Ibn Muljam al-Muradi: Difference between revisions

'''ʿAbd al-Rahmān b. ʿAmr b. Muljam al-Murādī''' (Arabic:{{ia|عبدالرحمن بن عمرو بن ملجم المرادي}}),known as '''Ibn Muljam al-Murādī''' (Arabic:{{ia|إبن ملجم المرادي}}) was the [[Kharijite]] assassin of [[Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]], the first [[Imam]] of [[Shi'a]]. 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]] after the [[Battle of Siffin]], Ibn Muljam joined Kharijites. Ibn Muljam fought against Imam Ali (a) in the [[Battle of Nahrawan]], and he was among the few surviving Kharijites. He assassinated Ali b. 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 most miserable of the first and the last generations" and "the worst evil of all" in [[hadith]]s of [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]].

His birth time is unknown, but it is said he has lived in [[Jahiliyya]] era.<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 5, p. 85.</ref> According to [[Muhammad b. Sa'd|Ibn Sa'd]]: He was a member of Murad tribe that were allies with [[Kinda tribe]].<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 3, p. 35.</ref> 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.<ref>Baghdādī, ''Asmāʾ al-mughtālīn'', p. 119.</ref> As [[al-Baladhuri]] said: Tajub was grandfather of Ibn Muljam.<ref>Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 2, p. 507.</ref>

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 b. Muljam, [[Ibn 'Abd Allah al-Tamimi]], and [['Amr b. Bukayr al-Tamimi]] gathered around in [[Mecca]] and planned to simultaneously assassin Imam Ali (a), [[Mu'awiya]] and [['Amr b. al-'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 [[Qatam bt. Shajna b. 'Adyy|Qatam]], the attractive daughter of Shajna b. 'Adyy, and proposed to her. Qatam'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).<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 3, p. 35-36.</ref>

According to [[Ahmad b. A'tham al-Kufi]], Ibn Muljam has assassinated Imam Ali (a) only because of Qatam'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 Imam Ali's army. After a while, he fell in love with Qatam, daughter of Adba' al-Tamimi, and proposed to her. On the [[Ramadan 23|23rd of Ramadan]], 'Abd al-Rahman was drunk in Qatam's house. She woke him up for the [[Fajr]] praying time and sent him to the [[Mosque of Kufa]]. Then Ibn Muljam assassinated Imam AliAli (a) with a poison-coated sword, while Imam was in [[Sajda]] in the [[Fajr prayer]].<ref>Ibn Aʿtham, ''al-Futūḥ'', vol. 4, p. 276-278.</ref>

According to Shi'ite sources, Ibn Muljam al-Muradi has assassinated [[Imam Ali (a)]] in the dawn of [[Ramadan 19|19th of Ramadan]], [[40]]/[[January 29]], 661 with a poison-coated sword; he hit Imam's head while he was in [[Sajda]] of [[Fajr prayer]].<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 1, p. 20.</ref>

According to a [[hadith]] from [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]], When Ibn Muljam hit Imam Ali (a), there appeared an impact on the figure of Imam Ali (a) among angles, and afterwards every morning and evening, when angels visit the figure, they curse Ibn Muljam 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 al-Hasan (a)]] gave equal punishment to Ibn Muljam; he was slayed with only one equal hit of sword on [[Ramadan 21|21st of Ramadan]]/[[January 31]]. It is also well-known that Umm al-Haytha, daughter of Aswad al-Nakha'i took Ibn Muljam's body and set it on fire.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 1, p. 22.</ref>

According to [[Ibn Batuta]]: 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 b. 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.<ref>Ibn Baṭūṭa, ''al-Riḥla'', vol. 1, p. 167.</ref>