Sinan b. Anas al-Nakha'i
| Murderer of Imam al-Husayn (a) | |
| Full Name | Sinan b. Abu 'Amr b. Anas al-Nakha'i |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth | Kufa |
| Place of Residence | Kufa |
| Death | After al-Mukhtar's uprising |
| Cause of Death | He was killed by companions of al-Mukhtar |
| Era | Umayyad dynasty |
| Known for | Murderer of Imam al-Husayn (a) |
Sinān b. Anas al-Nakhaʿī (Arabic: سِنان بن أَنَس النَخَعي) was the one who, based on some sources, decapitated Imam al-Husayn (a) on the Day of 'Ashura' and martyred him.
Biography
His father's name was Abu 'Amr and his grandfather was Anas; he was known by his grandfather's name. Sinan was born in Kufa. Still, his birth-date is unknown. Ibn Abi al-Hadid reported from Ibn Hilal al-Thaqafi that Sinan was a child during the caliphate of Imam Ali (a) and Imam foretold that he will kill the son of the Apostle of God (s). According to some history books, Sinan was a stupid and insane fighter and poet. There is disagreement about his death date.
Day of 'Ashura'
At the last moments of Imam al-Husayn's life while he had fallen into the killing pit (Qatligah) and no one from 'Umar b. Sa'd's army dared to finish him off, Sinan b. Anas came to the pit and hit Imam al-Husayn (a) by a spear on the chest and back and martyred the Imam (a). Then Khawli b. Yazid al-Asbahi decided to decapitate Imam al-Husayn (a), but he started shivering and could not do that. Sinan rebuked him and said, "May God break your arms and cut your hands." Then he dismounted from his horse and decapitated Imam al-Husayn (a). After that, he went to 'Umar b. Sa'd's tent and read this poem loudly:
- Hang gold and silver from my horse's stirrup, I indeed have killed an eminent master.
- I killed the best person regarding the father and the mother, and the best person regarding the lineage.
There are different reports about the one who martyred and decapitated Imam al-Husayn (a). Some say Shimr sat on Imam's chest and decapitated him from the back.
It is reported that 'Umar b. Sa'd gave the pure head of Imam al-Husayn (a) to Khawli and ordered him to hurry to Kufa and inform 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad about their victory.
After 'Ashura'
After the death of Yazid, Kufa was in chaos. Sinan, who was known as one of the main killers of Imam al-Husayn (a) started to live a secret life. According to some reports, he left Kufa after al-Mukhtar's uprising and fled to Basra and its outskirts. Some reported that al-Mukhtar's companions killed him. Some sources said that he died during the government of Hajjaj b. Yusuf al-Thaqafi over Kufa.
See Also
References
- The material for writing this article is mainly taken from سنان بن أنس نخعی in Farsi WikiShia.