ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Karbala Historical Resources Account N. 12 : Al-baladhuri Other fragments of the `Uthmaniyya version of events survive in the Ansab al-Ashraf of al-Baladhuri. In the first, Wahb b. Jarir describes briefly the coming of Ibn Ziyad to Kufa and his demanding Hani b. `Urwa to hand over Muslim. When he refuses, he has him executed and then seizes Muslim. He takes Muslim out on the balcony and demands that Muslim say: `I am Muslim b.

`Aqil, the leader of rebels.' Muslim says it and then Ibn Ziyad executes him[^52]. This isolated report manages again to undermine the bravery of such men as Muslim, and by implication the ahl al-bayt, by making Muslim repeat such words. Such a story is not to be found elsewhere in the sources. Another report, again from Wahb b. Jarir, concerns the Imam al-Husayn addressing the army of `Umar b. Sa`d before the battle. It is not surprising that even this tries to undermine the Imam al-Husayn.

He is reported to have asked the Kufans: `Shall I submit to the rule of Yazid?' To which the reply came: `You must submit to the rule of Ibn Ziyad.' This the Imam al-Husayn refused to do, and the battle took place. The implication of the report is that the Imam al-Husayn was prepared to submit to Yazid. This seems to attempt to undermine his stature and to make an unfavourable comparison with Ibn al-Zubayr, the hero of the later `Uthmaniyya resistance to Yazid[^53].

Al-Baladhuris account, which is split up into sections in his life of Muslim, his life of Yazid, and his life of the Imam al-Husayn, gives the impression of being the most historically balanced, in the sense of presenting all possible versions. The kernel of the account is presented with a collective qalu (= they said) but if the earlier surmise is correct, it is probably based on al-Mada'inis monograph, which, in turn, was based on Abu Mikhnaf.

However, al-Baladhuri also gives the more hostile reports of Wahb b. Jarir, as well as other sources. As already noted, he gives some reports from `Awana, but not through Ibn al-Kalbi. He also uses a brief account from Husayn b. `Abd al-Rahman[^54]. This account is also used by al-Tabari. This account is brief and adds nothing to our knowledge of the historical tradition. It does present the view that the Imam al-Husayn was prepared to submit to Yazid but refused to submit to Ibn Ziyad.

It also reports that Yazid wept when the head of the dead Imam was brought to him.