers were killed, among whom were more than ten young men from his family.  An arrow came and struck his baby son while he had him in his lap.  He began to wipe the blood from him, saying, “O God!  Judge between us and a  people who asked us to come so that they might help us and then killed us.”  He called for a striped cloak, tore it and then put it on. He took out his sword and fought until he was killed.  A man of the tribe of Madhhij killed him and cut off his head.  He took it to Ubaydallah …

            (Ubaydallah) sent him to Yazid b. Mu’awiyah and with him he sent the head.  He put his head in front of him.  With him was Abu Barzah al-Azlami.  Yazid began to poke the mouth with a cane, as he recited:

 

            “Swords split the skulls of men who are dear

                        to us, but they were more disobedient and oppressive.”

 

            Abu Barzah cried out to him.  “Take your cane away.  By God!  How often have I seen the Apostle of God kiss that mouth!”  (pages 75, 76).

 

 

            During the course of the battle a number of interesting dialogs took place.  They are recorded in various narratives.  I cannot list them all but I can list some that portray Islam’s degradation up to this point.

 

            “I am al-Jamali.  I believe in the religion of Ali.”  A man called Muzahim b. Hurayth came against him, crying, “I follow the religion of Uthman.”  Nafi replied, “Rather you follow the religion of Satan.”  Then he attacked and killed him.  (pages 136, 137).

 

            From the quote above we see how the Muslims had divided their faith into sects that followed one leader or another.

 

            Even Husayn’s womenfolk were not impervious to the violence….

 

            The wife of Abdallah b. Umayr al-Kalbi went out to her husband.  She sat by his head rubbing it with earth, saying, “May you enjoy heaven.”  Shamir b. Dhi al-Jawsha said to a servant called Rustam, “Beat her head with a tent pole.”  He struck her head and smashed it.  She died where she was.  (page 141).

 

 

            The details of Husayn’s actual death are fairly gruesome.

 

            Al Husayn remained there for a long time during that day.  Whenever one of the people came against him, he would turn aside from him and was unwilling to be responsible for his death and such a dreadful sin.  A man from the Banu Badda of Kindah called Malik b. al-Nusayr came against him and struck him on the head with his sword.  Al-Husayn was wearing a hooded cloak.  He sword cut through the hood of the cloak and wounded his head.  The cloak became covered with blood.  (page 153).

 

            When al-Husayn sat down, he was brought his young child.  He sat the babe on his knee. … “Al-Husayn was brought his young child; he was on his knee.  Then one of you, Banu Asad, shot an arrow that slaughtered the child.  Al-Husayn caught the blood in his hand.  When the palm of his hand was full, he poured the blood onto the ground and said, “O Lord, if it be that You have kept the help of heaven from us, then let it be because Your purpose is better than immediate help.  Take vengeance for us on these oppressors.”  (page 154).

 

            When Husayn’s camp was overrun, he rode toward the dam, trying to reach the Euphrates.  One of the Banu Aban b. Darim shouted, “Woe upon you!  Prevent him from getting to the water.  Don’t let his Shiah get to him.”  He whipped his horse, and the people followed him so that they prevented al-Husayn from getting to the Euphrates.  Then al-Husayn cried out, “O God!  Make him thirsty!”  The Albani took out and arrow and lodged it in al-Husayn’s throat.  Al-Husayn pulled out the arrow and held out the palms of his hands.  Both were filled with blood.  Then al-Husayn said, “O God!  I complain to you about what is being done to the son of the daughter of your Prophet.”  (page 157).

 

            There was a long delay through the day.  If the people had wanted to kill him, they could have done so but each of them was averting the action; each hoped the other would kill al-Husayn.  Each of them preferred that the others should do the deed.  Then Shamir shouted among the people, “Shame on you!  Why are you waiting for the man?  Kill him, may your mothers be deprived of you!:”  So an attack was launched against him on every side.  A blow was struck against his left hand by Zur’ah b. Sharik al-Tamimi.  It hit him on his shoulder.  They withdrew while he was falling and stumbling.  As he was in the plight, Sinan b. Anas b. Amr al-Nakha’I attacked him and stabbed him with his spear.  He fell.  Sinan told Khawali b. Yazid al-Asbahi to cut off his head.  The latter wanted to do so but he was weak; he trembled.  Sinan b. Anas said to him, “May God crush your arms and take away your hands.”  He bent down, killed him and cut his head off.  It was, then, handed to Khawali b. Yazid.

 

            Before that al-Husayn had been struck by many swords….

 

            When al-Husayn was killed, there were thirty three stab wounds and thirty four blows. 

 

            The body of al-Husayn was plundered as it was.  Bahr b. Ka’b took his trousers.  Qays b. al-Ashath took his cloak.  It was silken, and he was afterward called Qays of the cloak.  One of the Banu Awd called al-Aswad took his sandals, and one of the Banu Nahshal b. Darim took his sword.  Later it came into the possession of the family of Habib b. Budayl.

            The people turned to the turmeric [that Husayn had earlier stolen from a passing caravan], the garments and the camels; they plundered them.  The people turned to the womenfolk of al-Husayn, his baggage, and equipment.  The women had their clothes ripped off their backs, they were forcibly deprived of them and they were taken away from them.  (pages 160, 161).

 

 

            The series of following events also depict how depraved and brutal the Muslims were, even toward Muhammad’s progeny. 

 

            Then Umar b. Sa’d called out among his followers, “Who will volunteer to go to al-Husayn and make his horse trample on al-Husayn’s body?  Ten volunteered.  … They trampled on the body of al-Husayn with their horses until they had crushed his back and his chest.  (page 163).

 

            Among the things that I will never forget:  I will never forget the words of Zaynab, the daughter of Fatimah, as she passed the prostrate body of her brother, al-Husayn.  She was saying, “O Muhammad!  O Muhammad!  May the angels of heaven bless you.  Here is Husayn in the open, stained with blood and with limbs torn off.  O Muhammad!  Your daughters are prisoners, your progeny are killed, and the east wind blows dust over them.”  By God!  She made every enemy and friend weep.  (page 164).

 

            … There was the head of al-Husayn placed in front of him (Ubaydallah).  There he was, poking between its teeth with a cane.  When Zayd b. Arqam saw that he continued to poke the head with his cane, he said, “Raise that cane from those teeth, for by God other than Whom there is no god, I have seen the lips of the Apostle of God kill those lips.”  Then the old man began to weep.  Ibn Ziyad (Ubaydallah) said, “May God make your eyes weep, for by God, if it were not for the fact that you are an old man, who has become silly and your mind has left you, I would cut off your head.    (page 165).

 

            Ubaydallah said to her (Zaynab – Muhammad’s granddaughter), “Praise be to God, Who has disgraced you, killed you and revealed the false nature of your claims.”  Zaynab replied, “Praise be to God, Who has favored us with Muhammad and has purified us completely from sin.  It is not as you say, for He only disgraces the great sinner and reveals the false nature of the profligate.”  He asked, “How do you consider God has treated your family?”  She replied, “God decreed death for them, and they went forward to their resting places.    (pages 165, 166).

 

            When Ubaydallah had entered the palace, and the people had entered, the call “the prayer is general” was made and the people gathered in the great mosque.  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. Ali, and his Shiah.”  (page 167).

 

 

            Later, Ubaydallah sent Husayn’s head to Yazid.  More important anecdotes need to be mentioned.

 

            In Yazid’s hand there was a cane and he was poking it into al-Husayn’s mouth. … 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 Abu 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, Yazid, you will com forward on he Day of Resurrection, and Ibn Ziyad will be your advocate.  But this man will come forward on the Day of Resurrection, and Muhammad will be his advocate.”  (page 176).

 

 

 

Abdallah Ibn al-Zubayr

 

            Ibn Zubayr also wanted to be Caliph.  However, he knew he was behind Husayn in terms of prestige.  He was glad to see Husayn go to Kufah, and he probably was happy to see him killed.  That opened the door for him to claim the Caliphate, opposing Yazid.  After word got out that Husayn was killed, Ibn Zubayr made his move. He gave a public speech in Mecca, denouncing Husayn’s killing and Yazid.  Zubayr’s friends and supporters urged him to claim the Caliphate.

 

            Ibn al-Zubayr’s companions rose to him and declared, “Man, make public your acceptance of the oath of allegiance to you, for no one remains now that Husayn is dead who can dispute this affair with you.”  The people had been giving the oath of allegiance to him secretly, while he was saying publicly that he was seeking refuge at the Sacred Mosque.  He told them not to be too hasty….. Ibn al-Zubayr became more powerful in Meccan and the people of Medina wrote to him.  The people said that since al-Husayn had been destroyed, there was no one who could dispute with ibn al-Zubayr.  (pages 190, 191).

 

 

            Over time, Zubayr’s position became stronger, and his smoldering rebellion grew in strength.  Finally the rebellion brought forth flames.  Yazid realized that he had another rebellion on his hands, and moved to crush it….

 

            “Yazid wrote to Ibn Marjanah, “Attack Ibn al-Zubayr.”  (page 204).

 

            Yazid sent his army against Zubayr.  The old veteran general Muslim b. Uqbah was in command, with Husayn b. Numayr al-Sakuni as his second in command.  Yazid ordered them to give the rebels in Medina 3 days do agree with the demands.  After that they are to fight them.  Husayn’s son, Ali, was to be left alone and unharmed. 

 

            Uqbah arrived at Medina and announced to the people those stipulations…..

 

            When the three days had passed, he said, “What are you going to do?  Are you going to make peace or are you going to fight?”  “No, we will fight.”  He pleaded with them, “Don’t do this.  Rather enter into obedience, and we will use our vehemence and our weapons against this man (Zubayr, in Mecca), who deviates from the truth, to whom heretics and libertines have gathered from every side.  (page 208).

 

            The Medinans fought with Uqbah’s troops.  This was called “The Battle of al-Harrah.”  They put up a good fight but eventually were defeated.  Uqbah allowed Medina to be sacked for 3 days.  Some reports detail that many Medinans were massacred.  How ironic that the city that Muhammad used as his base to plunder, rape, terrorize, and destroy other peoples was now being plundered, its women raped, and town destroyed by his followers!  Muhammad’s mosque was turned into a stable, public buildings, including schools, were destroyed.  There were still a few of Muhammad’s Companions living at that time, and they were filled with fear and some fled.  Just as they had terrorized and murdered others, now they were terrorized and murdered!  The “The History of Islam”, by R. Payne, [4], notes that after this sacking, Medina, which had been the capital of the Islamic empire, became little more than a wilderness, (page 127).

 

            Uqbah had some of the rebels beheaded.  Even Uthman’s (the third righteous-guided Caliph) son, Amr was tortured by Uqbah, but not killed.

 

 

            After the 3 days of pillaging Medina, Uqbah led Yazid’s troops against Mecca.  Remember, Muhammad ordered strictly that no fighting was to take place in Mecca.  Only Muhammad was allowed by God to fight in Mecca for a few hours so that he could have killed some slave women who had previously mocked him, a man who realized the Quran was a sham, and a few others who rejected Islam.  But just a few years after Muhammad’s order prohibiting fighting, the Supreme Ruler of the Muslims was about to break that command, and fight in Mecca.

 

            Just as they arrived outside of Mecca, Uqbah died.  He had been sick for some time, and was in great pain during the battle of Harrah.  Now death introduced itself to him.  Before he died, he al-Sakuni to him and gave him command of the troops.  Some of his final words, in a prayer to Allah were,

 

            “O God!  After testifying that there is no god by God and that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle, I have never done anything that I like better than my killing of the people of Medina or anything that I hope to be of such advantage to me in the Hereafter.”  (page 222).

 

 

            Yazid’s troops fought with Zubayr’s and defeated them.  However, Zubayr withdrew and the Syrians did not pursue.  Instead of another frontal confrontation, the Syrians laid siege to Mecca.  They used catapults against the city…

 

            … they hurled stones and wood at the Sacred House (the Kaba), with ballistae and they set it on fire.  (page 223).

 

            They were causing fires to be lit around the Kabah.  There was a spark, which the wind blew; it set fire to the veil of the Kabah and burned the wood of the Sacred House….  (page 224).

 

            Payne notes,

 

            During the bombardment the Kaaba was burned to the ground, and the Black Stone split into three pieces.  The Kaaba resembled “the torn bosoms of mourning women,” says Tabari, meaning perhaps that the ruins were thick with the blood of the Meccans who had pitched their tents around it in the hope of being able to defend it.  Abdallah wrapped the three pieces of the Black Stone in brocade and kept it in his house.  (page 127).

 

            There are conflicting stories as to how the Kabah caught on fire.  The point is that it was due to the fighting in Mecca that Allah’s house was burned and the revered Black Stone, reputed to have been sent by Allah to earth as a white stone, but turned black by the sins of men, had been broken. 

 

            And, during this time another significant event occurred…

 

            He (Sakuni) besieged Ibn al-Zubayr for sixty days until news of the death of Yazid b. Mu’awiyah reached him at the beginning of Rabi al-Akhir (the end of November).  In this year (64/683) the Kabah was set on fire. …. He was 38 (or 39) years of age.  (pages 224 and 225).

 

 

            What an odd turn of events.  Muslim leaders were busy fighting and killing each other and then the victors began to die as well!  Zubayr had escaped death for the time being.

 

            Also, I find it strange that supposedly Allah who prohibited other people from sacking his house (The Battle of the Elephants), now allowed it to be burned and damaged.  And, this was to happen again.

 

 

            Ibn Zubayr had gained respite.  Yazid’s son succeeded his father, but the son died of the plague two months later.  The people of Damascus turned to another branch of the Umayad family for a new Caliph.  Those chose Marwan ibn-Hakam, who was Uthman’s right hand man.  However, he died 9 months later.  Payne notes:

 

            In a single year three Caliphs had died, and all of them brought ruin on their empire.  (page 127).

 

            Marwan’s son, Abd al-Malik succeeded his father.  Malik was a despot’s despot.  His reputation for harsh brutality rivaled any 20th century dictator.  Malik moved against his many enemies and crushed them.  This included Ibn Zubayr.  Ibn Zubayr was killed by the Syrian army while defending Mecca in 73 AH.

 

 

THE STEALING OF THE BLACK STONE

 

            This event does not qualify as fruit of Islam’s Royal Family.  However, because of its outrageousness, I believe that all people, interested in Islam, need to know this.  I put this material here to likewise show Islam’s further depravity. 

 

            Around 930 AD, the Islamic empire was vast but it was beset by many internal problems.  Serious problems such as revolts.  One successful revolt was led by a man named Hamdan Qarmat.  He was an Iraqi peasant.  He led an uprising that gained incredible momentum and power.  Eventually they defeated the other Muslims that opposed them and they moved on Mecca.

 

            Payne notes,

 

            On January 12, 930, they occupied Mecca itself, after a rapid march across the uplands of Najd.  The swords of the Qarmatians struck mercilessly at the unresisting crowds of Meccans who thronged the narrow streets, and the slaughter did not cease until 30,000 corpses were littered over the sacred city.  The holy well of Zamzam was choked with the bodies of the dead.  They removed the “kiswa”, the cloth covering the Kaaba, and smashed the Black Stone, removing the pieces to their capital at al-Ahsa.  The terrified Abbasids (the other ruling Muslims), were powerless to prevent the Qarmatians from destroying whatever they desired to destroy.  (page 187).

 

 

            The black stone was later returned to the Kaaba.

 

            The point to all of this is that Islam is a depraved religion.  History records that its followers used it to gain power.  Here Muslims themselves damaged and destroyed objects that are highly venerated.  Here Muslims broke Muhammad’s commands that no fighting be allowed in Mecca.  Rather they murdered 30,000 Meccan Muslims in one day! 

 

 

SUMMARY

 

            These last examined members of Islam’s Royal Family exhibit all the sinfulness and carnality of their forefathers.  Mu'awiyah lying to Hasan, and others, about the transition of power after his death, Hasan giving up his quest for power via a bribe and living the rest of his life in debauchery, Husayn sacrificing his life, his family member’s lives, and follower’s lives, all for the pursuit of power, and Ibn Zubayr, biding his time, hoping for Husayn’s death, and then attempting the same power grab.  These sins are all found in the Bible’s description:  “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”

            There were many brutal events that I did not detail.  And, as time goes on, Islam become darker.  Wherever Islam went, rivers of blood followed.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

            What amazed me at reading this was that how effortlessly Muslims killed Muhammad’s family, destroyed Medina, and killed Muhammad’s companions.  They lied, stole, deceived each other, and killed each other.  There was no real spiritual aim to all of this.  All of these men only cared about power.  Yes, they obeyed the external forms of Islam, but Jesus addressed similar people:

 

 

MT 23:27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

 

            These corrupt Muslims may have looked good on the outside, but inwardly they were spiritually dead.

 

            These Muslims were so embittered, so calloused, so filled with hate, that they even moved to destroy the “House of God”, i.e. the Kaba in Mecca.  No longer did Muhammad’s teachings matter.  What mattered was that Muslims were going to kill other Muslims who challenged their claim to power.  To this day, that, not the Quran, not Muhammad, but that surge of violence against any challenge to their power, is Islam’s true legacy.

 

 

QUESTION - CHALLENGE TO THE MUSLIM

 

            Doesn’t it trouble you that these early Muslims, many of whom knew Muhammad to one degree or another, spilt each other’s blood so easily?  Doesn’t it challenge your faith to know that Muslims damaged / destroyed the Kaba – even broke then later stole the Black Stone, in early Islamic history?  Can’t you see that there is something seriously wrong with Islam when the earliest of followers so quickly became murderers and despots?  Where were the teachings of the Quran?  Where were Muhammad’s injunctions?  Why were they so easily cast aside?

 

 

PRAYER FOR SALVATION

 

This prayer is written for anyone.  This includes Muslims who are seeking the truth and who want to know God in a personal way.

 

            “Lord Jesus, I believe in You.  I believe that You are the Son of God and the Lord.  I believe that You died for my sins and were raised from the dead.  I confess that I am a sinner and I ask You to come into my heart, cleanse me from my sins, and forgive me for my sins.  I turn to follow and obey You – I put my faith in you.  I now receive You as Messiah and Lord and totally commit my life to You.”

Amen.

 

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1)         al-Tabari, "The History of al-Tabari", (Ta'rikh al-rusul wa'l-muluk), State University of New York Press  1993

2)         Bukhari, Muhammad, “Sahih Bukhari”, Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, India, 1987, translated by M. Khan

3)         The Bible, New International Version, pub. by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan

4)         Payne, Robert, “The History of Islam”, Dorset Press, New York, 1990


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