After Imam ʿAlī (PBUH) appointed Muhammad as governor of Egypt...

After Imam ʿAlī (PBUH) appointed Muhammad as governor of Egypt, his position was soon threatened by Muʿāwiya’s attempts to seize the province, which was of great strategic importance. In 38/658, Muʿāwiya dispatched ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ with a strong force to wrest Egypt from Muhammad’s control [9] . Despite Muhammad’s efforts to rally support, he found himself abandoned by many of the local tribal factions, leaving him isolated in his defense of the province [10] .

Muhammad alone sought refuge in a ruined place, where he was found and killed by Mu’awiya ibn Hudayj, one of the chiefs of the Deserters, and his body was burned by him [11] . Some have said that he was killed by Mu’awiya ibn Hudayj during the battle. However, the date of his martyrdom is reported to have been Safar, 38/July 658 [12] .

When the news of his martyrdom reached Imam Ali (PBUH), the Imam wept and said: “He was a righteous servant for Allah and a righteous son for us [13] .” It is also reported that after Muhammad’s martyrdom, his sister Aisha would constantly curse Mu’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, and Mu’awiya ibn Hudayj. Muhammad’s mother, Asma’, is also reported to have died as a result of grieving for his son [14] .

Regarding the burial place of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, it is reported that he was buried outside Fustat in a mosque called Zimam (in Egypt), but some believe that only his head was buried there. Political Consequences of His Martyrdom The martyrdom of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr in Egypt had significant repercussions for both Imam ʿAli (PBUH) and the broader political landscape of the Muslim community.

His brutal killing not only deprived Imam ʿAli of a loyal and trusted supporter but also marked the loss of Egypt, a province of immense strategic and economic importance. According to al-Ṭabarī, the fall of Egypt to Muʿāwiya’s forces in 38/658 shifted the balance of power decisively in favor of the Umayyads, allowing Muʿāwiya to consolidate his position in Syria and extend his influence westward [15] . Sunni sources also acknowledge the consequences of Muhammad’s death.

Ibn al-Athīr notes that his killing “strengthened the hand of Muʿāwiya” and deprived ʿAlī of one of his most loyal governors [16] . From both Sunni and Shia perspectives, therefore, the martyrdom of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr is remembered not only as a personal tragedy for Imam ʿAli but also as a turning point in the struggle between the Umayyads and the supporters of the .