Written by: Fazilat al-Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri Hafizahullah
Mukhtar bin Abi Ubaid Thaqafi was born in the year of Hijra; his life had various phases. In the end, he claimed prophethood; he was a Rafidhi. He was an enemy of Islam and the Muslims. The Holy Prophet ﷺ called him a "liar." The Companions, the Followers, and the Imams of the Muslims accepted this prophetic statement wholeheartedly and unanimously declared this Rafidhi and false claimant a liar.
To say that Mukhtar Thaqafi took revenge on the killers of Hussain is an unfounded statement; there is no evidence for it.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما narrates that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
[إن في ثقيف كذابا ومبيرا]
There will be a liar and a Mubir in Thaqif.
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2545
Sayyida Asma bint Abi Bakr رضي الله عنها took this liar to mean Mukhtar Thaqafi.
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2545
Hafiz Nawawi رحمه الله (676 AH) states:
[اتفق العلماء علىٰ أن المراد بالكذاب هنا المختار بن أبي عبيد، وبالمبير الحجاج بن يوسف، والله أعلم]
The consensus of the scholars is that in this hadith, the liar refers to Mukhtar bin Abi Ubaid and the Mubir refers to Hajjaj bin Yusuf, and Allah knows best!
Reference: Sharh al-Nawawi: 100/16
Aswad bin Yazid, may Allah have mercy on him (75 AH), called Mukhtar Thaqafi a "liar".
Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Saad: 95/6, and its chain is authentic
Our master Abdullah bin Masood, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
[القرآن ما منه حرف أو قال: آية، شك عمرو، إلا وقد عمل به قوم أو قال: بها قوم، أو سيعملون بها قال مرة: فقرأت ﴿وَ مَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ افۡتَرٰی عَلَی اللّٰہِ کَذِبًا اَوۡ قَالَ اُوۡحِیَ اِلَیَّ وَ لَمۡ یُوۡحَ اِلَیۡہِ شَیۡءٌ وَّ مَنۡ قَالَ سَاُنۡزِلُ مِثۡلَ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ﴾ (الأنعام: 93)، فقلت: من عمل بهٰذه حتىٰ كان المختار بن أبي عبيد]
There is no letter or verse of the Quran (the narrator Amr bin Marah has some doubt) except that people have acted upon it or will soon act upon it. Marah Hamdani, may Allah have mercy on him, used to recite this verse: ﴿وَ مَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ افۡتَرٰی عَلَی اللّٰہِ کَذِبًا اَوۡ قَالَ اُوۡحِیَ اِلَیَّ وَ لَمۡ یُوۡحَ اِلَیۡہِ شَیۡءٌ وَّ مَنۡ قَالَ سَاُنۡزِلُ مِثۡلَ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ﴾ Who can be more unjust than one who fabricates a lie against Allah or says, "I receive revelation," while no revelation has come to him, and who says, "Soon there will be a book like this revealed," which Allah has revealed to the Prophet ﷺ.
Reference: (Al-An'am: 93)
I (Marah, may Allah have mercy on him) used to wonder who would act upon this? Until Mukhtar bin Abi Ubaid Thaqafi acted upon it.
Reference: Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by Al-Bayhaqi: 484/6, and its chain is authentic
Rifa'a Fityani, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
[دخلت على المختار ذات يوم فقال: يا جارية هات لرفاعة نمرقة، قال: قلت: أليس هٰذه نمارق؟ قال: فقال: إنما قام جبريل عليه السلام عن هٰذه وميكائيل عن هٰذه]
I went to Mukhtar Thaqafi, and he said: O girl! Bring a small carpet for Rifa'ah. I said: Are there carpets available? He said: On this carpet, Jibra'il (Gabriel) and Mikail (Michael) are standing.
Reference: Al-Ma'rifah wa al-Tarikh by Al-Fasawi: 193/3, and its chain is Hasan
Khalid bin Samir Tabi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, called Mukhtar a "liar".
Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd: 162/5, and its chain is Hasan
Imam Abu Ja'far Baqir, may Allah have mercy on him (after 100 AH), says:
[إن علي بن حسين قام علىٰ باب الكعبة فلعن المختار فقال له رجل: جعلني الله فداك تلعنه وإنما ذبح فيكم؟ فقال: إنه كان كذابا يكذب على الله وعلىٰ رسوله]
(Once the honorable) Ali bin Husayn (Zain al-Abidin), may Allah have mercy on him, stood at the door of the Ka'bah and cursed Mukhtar Thaqafi. Someone said: May Allah sacrifice me for you, you curse him while he was killed for your sake? Zain al-Abidin, may Allah have mercy on him, replied: He was a liar, he lied against Allah and His Messenger.
Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd: 213/5, and its chain is Sahih
The trustworthy Tabi'i Abdul Aziz bin Rafi', may Allah have mercy on him (130 AH), says:
[كان المختار يقول الوحي]
Mukhtar claimed the revelation descended upon himself.
Reference: Musnad Imam Ahmad: 1909, and its chain is Sahih
❀ Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, called him Mutanabbi (a false claimant of prophethood).
Reference: Al-Thiqat: 386/4
Imam Ibn Qutaybah, may Allah have mercy on him (276 AH), says:
[إن المختار ابن أبي عبيد، ادعى النبوة لنفسه]
Mukhtar bin Abi Ubaid claimed to be a prophet.
Reference: Tawil Mukhtalif al-Hadith: p.125
Imam Abdul Qahir al-Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy on him (429 AH), says:
[زعم أن الوحي ينزل عليه]
Mukhtar al-Thaqafi claimed that revelation was sent down to him.
Reference: Al-Firaq Bayn al-Firaq: p.34
Imam Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him (458 AH), says:
[قد شهد جماعة من أكابر التابعين على المختار بن أبي عبيد بما كان يستبطن، وأخبر بعضهم بأنه من جملة الكذابين الذين أخبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بخروجهم بعده]
A large group of the senior Tabi‘in testified that Mukhtar bin Abi Ubaid was inwardly pure disbelief, and some Tabi‘in also reported that Mukhtar al-Thaqafi was among those liars about whom the Prophet ﷺ informed that they would appear after him ﷺ.
Reference: Dala'il al-Nubuwwah: 482/6
Allama Abu al-Fath Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Shirastani, may Allah have mercy on him (548 AH), says:
[إنما صار المختار إلى اختيار القول بالبداء، لأنه كان يدعي علم ما يحدث من الأحوال إما بوحي يوحىٰ إليه، وإما برسالة من قبل الإمام، فكان إذا وعد أصحابه بكون شيء وحدوث حادثة؛ فإن وافق كونه قوله، جعله دليلا علىٰ صدق دعواه، وإن لم يوافق قال: قد بدا لربكم]
Mukhtar adopted the theory of Badā’, because he claimed that he possessed knowledge that foretold people's conditions. Either it was based on revelation or on the message of the Imam. So when Mukhtar promised his companions that a certain event would happen or a certain incident would occur, if that event happened, he took it as proof of the truth of his claim. If it did not happen, he would say that your Lord has experienced Badā’.
Reference: Al-Milal wal-Nihal: 149/1
Sheikh al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him, 728 AH) says:
[إن المختار كذاب ادعى النبوة]
Mukhtar is a liar who claimed prophethood.
Reference: Minhaj al-Sunnah: 329/4
Hafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him, 748 AH) says:
[المختار بن أبي عبيد الثقفي الكذاب، لا ينبغي أن يروىٰ عنه شيء؛ لأنه ضال مضل كان يزعم أن جبرائيل عليه السلام ينزل عليه، وهو شر من الحجاج أو مثله]
Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubaid al-Thaqafi was a liar; it is not correct to narrate anything from him because he was misguided and a misleader. He claimed that Gabriel would descend upon him. Mukhtar al-Thaqafi is worse than or equal to Hajjaj ibn Yusuf.
Reference: Mizan al-I'tidal: 80/4
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him, 774 AH) says:
[قد تواتر خبر المختار بن أبي عبيد الكذاب الذي كان نائبا على العراق وكان يزعم أنه نبي، وأن جبريل كان يأتيه بالوحي]
There are mutawatir narrations regarding Mukhtar bin Abi Ubaid; he was a liar, the governor of Iraq, and he claimed to be a prophet. He also claimed that Sayyiduna Jibreel (peace be upon him) would bring revelation to him.
Reference: Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya: 252/9
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) (852 AH) says:
[قد شهد عليه بدعوى النبوة والكذب الصريح جماعة من أهل البيت]
A group from Ahl al-Bayt testified against Mukhtar Thaqafi for claiming prophethood and speaking outright lies.
Reference: Al-Isaba fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba: 276/6
Warning:
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[إن بين يدي الساعة كذابين فاحذروهم]
Before the Day of Judgment, liars will come; beware of them.
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 1822
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[لا تقوم الساعة حتىٰ يبعث دجالون كذابون، قريبا من ثلاثين، كلهم يزعم أنه رسول الله]
The Day of Judgment will not occur until thirty major Dajjal and liars claim prophethood.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3609
Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
[إن بين يدي الساعة كذابين]
Before the Day of Judgment, liars will come.
Reference: Musnad al-Bazzar (Kashf al-Astar): 3374, and its chain is Hasan
Sayyiduna Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
[إنه سيكون في أمتي كذابون ثلاثون، كلهم يزعم أنه نبي، وأنا خاتم النبيين، لا نبي بعدي]
Thirty great liars will arise in my Ummah, and all of them will claim prophethood, but I am the last prophet; there is no prophet after me.
Reference: Musnad Imam Ahmad: 22395, Sunan Abi Dawood: 4252, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2219, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3952, Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim: 9/147-148, number 8595, and its chain is authentic, originally in Muslim: 1920, 2889
Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) classified this hadith as "Hasan Sahih," and Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it "Sahih" according to the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim. Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) agreed with their classification. Allama Jawzaqani (may Allah have mercy on him) also called this hadith "Sahih."
Reference: Al-Abateel wal Manakeer: 262/1
Mukhtar bin Abi Ubaid Thaqafi was identified as the person referred to in all these hadiths, as the Holy Prophet ﷺ declared him a liar because he would claim prophethood. Similarly, the Prophet ﷺ called other false claimants to prophethood liars. Despite all this, among the Rafidah, he is praised; they admire him. They completely reject all the opinions of Ahl al-Islam regarding him and speak highly of him. They consider it necessary to defend him.
The Shia scholar Mulla Baqir Majlisi (1111 AH) wrote:
[قد أسلفنا من أقوال الأئمة في مطاوي الكتاب تكرار مدحهم له ونهيهم عن ذمه، ما فيه غنية لذوي الأبصار، وبغية لذوي الاعتبار، وإنما أعداؤه عملوا له مثالب ليباعدوه من قلوب الشيعة]
In the previous pages of the book, we have mentioned the sayings of the Imams, in which they repeatedly praised Mukhtar Thaqafi and forbade his condemnation. These sayings are sufficient for the people of insight and are a source of admonition for those who take heed. The enemies of Mukhtar fabricated accusations (arguments based on condemnation) against him to remove Mukhtar from the hearts of the Shia.
Reference: Bihar al-Anwar: 45/387
We pray to Allah Almighty to include us among the group of the people of truth and to raise us among His righteous servants on the Day of Judgment, Ameen!
