The greatest difficulty that befell Muslim was that he was taken as a prisoner to Ibn Ziyad while he would have preferred to have sunk in the ground rather than to stand facing Ibn Ziyad. When He was brought to Ibn Ziyad surrounded by guards he did not pay any heed to Ibn Ziyad. The guard objected to him and asked, “Why don’t you salute the governor?”
Muslim considered him and his governor worthless and said: “Be Quiet! Who are you to say this? By Allah, he is not my Amir, that I should salute him.”
How can Ibn Marjana become the Amir of Muslim, the leader of noble men and a martyr on the path of perfection and humanity? He is the most degraded man who hasn’t done anything except shamelessness. Could be become the Amir of Muslim?
That tyrant was infuriated due to the indifference and carelessness of Muslim towards him.”
Therefore that oppressor cried at Muslim, “Oh mischief- maker! O evil-doer! You have attacked the Imam of your time, destroyed the unity of Muslims and incited the flame of mischief.”
Muslim replied: “What Imam was it against whom Muslim had come out, what Muslim unity had he destroyed and what flame of mischief had he ignited? He had only risen up against one who cultivated the company of dogs and monkeys in order to save the community from his dark regime and hardships. By Allah! Muawiyah did not become caliph by consensus of the Ummah. He obtained caliphate by deceit and fraud and his son Yazid is also like him…but you and your father, Ziyad from the ignoble infidel family have ignited the flames of mischief.
I am desirous that the Almighty Allah bestow martyrdom to me at the hands of the worst people. By Allah, neither have I rebelled nor disbelieved. I am only obeying the leader of believers, Hussein Ibn Ali. We are more rightful for caliphate than Muawiyah, his son and the progeny of Ziyad.”
These words were more distasteful for Ibn Ziyad than death since Muslim had exposed his reality before his officials and servants and had showed him to be bereft of morals and human nature. In this way he had described him as the lowliest creature of the earth.
Mas’oodi says that because Muslim spoke harshly to Ubaydullah, he ordered that Muslim should be taken to the roof of the palace and it was said to Bukayr bin Humran Ahmari to behead him and take his revenge.
The guard took Muslim on top of the palace when he was asking forgiveness from Allah and praising and glorifying Him. His murderer was Bukayr bin Humran, whom Muslim had previously wounded. Then his body too was thrown down. When Bukayr came down, Ubaydullah asked him, “What was Muslim uttering when you took him to the roof”? He relied that, “Muslim was glorifying Allah and seeking His forgiveness.
