He was a devout and virtuous young man. Mus'ab was killed together with ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr during the siege of Mecca.
Among those killed during the incident of Ḥarra were also: Muḥammad b. Ubayy b. Kaʿb, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī Qatāda, and Abū Ḥakīm Muʿādh b. Ḥāris al-Anṣārī. ʿUmar had appointed this person as imam.
In the Battle of Ḥarra, the two sons of Zaynab, the daughter of Umm Salama, as well as Zayd b. Muḥammad b. Salama al-Anṣārī and his seven brothers were also killed. There were others who were killed as well. May Allah have mercy on them all and be pleased with them all.
In the sixty-fourth year of the Hijra, Aḥnas b. Shurayq also passed away. He had been present at the conquest of Mecca and had participated in the Battle of Ṣiffīn alongside ʿAlī.
In this year, many battles and seditions encompassing the eastern lands occurred. A man named ʿAbdullāh b. Ḥazm went to Khurāsān and conquered that region. He defeated the governors of those lands and expelled them all from their cities. This event took place after the deaths of Yazīd and his son Muʿāwiya, and before ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr had established his authority in the regions of Khurāsān. Many battles, too lengthy to recount here, occurred between this man known as ʿAbdullāh b. Ḥazm and ʿAmr b. Mirsad. We have sufficed to relate this in summary, for there is little benefit in narrating most of these events. These were wars of fitna (civil strife), battles fought between rebels. The one to whom help is sought is the Exalted Allah.
Al-Wāqidī said: In the sixty-fourth year of the Hijra, after the death of Muʿāwiya son of Yazīd, the people of Khurāsān pledged allegiance to Sullam b. Ziyād b. Abīhi. They were pleased with him. Indeed, more than a thousand children born that year were named Sullam. After a while, they broke their covenant and fell into discord. Sullam then left them, appointing al-Muhallab b. Abī Ṣufra as governor over them.
In this year, the Shiʿa community gathered in Kūfa around Sulaymān b. Ṣurad. They resolved and pledged to unite at Nahila to avenge the death of al-Ḥusayn. They were earnest and determined in this resolve. Their intention was to take revenge on the people of Syria (Shām) for the martyrdom of al-Ḥusayn on the tenth day of Muḥarram, the day of ʿĀshūrāʾ, in the sixty-first year of the Hijra at Karbalāʾ. They regretted having previously invited al-Ḥusayn to Kūfa, for when he came, they had dispersed from around him, left him without support, and did not aid him. Now, when it was too late for sacrifice to be of benefit, they intended to make sacrifices. They gathered in the house of Sulaymān b. Ṣurad, a Companion (ṣaḥābī) of great rank. Five leading figures of the Shiʿa attended this meeting: Sulaymān b. Ṣurad (a Companion), Musayyab b. Najiyya al-Fazārī (one of ʿAlī’s foremost companions), ʿAbdullāh b. Saʿd b. Nufayl al-Azdī, ʿAbdullāh b. Wāq at-Taymī, and Rifāʿa b. Shaddād al-Bajalī. All of them were companions of ʿAlī. After various discussions and exhortations, they agreed that Sulaymān b. Ṣurad should be their leader. They pledged to gather at Nahila. They decided that those who would respond to their call should assemble at Nahila in the sixty-fifth year of the Hijra. Then they collected a great amount of wealth and weapons, preparing them for this purpose. Musayyab b. Najiyya stood up, praised and thanked Allah, and said:
"We have been afflicted and tested by long life and many tribulations. Allah has tried us and found us to be liars. He saw that we did not help the grandson of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him). Yet previously we had written to him, inviting him to be our leader. He came to us trusting that we would help him, but we abandoned him, did not support him, and did not fulfill our promise. We left him, his children, close relatives, and chosen friends to those who would kill them. We did not help them with our hands, nor defend them with our tongues, nor support them with our wealth. Woe to us! Continuous and unceasing destruction is upon us! We must kill his murderers, those who killed his companions, and those who allied against them, or else die in this cause. We are ready to give our lives and wealth and to accept the ruin of our homes for this cause. O people! Join together in this cause, act together. Repent (tawba) to your Creator, subdue your nafs (the lower self). This is better for you in the sight of your Creator..."
Afterwards, they wrote letters inviting all their like-minded and kindred spirits to gather at Nahila in the sixty-fifth year of the Hijra.
Sulaymān b. Ṣurad wrote a letter to Saʿd b. Ḥudhayfa b. Yaqāl, the governor of Madāʾin, inviting him to join this cause. Saʿd responded to the invitation and also called upon the people of Madāʾin who obeyed him. They too accepted the call and agreed to gather at Nahila at the appointed time. When Saʿd b. Ḥudhayfa informed Sulaymān b. Ṣurad of this by letter, the people of Kūfa rejoiced at the agreement of the people of Madāʾin and were greatly strengthened and pleased by the alliance. Shortly thereafter, when Yazīd and his son Muʿāwiya died, they believed that the Syrians (Shāmīs) had lost their strength and that there was no leader to govern them. They consulted Sulaymān about launching an attack and gathering at Nahila before the appointed time. Sulaymān forbade them from this, saying: "No, it cannot be until the appointed time comes and the term agreed upon with our brothers is fulfilled." Then, without the knowledge of the people, they secretly prepared forces and amassed weapons. At that time, the people of Kūfa went against ʿAmr b. Ḥirrīs, the governor of Kūfa appointed by ʿUbaydullāh b. Ziyād. They captured him and expelled him from the palace. They agreed to appoint ʿĀmir b. Masʿūd b. Umayya, known by the nickname Dahruja, as governor. He pledged allegiance to ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr.
He began to manage affairs until the arrival of the governor appointed by ʿAbdullāh. Eight days before the end of the month of Ramaḍān in the sixty-fourth year of the Hijra (on a Friday), two commanders appointed by ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr arrived in Kūfa. One was ʿAbdullāh b. Yazīd al-Ḥutamī, who would oversee military and frontier affairs. The other was Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥa b. ʿUbaydullāh at-Taymī, who would be responsible for land tax and financial matters. A week before their arrival (in the middle of Ramaḍān), a man known as the liar, Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd al-Thaqafī, came to Kūfa. He saw that the Shiʿa were gathering around Sulaymān b. Ṣurad, showing him great respect and preparing for war. After settling in Kūfa, he called the people to accept the imamate of Muḥammad al-Mahdī, son of ʿAlī. Muḥammad al-Mahdī was Muḥammad b. al-Ḥanafiyya. This was the reality, but Mukhtār gave him the title of Mahdī. Most of the Shiʿa responded to his call and left Sulaymān b. Ṣurad. Thus, the Shiʿa split into two groups. The majority remained with Sulaymān b. Ṣurad, aiming to fight the Syrians to avenge al-Ḥusayn. The other group sided with Mukhtār, aiming to call people to the imamate of Muḥammad b. al-Ḥanafiyya. However, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥanafiyya had neither ordered nor consented to this. Mukhtār and his followers fabricated lies in his name to gather people around him, seeking to achieve their own corrupt aims. ʿAyn al-Ṣafiyya went to ʿAbdullāh b. Yazīd al-Ḥutamī, the governor appointed by Ibn al-Zubayr, and informed him that both Shiʿa groups were moving against him.
He advised him to be cautious, to send his guards to fight them, and to suppress the evil and sedition they intended. ʿAbdullāh b. Yazīd al-Ḥutamī also advised that the events be suppressed. He then addressed the people, informing them of the Shiʿa's actions and their intent to avenge al-Ḥusayn: "They know that I am not among those who killed al-Ḥusayn. By Allah, I feel as if I have suffered a calamity because of his killing. I was not pleased by his death. May Allah have mercy on him and curse his killer. I will not attack anyone who does not attack me. If they wish to avenge al-Ḥusayn, let them attack Ibn Ziyād, for he is the one who killed al-Ḥusayn and his noble family. Let them take revenge on him, and not raise arms against their fellow townsmen.
Otherwise, they will perish and be uprooted."
Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥa, the commander responsible for land tax and financial affairs in Kūfa, then addressed the congregation:
"O people! Do not be deceived by the words of this flatterer. By Allah, we have certainly learned that they are moving against us. A child will be held accountable for his father, a father for his child, a friend for his friend, and a person for his acquaintance, until you submit to the truth and come under obedience."
Musayyab b. Najiyya al-Fazārī then leapt upon Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad and interrupted him, saying:
"O child of those who break covenants! Do you threaten and frighten us with your own sword and tyranny!? By Allah, you are more contemptible than that. We do not blame or reproach you for your anger and hatred. We killed your father and grandfather. We hope to bring you to the same fate before you leave this palace."
A group of workers from among the men of Ibrāhīm b. Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥa supported Musayyab b. Najiyya. Thus, a great fitna (civil strife) broke out in the mosque. ʿAbdullāh b. Yazīd al-Ḥutamī descended from the pulpit. The congregation tried to reconcile the two commanders, but it was not possible. Then the Shiʿa in Sulaymān b. Ṣurad's group drew their weapons and revealed their intention to revolt against the Syrians and fight them. Together with Sulaymān b. Ṣurad, they mounted their steeds and set out towards the region of al-Jazīra.
As for the liar Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd al-Thaqafī, he was a person disliked by the Shiʿa since the killing of al-Ḥusayn. For on the day al-Ḥusayn was killed, he had taken refuge in Madāʾin while traveling to Syria with the Iraqis. He advised his uncle, the governor of Madāʾin, to capture al-Ḥusayn and send him to Yazīd b. Muʿāwiya, thus gaining favor and position with him. However, his uncle paid no heed to this advice. For this reason, the Shiʿa harbored anger against Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd.
When Muslim b. ʿUqayl was killed by Ibn Ziyād, Mukhtār was in Kūfa. When he heard of Muslim b. ʿUqayl's death, he said: "I will avenge Muslim." Ibn Ziyād heard this, had him arrested and brought before him. He struck him on the face with a whip and ordered him to be imprisoned. When his sister, who was the wife of ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar, heard of his imprisonment, she wept and pleaded. As a result, ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar wrote a letter to Yazīd b. Muʿāwiya, interceding for Mukhtār's release from prison. Yazīd then sent word to Ibn Ziyād: "As soon as you receive this letter, release Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd from prison!" Upon receiving the letter, Ibn Ziyād saw no choice but to release him from prison and said: "If I see you in Kūfa after three days, I will strike off your head." Mukhtār then left Kūfa for the Ḥijāz, saying as he departed:
"By Allah, I will cut off the fingertips of ʿUbaydullāh b. Ziyād, and for the life of Ḥusayn, son of ʿAlī, and for the killing of Yaḥyā, son of Zakarīyā, I will kill as many men as those who were executed in retaliation."
When the authority of ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr was strengthened, Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd pledged allegiance to him. He became one of the prominent commanders held in esteem by him. When Ḥusayn b. Numayr went to Mecca with Syrian soldiers and besieged ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr, Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd fought fiercely to defend ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr. Upon hearing of the death of Yazīd b. Muʿāwiya and the collapse of Iraqi rule, he criticized ʿAbdullāh b. al-Zubayr for some of his actions and left the Ḥijāz for Kūfa. He entered Kūfa on a Friday as people were preparing for Friday prayer. He greeted every group he met, saying: "I bring you glad tidings of victory." He entered the mosque and performed voluntary prayers until the Friday prayer began. After Friday prayer, he continued with voluntary prayers until the afternoon, then left the mosque.
The people greeted him, turned towards him, and showed him respect. He began to call people to recognize the imamate of al-Mahdī Muḥammad b. al-Ḥanafiyya. He showed the people that he was on the side of the Ahl al-Bayt. He said he had come to Kūfa to establish their banners, spread their light, deliver their message, and avenge them. Fearing that the Shiʿa gathered around Sulaymān b. Ṣurad would act before him, he began to draw them away from Sulaymān, to alienate them from him and attract them to himself. He would say to them: "I am the walī al-amr (legitimate authority), the source of virtue, the radiant, contented Imām al-Mahdī, who has come to you with the command to unveil the healing veil, strike the enemy, and complete the blessing. As for Sulaymān b. Ṣurad, may Allah have mercy on us and on him, he is but one of the oppressors. His intellect is limited, he lacks experience, does not understand administration, and has no knowledge of warfare.
He will send you forth, but will lead both himself and you to death. But I act according to an example shown to me by the walī (friend of God) and a matter he has explained and clarified, so that as a result your friend and protector will be strengthened, your enemy will be slain, and the vengeance in your hearts will be satisfied. Listen to my words and obey me, then rejoice and be glad. I guarantee that everything you hope and desire will be fulfilled."
After this speech, many Shiʿa groups gathered around him, but the great majority continued to remain with Sulaymān b. Ṣurad.
When the Shiʿa community set out with Sulaymān b. Ṣurad towards Nahila, ʿUmar b. Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ, Shabath b. Ribʿī, and others said to the governor of Kūfa, ʿAbdullāh b. Ziyād: "Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd is a more formidable enemy to you than Sulaymān b. Ṣurad." Thereupon, ʿAbdullāh b. Ziyād sent his guards against Mukhtār. The guards surrounded his house, captured him, and took him to prison in chains. There is a weak report that he was taken to prison without being chained. He remained in prison for a while and fell ill there.
Abū Mikhnaf narrated from Yaḥyā b. Abī ʿĪsā: "Together with Ḥamīd b. Muslim al-Azdī, we went to visit Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd. We spoke with him, and he said:
'By the Lord of the seas, the palm groves, the trees, the boundless deserts, the arid lands, the pure and righteous angels, and the chosen ones who pray, I swear that I will surely kill all the tyrants. With a piercing spear, a sharp sword, and a group of helpers who do not incline toward evil nor associate with evildoers, I will overcome them. I will firmly establish the pillar of religion, repair the breaches of the Muslims, heal their wounds, quench the thirst of the believers’ hearts, and continue until vengeance is taken from those who killed the descendants of the prophets. If the world were to perish after that, I would not care, nor would I hold a gathering to mourn anyone who dies.'"
Every time we visited him in prison, he would repeat these words. Eventually, the day came and he was released from prison."