Abd al-Rahman ibn Hassan: Buried Alive for Praising Imam Ali

Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan al-‘Anazi — Buried Alive After Refusing the Anti-Ali Line

Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan al-‘Anazi was not killed in a battlefield.

Sunni historical sources record that he was arrested with Hujr bin Adi and his companions, taken to Marj ‘Adhra near Damascus, brought before Muawiya, questioned about Imam Ali a.s, and after praising Imam Ali a.s, he was sent back to Ziyad with an order to kill him in the worst way.

Then Ziyad buried him alive.

Core narration 1: Abd al-Rahman was taken with Hujr’s group to Syria

Arabic:

ثم دفع زياد حجر بن عدي وأصحابه إلى وائل بن حجر الحضرمي وكثير بن شهاب، وأمرهما أن يسيرا بهم إلى الشام... حتى انتهوا بهم إلى مرج عذراء عند دمشق... وكانوا... وكدام بن حيان، وعبد الرحمن بن حسان العنزيين... فهؤلاء اثنا عشر رجلا.

English:

“Then Ziyad handed Hujr bin Adi and his companions to Wa’il bin Hujr al-Hadrami and Kathir bin Shihab, and ordered them to take them to Syria... until they reached Marj ‘Adhra near Damascus... Among them were Kudam bin Hayyan and Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan al-‘Anazi... They were twelve men.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

This shows that Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan was part of the Hujr group taken from Kufa toward Syria.

Core narration 2: They were ordered to curse Imam Ali or be killed

Arabic:

وقالوا لهم قبل القتل: إنا قد أمرنا أن نعرض عليكم البراءة من علي واللعن له، فإن فعلتم تركناكم وإن أبيتم قتلناكم.

English:

“Before killing them, they said: We have been ordered to present to you disavowal of Ali and cursing him. If you do it, we will leave you; if you refuse, we will kill you.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

This is the key issue. These men were not simply being punished for a normal crime. They were being forced to disown and curse Imam Ali a.s.

Core narration 3: Abd al-Rahman asked to be brought before Muawiya

Arabic:

فقال عبد الرحمن بن حسان العنزي وكريم الخثعمي: ابعثوا بنا إلى أمير المؤمنين فنحن نقول في هذا الرجل مثل مقالته. فاستأذنوا معاوية فيهما، فأذن بإحضارهما.

English:

“Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan al-‘Anazi and Karim al-Khath‘ami said: Send us to the commander, for we will say about this man what he said. So they sought Muawiya’s permission regarding them, and he allowed them to be brought.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

Abd al-Rahman was personally brought before Muawiya after the first executions.

Core narration 4: Muawiya questioned him about Imam Ali

Arabic:

ثم قال لعبد الرحمن بن حسان: يا أخا ربيعة ما تقول في علي؟ قال دعني ولا تسألني فهو خير لك. قال: والله لا أدعك. قال: أشهد أنه كان من الذاكرين الله تعالى كثيرا، من الآمرين بالحق والقائمين بالقسط والعافين عن الناس.

English:

“Then Muawiya said to Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan: O brother of Rabi‘ah, what do you say about Ali? He said: Leave me and do not ask me; that is better for you. Muawiya said: By Allah, I will not leave you. He said: I testify that he was among those who remembered Allah much, commanded the truth, stood for justice, and pardoned people.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

Abd al-Rahman refused to curse Imam Ali a.s. Instead, he praised Imam Ali a.s in front of Muawiya.

Core narration 5: Muawiya treated his answer as a death sentence

Arabic:

قال: فما قولك في عثمان؟ قال: هو أول من فتح أبواب الظلم، وأغلق أبواب الحق. قال: قتلت نفسك! قال: بل إياك قتلت.

English:

“Muawiya said: What do you say about Uthman? He said: He was the first to open the doors of oppression and close the doors of truth. Muawiya said: You have killed yourself! He replied: Rather, you have killed yourself.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

This is where Muawiya treated Abd al-Rahman’s answer as a death sentence.

Core narration 6: Muawiya ordered him to be killed in the worst way, and he was buried alive

Arabic:

فرده معاوية إلى زياد وأمره أن يقتله شر قتلة، فدفنه حيا.

English:

“Muawiya sent him back to Ziyad and ordered him to kill him in the worst manner, so he buried him alive.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

This is the most important line in the whole report. According to this Sunni historical source, Muawiya sent Abd al-Rahman back to Ziyad and ordered that he be killed in the worst way. Ziyad buried him alive.

Core narration 7: Abd al-Rahman is named among the seven killed from Hujr’s companions

Arabic:

فكان الذين قتلوا: حجر بن عدي، وشريك بن شداد الحضرمي، وصيفي بن فسيل الشيباني، وقبيصة بن ضبيعة العبسي، ومحرز بن شهاب السعدي التميمي، وكدام بن حيان العنزي، وعبد الرحمن بن حسان العنزي الذي دفنه زياد حيا، فهؤلاء السبعة قتلوا ودفنوا وصلي عليهم.

English:

“Those who were killed were: Hujr bin Adi, Sharik bin Shaddad al-Hadrami, Sayfi bin Fasil al-Shaybani, Qabisah bin Dubay‘ah al-‘Absi, Mihriz bin Shihab al-Sa‘di al-Tamimi, Kudam bin Hayyan al-‘Anazi, and Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan al-‘Anazi, whom Ziyad buried alive. These seven were killed, buried, and funeral prayer was offered over them.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.
Tarikh al-Tabari also lists Abd al-Rahman among the killed companions of Hujr and mentions that he was sent to Ziyad and buried alive at Qass al-Natif.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

This confirms that Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan was counted among the seven killed from Hujr’s companions, but his method of killing was even more brutal: he was buried alive.

Core narration 8: Ibn Asakir’s summary

Arabic:

عبد الرحمن بن حسان بن محدوج العنزي الكوفي تابعي ممن قدم مع حجر بن عدي إلى عذراء فلما قتل حجر وأصحابه حمل عبد الرحمن إلى معاوية وكلمه بكلام أغلظ له فيه فبعثه إلى زياد وأمره بمعاقبته فدفنه حيا بقس الناطف.

English:

“Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan bin Mahduj al-‘Anazi al-Kufi was a Tabi‘i who was brought with Hujr bin Adi to ‘Adhra. When Hujr and his companions were killed, Abd al-Rahman was carried to Muawiya and spoke to him with harsh words. So Muawiya sent him to Ziyad and ordered him to punish him, and he buried him alive at Qass al-Natif.”

Reference:

Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, biography of Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan bin Mahduj al-‘Anazi.

Status:

Sunni biographical/historical report.

Comment:

Ibn Asakir gives the same core story: brought with Hujr, taken to Muawiya, sent to Ziyad, and buried alive.

Now ask honestly:

What was Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan’s crime?

He praised Imam Ali a.s.

He refused the anti-Ali line.

He did not agree to curse the man about whom the Prophet said:

Arabic:

من سب عليا فقد سبني

English:

“Whoever curses Ali has cursed me.”

Reference:

Musnad Ahmad; al-Nasa’i; al-Hakim.

And for that, he was buried alive.

Qur’an says:

Arabic:

وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا

English:

“And whoever kills a believer deliberately, his recompense is Hell, abiding therein; Allah is angry with him, has cursed him, and has prepared for him a great punishment.”

Reference:

Qur’an 4:93

Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan al-‘Anazi was not killed by non-Muslims.

He was not killed in battlefield.

He was taken as a prisoner, brought before Muawiya, questioned about Imam Ali a.s, sent to Ziyad, and buried alive.

So do not use Imam Hasan a.s’s peace treaty to erase this blood.

The treaty was made to stop bloodshed.

It was not a certificate of innocence for the blood already spilled.