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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Mukhtar a Biograghy Chapter 26 - Mukhtar Martyred When Masa'b Zobayr, with Abdulla Muti, was defeated against Ibrahim Malik Ashtar, Masa'b Zobayr had retreated to Basra; Mohamed Ashath had joined him at Basra. Mukhtar wishes to see that Mohamed Ashath is caught, but he has no quarrel with Masa'b Zobayr; Mukhtar sends a letter to Masa'b Zobayr asking for the extradition of Mohamed Ashath or a battle will ensue.

Masa'b Zobayr sends the reply that he will not release Mohamed Ashath and he also writes to his brother, Abdulla Zobayr, the ruler in Mecca, that he needs help to repel Mukhtar's army when it comes.

Abdulla Zobayr sends reinforcements of about fifteen thousand men under the command of Muhlab, one of the governors of a province under his rule; Muhlab advises Masa'b Zobayr to bide time for sooner or later, Abdul Malik in Damascus would take his revenge on Ibrahim, and without Ibrahim, Mukhtar would be a relatively easy target.

Masa'b Zobayr dismisses the idea, but writes to Ibrahim, offering him money and position if Ibrahim sides with Masa'b Zobayr against Mukhtar; Ibrahim obviously refuses and sends his reply back to Masa'b; Ibrahim also sends a message to Mukhtar informing of the impending war preparations from Masa'b Zobayr. Masa'b camps with his army just outside Basra; Mukhtar camps with his army just outside Kufa and waits for Ibrahim whom he had requested to come and join the force.

Ibrahim replies that he cannot come for Abdul Malik has surrounded Mosul and is heading there with about forty thousand men; Ibrahim advises Mukhtar not to leave Kufa but to send a deputy to lead the army against Masa'b Zobayr; this way Kufa will be contained by Mukhtar and Mosul will be contained by Ibrahim. Mukhtar appoints Ahmer Shomit and Abdulla Kamil as his commanders and sends them off towards Basra, while Mukhtar returns back to Kufa; the date is Jamadil Awwal 67 AH.

Masa'b and his army also advance forward and both sides camp near Madar, about three-quarters way from Kufa to Basra. Next day, the battle starts and Ahmer Shomit has two rounds of victory in killing and repelling Masa'b Zobayr's forces. Masa'b then sends a spy to assess the numbers on Mukhtar's side and whether Mukhtar himself is present; the spy reports back the relatively smaller number of men and the absence of Mukhtar, both of which pleases Masa'b Zobayr.