Ibn ‘Asakir recounts, "When Yazid was informed about Imam al-Husayn's exodus towards Kufah, he wrote a letter to his governor, ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, in which he ordered him to battle Imam al-Husayn (as) and send the Imam to Sham."13
Ibn A‘tham narrates, "Ibn Ziyad addressed the people of Kufah in this way, ‘Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah has sent a letter to me. Along with it, he has sent four thousand dinars and two hundred thousand dirhams for me to distribute among you. Yazid has ordered me to send you to war with his enemy al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali. Therefore, follow Yazid's orders and obey him'."14
Suyuti says, "In a letter to ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, Yazid's governor in Iraq, he ordered him to engage in battle with al-Husayn and kill him."15
Ibn A‘tham writes, "When Ibn Ziyad killed Imam al-Husayn, Yazid paid him a reward of one million dirhams."16
After the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (as), the brother of ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, Salam ibn Ziyad, went to visit Yazid. When Yazid saw him, he said, "O household of Ziyad, love and friendship has become obligatory upon you from the household of Abu Sufiyan."17
When Ibn Ziyad went to see Yazid after killing Imam al-Husayn (as), Yazid came forward to welcome him. He embraced Ibn Ziyad and kissed him on the forehead. Yazid had Ibn Ziyad sit on the throne and even brought him his womenfolk.
He ordered a singer to sing a beautiful song for Ibn Ziyad. Yazid addressed his butler, "Make us drunk with wine!" Then, he gave Ibn Ziyad and ‘Umar ibn Sa‘d a reward of one million dirhams each from the public treasury. He even ceded the revenue of Iraq to ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad for a period of one year."18
Notes:
13. Mukhtasar Tarikh Damishq, vol. 14, p. 208.
14. Ibn A‘tham, AlFutuh, vol. 3, section [bab] 5, p. 89.
15. Tarikh al-Khulafa', p. 193.
16. Ibn A‘tham, Al-Futuh, vol. 3, section [bab] 5, p. 135.
17. Ibid., p. 136.
18. Tadhkirah al-Khawass, p. 290; Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 67.
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