When the goat was killed and the blood put into his mouth...

When the goat was killed and the blood put into his mouth, Hajjaj began sucking and licking it. The following day the person directed them to kill a goat and pour its blood into his mouth. On the third day he ordered them to kill a black snake, pour its blood into his mouth and rub it upon his face as well whereupon from the fourth day onwards Hajjaj began feeding himself with the milk of his mother.

As a result of this ignorant act, he grew up into such a savage and bloodthirsty individual that he would say: “I derive maximum pleasure by shedding blood - especially the blood of the descendents of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w).” He was appointed governor and the commander of the army by 'Abdul Malik Ibn Marwan and ruled for twenty years till he died in the year 95 ah (during the rule of Walid Ibn 'Abdul Malik) at the age of fifty four.

In the course of this period he killed a hundred and twenty thousand people, and at the time of his death, his roofless prison contained fifty thousand male and thirty thousand female prisoners - majority of them bare and unclothed.

Amongst those killed by this cruel tyrant were Kumail Ibn Ziyad Nakha'i - the companion of ‘Ali (a.s), Qambar - the slave of ‘Ali (a.s), Yahya Ibn Umm al-Tawil - a companion of Imam Sajjad (a.s), Sa'id Ibn Jubair, who has been greatly praised and commended by Imam Sajjad (a.s) and numerous other celebrated personalities.[^7] Imam ‘Ali and the Astrologer There are some who are heedless with respect to reflection, reasoning and tawakkul, and instead, turn to soothsayers and astrologers, who have cleverly started their business in order to swindle the people of their money.[^8] As an example, we shall present an incident that transpired during the time of Imam ‘Ali (a.s).

The Commander of the Faithfuls(a.s) and his army had started out for the battle of Nahrawan against the Kharjites, and having reached the city of Madain, they pitched their tents. The next morning, as they were about to commence their journey, an astrologer approached them and said: “My astrological calculations reveal that it is not in your interest to advance in this hour.