MUSLIM BIN AQEEL (A.S.), IMAM HUSAYN (A.S.)'S EMISSARY TO KUFA

Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel (a.s.) was the first cousin of the Infallible Imam Husayn (a.s.). Imam Husayn had received thousands of letters from the people of Kufa requesting him to visit to guide them. To verify the authenticity, he (a.s.) sent Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel (a.s.) as a confidant. Hazrat Muslim (a.s.) reached Kufa and stayed with the great warrior Mukhtar, son of Abu Ubayda ath-Thaqafi. He was warmly welcomed by the Kufans and within few days more than eighty thousand people took the oath of allegiance on the hands of Hazrat Muslim for Imam Husayn (a.s.) and accepted him as their Imam. He (a.s.) wrote to Imam Husayn (a.s.) about the warm welcome and the oath of allegiance and advised him to come to Kufa.

Nomaan bin Basheer was the governor of Kufa. He was informed about the popularity of Hazrat Muslim, but he did not see any danger to the government. Umayyad’s of the town panicked and wrote to Yazid (l.a.). Yazid immediately dismissed the governor and appointed Obaidullah ibn Ziyad in his place with the clear instructions to kill Hazrat Muslim and anyone who sheltered him or sympathized with Imam Ali (a.s.). Ibn Ziyad impersonated as Imam Husayn and entered the mosque and removed the veil. People were aghast to see the tyrant Ibn Ziyad (l.a.). He immediately ordered that anyone assisting or associating with Hazrat Muslim will be killed. People were greatly scared. He offered rewards to those who would bring Hazrat Muslim, dead or alive.

Shareek was a sincere follower of AhlulBayt (a.s.). He came to Kufa and stayed with Hani Ibn Urwa. Hazrat Muslim, on hearing Ibn Ziyad’s orders, left Mukhtar’s house and shifted to Hani’s house. Ibn Ziyad wanted to visit Shareek, who became sick. Shareek told Hazrat Muslim that when Ibn Ziyad visits, he should kill the cruel hypocrite. Hazrat Muslim refused to kill Ibn Ziyad saying that the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and his Progeny had never been aggressors and that they never took anyone by surprise or stab them from the back. Ibn Ziyad was clueless about Hazrat Muslim’s whereabouts. He planned a crafty scheme and gave three thousand silver coins to his slave and advised him to pretend to be Imam Husayn(a.s.)’s friend and wanted to give it to Hazrat Muslim. He met Muslim Bin Awsaja, who was a sincere friend and follower of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) and tracked down Hazrat Muslim. Ibn Ziyad jailed Hani ibn Urwa. Kufans support melted away and Hazrat Muslim was left alone and aimlessly wandered in the streets as the gates of the city were sealed. He saw an old woman Tou’ah, asked for water and on knowing that he was related to Imam Ali (a.s.), she gave him asylum. Her son was in Ibn Ziyad’s army and soon three hundred men surrounded Tou’ah’s house. Hazrat Muslim saw Imam Ali (a.s.) in the dream, who informed him of his impending martyrdom in the morning. Hazrat Muslim came out of the house, continued to fight them bravely in a narrow lane where only two people could face him. When Hazrat Muslim killed a major portion, the commander sent for reinforcements and told the chief that they were fighting the Lion of Bani Hashim! Ultimately, they trapped and arrested him. Hazrat Muslim requested for some water which was first denied but later when water was brought, he could not drink as blood from his wounds was polluting it. Before his martyrdom, Hazrat Muslim requested if they could inform Imam Husayn not to travel to Kufa and requested Umar ibn Saad if he could pay seven hundred dirhams out of his funds in Madinah. His requests were denied. He wept for Imam Husayn (a.s.) that he will be coming in a very hostile environment. He was ultimately martyred on 9^th Zul Hijjah  and his head-less body was thrown from the turret. Later, instead of a Muslim burial shrouding the body, his body was dragged in the streets, a new evil tradition in Muslim society!

Source: Nafasul Mahmum by Shaykh Abbas Qummi (r.a.)

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