Muslim b. Aqil: Difference between revisions

His birthday is unknown. He was martyred on [[Dhu l-Hijja 9]]th 60 in [[Kufa]] ([[September 10]], [[680]]). On some accounts, Muslim was 28 years old when he was martyred. However, the account is objectionable because it is inconsistent with accounts according to which Muslim's sons, who were martyred in the [[Event of Ashura]], were 26 and 27. Given that he was reportedly present in conquests as well as the Battle of Siffin, some people believe that he was over 50 when he was martyred. Muslim's grave is located in Kufa on the eastern side of the [[Mosque of Kufa]].

His father [[Aqil b. Abi Talib]] ([[Imam Ali (a)]]'s brother) was a genealogist<ref>Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, ''al-Isti'ab'', vol.3 p.1079</ref> and an eloquent speaker.<ref>Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, ''al-Istidhkar'', vol.8 p.249</ref>

His mother was a slave woman, Aqil had bought from [[Syria]], called 'Alliyya<ref>Isfahani, ''Maqatil al-talibiyyin'', p.52</ref> (or according to al-Baladhuri's report Hilliyya)<ref>Baladhari, ''Ansab al-ashraf'', vol.3 p.224</ref>.

Ibn Habban (d. 354/965), a [[Sunni]] scholar, writes, "Muslim b. 'Aqil al-Hashimi. His [[teknonym]] was Abu Dawud. He was the most similar person to [[the Prophet (s)]] among the sons of [['Abd al-Muttalib]]. He was contemporaneous with some of [[sahaba|the companions of the Prophet]] (s)."<ref>Ibn Habban, ''al-Thiqat'', vol.5 p.391</ref>

Baladhuri has described him as the most powerful and brave son of 'Aqil.<ref>Baladhari, ''Ansab al-ashraf'', vol.2 p.77</ref>

Muslim married [[Ruqayya bint 'Ali|Ruqayya]], the daughter of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. So he was Imam Ali's son-in-law. According to some sources, he also had a wife from the clan of Banu 'Amir b. Sa'sa'a.

Muslim's children are mentioned in accounts of the Battle of Karbala. For example, when they gave the news of their father's martyrdom to Imam al-Husayn (a) on his way from [[Mecca]] to Kufa, [['Ali al-Akbar (a)]] suggested that they return, noting the disloyalty of the people of Kufa. Muslim's children disagreed, however, and encouraged the Imam to go on his way to Kufa. Moreover, some of Muslim's children are mentioned in old sources as martyrs of Karbala, including [['Abd Allah b. Muslim]] and [[Muhammad b. Muslim]].

There are disagreements in historical sources regarding the names and the number of Muslim's children. In less reliable accounts in later sources, other children of Muslim b. Aqil are mentioned as [[martyrs of Karbala]], such as 'Awn, Muslim, 'Ubayad Allah, Ja'far, and Ahmad. Some sources refer to [[Two Sons of Muslim b. 'Aqil|two young children of Muslim]] (Muhammad and Ibrahim) who were captured after Imam al-Husayn's martyrdom, imprisoned in Kufa at the command of 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, and were martyred after they escaped from the prison. However, some other sources believe that these two boys were not Muslim's children. The names of Muslim's children are differently mentioned in other sources, such as Ibrahim, 'Abd al-'Aziz, 'Ali, Muslim, and a daughter called Hamida or Umm Hamida.

Allegedly Abd Allah b. Muslim, and on some other accounts, both 'Abd Allah and 'Ali, were children of Ruqayya the daughter of Imam 'Ali (a).