Ibn Muljam al-Muradi: Difference between revisions

''''Abd al-Rahman b. 'Amr b. Muljam al-Muradi''' known as '''Ibn Muljam al-Muradi''' was the [[Kharijite]] assassin of [[Ali ibn Abi Talib (a)]], the first [[Twelver]] [[Shi'a]] [[Imam]]. He took the oath of allegiance to Imam Ali (a) when he became the [[caliph]] of Muslims. Also he fought alongside Imam Ali (a) in [[the battle of Jamal]], however after [[the arbitration]] of [[the battle of Siffin]], Ibn Muljam joined Kharijite. Ibn Muljam fought against Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) in [[the battle of Nahrawan]], and he was among the few surviving Kharijite. According to sources, he assassinated Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) on the 19th of [[Ramadan]]; afterwards he was executed by the sole hit of sword of [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]]. He is known as "The one to be killed by the most miserable of the first and the last generations" and "The one to be killed by the worst evil of all" in [[hadiths]] of [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]].

His birth time is unknown, but it is said he has lived in [[Jahiliyya]] era. According to [[Ibn Sa'd]]: He was a member of Murad tribe that were allies with Kinda tribe. In a number of sources, he was regarded as a member of Tajub tribe, a tribe from Humayr family, who were allies with Murad tribe. As [[Al-Baladhuri]] said: Tajub was grandfather of ibn Muljam.

==His Motives in Assassination==

Numerous reasons were mentioned for his motive on assassination of [['Ali ibn Abi Talib (a)]]:

According to Ibn Sa'd, he has assassinated [[Imam Ali (a)]] in order to seek revenge: After Kharijites were defeated in the battle of Nahrawan, three surviving members, Abd al-Rahman ibn Muljam, [[Ibn Abd-allah al-Tamimi]] and [[Amr ibn Bukayr al-Tamimi]] gathered around in [[Mecca]] and planned to simultaneously assassin Imam Ali (a), [[Muawiya]] and [[Amr ibn al-A'as]]. Abd al-Rahman was set for assassination of Imam Ali (a) then he traveled to [[Kufa]], where he met his Kharijite allies. He fell in love with Qutam, the attractive girl of Shajnna ibn Adi, and proposed to her. Qutam's father and brother were slayed in the battle of Nahrrawan; therefore, she accepted his proposal under some conditions; one of them was assassination of Imam Ali (a).

According to [[Ahmad Ibn A'tham al-Kufi]], Ibn Muljam has assassinated Imam Ali (a) only because of Qutam's condition for their marriage: After the battle of Nahrawan, just before Imam Ali (a) returns the city, Ibn Muljam informed Kharijites about their defeat to Ali ibn Abi Talib (a)' army. After a while, he fell in love with Qutam, daughter of Al-Tamimi, and proposed to her. On the 23rd of Ramadan, Abd al-Rahman was drunk in Qutam's house. She woke him up for the [[Fajr]] praying time and sent him to the mosque of Kufa. Then Ibn Muljam assassinated Imam Ali (a) with a poison-coated sword, while Imam was prostrating in the [[Fajr prayer]].

==Assassination of Imam Ali (a)==

According to Shi'ite sources, Ibn Muljam al-Muradi has assassinated Imam Ali (a) in the dawn of 19th of Ramadan with a poison-coated sword; he hit Imam's head while he was prostrating in Fajr prayer.

According to a [[hadith]] from [[Imam Sadiq (a)]], Ibn Muljam's hit on Imam Ali (a), was like hitting angels. Afterwards angels are coursing Ibn Muljam in mornings and evenings until [[the Judgment Day]].

Different fates have been mentioned for ibn Muljam al-Muradi in historical books. However it is well-known that Imam Ali (a) ordered his sons to behave with him fairly and equally. After Imam Ali (a) was martyred, [[Imam Hasan (a)]] gave equal punishment to Ibn Muljam; he was slayed with only one equal hit of sword on 21st of Ramadan. It is also well-known that Um al-Haytha, daughter of Aswad Nakhe'i took Ibn Muljam's body and set it on fire.

According to [[Ibn Battuta]]: When I traveled [[Kufa]], on the west side of the cemetery of Kufa, I saw a black spot on a vast white land. I asked for its reason, people believed it was the burial site where assassin of Ali ibn Abi Talib (a), Ibn Muljam, has been buried. Every year people of Kufa, gather woods on his grave and set them on fire for seven consecutive days.