HAJJAJ BIN YUSUF THAQAFI

Hajjaj was born in Ta’if in 40 A.H. and died in 95 A.H. Hajjaj was the worst person mankind has ever known in history. One of the kings of Umayyad dynasty; Abd al-Malik appointed him the governor of Iraq and gave him limitless powers to consolidate his unlawful rule which was usurped from Bani Hashim. These Umayyad kings except Umar ibn Abdul Aziz did not have any kindness towards the Muslim population. They brutally suppressed any opposition. They slaughtered thousands of Muslims specially the Shias of Imam Ali (a.s.) whoever peacefully opposed their rule.

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) predicted that his community would be oppressed by Hajjaj. Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr, had narrated: “I heard Allah’s Apostle say: “Allah will fill a corner of the corners of the Fire with the hypocrite of Thaqif (Hajjaj). For, he will throw stones at the Ka’ba. May Allah curse him?” (Al-Imamah wa al-Siysa. Vol.2 page 45)

Habib bin Thabit narrated that the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) said to a man: “You will not die till you see the young man of Thaqif. On the Day of Judgment, it will be said to him: Sit down in a corner of the corners of the fire. He will rule for about twenty years. He will commit all sins to disobey Allah. If there will be only one sin, and there will be a door between him and the sin, he will break the door to commit the sin. He will kill the persons who obey him with the ones who disobey him.”

The Omayyad caliph, Umar bin Abdul Aziz said: “If every community brought its evil one, we brought Hajjaj, we would overcome it.” (Nihayat al-Irab, vol.21 page 334)

Za’dha’n said: “Hajjaj was empty of his religion.” (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol.2 page 311)

Ta’wu’s said: “I wonder at him who calls Hajjaj a believer.” (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib vol.2 page 311)

Hajjaj was distinguished by all abominable qualities and evil inclinations. For, his soul was full of evil and malice towards people. He knew neither kindness nor good. When proceeding for Hajj, he appointed a person Ahmad and introduced to the people saying: “I have appointed Ahmad over you. I have ordered him to treat you contrary to the Allah’s Apostle. He (Allah’s Apostle) ordered (his deputy) to accept from their good ones and to forgive their evil ones. As for me, I have ordered him not to accept from your good ones and not to forgive your evil ones! (Muruj al-Dhahab vol.3 page 86)

Among the most prominent qualities of this tyrannical person was bloodshed. Al-Dimyari said: “Hajjaj was impatient towards bloodshed. He told the people that the best of his pleasures was bloodshed.” (Al-Dimyari, Hayat al-Haywan vol.1 page 86). He killed one hundred twenty thousand parsons. (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib vol.2 page 211)

He disdained the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) and preferred Abdul Malik ibn Marwan to the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)

(Al-Maqrizi, al-Niza’, wa al-Taqasum page 27)

He punished and mocked the people who visited grave of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) (Ibn Abil Hadid Sharah Nahjul Balagha vol.15 page 242)

The best way to approach Hajjaj was to slander the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.). He mercilessly killed the Shias, imprisoned and tortured them in such prisons which had no roof.

Abdullah ibn Zubair sought refuge in the Sacred House of Allah-Ka’ba. Hajjaj sent a huge army to besiege Ka’ba for six months and seventeen nights and ordered to attack the Sacred House of Allah with catapult (Ibn Asakir, Tahdhib vol. 4 page 50). His predecessor; Yazid ibn Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan, had also desecrated the House of Allah. He is also responsible for the martyrdom of the Companion of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari.

Allah destroyed this wicked criminal. Canker attacked his stomach. Allah empowered bitter cold over him. He was surrounded by fire but he did not feel the fire. He had attacks of pain frequently. He complained about his pain to Hasan al-Basri, who told him: “I had prevented you from torturing the righteous but you did not listen to me.” Hajjaj told him: “O Hasan, I do not ask you to ask Allah to relieve me, rather, I ask you to ask Him to make me die and not to prolong my torture.” This criminal person suffered from the agony of death till he perished.

Sources used:

WIKIPEDIA, Imamreza.net