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(Redirected from Yazid)
'Yazid Ibn Muawiyah Ibn Abu Sufyan' (July 23645 - 683) (Arabic: يزيد بن معاوية بن أبي سفيان) was the second Caliph of the Umayyad dynasty. His mother Maysun, was Christian. He ruled from CE 680 to 683. He is notable as an object of Muslim criticism; Muslims reject his legitimacy and condemn his role in the Battle of Karbala, which resulted in the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali.
Main articles: Battle of Karbala
Yazid was first opposed by the grandson of Muhammad, Husayn bin Ali. Husayn was the son of the assassinated former caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. His older brother, Hasan ibn Ali, had briefly claimed the caliphate as well. Husayn, as a descendant of Muhammad, had a strong claim to the caliphate in the eyes of many Muslims. The Muslims of Kufa in Iraq, which had been the stronghold of Ali, assured Husayn that they would support him if he bid for the caliphate. Based on this support, Husayn decided to march. He started from Mecca and headed towards Kufa.
Husayn headed towards Karbala, from Mecca. While passing through the cities he asked one of his close companions, Zuhayr ibn Qayn, the name of each city he passed by hoping not to miss Karbala. There was a good reason for his questioning to Zuhayr. The reason was that, his maternal Grandfather Muhammad told him that the city of Karbala would be the place where him and his companions would be martyred. When arriving in Karbala Husayn asked Zuhayr, the name of the city. Zuhayr replied that the name of the city was Taf. Husayn asked Zuhayr if the city had another name. Zuhayr said that the other name of the city was Karbala. According to the book Karbala and Ahusra, by Ali Husayn Jalali, tears appeared on Husayn's face when Zuhayr informed him that the other name of Taf was Karbala. Husayn said: "I seek refuge for Allah in Karb and Bala. This is where we will be unjustly martyred. This is where the woman will be taken captive and will be transported to Kufa and later on to Damascus.This is what my grandfather, the messanger of Allah has told me". Karb means grief and Bala means tribulation, in Arabic. So Husayn was basically saying "I seek refuge for God in grief and tribulation". A detachment from Yazid's army, approximately 40 000 men led by ‘Umar ibn Sa’d, barred his way to the city and then pursued him when he veered away. Husayn's small group was surrounded, cut off from its water supplies, and then, on October 10, 680, all men were killed by the enemy forces, except Ali ibn Husayn. Despite the fact that Husayn's army were outnumbered, each man showed bravery and killed many enemies individually. Husayn split his army of 72 men into 3 sections. The left flank, the right flank and the Ahlul bayt, who were the family of the Prophet. Husayn put Habib ibn Muzahir in charge of the left flank and Zuhayr ibn Qayn in charge of the right flank. According to many shia, and a few sunni books Husayn's army, after starvation and thirst for 3 days, killed approximately 5000 men of the enemy forces. Outside his 72 men, a few people from the enemy forces were influenced by him and joined his side. Among these converts included a man called Hurr al Riyahi. According to the book Karbala and Ashura, by Ali Husayn Jalali, Hurr killed 41 men of the enemy forces before being martyred. When Hurr was martyred, Husayn wiped the blood off Hurr's face with his bear hand, and said to him, "You are Hurr, as your mother has named you". Hurr, in Arabic means free, so Husayn was saying that Hurr is free. Saying this statement, Husayn meant that Hurr was free from the chains of the devil, because he joined Husayn's forces. Husayn and his men performed miracles of bravery and defiance during this battle. However, Husayn and his men were all killed, except for Ali ibn Husayn, who was taken captive by Yazid's forces.
Main articles: Ibn al-Zubair's revolt
Other Arabs, who were used to choosing leaders by consultation rather than heredity, refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid. A group of companions of Muhammed ''(Sahaba)'', including Abdullah ibn Zubayr and Abdullah ibn Umar, opposed Yazid's position as Caliph. Abdullah bin Zubayr launched an insurgency in the Hejaz, the heartland of the Islam, where Mecca and Medinah are. Yazid sent armies against him in 683. Medina was captured and Mecca was besieged. During the siege, the Kaaba was damaged, reportedly causing significant resentment, even hatred, among the inhabitants of Mecca as well as many Muslims throughout the Islamic empire. The siege ended when Yazid died suddenly in 683 CE. The exact place of Yazid's burial is believed to be at a place in Damascus which become a steelfactory in the present day. He was briefly succeeded by his son, Muawiya II.
For Shi'a Muslims, Yazid is the consummate villain, who will always be remembered for his murder of Husayn and persecution of his family. He is said to have been fond of wine and the company of courtesans, and completely careless of his religious duties.
The events at Karbala figure as fundamental in Shi'a thought, and many Shi'a Islamist movements liken their causes to Husayn's struggle against Yazid. Leaders of the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the Pahlavi government frequently drew such comparisons. The 10th of Muharram (also known as Ashura), the Islamic calendar date on which the Battle of Karbala occurred, is commemorated as a day of mourning by Shi'a Muslims around the world. Shi'a rituals on Aashurah usually involve public processions during which Shi'a Muslims curse Yazid and recite poems commemorating Husayn and his death. Shi'as around the world refer to Yazid as "the tyrant" and often add the word ''Lanatullah'' (which means May Allah's curse be upon him) after his name.
There is little difference between the majority of sunni opinion and the shia opinion.A few sunnis, however, disagree on the nature of Husayn's opposition to Yazid's rule and Yazid's culpability in Husayn's death. Some scholars have claimed that Husayn opposed Yazid's ascension to the Caliphate but did not actively revolt against him, and that Husayn's killing was ordered not by Yazid but resulted from the abberrant actions of the commander at Kerbala, Shamir ibn Dhi'l-Jaushan who was employed by the Umayyad governor of Iraq, Ubaidallah ibn Ziyad. This view is often supported by the claim that Ubaidallah's methods in suppressing Husayn's alleged insurgence "overshot the mark" and went beyond the extent of violence envisaged by Yezid. Sir William Muir, in his book 'The Caliphate - Its rise, decline and fall' supports this view. Others have refrained from taking a position on the matter, claiming that although Husayn's death was a tragic and unfortunate event, which showed how quickly the Muslim community deteriorated after the death of Muhammad, the evidence on exactly how it occurred and who bears responsibility is too inconclusive to merit judgment. This minority sunni view is mainly taken by those who are concerned to maintain the reputation of Muawiyah as a wise and legitimate caliph. They do not wish to question Muawiyah's choice of his son as his successor, although they do not legitimize Yazid himself. However, most others have joined the Shi'a position, cursing Yazid and denouncing him as not only an illegitimate ruler but a non-Muslim. The majority view thus considers Yazid as illegitimate, indulgent, and criminal ruler, who was not only the first dynastic ruler, but directly or indirectly responsible for the killing of the descendants of Muhammad. In essence, thus, the Sunni view differs little from the Shi'i view, although some Sunni scholars have seen acts of cursing and demonization as bad, not because Yazid is not deserving of curses, but because it taints the soul and serves little purpose. Imam al-Ghazzali, thus, was reported to have said, 'Praising Husayn is better than cursing Yazid'.
★ Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari History vol. 18 "Between Civil Wars: The Caliphate of Mu'awiyah," transl. Michael G. Morony, SUNY, Albany, 1987; v. 19 "The Caliphate of Yazid b. Mu'awiyah," transl. I.K.A. Howard, SUNY, Albany, 1990
★ John Bagot Glubb The Empire of the Arabs, Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1963
★ Hawting, G.R., ''The First Dynasty of Islam: the Umayyad Caliphate AD 661-750, Second edition'', Routledge, 2000, ISBN 0-415-24073-5 or ISBN 0-415-24072-7
★
★ Is it permissible to curse Yazid? A Sunni view
★ An article about Yazid from a Shi'a standpoint
'Yazid Ibn Muawiyah Ibn Abu Sufyan' (July 23645 - 683) (Arabic: يزيد بن معاوية بن أبي سفيان) was the second Caliph of the Umayyad dynasty. His mother Maysun, was Christian. He ruled from CE 680 to 683. He is notable as an object of Muslim criticism; Muslims reject his legitimacy and condemn his role in the Battle of Karbala, which resulted in the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali.
| Contents |
| Battle of Karbala |
| Revolt in Arabia and death of Yazid |
| Assessments of Yazid |
| Shi'a view of Yazid |
| Sunni view of Yazid |
| Bibliography |
| External links |
Battle of Karbala
Main articles: Battle of Karbala
Yazid was first opposed by the grandson of Muhammad, Husayn bin Ali. Husayn was the son of the assassinated former caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. His older brother, Hasan ibn Ali, had briefly claimed the caliphate as well. Husayn, as a descendant of Muhammad, had a strong claim to the caliphate in the eyes of many Muslims. The Muslims of Kufa in Iraq, which had been the stronghold of Ali, assured Husayn that they would support him if he bid for the caliphate. Based on this support, Husayn decided to march. He started from Mecca and headed towards Kufa.
Husayn headed towards Karbala, from Mecca. While passing through the cities he asked one of his close companions, Zuhayr ibn Qayn, the name of each city he passed by hoping not to miss Karbala. There was a good reason for his questioning to Zuhayr. The reason was that, his maternal Grandfather Muhammad told him that the city of Karbala would be the place where him and his companions would be martyred. When arriving in Karbala Husayn asked Zuhayr, the name of the city. Zuhayr replied that the name of the city was Taf. Husayn asked Zuhayr if the city had another name. Zuhayr said that the other name of the city was Karbala. According to the book Karbala and Ahusra, by Ali Husayn Jalali, tears appeared on Husayn's face when Zuhayr informed him that the other name of Taf was Karbala. Husayn said: "I seek refuge for Allah in Karb and Bala. This is where we will be unjustly martyred. This is where the woman will be taken captive and will be transported to Kufa and later on to Damascus.This is what my grandfather, the messanger of Allah has told me". Karb means grief and Bala means tribulation, in Arabic. So Husayn was basically saying "I seek refuge for God in grief and tribulation". A detachment from Yazid's army, approximately 40 000 men led by ‘Umar ibn Sa’d, barred his way to the city and then pursued him when he veered away. Husayn's small group was surrounded, cut off from its water supplies, and then, on October 10, 680, all men were killed by the enemy forces, except Ali ibn Husayn. Despite the fact that Husayn's army were outnumbered, each man showed bravery and killed many enemies individually. Husayn split his army of 72 men into 3 sections. The left flank, the right flank and the Ahlul bayt, who were the family of the Prophet. Husayn put Habib ibn Muzahir in charge of the left flank and Zuhayr ibn Qayn in charge of the right flank. According to many shia, and a few sunni books Husayn's army, after starvation and thirst for 3 days, killed approximately 5000 men of the enemy forces. Outside his 72 men, a few people from the enemy forces were influenced by him and joined his side. Among these converts included a man called Hurr al Riyahi. According to the book Karbala and Ashura, by Ali Husayn Jalali, Hurr killed 41 men of the enemy forces before being martyred. When Hurr was martyred, Husayn wiped the blood off Hurr's face with his bear hand, and said to him, "You are Hurr, as your mother has named you". Hurr, in Arabic means free, so Husayn was saying that Hurr is free. Saying this statement, Husayn meant that Hurr was free from the chains of the devil, because he joined Husayn's forces. Husayn and his men performed miracles of bravery and defiance during this battle. However, Husayn and his men were all killed, except for Ali ibn Husayn, who was taken captive by Yazid's forces.
Revolt in Arabia and death of Yazid
Main articles: Ibn al-Zubair's revolt
Other Arabs, who were used to choosing leaders by consultation rather than heredity, refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid. A group of companions of Muhammed ''(Sahaba)'', including Abdullah ibn Zubayr and Abdullah ibn Umar, opposed Yazid's position as Caliph. Abdullah bin Zubayr launched an insurgency in the Hejaz, the heartland of the Islam, where Mecca and Medinah are. Yazid sent armies against him in 683. Medina was captured and Mecca was besieged. During the siege, the Kaaba was damaged, reportedly causing significant resentment, even hatred, among the inhabitants of Mecca as well as many Muslims throughout the Islamic empire. The siege ended when Yazid died suddenly in 683 CE. The exact place of Yazid's burial is believed to be at a place in Damascus which become a steelfactory in the present day. He was briefly succeeded by his son, Muawiya II.
Assessments of Yazid
Shi'a view of Yazid
For Shi'a Muslims, Yazid is the consummate villain, who will always be remembered for his murder of Husayn and persecution of his family. He is said to have been fond of wine and the company of courtesans, and completely careless of his religious duties.
The events at Karbala figure as fundamental in Shi'a thought, and many Shi'a Islamist movements liken their causes to Husayn's struggle against Yazid. Leaders of the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the Pahlavi government frequently drew such comparisons. The 10th of Muharram (also known as Ashura), the Islamic calendar date on which the Battle of Karbala occurred, is commemorated as a day of mourning by Shi'a Muslims around the world. Shi'a rituals on Aashurah usually involve public processions during which Shi'a Muslims curse Yazid and recite poems commemorating Husayn and his death. Shi'as around the world refer to Yazid as "the tyrant" and often add the word ''Lanatullah'' (which means May Allah's curse be upon him) after his name.
Sunni view of Yazid
There is little difference between the majority of sunni opinion and the shia opinion.A few sunnis, however, disagree on the nature of Husayn's opposition to Yazid's rule and Yazid's culpability in Husayn's death. Some scholars have claimed that Husayn opposed Yazid's ascension to the Caliphate but did not actively revolt against him, and that Husayn's killing was ordered not by Yazid but resulted from the abberrant actions of the commander at Kerbala, Shamir ibn Dhi'l-Jaushan who was employed by the Umayyad governor of Iraq, Ubaidallah ibn Ziyad. This view is often supported by the claim that Ubaidallah's methods in suppressing Husayn's alleged insurgence "overshot the mark" and went beyond the extent of violence envisaged by Yezid. Sir William Muir, in his book 'The Caliphate - Its rise, decline and fall' supports this view. Others have refrained from taking a position on the matter, claiming that although Husayn's death was a tragic and unfortunate event, which showed how quickly the Muslim community deteriorated after the death of Muhammad, the evidence on exactly how it occurred and who bears responsibility is too inconclusive to merit judgment. This minority sunni view is mainly taken by those who are concerned to maintain the reputation of Muawiyah as a wise and legitimate caliph. They do not wish to question Muawiyah's choice of his son as his successor, although they do not legitimize Yazid himself. However, most others have joined the Shi'a position, cursing Yazid and denouncing him as not only an illegitimate ruler but a non-Muslim. The majority view thus considers Yazid as illegitimate, indulgent, and criminal ruler, who was not only the first dynastic ruler, but directly or indirectly responsible for the killing of the descendants of Muhammad. In essence, thus, the Sunni view differs little from the Shi'i view, although some Sunni scholars have seen acts of cursing and demonization as bad, not because Yazid is not deserving of curses, but because it taints the soul and serves little purpose. Imam al-Ghazzali, thus, was reported to have said, 'Praising Husayn is better than cursing Yazid'.
Bibliography
★ Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari History vol. 18 "Between Civil Wars: The Caliphate of Mu'awiyah," transl. Michael G. Morony, SUNY, Albany, 1987; v. 19 "The Caliphate of Yazid b. Mu'awiyah," transl. I.K.A. Howard, SUNY, Albany, 1990
★ John Bagot Glubb The Empire of the Arabs, Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1963
★ Hawting, G.R., ''The First Dynasty of Islam: the Umayyad Caliphate AD 661-750, Second edition'', Routledge, 2000, ISBN 0-415-24073-5 or ISBN 0-415-24072-7
★
External links
★ Is it permissible to curse Yazid? A Sunni view
★ An article about Yazid from a Shi'a standpoint
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