Tawwabun
The Tawwābūn (Arabic: التَوّابون; meaning "those who repent") were a group from Kufa who, under the leadership of Sulayman b. Surad al-Khuza'i, rose against the Umayyad government in 65/684 to avenge the blood of Imam al-Husayn (a). Most of them were martyred in the battle against the army of Ibn Ziyad at 'Ayn al-Warda.[1] Some of these individuals had written letters inviting Imam al-Husayn (a) to Kufa, promising to support him; however, they did not assist him during the events of Karbala. After this event, they regretted their actions and rose against the Umayyad government to avenge Imam al-Husayn (a), becoming known as the Tawwabun ("the Repentant").[2] This was the first Shiite uprising following the events of Karbala.[3]
The number of the Tawwabun has been reported as 4,000.[4] Sulayman b. Surad, Rifa'a b. Shaddad al-Bajali, Musayyib b. Najaba, 'Abd Allah b. Sa'd al-Azdi, and 'Abd Allah b. Wal al-Taymi were among the leaders of the Tawwabun. Except for Rifa'a, the other four were martyred in this uprising.[5]
Notes
References
- Dhahabī, Muḥammad b. al-Aḥmad al-. Sīyar aʿlām al-nubalāʾ. Beirut: Muʾassisat al-Risāla, 1414/1994.
- Ibn Saʿd, Muḥammad. Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kabīr. Cairo: Maktabat al-Khānjī, 1421/2001.
- Subḥānī, Jaʿfar. Buḥūth fī l-milal wa al-niḥal. Qom: Muʾassisat Imām al-Ṣādiq (a), 1428 AH.