Ubayd Allah b. al-Abbas b. Abd al-Muttalib: Difference between revisions

During the period of the Prophet (s), 'Ubayd Allah was not old enough to be assigned a political or military task. He is said to be a supporter of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. 'Ali (a) appointed him as [[Amir al-Hajj]] (commander of hajj pilgrims) for three consecutive years from 36/657 to 38/659. In the third year, a military skirmish was about to take place between him and Yazid b. Shajara al-Rahawi who was appointed by [[Mu'awiya]] as Amir al-Hajj. However, they eventually made a compromise and agreed that [[Shayba b. 'Uthman]] undertake the position of Amir al-Hajj.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 136; Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 4, p. 59; Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 3, p. 1009; Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 8, p. 90; vol. 7, p. 309.</ref>

There is nothing in sources to show that 'Ubayd Allah had any political or military positions in the period of [[caliphs]] before Imam 'Ali (a). According to historical sources, he was appointed by Imam 'Ali (a) as the ruler of [[Yemen]] where he remained until the [[martyrdom]] of Imam 'Ali (a). Some events in this period have been narrated in sources, which are related to 'Ubayd Allah. For example, in 40/660 Mu'awiya sent [[Busr b. Artat al-'Amiri]] with 30,000 soldiers to invade realms of Imam 'Ali's (a) caliphate in [[Hijaz]] and Yemen. Busr went to [[Medina]] and then to [[Mecca]], and then he departed to Yemen. Before his arrival in Yemen, 'Ubayd Allah fled from Yemen to [[Kufa]], leaving his children behind and asking Imam 'Ali (a) for help. When Busr arrived in Yemen, he seized the House of Emirate (Dar al-Imara) and beheaded the two children of 'Ubayd Allah. 'Ali (a) sent an army to Yemen under the commandership of [[Jariya b. Qudama al-Sa'di]]. When Busr fled, Yemen was once again under the control of Imam 'Ali's (a) army, and 'Ubayd Allah returned there.<ref>Khalīfa b. Khayyāṭ, ''Tārīkh-i Khalīfa'', p. 120; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 140; Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 3, p. 1009; Dhahabī, ''Tārīkh al-Islām'', vol. 3, p. 607.</ref>