ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Tawwabin: the Repenters The Alternative Policy of al‑Mukhtar Al‑Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayda had already become well‑known in Kufa for his support forthe Shi'a. Muslim b. 'Aqil had at first stayed in his house. Later al‑Mukhtar had taken part in Muslim's rising in Kufa and had been imprisoned by 'Ubayd Allah. During these four years following the death of al‑Husayn, al‑Mukhtar had not been unoccupied.

He had remained in prison until after al‑Husayn's death at Karbala'. He then called Za'ida b. Qudama, who had earlier helped him escape worse punishment, and asked him to go to his brother‑in‑law 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar b. al‑Khattab to get him to write and ask Yazid to free him. As a result of tearful persuasion from al‑Mukhtar's sister, 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar b. al‑Khattab agreed. Za'ida then took 'Abd Allah's letter to Yazid.

Yazid gave Za'ida a message for 'Ubayd Allah in­structing him to free al‑Mukhtar. 'Ubayd Allah was very angry but resolved that anyway he would free himself of trouble from al‑Mukhtar. He gave him three days to leave al‑Kufa and warned him that death would be await­ing him if he returned. Za'ida too had to escape 'Ubayd Allah's wrath for his part in the affair and finally got a guarantee of security from 'Ubayd Allah through the good offices of some of the tribal leaders25 .

Al‑Mukhtar left Kufa and made for the Hijaz. It is now that the sources make a real effort to discredit al‑Mukhtar. It is alleged that on the road to the Hijaz he met a mawla of Thaqif named Ibn 'Irq. He asked this man about the situation in Hijaz, particularly of Ibn al‑Zubayr, and stated that he would never succeed unless he came out in open revolt. When asked about his eye, which 'Ubayd Allah had disfigured, he prophesised revenge in wild language, rather like that of a pre‑Islamic kahin .

The whole incident is rounded off by some rude remarks made much later by al‑Hajjaj b. Yusuf about al‑Mukhtar's prophetic language26 . According to a report from a supporter of Ibn al‑Zubayr, 'Abbas b. Sahl b. Sa'd27 , when al‑Mukhtar arrived in Mecca, he publicly incited lbn al‑Zubayr to come out in open revolt and take the Hijaz, and offered to pledge allegi­ance to him. When he got no answer from Ibn al‑Zubayr, he went away and was not seen for another year28 . 'Abbas b.

Sahl then reported that people said that he had gone to al‑Ta'if, and was claiming there that he was an avenger of tyrants.