Martyrdom of Hani bin Urwah Muradi

Mas’oodi says that Bukayr bin Humran Ahmari severed the head of Muslim and threw it down followed by his body. Then Ubaydullah ordered that Hani be taken to the market-place and beheaded with hands fastened together. Hani was calling out to the people of Murad, whose chief and spokesman he was, to assist him. When Hani would mount, four thousand armoured men of the Bani Murad alongwith eight thousand men on foot would accompany him. And if those who were under the agreement with him among the people of Kinda and others would be with him, then thirty thousand armoured men would accompany him. Even then at the need of the hour no one responded to him due to slackness and deceit. Shaikh Mufeed says that Mohammad bin al-Aash’as came to Ubaydullah and inter‌ceded on behalf of Hani saying, “You are aware of the honour that Hani holds in this town while also his family in the tribe. His people know that myself and my colleague have brought him to your presence, hence I request

you in the name of Allah to hand him over to me, for I do not desire enmity with the people of this town.” Ubaydullah promised to do so but later regretted and immediately ordered that Hani should be taken to the market and beheaded. They took him to the market, where the sheep were sold, with hands bound together, while he was calling out, “O Mazhaj! There is no one from the Mazhaj for me today! O Mazhaj! Where is Mazhaj”? When Hani sensed that no one came forward to render him assistence, he pulled away his hand from the rope and started yelling, “Isn’t there a stick, a knife, a stone or even a bone by which a man may defend himself”? The guards leapt upon him and tied his hands tightly and told him to extend his neck (so that they may behead him), to which he replied that, “I am not generous in this regard and shall not help you in the matter of my murder.” Then Rasheed, a Turkish retainer of Ubaydullah, dealt a blow with his sword upon Hani, which went waste, and Hani said, “Verily retreat is towards Allah. O Allah! (I come) towards Your Mercy and Your Paradise.” Then he dealt a second blow by which Hani was martyred. (May Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon him) It is written in Kamil of Ibne Aseer that Abdul Rahman bin Haseen Muradi once met the Turkish retainer (who had killed Hani) travelling alongwith Ubaydullah and killed him. Abdullah bin Zubayr Asadi said regarding the murder of Hani bin Urwah and Muslim bin Aqeel (while some attribute it to Farazdaq, the poet): “If you do not know what death is, then look at Hani in the Market place and the son of Aqeel, a hero whose face was covered with the wounds of sword, and another who fell to death from the roof, the wrath of Ibne Ziyad struck them both, and they became legends for every traveller on road, you see a beheaded corpse whose color death has changed, and his blood flowed abun‌dantly like a river, a young man who was more shy than a young woman, was more incisive than a sharpedged sword, is Asma riding in safety a mount which moves at walking pace, while Mazhaj urged him to seek revenge, and Murad wander around him? And all of them in fear of the questioner and the questioned, then if you do not avenge (the death of) your two masters, then you are illegitimate (sons), lowly and degraded.” Ubaydullah despatched both, the heads of Muslim and Hani to Yazeed, who sent him a thanksgiving letter as follows: “I have received news that Husain is coming towards Iraq, deploy guards over the roads, gather provisions, and keep alert. Imprison and detain the dubious ones and kill those who fight you.” It is stated in Irshad that Yazeed said, “And arrest people on grounds of suspicion and kill the accused, then keep me informed of the happenings.” Mas’oodi says that Muslim bin Aqeel (a.s) revolted in Kufa on Tuesday, the

eighth of the month of Zilhaj 60 A.H., this being the same day when Imam Husain (a.s) left Makkah to come to Kufa, and (Muslim) was martyred on Wednesday ninth Zilhaj, i.e., the day of Arafah. Then Ubaydullah ordered that Muslim’s body be hanged and his head was despatched to Damascus. This being the first body among the Bani Hashim, which was hanged upon the (city) door, and the first head among them, which was sent to Damascus. It is written in Manaqib that both the heads were sent to Damascus with Hani bin Habooh Wade’ee and were hung at the gate of (the city of) Damas‌cus. In the Maqtal of Shaikh Fakhruddin it is quoted that the bodies of Muslim and Hani were being dragged in the market. When the people of the tribe of Mazhaj were informed about it, they mounted on their horses and fought with them until they took the bodies of Muslim and Hani from them. Then they gave the dead body bath and shrouded and buried them. May Allah’s Mercy be upon them and may Allah’s wrath befall their murderers, a severe wrath. Appendix As has been quoted in Habibus Siyar, Hani bin Urwah was a notable of Kufa and an outstanding Shi’ah, and besides it has been related that he met the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.e.s.) and was blessed with his companionship. He was eighty-nine years old when he was martyred and his dignity and eminence can be proven from his bold speech with Ubaydullah as quoted above. Mas’oodi says that he was a Shi’ah and chief of the (clan) of Murad, and four thousand armoured horsemen and eight thousand on foot would accompany him. When Imam Husain (a.s) was informed about the martyrdom of Muslim and Hani, he said, “Verily we are Allah’s and verily unto Him shall we return”, and repeated, “Allah’s Mercy be upon both of them.” Moreover he read a letter in the presence of the people, “In the Name of Allah, the Benefi‌cent, the Merciful. A heart rending news has reached us that Muslim, Hani and Abdullah bin Yaqtoor have been martyred.”