Compiled by: Abu Ubaidah Muhammad Saqib
Ibn Ziyad's only crime was not that he had the grandson of the Prophet, Sayyiduna Hussain رضي الله عنه, martyred, but he was also disrespectful and insolent towards other Companions of the Prophet.
Disrespect towards Sayyiduna Abu Burzah Al-Aslami رضي الله عنه:
حدثنا مسلم بن إبراهيم، أخبرنا عبد السلام بن أبي حازم أبو طالوت، قال: شهدت أبا برزة دخل على عبيد الله بن زياد، فحدثني فلان، سماه مسلم، وكان في السماط، فلما رآه عبيد الله، قال: إن محمديكم هذا الدحداح، ففهمها الشيخ، فقال: ما كنت أحسب أني أبقى في قوم يعيروني بصحبة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال له عبيد الله: إن صحبة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم لك زين، غير شين، قال: إنما بعثت إليك لأسألك عن الحوض، سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يذكر فيه شيئا، فقال له أبو برزة: نعم، لا مرة، ولا ثنتين، ولا ثلاثا، ولا أربعا، ولا خمسا، فمن كذب به، فلا سقاه الله منه، ثم خرج مغضبا.
Abdussalam bin Abi Hazim Abu Taloot narrates that: I saw Abu Burzah (may Allah be pleased with him) who went to Ubaidullah bin Ziyad, then a certain person who was part of his group told me (Muslim has mentioned his name). When Ubaidullah saw him, he said: Look, this Muhammadi fat swindler of yours. So the Sheikh (Abu Burzah) understood this insult and taunt and said: I never thought I would remain among people who would insult me for being in the company of Muhammad ﷺ. Then Ubaidullah said to him: The company of Muhammad ﷺ is a matter of pride for you, not a disgrace. Then he said: I have called you to ask about the Pond of Kawthar, have you heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mention anything about it? Abu Burzah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Yes, not once, not twice, not thrice, not four times, not five times (meaning he heard it many times). Whoever denies it, may Allah not let him drink from that pond. Then, in anger, he left.
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood:4749), (Musnad Ahmad al-Risalah:19779)
Ibn Ziyad mockingly called Sayyiduna Abu Burzah رضي الله عنه "Dahdah" (a derogatory term), "fat and thin," and then sarcastically called him "Muhammadi," which angered Sayyiduna Abu Burzah رضي الله عنه because it reflected disrespect towards the exalted person of the Prophet ﷺ. It was Ibn Ziyad's misfortune that he used such words for a venerable companion.
Disrespect towards Sayyiduna Aaidh bin Amr رضي الله عنه:
حدثنا الحسن، أن عائذ بن عمرو، وكان من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، دخل على عبيد الله بن زياد، فقال: أي بني إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، يقول: إن شر الرعاء الحطمة، فإياك أن تكون منهم، فقال له: اجلس، فإنما أنت من نخالة أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: وهل كانت لهم نخالة؟، إنما كانت النخالة بعدهم وفي غيرهم.
Hazrat Hasan Basri narrates that Hazrat Aaidh bin Amrah رضي الله تعالى عنه, who was among the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, went to Ubaidullah bin Ziyad and said, "O son! I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, 'The worst, most humiliated (guardian) is harsh, so avoid being among them.' " He replied, "Sit down, you are just scrutinizing the companions of Muhammad ﷺ." Then Hazrat Aaidh رضي الله تعالى عنه said, "Was there scrutiny among them? Scrutiny arose after them and among others."
Reference: Sahih Muslim:1830
Allama Ibn al-Jawzi says:
قال عبيد الله بن زياد لعائذ: أنت من نخالة أصحاب محمد، أي من رذالتهم. وهذه جرأة قبيحة من ذلك الفاسق على أقوام قد عمهم الله بالشهادة لهم بالخير، فقال:[مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوۡلُ اللّٰہِ ؕ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ مَعَہٗۤ اَشِدَّآءُ عَلَی الۡکُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَیۡنَہُمۡ] [الفتح: 29] وقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: " لا تسبوا أصحابي، فلو أنفق أحدكم مثل أحد ذهبا ما بلغ مد أحدهم ولا نصيفه.
Ubaidullah bin Ziyad said to Aaidh: You are among the lowest of the companions of Muhammad ﷺ, meaning among the lesser and worthless people. This was a very disgraceful audacity from this sinner towards those people about whom Allah Almighty has generally testified goodness. Accordingly, Allah Almighty said:
[Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers and merciful among themselves] and the Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
Do not speak ill of my companions, for if any one of you were to spend gold equal to the mountain of Uhud, it would not equal a mudd, or even half a mudd, of their worth.
Reference: Kashf al-Mushkil min Hadith al-Sahihayn (Ibn al-Jawzi): 2/31 Number: 501
The Insult to Sayyiduna Zaid bin Arqam رضي الله عنه:
قال يزيد بن حيان: حدثنا زيد بن أرقم في مجلسه ذلك، قال: بعث إلي عبيد الله بن زياد، فأتيته، فقال: ما أحاديث تحدثها وترويها عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا نجدها في كتاب الله عز وجل؟ تحدث أن له حوضا في الجنة! قال: قد حدثناه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ووعدناه. قال: كذبت، ولكنك شيخ قد خرفت. قال: إني قد سمعته أذناي، ووعاه قلبي من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من كذب علي متعمدا، فليتبوأ مقعده من جهنم، وما كذبت على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم. وحدثنا زيد، في مجلسه، قال: إن الرجل من أهل النار ليعظم للنار حتى يكون الضرس من أضراسه كأحد.
Yazid bin Hayyan says that in the same gathering (which was mentioned in the previous hadith), Hazrat Zaid bin Arqam رضي الله عنه told us that once Ubaidullah bin Ziyad sent me a message and called me. When I reached him, he said, "Which hadiths do you keep narrating about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that we do not find in the Book of Allah? You say that the Prophet ﷺ will have a pond in Paradise?" He replied, "This was told to us by the Prophet ﷺ himself, and he promised us this." He said, "You lie. You have grown old, so your mind is not working." He said, "I have heard this statement of the Prophet ﷺ with my own ears and preserved it in my heart, that whoever deliberately attributes a lie to me should prepare his place in Hell, and I have never lied about the Prophet ﷺ." And in the same gathering, Hazrat Zaid رضي الله عنه also narrated this hadith before us that in Hell, the body of the damned person will also expand so much that one of his molars will be as large as a mountain.
Reference: Musnad Ahmad - Tirmidhi:19266, Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir Al-Tabarani:5021
This was Ibn Ziyad, in whose unjust authority some people today are going mad. A great blasphemer of the companions of Muhammad ﷺ and a victim of disrespect and contempt for Hadith.
The summary is that:
The character of Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad was not limited only to being the governmental dictator, organizer, and responsible person for the killing of Sayyiduna Hussain رضي الله عنه, but his general conduct towards Ahl al-Bayt and the noble companions رضي الله عنهم was extremely disrespectful, cruel, and condemnable.
He arranged the military expedition against Sayyiduna Hussain رضي الله عنه, sent the murderous army, and even after the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Hussain رضي الله عنه, he showed insolence and hardness of heart. Similarly, his behavior clearly indicates that he was not a person who respected the status and rank of the great companions رضي الله عنهم; rather, his language and manner of speech contained contempt, mockery, and disrespect for the companions.
Note: This section is taken from the article (Ubaidullah bin Ziyad) by Maulana Arshad Kamal Hafizahullah.
Reference: (Noor-ul-Hadith: Issue January to February 2021 pp. 39 to 42)
