Then he arranged to prepare a written testimony signed by...

Then he arranged to prepare a written testimony signed by some well-known and self-sold men of the city to the effect that Hujr and his friends had abused the caliph Mu'awiyah, and have invited the people to fight him and expel his appointed governor. Among the signatures under his attestation could be seen the name of Shurayh ibn Hani', judge of the city, too. Ziyad then sent Hujr and the others to Mu'awiyah.

When Shurayh learnt that his signature had been forged under the letter, he left the city and caught up with the guarded group, and wrote a letter to Mu'awiyah and sent it with them to him. When Hujr and his friends were brought to Mu'awiyah, he read the testimony as well as Shurayh's letter in which he had written: "I have been told that Ziyad has recorded my testimony under his letter.

My real testimony is as follow: Hujr performed his prayer, pay his tithe, and perform his pilgrimage every year. He enjoins unto good and forbids wrongdoing. He is a man that violation to whose life and property must be forbidden to others.

Now, you are free to punish him or let him free." Mu'awiyah, after reading Shurayh's letter, said: "This man has retired from the group who has given testimony in your letter." Then he ordered to imprison all those five and virtue men in Maraj 'Adhra', a spot near Damascus. The imprisonment of Hujr's friends was not long, and some of Mu'awiyah's courtiers on the intercession of others took steps to set some of them free.

But Mu'awiyah made a decision about the rest of them, namely to give them the choice of death or cursing Imam 'Ali and declaring their immunity from him. These remaining people were divided into two groups; those who were steadfast in their friendship to the Imam and feared God, said: "No! We will never submit to such a disgrace!" The agents of Mu'awiyah dug graves in their presence and prepared shrouds for them.

But Hujr and his friend without any sign of agitation stood up and spend their whole life in the name and remembrance of God Whom they regard ad their greatest beloved and their first and last Worshipped One. In the morning they were brought out to face death. Hujr said to Mu'awiyah officials: "Give me time to perform ablution and prayer; for, I have never performed ablution without following it by prayer." They allowed him to do so, and his prayer did not take long.

Then he stood up and said: "By God! I have never during my whole life performed a briefer and lighter prayer than this.