Yazid b. al-Harith al-Shaybani

Yazid b. al-Harith al-Shaybani

Perpetrator of the Battle of Karbala
Full Name	Yazid b. al-Harith b. Ruwaym al-Shaybani
Teknonym	Abu Hawshab
Places of Residence	Kufa, al-Mada'in, Rey
Death/Martyrdom	68/687-8
Burial Place	Rey
Era	Ummayyad and Zubayrid era
Known for	Writing letter to Imam al-Husayn (a)
Notable roles	Governor of al-Mada'in and Rey
Activities	Writing letter to Imam al-Husayn (a), a commander of Umar Sa'd's army

Yazīd b. al-Hārith b. Ruwaym al-Shaybānī (Arabic: يزيد بن الحارث بن رویم الشيباني) (b. ? - d. 68/687-8) was among those who wrote letter to Imam al-Husayn (a) and invited him to Kufa, but in the Battle of Karbala, he was in the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd. Imam al-Husayn (a) addressed him as one of the writers of letters.

After the Battle of Karbala, he joined Zubayrids and finally was killed by Khawarij in 68/687-8.

Name and Teknonym

In different sources, his name has been mentioned as Yazid b. al-Harith, Yazid b. al-Harith b. Ruwaym, Yazid b. al-Harth b. Yazid b. Ruwaym, Yazid b. al-Harith b. Yazid b. Ruwaym, and Yazid b. al-Harith b. Yazid. He has also been called Ibn Ruwaym. Some sources have considered Yazid b. al-Harith and Yazid b. Ruwaym two different people.

The Teknonym of Yazid b. Harith was Abu Hawshab. His wife was called Umm Hawshab and Latifa. It is said that Umm Hawshab was a bondswoman who was gifted to Yazid b. al-Harith by Imam Ali (a).

In the Battle of Karbala

Yazid b. al-Harith was among those who wrote letter to Imam al-Husayn (a) and invited him to Kufa. But, in Karbala he was sent by Ibn Ziyad with 1000 soldiers to join the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd. On the Day of 'Ashura he was in the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd and Imam al-Husayn (a) addressed him as one of the writers of letters.

After the Event of 'Ashura

After Yazid b. Mu'awiya died, Yazid b. al-Harith participated in the revolt of the people of Kufa against Ibn Ziyad. When 'Amr b. al-Hurayth called people of Kufa to give allegiance to 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, Yazid b. al-Harith began to object. 'Amr ordered to imprison him, but Banu Bakr prevented it.

He was one of the commanders of Ibn Muti' against the Uprising of al-Mukhtar and directed the war in Murad neighborhood. After al-Mukhtar achieved victory, Yazid b. al-Harith joined Mus'ab b. al-Zubayr and was appointed by him as the governor of al-Mada'in. When 'Ubayd Allah b. al-Hurr al-Ju'fi attacked al-Mada'in, Mus'ab wrote him a letter to stand against 'Ubayd Allah. He sent his son, Hawshab, to the war with 'Ubayd Allah but he was defeated.

Death

At the time of Mus'ab b. al-Zubayr, he was the governor of Rey and was killed with his wife by one of Khawarij in Firuzram village of Rey in 68/687-8. But, his son Hawshab escaped. Yaqut al-Hamawi has said that 'Abd al-Malik b. Marwan had appointed him as the governor of Rey.