YAZID IBN MUAWIYA

Yazid was born in the year 25 A.H. His mother was a Jacobite Christian from the Kalb tribe in Syria, named Maysun bint Bajdal al-Nasrania. (Ref. Ibn Hajar, Ad-Dahabi, Ahmad etc.). His mother remained in her family and Yazid grew up in the Christian neighborhood during his childhood and adolescence.

Ibne Khaldun wrote: “Yazid’s time of governance can be seen as Fisq and Debauchery, and Muawiya is to be blamed for this."

In the first place, the appointment of Yazid by Muawiya was illegal because it was in contravention with one of the covenants of the Agreement with Imam Hasan (a.s.) which expressly stated that Muawiya will not appoint a successor.

Ahle Sunnah’s opinion about Yazid:

Ibne Kathir wrote: “Traditions inform us that Yazid loved worldly vices, would drink (wine); every morning he would get intoxicated, play music…” (Al-Bidayah  Wal Nihayah  volume 8 page 1169)

Imam Malik, Imam Sha’fi’I, Imam Ahmad; all agree that it is permissible to curse Yazid.

Imam ibn Hajr al-Asqalani wrote:

Loving and glorifying Yazid is not done except by a Heretic (apostate) who has void belief because Yazid had such characteristics that his lover deserves to be faithless. (Al Imta BilArbaeen al-Matbainatus Sama by Imam Ibn Hajar

Al-Asqalani, Darul Kutub al-Ilmiyya, Beirut, Lebanon 1997 page 96)

He further wrote

All Ahle Sunnah agree that Yazid was fasiq (transgressor), fajir (debaucher) and a drunkard. Al-Waqidi recorded a message: The people who have seen Yazid said “Verily, we oppose Yazid fearing Allah would rain stones down on us because Yazid considered Nikah with mothers and sisters permissible and drank alcohol.

Allama Alusi al-Baghdadi wrote: “And I say what is prevalent over my mind that Yazid did not testify to the Apostleship of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.). According to me, it is correct to curse a person like Yazid. Along with Yazid, Ibn Ziyad, Ibn Sa’ad and his group shall also be included. Verily, Allah’s curse be upon all of them, their friends, their supporters, their group and upon everyone who inclines towards them until Qiyama and until an sheds tear upon Imam Husayn (a.s.) (Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ani, volume 26 page 73)

Ad-Dahabi wrote about Yazid: “Yazid was a disgusting Nasibi (those who hate AhlulBayt). He drank wine and did evil. He started his kingdom with the killing of Shaheed al-Husayn and ended it with the incident of al-Harrah (siege of Madinah which also make him directly liable for La’anah as Sahih Ahadis prove) (Siyar al-Alaman Nabula V.4 page 37)

Jalal uddin Suyuti mentioned in his book ‘The History of the Rightly guided Caliphs’”Nawfal bin Abi al-Faraat said that once I was Umer Ibn al-Abdul Aziz when a man said in his presence’ Yazid, the leader of the believers’ Umar ibn Abdul Aziz said in shock “Did you call Yazid the Leader of the Believers?”Umar then ordered 20 lashes for the man.

CIF International Association declares “Ahle Sunnah wal Jam’ah are the true followers and supporters of Ahle Bayt At-har. The Salafi practice of placing Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Husayn on one side, and claiming their supporters to be Shias; and placing Muawiya and Yazid on other side and claiming their followers to be Sunni is ridiculous.  Salafis, Deobandies and likeminded groups claim themselves as Sunnis and they take the side of Muawiya and Yazid, and blame Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Husayn as responsible for the bloodshed in Islamic state. ASTAGHFIRULLAH

(www.cifiaonline.com/yazidibnmuawiya.htm)

Yazid’s three dreadful crimes: In the first year he mercilessly killed the Grandson of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), Imam Husayn (a.s.) and arrested the AhlulBayt (a.s.)’s ladies and snatched their head-covers, openly paraded from one city to another and later put them in prison without roof! In the second year he sent a huge Syrian army who plundered Madinah, killed about 10,000 men, women, and children, even inside the Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)’s Mosque. The Syrian soldiers were given free hand for three days. Thousand of girls and women were raped including women of the Companions of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.). In the third year, he sent an army under Moslem ibn Aqabah to attack Abdullah ibn Zubayr in Makkah. When he took refuge in Masjid al-Haram and Ka’abah, the so called Muslim army stoned and demolished the Ka’abah after burning the sacred cloth around the House of Allah!  

Yazid died at the age of 36. There are many narrations about his death; one narration says that he was killed by his own horse when it lost control, other narrations says that he was drunk and while dancing fell on his head and died; yet another narration says that he met a Bedouin Arab in the desert and introduced himself and the Bedouin called him the murderer of Imam Husayn (a.s.) and killed him. But there is no trace of his grave!

Sources used:

WIKIPEDIA, IMAMREZA.NET, CIFIAONLINE.COM/YAZIDBINMUAWIYA.HTM