Amr bin Umays bin Mas‘ud — killed on the Hajj road in a raid campaign sent by Muawiya
Amr bin Umays bin Mas‘ud was not killed in a normal battlefield.
Historical reports say Muawiya sent al-Dahhak bin Qays with thousands of men and ordered him to raid those who were in obedience to Imam Ali a.s.
During that raid, al-Dahhak looted wealth, attacked people on the Hajj route, and killed Amr bin Umays near al-Qatqatanah.
This was not defensive war.
This was a raid campaign against Imam Ali’s side.
Core narration 1: Muawiya sent al-Dahhak to raid those in obedience to Imam Ali
Arabic:
وفيها أيضًا وجه معاوية الضحاك بن قيس، وأمره أن يمر بأسفل واقصة، وأن يغير على كل من مر به ممن هو في طاعة علي من الأعراب، ووجه معه ثلاثة آلاف رجل.
English:
“In that year also, Muawiya sent al-Dahhak bin Qays and ordered him to pass by lower Waqisah and raid everyone he passed from the Arabs who were in obedience to Ali. He sent with him three thousand men.”
Reference:
Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, events of year 39 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
The wording is clear:
وجه معاوية الضحاك
“Muawiya sent al-Dahhak.”
And the target was also clear:
ممن هو في طاعة علي
“those who were in obedience to Ali.”
Core narration 2: Dahhak looted, killed, and attacked Imam Ali’s posts
Arabic:
فسار فأخذ أموال الناس، وقتل من لقي من الأعراب، ومر بالثعلبية فأغار على مسالح علي، وأخذ أمتعتهم، ومضى حتى انتهى إلى القطقطانة.
English:
“So he went and took people’s wealth, killed those he met from the Arabs, passed by al-Tha‘labiyyah and raided Ali’s military posts, took their belongings, and continued until he reached al-Qatqatanah.”
Reference:
Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, events of year 39 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This was a raid.
The report says he took wealth, killed people he met, and raided the posts of Imam Ali a.s.
Core narration 3: Dahhak reached Amr bin Umays while he was intending Hajj
Arabic:
فأتى عمرو بن عميس بن مسعود، وكان في خيل لعلي وأمامه أهله، وهو يريد الحج، فأغار على من كان معه، وحبسه عن المسير.
English:
“He came upon Amr bin Umays bin Mas‘ud, who was with cavalry belonging to Ali, with his family ahead of him, intending Hajj. So he raided those who were with him and prevented him from continuing.”
Reference:
Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, events of year 39 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
Amr bin Umays was on the route of Hajj.
His family was ahead of him.
Yet the raid reached him there.
Core narration 4: Ibn Abi al-Hadid’s version says Dahhak killed him on the Hajj road
Arabic:
فأقبل الضحاك فنهب الأموال وقتل من لقي من الأعراب حتى مر بالثعلبية، فأغار على الحاج فأخذ أمتعتهم، ثم أقبل فلقي عمرو بن عميس بن مسعود الهذلي، وهو ابن أخي عبد الله بن مسعود صاحب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله، فقتله في طريق الحاج عند القطقطانة، وقتل معه ناسا من أصحابه.
English:
“Al-Dahhak came forward looting wealth and killing those he met from the Arabs until he passed by al-Tha‘labiyyah. He raided the pilgrims and took their belongings. Then he came forward and met Amr bin Umays bin Mas‘ud al-Hudhali, the nephew of Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He killed him on the Hajj road at al-Qatqatanah and killed with him some of his companions.”
Reference:
Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, quoting Ibrahim al-Thaqafi’s al-Gharat material.
Status:
Historical report.
Comment:
This wording is very powerful:
فقتله في طريق الحاج
“He killed him on the Hajj road.”
So this was not a normal battlefield.
It was a raid on the Hajj route.
Core narration 5: Imam Ali a.s called Amr bin Umays “the righteous servant”
Arabic:
يا أهل الكوفة اخرجوا إلى العبد الصالح عمرو بن عميس وإلى جيوش لكم قد أصيب منهم طرف، اخرجوا فقاتلوا عدوكم وامنعوا حريمكم إن كنتم فاعلين.
English:
“O people of Kufa, go out to the righteous servant Amr bin Umays, and to your armies from whom a part has been struck. Go out and fight your enemy and protect your sacred limits, if you are going to act.”
Reference:
Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, quoting Ibrahim al-Thaqafi’s al-Gharat material.
Status:
Historical report.
Comment:
Imam Ali a.s is reported to have called him:
العبد الصالح
“the righteous servant.”
That tells us his rank in Imam Ali’s camp.
Core narration 6: Dahhak later boasted that he killed Amr bin Umays
Arabic:
وكان الضحاك يقول بعد: أنا ابن قيس، أنا أبو أنيس، أنا قاتل عمرو بن عميس.
English:
“Al-Dahhak used to say afterward: I am Ibn Qays, I am Abu Anis, I am the killer of Amr bin Umays.”
Reference:
Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, in the continuation of the Dahhak raid report.
Status:
Historical report.
Comment:
This removes the ambiguity in this version.
Al-Dahhak himself is reported as boasting:
أنا قاتل عمرو بن عميس
“I am the killer of Amr bin Umays.”
Core narration 7: Ibn A‘tham says Dahhak killed one of the best companions of Ali
Arabic:
والضحاك في وقته ذلك قد أغار على البلاد وقتل رجلا من خيار أصحاب علي رضي الله عنه يقال له عمرو بن مسعود العلائي... فقتله الضحاك بن قيس.
English:
“At that time al-Dahhak had raided the lands and killed a man from the best of Ali’s companions, called Amr bin Mas‘ud al-‘Ala’i... so al-Dahhak bin Qays killed him.”
Reference:
Ibn A‘tham, al-Futuh, vol. 4, p. 219.
Status:
Historical report with name variant.
Comment:
The name appears with variant wording in some sources, but the event is the same raid. The victim is described as one of the best companions/supporters of Imam Ali a.s.
Core narration 8: Imam Ali a.s sent Hujr bin Adi after Dahhak
Arabic:
فلما بلغ ذلك عليا سرح حجر بن عدي الكندي في أربعة آلاف... فلحق الضحاك بتدمر فقتل منهم تسعة عشر رجلا، وقتل من أصحابه رجلان، وحال بينهم الليل، فهرب الضحاك وأصحابه.
English:
“When that reached Ali, he sent Hujr bin Adi al-Kindi with four thousand... Hujr caught up with al-Dahhak at Tadmur; he killed nineteen of them, while two of his own companions were killed. Night came between them, so al-Dahhak and his companions fled.”
Reference:
Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, events of year 39 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This shows Imam Ali a.s did not see this as a minor incident.
He sent Hujr bin Adi after Dahhak, and Dahhak fled by night.
Important note about variants:
Some later biographical material mentions Amr bin Umays in connection with Busr bin Abi Artat’s raids against the officials of Imam Ali a.s.
But the stronger detailed sequence connects his killing to al-Dahhak bin Qays.
So the accurate wording is:
Amr bin Umays was killed by al-Dahhak bin Qays during a raid campaign that Muawiya sent against those in obedience to Imam Ali a.s.
Now ask honestly:
What was Amr bin Umays’s crime?
He was on Imam Ali’s side.
He was connected to Ali’s cavalry.
He was on the Hajj route.
And Muawiya’s raiding commander killed him there.
What kind of rule sends men to raid those loyal to Imam Ali a.s?
What kind of politics attacks people on the road of Hajj?
What kind of “ijtihad” includes looting, raiding, killing, and then boasting:
أنا قاتل عمرو بن عميس
“I am the killer of Amr bin Umays.”
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
And Qur’an says:
Arabic:
مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا
English:
“Whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul or corruption in the land, it is as if he killed all mankind.”
Reference:
Qur’an 5:32
Amr bin Umays bin Mas‘ud was not killed in a clean battlefield.
He was killed on the Hajj road during a raid campaign sent by Muawiya.
Imam Ali a.s called him “the righteous servant.”
Dahhak boasted that he killed him.
And Sunni historical sources preserve the command link:
وجه معاوية الضحاك
“Muawiya sent al-Dahhak.”
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.
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