Yazid bin Muawiya(Faasik-o-Fajir)

It has been noticed that some people in their indirect or even direct hatred for Ahlul Bayt (Family of Prophet - Peace be upon him) try to cover the acts of Yazid and in this process they try to paint him into a great personality. With the Grace of Allah we shall see how this traitor to Islam (i.e. Yazid) got Imam Hussain (Radhi Allahu Anhu) martyred and how he ransacked Madina al-Munawwara and committed heinous crimes therein

Firstly we would like to present this beautiful sahih hadith of Prophet (Salallaho alaihi wasalam) regarding people who “Ransack” our beloved sanctuary called Madina al Munawara.

Imam Ahmed narrates this report from Sa’ib bin Khalad (RA) that the Prophet of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: Whosoever spreads injustice and frightened the people of Madina, then Curse (Lanah) of Allah, his Angels and all the people is upon such a person. 

[Musnad Ahmed bin Hanbal as narrated by Imam Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah Vol 8 Page No. 274]

Quran states: Those who annoy Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this World and in the Hereafter and has prepared for them a humiliating Punishment (33:57)

 What could be a bigger annoyance to the Prophet than getting his grandson brutally martyred and ransacking the place which he had declared as Harram (i.e. Sacred)

1. The heinous crimes of Yazid
Imam Ibn Kathir (rah) says in his magnificent work of Tarikh under events of 63 AH
فقال ابن الزبير يا هؤلاء قتل أصحابكم فانا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
وقد أخطأ يزيد خطأ فاحشا فى قوله لمسلم بن عقبة أن يبيح المدينة ثلاثة أيام وهذا خطأ كبير فاحش مع ما انضم إلى ذلك من قتل خلق من الصحابة وأبنائهم وقد تقدم أنه قتل الحسين وأصحابه على يدى عبيد الله بن زياد وقد وقع فى هذه الثلاثة أيام من المفاسد العظيمة فى المدينة النبوية مالا يحد ولا يوصف مما لا يعلمه إلا الله عز وجل وقد أراد بارسال مسلم بن عقبة توطيد سلطانه وملكه ودوام أيامه من غير منازع فعاقبه الله بنقيض قصده وحال بينه وبين ما يشتهيه فقصمه الله قاصم الجبابرة وأخذه أخذ عزيز مقتدر وكذلك أخذ ربك إذا أخذ القرى وهى ظالمة إن أخذه أليم شديد

Translation:  Ibn Zubayr (Radhi Allaho Anho) said: O PEOPLE YOUR COMPANIONS HAVE BEEN KILLED – Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun

"Yazeed committed a mistake and that too a disgusting one by ordering Muslim bin Uqba to make Madina "mubah" for three days. This was his biggest and ugliest blunder. Many Sahaba and their children were slaughtered. As it has been mentioned before that Yazid made UbaydUllah Ibn Ziyad kill the grandson of Rasulullah (saw) Husayn and his companions, and in those three days huge heinous crimes happened in Madina about which nobody knows except Allah. Yazeed wanted to secure his governance by sending Muslim bin Uqbah but Allah did against his wishes and punished him. Verily Allah killed him likewise Allah made grip over the oppressing towns, no doubt His grip is painful and strict".[Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Vol 8 Page 283]

 2. Even Ibn Ziyad got outraged by Yazid

Yazid’s crimes were so heinous that even his loyal UbaidUllah Ibn Ziyad (whom he had sent to murder Muslim bin Aqeel and later Imam Hussain (ra) too) said:

كان يزيد كتب إلى عبد الله بن زياد أن يسير إلى الزبير فيحاصره بمكة فأبى عليه وقال والله لا أجمعهما للفاسق أبدا أقتل ابن بنت رسول الله ص وأغزو البيت الحرام وقد كانت أمه مرجانة قالت له حين قتل الحسين ويحك ماذا صنعت وماذا ركبت وعنفته تعنيفا شديدا قالوا وقد بلغ يزيد أن ابن الزبير يقول فى خطبته يزيد القرود شارب الخمور تارك الصلوات منعكف على القينات

Translation: When Yazid wrote to Ibn Ziyad that he should go to Makkah and besiege Abdullah Ibn Zubayr (RA) he refused to do so and said: By Allah I will not combine two things for a Fasiq (i.e. Yazid). I have already killed the son of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam)’s daughter (on his order) and now (he asks me to) wage war on Bayt ul Harram? However when he martyred Imam Hussain (RA) his mother Marjana said to him: May you die! what have you done and what crime have you committed, she also scolded him severely. Yazid was informed that Abdullah Ibn Zubayr (RA) used to say in his speeches that Yazid was a fraud, drunkard, one who abandons Salaat and one who stays with singing women. 

[Al-Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 8, Page No 279]

Imam Ibn Kathir (rah) further narrates:

ثم أباح مسلم بن عقبة الذى يقول فيه السلف مسرف بن عقبة قبحه الله من شيخ سوء ما أجهله المدينة ثلاثة أيام كما أمره يزيد لا جزاه الله خيرا وقتل خيرا خلقا من أشرافها وقرائها وانتهب أموالا كثيرة منها ووقع شر وفساد عريض على ما ذكره غير واحد فكان ممن قتل بين يديه صبرا معقل بن سنان وقد كان صديقه قبل ذلك ولكن أسمعه فى يزيد كلاما غليظا فنقم عليه بسببه


Translation: And he Muslim bin Uqba who is known as As-Salf Musraf bin Uqba, May Allah not do well to this leader of evil and ignorance, he made Madina legal for 3 days on the order of Yazid. May Allah also not grant Jaza and khayr to him(i.e. Yazid), he got many righteous killed and also looted the amwaal in Madina in great numbers, this has been multiply narrated that he created a lot of Shar and Fasad. It is mentioned that Hadrat Muafl bin Sanan (RA) was tied infront (of Ibn Uqba) and then martyred, you were his friend before but later you used strong words against Yazid due to which he became angry at you. [Al-Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 8, Page No 280]

3. Yazeed’s aggression against the leading Tabi’i called Sa'eed Ibn Musaib (rah)

قال المدائنى وجىء إلى مسلم بسعيد بن المسيب فقال له بايع فقال أبايع على سيرة أبى بكر وعمر فأمر بضرب عنقه فشهد رجل إنه مجنون فخلى سبيله

Translation: Al Mudaini (rah) said: Sa’eed Ibn Musaib (rah) was brought to Muslim (bin uqba), He asked him to give bayah. (Sa’eed ibn Musab) said: I will give bayah on seerah of Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna Umar (RA). (Muslim) ordered to get him killed but a man said This person (i.e. Sa’eed ibn Musaib) is a mad man (in order to save him), at this he was left alone. [Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 8, Page No 281]



4. Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (rah)

Imam Ibn Hajr (rah) made the whole title in his book al-Imta bil al-Arb'ain as "SENDING LANAH ON YAZID (لعن يزيد )"

وأما المحبة فيه والرفع من شأنه فلا تقع إلا من مبتدع فاسد الاعتقاد فإنه كان فيه من الصفات ما يقتضي سلب الإيمان عمن يحبه لأن الحب في الله والبغض في الله من الإيمان والله المستعان

Translation: Loving and glorifying him (Yazid) is not done “EXCEPT BY A HERETIC” who has void belief because he (Yazid) had such characteristics that his lover deserves to be faithless, because to love and hate just for the sake of God is a sign of faith. [Publisher's name: Dar ul Kutb al iLmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Book name: al-Imta bil al-Arba'in al-Matbainatus Samah (الإمتاع بالأربعين المتباينة السماع ),  Author: Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah), Publication date: 1997, Page No. 96]

قال يحيـى بن عبد الملك بن أبـي غنية أحد الثقات، ثنا نوفل بن أبـي عقرب ثقة قال: كنت عند عمر بن عبد العزيز فذكر رجل يزيد بن معاوية، فقال: قال أمير المؤمنين يزيد، فقال عمر: تقول أمير المؤمنين يزيد، وأمر به فضرب عشرين سوطاً

Yahya bin Abdul Mulk bin Abi Ghania "WHO WAS AMONGST THIQA NARRATORS" he heard from Nawfl bin Abi Aqrab "WHO IS THIQA" he narrates: Once in the gathering of Umar Bin Abdul Aziz [R.A] people talked about Yazid bin Muawiya, someone among the people mentioned Yazid with the title of Ameer ul Momineen, hearing this Hadrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz [ra] replied (in anger): You have called Yazeed Amir Ul Mominein? Then he gave order of 20 lashes to be given to the person [Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani in Tahdhib ut Tahdhib, Volume No. 6, Page No. 313].

5. Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (rah) in Tarikh ul Khulafa

He states: You (Imam Hussain - Radhi Allaho Anho) were martyred and your head was brought to Ibn Ziyad on a plate. "May Allah's Lanah (Curse) be upon the person who killed you, also Ibn Ziyad "AND UPON YAZID" [As-Suyuti in Tarikh ul Khulafa, Page No. 165]

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Imam Jalal ud-din Suyuti (rah) writes: Nawfl bin Abi Firaat (rah) said that once he was sitting with Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rah) when a man called Yazid as "Ameer ul Momineen Yazid bin Muawiya" at this (Umar bin Abdul Aziz said in anger): you call this person as Ameer ul Momineen?! and then he ordered that person to be "lashed 20 times".In 63 AH Yazid got to know that people of Medina have rejected him and are preparing to wage war upon him, knowing this Yazid sent a huge army to Medina and "declared war upon people of Madina" after looting in Medina he sent the army to martyr Hadrat Abdullah bin Zubayr (ra) in Makkah and so the incident of "HURRA" took place, do you know what Hurra is? regarding it Hassan (a Tabi'i) said: When Madina was attacked, there remained not a single person who was safe from it, "huge amount of Sahaba and others were martyred and Madina was looted and thousands of virgin girls were raped" Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun... The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: Whosoever frightens People of Madina then Allah will frighten them (the attackers) plus Curse (Lanah) of Allah, his Angels and all the people is upon such a person (Sahih Muslim) the reason why people of Madina did not give bayah to Yazid was because he was indulged in “too many sins”.

Imam Waqidi (rah) narrates from Abdullah Bin Khazlatal Ghusail (a Sahabi) that he said: By Allah we did not revolt against Yazid until we were sure that “WE WILL BE SHOWERED WITH STONES FROM SKY” (the Yazidans) started to do Nikah with their mothers, sisters and daughters, they started to drink openly and neglected prayers! 

Imam Dhahabi (rah) said: When Yazid did such things with people of Madina although “ he was indulged in drinking and other evil deeds even before” then the people of Makkah also revolted against him and rose against him from 4 sides and then Allah did not put Barakah in life of Yazid (Then it mentions that Yazid attacked Makkah and got the Abdullah Ibn Zubayr Martyred)

Reference: As-Suyuti, Tarikh ul Khulafa, Page No. 167

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 6. Allama Aloosi (Rahimuhullah) writes under 47:22-23 in his magnificent Ruh ul Ma’ani

واستدل بها أيضاً على جواز لعن يزيد عليه من الله تعالى ما يستحق. نقل البرزنجي في «الإشاعة» والهيتمي في «الصواعق» أن الإمام أحمد لما سأله ولده عبد الله عن لعن يزيد قال كيف لا يلعن من لعنه الله تعالى في كتابه؟ فقال عبد الله قد قرأت كتاب الله عز وجل فلم أجد فيه لعن يزيد فقال الإمام إن الله تعالى يقول :
{ فَهَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ أَن تُفْسِدُواْ فِي ٱلأَرْضِ وَتُقَطّعُواْ أَرْحَامَكُمْ * أَوْلَـئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ }
[محمد: 22] الآية وأي فساد وقطيعة أشد مما فعله يزيد؟

Translation:The Proof of sending Lanah upon Yazid is derived from this (ayah), as was mentioned by Al-Barzanji (rah) in his Al-Ashaat and Imam al-Haythami (rah) in As-Sawaiq from Imam Ahmed (rah) that his son Abdullah asked him about sending Lanah on Yazid, (Imam Ahmed) said: Why cannot Lanah be sent on him when Allah has sent Lanah on him in Quran, Abdullah (rah) asked: Recite the Kitab of Allah so that I know how Lanah is sent on Yazid? 

Imam Ahmed (rah) mentioned these verses: Would ye then, if ye were given the command, work corruption in the land and sever your ties of kinship? Such are the men whom Allah has cursed…(47:22-23) Hence what could be a bigger Strife than what Yazid did?

[ [Ruh ul Ma’ani by Imam Al-Alusi, Volume 9 Under Surah Muhammad 22-23]

2) Allama Alusi said: And I say what is prevalent over my mind that (Yazid) Khabith did not testify to the messengership of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). According to me it is correct to curse a person like Yazid, although one cannot imagine a Fasiq like him and apparently he never repented, the possibility of his repentance is weaker than the possibility of his faith (Iman). Along with Yazid, Ibn Ziyad, Ibn Sa'ad and his group shall also be included. Verily, may Allah's curse be upon all of them, their friends, their supporters, their group and upon everyone who inclines towards them until Qayamah and until an eye sheds a tear for Abu Abdullah Hussain (ra).

 [Tafsir Ruh al-Ma'ani, Volume 26, Page No. 73]

Imam al-Sayyid Mahmud Alusi, Tafsir Ruh al-Ma`ani, Publish Dar al Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon

7. Imam Dhahabi (rah) writes about Yazid

وكان ناصبيا فظا غليظا جلفا يتناول المسكر ويفعل المنكر افتتح دولته بمقتل الشهيد الحسين واختتمها بواقعة الحرة فمقته الناس ولم يبارك في عمره وخرج عليه غير واحد بعد الحسين كأهل المدينة قاموا لله

Translation: He (Yazid) was a disgusting Nasibi (i.e. those who hate Ahlul bayt). He drank and did evil. He started his kingdom with the killing of the Shahid al-Hussain (RA) and ended it with the incident of al-Harra (i.e. besiegement of Madina which also makes him directly liable for Lanah as sahih ahadith prove). Hence the people hated him, he was not blessed in his life, and many took up arms against him after Imam Hussain (RA) such as the people of Madina - they rose for the sake of Allah

[As Siyar al Alam an Nabula, Volume No. 4, Page No. 37-38]

2) Imam Dhahabi (rah) writes: I say: 'When Yazid did to the people of Madina what he did and killed al-Hussain and his brothers and progeny, and Yazid drank alcohol, and performed abominable things, then the people hated him and rose up against him more than once. God didn't bless his life and Abu Bilal Mirdas bin Adya al-Hanzali rose against him.'

[Tarikh al-Islam: wa-tabaqat al-mashahir wa-al-a`lam, Volume 005, Page No. 30]
Imam Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam wa-tabaqat al-mashahir wa-al-a`lam, Publish Dar al Mughni, Beirut, Lebanon

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