Umar b. Sa'd: Difference between revisions

In [[60]]/680, when the representative of Imam al-Husayn (a), [[Muslim b. 'Aqil]] went to [[Kufa]] to take people's [[allegiance]] with Imam (a), like some nobles of Kufa, Ibn Sa'd wrote a letter to [[Yazid b. Mu'awiyya|Yazid]] and advised him that if he does not want Kufa to go out of his control, he has to dismiss [[Nu'man b. Bashir]], the governor of Kufa at that time. <ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 356.</ref>After Muslim b. 'Aqil was arrested by order of [['Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad]], informed 'Umar b. Sa'd of his will out of others' sight, but 'Umar betrayed him and let 'Ubayd Allah know of Muslim's will.<ref>Dīnawarī, ''Al-Akhbār al-ṭiwāl'', p. 241.</ref>

For several times, [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] spoke with 'Umar b. Sa'd to convince him to leave the war. The reports of these meetings are mentioned in historical references with little differences. Before one of these meetings, Imam (a) sent [['Amr b. Qaraza al-Ansari]] with a message to 'Umar b. Sa'd to come at night and meet Imam (a) in the distance between the two camps. 'Umar b. With the same number of men, Sa'd and twenty horsemen and Imam (a) came in between the two camps. Imam (a) asked his companions to go aside and 'Umar did the same. Then, they spoke with each other and their conversation lasted long. Some sources have reported that Imam (a) told 'Umar, "Do not you fear [[God]] for fighting with me while you know who I am? Leave this group and come to me to get close to God." 'Umar b. Sa'd answered, "I fear that they destroy my house." Imam (a) said, "I will provide a house for you." 'Umar said, "they will confiscate my properties." Imam (a) said, "I will give you better." 'Umar became silent and said nothing. Imam (a) left him and said, "May God get you killed in your bed and does not forgive you on the [[Day of Judgment]]! I wish you do not eat from the wheat of [[Iraq]] but little!"<ref>Ibn Aʿtham, ''Al-Futūḥ'', vol.5, p. 92-93.</ref> 'Umar said, "If it is not wheat, there would be barley."<ref>Khwārizmī, ''Maqtal al-Ḥusayn'', vol. 1, p. 245.</ref>

When [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] was seriously wounded and fell on the ground, 'Umar b. Sa'd approached him, stood above his body, and told his soldiers, "Finish him and behead him."<ref>Ibn Aʿtham, ''Al-Futūḥ'', p. 911.</ref>

When [[Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza'i al-Kufi]] rose to take revenge on the murderers of [[Imam al-Husayn]] (a) in [[65]]/684-5, Ibn Sa'd slept in Dar al-Imara for fear of being killed by people<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 587.</ref> and when [[al-Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi]] rose in [[66]]/[[685 CE|685]] to take revenge on the murderers of Imam al-Husayn (a) and took control of [[Kufa]], Ibn Sa'd escaped together with [[Muhammad b. Ash'ath b. Qays al-Kindi|Muhammad b. Ash'ath]] who was also among the major participants of the war in [[Karbala]];<ref>Dīnawarī, ''Al-Akhbār al-ṭiwāl'', p. 298.</ref> but, when the people of Kufa revolted against al-Mukhtar, returned to Kufa and together with other chiefs of the opposition against al-Mukhtar led the opposition; however, when the people of Kufa failed, Ibn Sa'd escaped again from Kufa towards [[Basra]] to take refuge with [[Mus'ab b. Zubayr]]. Al-Mukhtar sent Abu Qulus Shabami, one of his commanders, to run him down. He captured Ibn Sa'd and took him to al-Mukhtar. Ibn Sa'd and his son, [[Hafs b. 'Umar b. Sa'd|Hafs]] were killed by order of al-Mukhtar and after burning their bodies, he sent their heads to [[Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya]] in [[Medina]].<ref>Dīnawarī, ''Al-Akhbār al-ṭiwāl'', p. 300-301; Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 259.</ref>