In this way the number of oppressed prisoners was fourteen.

In this way the number of oppressed prisoners was fourteen. The incident of Hujr ibn Adi is described by Tabari as follows: Qais ibn Ibad Shaibani came to Ziyad and said: “A person from Bani Hashim named Saifi ibn Faseel is the leader of the group of Hujr. He is your severest enemy.” Ziyad summoned him and said: “O enemy of God! Are you related to Abu Turab?” He said that he did not know any person by that name.

Ziyad said: “Don’t you know ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib also?” Saifi said: “Yes, I know him.” Ziyad: “He is father of dust (Abu Turab).” Saifi: “It is not possible because he is the father of Hasan and Husain.” A police officer told him: “The Chief calls him Abu Turab, how dare you call him father of Hasan and Husain?” Saifi: “I should also lie if the chief does so?” Ziyad: “You are committing one crime after another, bring my stick.” When the stick was brought to him, Ziyad asked: “What is your belief about Abu Turab?: Saifi: “I would say that he is the most virtuous servant of Allah.” Hearing this, Ziyad hit him madly and oppressed him very much.

When he was tired of inflicting atrocities, he asked Saifi: “What is your opinion about Imam ‘Ali (a) now?” He said: “Even if my body is broken into pieces, I would say the same about him.” Ziyad: “Don’t do it or I will kill you.” Saifi: “If you do so, I will attain martyrdom and this misfortune will be included in your scroll of deeds forever.” Ziyad ordered him to be arrested and he was shackled in chains and took to the prison.

After that, Ziyad prepared a charge-sheet against Hujr ibn Adi and friends. The bitterest enemies of Imam ‘Ali (a) signed the testimony against these innocent persons. Abu Moosa’s son Abu Burda writes in this testimony: “I testify by the Lord of the worlds that Hujr ibn Adi and friends isolated themselves from the community. They disobeyed the Chief and invited people to break their allegiance to Amir Muawiyah.