31 [2] Tabari...

31 [2] Tabari, Tarikh 5/370-371 Epidemic of Terror and Fear Epidemic of terror and fear spread in the hearts of Kufians and their nerves shattered, as if death was hovering upon them, and they were telling each other, “We are hastening towards mischief. What to do? Tomorrow the Syrians would attack us?

We should go back and stay in our houses and leave these people so that Allah may cause reform among them.” [1] Women also came out to their sons, brothers and husbands while their faces had paled due to fear and they said, “Go, the people will be (enough) without you.” [2] Men were going to their sons and brothers and filling their hearts with fear.

Ibn Ziyad gained absolute control over the situation while the Kufians took off the dress of opposition of Bani Umayyah and donned the raiment of degradation of slavery, which was caused by cruelty and terror spread by the regime. As if blood was flowing between the turbans and the beards.

Defeat of the army Muslim’s army suffered such a humiliating defeat that its equal is not found in all the ages of history because misleading rumors pulled them towards defeat without the use of any military power.

Historians say: “From whichever lane Muslim’s army passed a group of his companions used to separate from him, in such a condition that they used to say, “Why should we interfere with the rulers?” [3] Not much time when most of them fled Muslim’s army and Muslim prayed the Isha prayer in the great mosque. They were fleeing during the prayer itself. When Ibn Aqil concluded the prayer all the generals of his army had disappeared and none remained even to show him the way.

He became worried and he could not find his way**[4]** while according to historians he was also having multiple injuries. [5] He was absolutely helpless. He neither had any refuge nor anyone to help him in any way. As a Guest of Tawa That great commander, the grandson of Hashim and the pride of the clan of Adnan roamed the streets and lanes of Kufa.

Full of apprehension and worry he set out for the Kinda locality**[6]** with the hope of finding a house where he could spend the remaining part of the night, while the streets were completely deserted and a fearful atmosphere reigned. This was so because all the soldiers and companions of Muslim had gone back to their houses and shut themselves inside lest the spies of Ibn Ziyad recognize them as supporters of Muslim and put them into arrest.