Al-Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi: Difference between revisions

  | Activities = aking part in the rise of [[Muslim b. 'Aqil]] in [[66]]/686, Uprising against [[Umayyads]] in revenge of [[Imam al-Husayn]]'s (a) blood

'''Al-Mukhtār b. Abī ʿUbayd al-Thaqafī''' ({{iarabic|المختار بن أبي عبيد الثقفي}}) (b. [[1]]/622-623 - d. [[Ramadan 14]], [[67]]/[[April 6]], 687) the leader of one of uprising to revenge [[Imam al-Husayn]]'s (a) blood, one of [[tabi'un]] and from [[Ta'if]]. He hosted [[Muslim b. 'Aqil]] in [[Kufa]] and was imprisoned by [['Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad]] when the [[Event of Karbala]] was taking place. During [[Uprising of al-Mukhtar|his uprising]] many of those people who took part in killing Imam al-Husayn (a) were killed. There is a disagreement regarding al-Muhktar's rise, his religious sect, and his relation with the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]. Some believe his rise was with the permission of [[Imam Zayn al-'Abidin (a)]]. After 18 months of rule in [[Kufa]], al-Mukhtar was killed by [[Mus'ab b. al-Zubayr]] in [[67]]/687. His grave, which is next to the [[Mosque of Kufa]], is respected and visited by the Shi'a.

Al-Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi was called by his [[Kunya]]: Abu Ishaq and nicknamed as Kaysan. Kaysan means smart and incisive. [[Asbagh b. Nubata]] narrates that one day [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] seated al-Mukhtar on his knees and addressed him by saying, "O Kayyis, O Kayyis," and since Imam 'Ali (a) called him Kayyis twice, he became famous as such. Nevertheless, some believe that the word Kaysan was taken from one of his advisers and chiefs, whose Kunya was [[Abu 'Amra Kaysan|Abu 'Amra]].

His father, [[Abu 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi]], was one of the noble [[companions of the prophet (s)]]. He was killed in the Battle of Al-Jisr, one of the battles fought during the era of the [[second caliph]], known as the [[Qadisiyya Wars]].

His brothers, Wahb, Malik, and Jibr, were killed with their father in the Battle of Al-Jisr.

Al-Mukhtar took part in the Battle of Al-Jisr when he was 13, where he lost his father and brothers. Regardless of his young age, he insisted on going to the battlefield, but was prevented by his uncle, [[Sa'd b. Mas'ud al-Thaqafi|Sa'd b. Mas'ud]].

Sa'd b. Mas'ud al-Thaqafi was appointed as the governor of [[Mada'in]] by [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. He appointed al-Mukhtar as his successor when he left to fight the [[Kharijites]].

Ibn Taqtaqi records that al-Mukhtar was a noble and effortful man. Given that the Thaqif tribe were famed for their bravery, and al-Mukhtar's father and uncle were of the great military leaders of early Islam, al-Mukhtar was nurtured in the same way.

==Before Imam al-Husayn's (a) Rise==

In his book ''Siyar a'lam al-nubala''', [[Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi]] writes of al-Mukhtar's activity in support of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] during Mu'awiya's rule. Al-Dhahabi reports that during Mu'awiya's rule, al-Mukhtar went to [[Basra]] and invited its populace to Imam al-Husayn (a). He was arrested by [['Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad]], who was the governor of Basra at the time, and whipped one hundred time. Then he was exiled to [[Ta'if]].

===During the Rise of Imam al-Husayn (a)===

Sources state that al-Mukhtar was absent in [[Imam al-Husayn (a) Uprising|Imam al-Husayn's (a) rise]], but his absence was not on purpose. He collaborated with Imam al-Husayn's (a) representative in [[Kufa]] at first, and formed movements against the [[Umayyads]].

* '''[[Muslim b. 'Aqil]] in al-Mukhtar's House''': al-Mukhtar was one of the individuals who rushed to the help of Muslim b. 'Aqil. Muslim b. 'Aqil went to al-Mukhtar's house when he reached Kufa but moved out to [[Hani b. 'Urwa]]'s house when 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad found where he was settled.

* '''Collaboration with Muslim b. 'Aqil''': History reports show that al-Mukhtar intended to support Muslim b. 'Aqil, but on the day Muslim b. 'Aqil was martyred, al-Mukhtar had left Kufa and went to Khatarniyya, a place outside of Kufa, to gather supporters. Muslim b. 'Aqil and Hani b. 'Urwa had been already martyred when he went back to Kufa.

* '''Day of [['Ashura']] in Prison''': Upon Muslim b. 'Aqil's martyrdom, 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad set to kill al-Mukhtar, but on [['Amr b. Hurayth]]'s intermediary, he was spared. Nevertheless, 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad injured his eye with a whip and imprisoned him. al-Mukhtar was incarcerated until the end of Imam al-Husayn's (a) uprising.

After the [[Event of 'Ashura']], al-Mukhtar was freed with [['Abd Allah b. 'Umar]]'s intermediary with [[Yazid]], since al-Mukhtar's sister, Safiyya b. Abi 'Ubayd, was 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar's wife. Nonetheless, 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad let him free on the condition that he leaves Kufa within three days, and if he is seen afterwards, he will be killed.

Al-Mukhtar gave his allegiance to [['Abd Allah b. Zubayr]] on the condition that he would be consulted before 'Abd Allah b. Zubayr did anything, and that he was not disagreed with.

When [[Yazid b. Mu'awiya|Yazid]] attacked [[Mecca]] and encircled 'Abd Allah b. Zubayr, al-Mukhtar sided with 'Abd Allah b. Zubayr and fought next to him against Yazid's army, but when 'Abd Allah announced himself caliph, al-Mukhtar separated and left for Kufa, and created the grounds for his rise.

===Al-Mukhtar and the Rise of the Tawwabun===

It should be mentioned that al-Mukhtar was in prison when the Tawwabun Uprise occurred. When the Tawwabun were defeated, he sent a letter to the family of the dead to express his sympathy to them. The leaders of the Tawwabun had decided to free him from prison, but al-Mukhtar cautioned them from doing so, since he would be freed soon. Once again, al-Mukhtar was released with 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar's intermediation.

==Rise==

On [[Rabi' I 14]], 66/[[October 22]], 685, al-Mukhtar executed a rise in revenge of Imam al-Husayn's (a) blood. The Shi'a of [[Kufa]] supported him. He said, "By God, if I kill two third of the [[Quraysh]], I wouldn't have sought the revenge of even one of Imam al-Husayn's fingers."

During his rise, al-Mukhtar managed to kill [[Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan]], [[Khawli b. Yazid]], [['Umar b. Sa'd]], and [['Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad]], and some others who took part and have significant role in killing Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions.

The commander of the army of the rising was [[Ibrahim b. Malik al-Ashtar]] (the son of [[Malik al-Ashtar al-Nakha'i]]), and he was the one who killed 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad in [[Mosul]].

In order to arouse the Alawites to support him, al-Mukhtar used two phrases "Ya la-Tharat al-Husayn" (Arabic: {{iarabic|یالثارات الحسین}}, lit.: O the avengers of Husayn) and "Ya Mansur, Amit" (Arabic: {{iarabic|یا منصور أمِت}}, lit.: O the victor, kill) as his motto. When putting his war clothes on, al-Mukhtar informed his followers of the beginning of the rise by chanting these mottoes. The second motto was first used in the [[Battle of Badr]], and the first one was first used by the [[Tawwabun Rise]]. Also, when 'Umar b. Sa'd was killed, the people of Kufa celebrated by chanting "Ya la-Tharat al-Husayn".

===End of the Rise===

After eighteen months of rule and war with three groups, the [[Umayyads]] in [[Syria]], the [[Zubayr Dynasty]] in [[Hijaz]], and the nobles of Kufa, al-Mukhtar was killed in the [[Ramadan 14]], [[67]]/[[April 6]], 687, at his 67, by [[Mus'ab b. al-Zubayr]]. On Mus'ab's command, al-Mukhtar's hands were cut off and nailed to the wall of [[Masjid al-Kufa]]. When [[Hajjaj b. Yusuf]] gained power over Kufa, he ordered the hands be buried.

The event is recorded as such in a report: Mus'ab asked 'Umra, "what is your opinion about al-Mukhtar?" She replied, "He was pious and fasted everyday". Mus'ab ordered she be decapitated. She became the first woman in Islam to be beheaded.

Although al-Mukhtar used "Ya la-Tharat al-Husayn" (Arabic: {{iarabic|یا لثارات الحسین}}) as the motto of his rise, but some doubt his intentions were truly to avenge the [[martyrs of Karbala]], believing that he misused this motto. A look at al-Mukhtar's relation with the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] and their opinion about him can help understand this important fact of history.

There are different reports on al-Mukhtar's relation with [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)]]. Some reports show that Imam al-Sajjad (a) did not welcome al-Mukhtar and rejected his gifts, whereas other reports show that he was approved by Imam al-Sajjad (a). With the censorship that existed because of the [[Umayyads]] and [[Zubayr dynasty]], it wasn't possible for Imam al-Sajjad (a) to directly interfere. Therefore, he announced that [[Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya]] is his representative and referred al-Mukhtar to him.

According to this report, al-Mukhtar sent 20,000 Dinars to the Imam (a), which he accepted, and rebuilt [['Aqil b. Abi Talib]]'s house, and the rest of the [[Banu Hashim]]s' houses which were ruined. al-Mukhtar also gifted a slave which he had bought for 30,000 Dirhams to Imam al-Sajjad (a). [[Zayd b. 'Ali]] was born from that slave.

[[Ayatollah Khoei]] and al-Mamaqani believe that al-Mukhtar had a specific permission from Imam al-Sajjad (a) for his uprise.

A study on some reports suggests that al-Mukhtar invited people to the [[Imamate]] of Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya, calling him the Mahdi; but in his book, ''Kashf al-ghumma'', [[al-Irbili]] believes that this connection, and the leadership of the uprise by Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya, was a façade set up because of the aberrant condition Imam al-Sajjad (a) was in.

When [['Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr]] was informed about al-Mukhtar's uprise, he pressurized Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya and his relatives to give him their allegiance, otherwise they would be burnt to death. Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya sent a letter to al-Mukhtar, seeking his help. In response, al-Mukhtar sent an army of 4000 men to march to [[Mecca]] and rescue Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya.

====Narrations Against====

::This man (al-Mukhtar) followed the Imami sect and believed in the Imamate of the [[infallible Imams]]. He governed with the permission of Imam (a), although his authenticity has not been proven. Yes, he has been blessed with a praise and laud which has put him amongst good deeded people. Even if there were no praise or virtue reported except for Imam al-Baqir's (a) prayer for him to be blessed, it would have been enough for him, specially that he repeated his prayer three times in one sentence.

::Some reports suggest that al-Mukhtar's rise was with the special permission of Imam al-Sajjad (a).

Some believe that al-Mukhtar was the founder of the [[Kaysanite]] movement, stating that since al-Mukhtar was nicknamed as Kaysan, his followers were called the Kaysanites. [[Al-Mamaqani]] doesn't believe so, and believes that al-Mukhtar was not a Kaysanite.

* Fourth Wife: Umm al-Walid, daughter of [['Umayr b. Ribah]]. She was the mother of al-Mukhtar's daughter, Umm Salama, who married 'Abd Allah b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar b. Khattab.

 

{{Event of Karbala}}