Malik al-Ashtar: Difference between revisions

| title   = Malik al-Ashtar

| image   = مالک اشتر.jpg

| caption   = The tomb of Malik al-Ashtar

| Full name   = Malik b. Harith

| Nickname   = Al-Ashtar

| Lineage   =

| Home town = [[Yemen]],[[Kufa]]

| Death/martyrdom= [[39]]/659

| Well known relatives   = [[Ibrahim b. Malik]], his son

| Activities = one of the prominent commanders of the army of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] in the [[battle of Jamal]] and [[battle of Siffin]]

 

== His Parentage and Children ==

According to [[Ibn Abi al-Hadid]], his parentage is as follows: Malik b. Harith b. 'Abd Yaghuth b. Muslima b. Rabi'a b. Khazima b. Sa'd b. Malik b. Nakha' b. 'Amr b. 'Ila b. Khalid b. Malik b. Udd.

The date of his birth is unknown but it is known that he was born in [[Yemen]] and grew up there. He emigrated from Yemen on 11/632 or 12/633. He was one of the commanders and head of his tribe. He was alive during the [[age of ignorance]]. He settled in [[Kufa]] and because of his move, a generation started living there. He participated in the [[Battle of Yarmuk]] and lost one of his eyes in the battle. He used to be a companion of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. He killed [[Muhammad b. Talha]] in the [[Battle of Jamal]]. All the biographers have praised him. He had some poems which are recorded in historical sources.

[[Ibn Abi al-Hadid]] who was a [[Mu'tazila|Mu'tazili]] [[Sunni]], narrated a [[hadith]] from [[Abu Dhar al-Ghifari]] that [[the Prophet (s)]] said a group of the ''believers'' will bury Abu Dhar. Since Malik al-Ashtar was among that group in Rabadha (the place that Abu Dhar was banished) to bury Abu Dhar, Ibn Abi al-Hadid considers this hadith as a certain testimony for faithfulness of Malik al-Ashtar and concluded that according to the hadith of the Prophet (s), Malik was faithful.

[[Sa'id b. 'As al-Umawi]], [[Uthman]]'s governor in [[Kufa]], said in a banquet that Sawad (an area in the [[Iraq]] that has many gardens) belongs to [[Quraysh]] and [[Banu Umayya]]. Malik al-Ashtar and some other people, rebelled against the governor's proclamation and fought with the head of security in Kufa. After this incident, Sa'id b. 'As by the order of Uthman, banished Malik and nine persons to [[Sham]].

According to the narration [[Ibn Abi al-Hadid]], in addition to Malik, there were other displaced persons: [[Malik b. Ka'b Arhabi]], [[Aswad b. Yazid al-Nakha'i]], [['Alqama b. Qays al-Nakha'i]], [[Sa'sa'a b. Suhan al-'Abdi]]. Malik had a conversation with [[Mu'awiya]] in Sham, and Mu'awiya wrote a letter to 'Uthman and 'Uthman decided to allow Malik to return to Kufa. However, when they came back to Kufa, they started to denounce Sa'id b. 'As and Sa'id wrote a letter to 'Uthman and he banished them to [[Hums]].

According to another narration, it was Mu'awiya who banished Malik and his companions to Hums because he was afraid that Malik's speeches might attract people of Sham. According to the letter of Sa'id b. 'As, the protesters were: [['Amr b. Zurara]], [[Kumayl b. Ziyad]], Malik b. Harith (Malik al-Ashtar), [[Harqus b. Zahir]], [[Shurayh b. Awfa]], [[Yazid b. Muknaf]], [[Zayd b. Suhan]], Sa'sa'a b. Suhan, [[Jundab b. Zahir]].

As reported by [[Ibn Shubba]] (d. 262/875), Malik and his companions stayed in Hums till the Kufans ousted Sa'id b. 'As and sent a letter for Malik to come back to Kufa.

After the return of Malik to [[Kufa]], the elders of the Kufa made a covenant with Malik to not let Sa'id b. 'As get back to Kufa. Thus, Malik became the governor of Kufa, he was [[Imam]] of [[Jum'a prayer]], he appointed imams for other prayers, and chose a person to be in charge of treasury.

After correspondence between Malik and [['Uthman]], Malik suggested that if 'Uthman appointed [[Abu Musa al-Ash'ari]] and [[Hudhayfa]] as governors of Kufa, he will agree with them. So, 'Uthman sent letters to al-Ash'ari and Hudhayfa to be in charge of the government of Kufa.

When different groups gathered to protest against [['Uthman]] and his commanders, Malik was the head of Kufan protesters. However, when 'Uthman was surrounded and threatened to death, Malik and [[Hakim b. Jibla]] (head of the protestors of [[Basra]]) resigned but [[Ibn 'Adis]] and his Egyptian followers, insisted to continue the offense.

The fact that Malik wasn't among the murderers of 'Uthman could be realized through his conversation with [[Jarir b. 'Abd Allah al-Bajali]]. [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] sent Jarir to [[Sham]] to talk with the Shami people but he wasn't successful in his mission. Malik told Imam 'Ali (a) that "if you decided to send me, it would be more fruitful." When Jarir heard this idea, he said: "I swear by God that if you went there, they would kill you because they think (زعم) that you were one of the  killers of 'Uthman." Since the verb زعم is used for false idea, it can be understood that Malik wasn't among the killers of 'Uthman, otherwise they should use a verb like "know" (علموا) which indicates the certain knowledge.

After the death of 'Uthman, Malik guided people to pledge allegiance, or [[bay'a]], with Imam 'Ali (a).

In the [[Battle of Jamal]], Malik was the commander of Maymana (the right part of the army of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]). In this battle, Malik fought a pitched battle with [['Abd Allah b. Zubayr]], who had the bridle of the camel of [['A'isha]] (the wife of [[The Prophet (s)|the Prophet (s)]] ). During this pitched battle, both of them fell on the earth but Malik had a better position. 'Abd Allah begun shouting and his solders came and rescued him.

At the end of the battle, Malik went to 'A'isha and said: "Praise to God that helped his friends and defeated his enemy. He also recited this verse of [[Qur'an]]: 'And say: The truth has come and the falsehood has vanished; surely falsehood is a vanishing (thing)' ([['Isra]]: 81)."

- "O 'A'isha! How did you see the [[God]]'s act to yourself?"

- “Who are you? May your mother mourn for you!” she answered.

- “I am your son, Ashtar,” Malik said (wives of the prophet were titled as [[Umm al-Mu'minin]] (Mother of the Believers) and hence Malik called himself as her son).

- “You have lied, I am not your mother,” 'A'isha said.

- “You are my mother even if you don't like it,” he answered.

- “You were the guy who wanted to kill my nephew ('Abd Allah b. Zubayr)?” she asked.

- “My apologies to God and to you. If I wasn't hungry for three days, I would have relieved you from this nephew,” he answered.

=== The Battle of Siffin ===

[[File:392610 VTk6mkaJ.jpg|thumbnail|The character of Malik in [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] TV show]]

Malik al-Ashtar was one the commanders of the army of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] who would reach the vicinity of the camp of [[Mu'awiya]] in the Battle of Siffin. The victory of the army of [[Imam]] was evident. In such a situation, the soldiers of Mu'awiya tried a ruse and put [[Qur'an]]s on the spears and invited the followers of Imam 'Ali (a) to finalize the battle by the command of the Qur'an. A group of the soldiers (approximately 20,000 persons) of the army of Imam became confused and fell for the ruse. They gathered and asked 'Ali (a) to order to Malik to return, otherwise they would kill 'Ali (a), their Imam and leader. Imam explained the situation and the ruse of the Mu'awiya but they did not accept and forced 'Ali (a) to order Malik to return immediately. Imam had no choice except to send a courier to Malik with the message to retreat.

It was the morning of the Laylat al-Harir and Malik was in a dominant location and could attack to Mu'awiya. He answered to Yazid b. Hani (the courier of Imam) that he could've move at that time was hopeful that he could overcome the opposing forces and [[Allah]] will help them.

Yazid b. Hani returned to Imam and delivered the message of Malik. In light of the message, the protestors became suspicious of 'Ali (a) and they swore that he sent a message to Malik to continue the battle. Imam answered that they witnessed the order for Malik to come back. Then Imam asked Yazid b. Hani to go back to Malik and give him Imam's order to return and to tell him there is a sedition. Yazid went to Malik and delivered the message.

“I swear to God that I knew that raising the Qur'ans will cause division but is it proper to leave the situation when I am close to victory?” asked Malik.

“Protesters said that either Malik return or we will kill 'Ali as we killed 'Uthman or we betray 'Ali to his enemies,” stated Yazid.

Thus Malik came back to the camp and talked to protesters and denounced them. They had a contention and Imam asked them to stop it. Malik was against arbitration, or ''hakamiya,'' but since Imam had accepted it, followed Imam.

== Travel to Egypt and Martyrdom of al-Ashtar ==

After the [[battle of Siffin]], Malik went back to Jazira. Since [[Egypt]] had unrest, [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] called Malik who was in Nasibayn and appointed him as governor of Egypt. When [[Mu'awiya]] knew about the appointment through his spies, he realized that if Malik reach to Egypt, Mu'awiya could not easily gain victory in Egypt (which was under the govern of [[Muhammad b. Abi Bakr]] at that time). So, Mu'awiya sent a letter to one of the taxpayers and requested him to kill Malik in exchange for lifelong freedom from taxes. Hence, when Malik arrived to Qulzam, the taxpayer welcomed Malik and invited him for food. After Malik had the food, the man offered a toxic beverage of honey to him, and after drinking that, Malik passed away from the poison.

[[Ibn Abi al-Hadid]] wrote in his book: "Malik passed away on 39/659 when he was going to Egypt by the order of 'Ali (a). It is been said that he was killed by poison and also some said that he passed away by natural causes. The author of ''[[al-Gharat]]'' (d.283/896) has mentioned different narrations about how Malik was poisoned by Mu'awiya."

== Malik al-Ashtar in the words of others ==

When [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] decided to send Malik to [[Egypt]], he introduced Malik to the Egyptians in a letter:

"I am sending a servant of the servants of God to you. He who doesn't slumber in the days of fear and isn't afraid of enemies and is like fire to villains. He is Malik b. Harith from the ancestry of Midhhaj. Listen to him and obey his commands because he is a sword of the God's swords that is strong and sharp. If he asks you to travel then travel and if he orders to stay then stay, because if he does something or avoid something, it is by my order. I am putting him in a prior position to you because he is a sincere man and I know that he is an unfailing man against your enemies."

When Imam 'Ali (a) heard that Malik was martyr, he said:

"Malik! How was Malik, I swear by God, if he was a mount, he was a distinguished one. And if he was a rock, he was a firm one that no bird could reach it's height."

Also it is narrated that after his demise, [[Imam]] said:

"May God forgive Malik, he was to me as I was to [[the Prophet (s)]]."

When [[Mu'awiya]] became aware of the martyrdom of Malik, he said to people: "[['Ali (a)|'Ali]] had two hands, one of them was cut in the [[battle of Siffin]], one was [['Ammar b. Yasir]] and the other was Malik.”

=== Ibn Abi al-Hadid ===

According to al-Hadid, Malik was a brave horseman, chief of the tribe, and one of the great [[Shi'as of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] who was faithful to Imam during his life. "Malik joined amenity with rigor, he was rigorous in its proper situations and he was suave in its appropriate cases," narrated Al-Hadid.