Muawiya Sent Busr to Kill Abdullah ibn Abd al-Madan

Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan al-Harithi — Killed by Busr bin Abi Artat in Muawiya’s Yemen campaign

Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan al-Harithi was not killed in a normal battlefield.

Sunni biographical sources place him in the books of the Companions, mention that he lived until the caliphate of Imam Ali a.s, and report that Busr bin Abi Artat killed him when Busr invaded Yemen from Muawiya’s side.

This is not a Shia claim.

This is found in Sunni historical and biographical sources.

Core narration 1: Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan is listed among the Sahaba

Arabic:

عبد اللَّه بن عبد المدان... واسمه عمرو بن الديّان... قال ابن حبّان: له صحبة، وقال ابن سعد والطبري: وفد على النبي صلى اللَّه عليه وسلّم. وقال ابن الكلبيّ: كان اسمه عبد الحجر، فغيّره النبيّ صلى اللَّه عليه وسلّم.

English:

“Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan… his name was Amr bin al-Dayyan… Ibn Hibban said: he had companionship. Ibn Sa‘d and al-Tabari said: he came as part of a delegation to the Prophet ﷺ. Ibn al-Kalbi said: his name was Abd al-Hajar, so the Prophet ﷺ changed it.”

Reference:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, biography of Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan.

Status:

Sunni biographical report.

Comment:

This is important. Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan is not just an unknown Yemeni figure. Ibn Hajar includes him in al-Isabah, and Ibn Hibban is quoted as saying: “له صحبة” — he had companionship.

Core narration 2: Ibn Hajar says Busr killed him when Busr invaded Yemen on behalf of Muawiya

Arabic:

ويقال: إنه عاش إلى خلافة علي فقتله بسر بن أبي أرطاة لما غزا اليمن من قبل معاوية.

English:

“It is said that he lived until the caliphate of Ali, and Busr bin Abi Artat killed him when he invaded Yemen on behalf of Muawiya.”

Reference:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, biography of Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan.

Status:

Sunni biographical / historical report.

Comment:

This is the cleanest short proof.

The physical killer was Busr bin Abi Artat.

But the campaign was “من قبل معاوية” — from Muawiya’s side / on behalf of Muawiya.

Core narration 3: Abdullah was appointed in Yemen, then Busr killed him and his son

Arabic:

ولما بلغه مسير بشر بن أبي أرطاة من قبل معاوية إلى اليمن خرج عنها عبيد اللَّه، واستخلف صهره هذا، فقدم بشر، فقتل عبد اللَّه وابنه مالكا وولدي عبد اللَّه ابن العباس ابن أخت مالك.

English:

“When news reached him that Busr bin Abi Artat was marching from Muawiya’s side to Yemen, Ubayd Allah left it and appointed his father-in-law in his place. Then Busr arrived and killed Abdullah, his son Malik, and the two sons of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas, who were the sons of Malik’s sister.”

Reference:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, biography of Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan.

Status:

Sunni biographical / historical report.

Comment:

This was not one isolated killing.

Busr killed Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan, his son Malik, and even the two young sons of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas in the same Yemen campaign.

Core narration 4: Ibn Abd al-Barr records the same killing

Arabic:

ثم مضى بسر إلى اليمن، وعامل اليمن لعلي عبيد الله بن العباس، فلما بلغه أمر بسر فر إلى الكوفة حتى أتى عليا، واستخلف على اليمن عبد الله بن عبد المدان الحارثي، فأتى بسر فقتله وقتل ابنه، ولقي ثقل عبيد الله بن العباس وفيه ابنان صغيران لعبيد الله بن العباس، فقتلهما ورجع إلى الشام.

English:

“Then Busr went to Yemen, and the governor of Yemen for Ali was Ubayd Allah bin Abbas. When news of Busr reached him, he fled to Kufa until he came to Ali, and he appointed Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan al-Harithi over Yemen. Busr came to him, killed him, killed his son, then met the baggage/family of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas in which were two small sons of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas, so he killed them and returned to Syria.”

Reference:

Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, biography of Busr bin Abi Artat.

Status:

Sunni historical / biographical report.

Comment:

Ibn Abd al-Barr confirms the same event: Abdullah was acting on Imam Ali a.s’s side in Yemen, and Busr killed him and his son.

Core narration 5: Ibn al-Jawzi says Muawiya sent Busr with 3,000 fighters

Arabic:

من الحوادث فيها توجيه معاوية بسر بن أبي أرطأة في ثلاثة آلاف من المقاتلة إلى الحجاز... ثم مضى حتى أتى مكة، ثم مضى إلى اليمن... واستخلف مكانه عبد الله بن عبد المدان الحارثي، فأتاه بسر فقتله وقتل ابنه وقتل جماعة من شيعة علي.

English:

“Among the events of that year was Muawiya’s dispatching of Busr bin Abi Artat with 3,000 fighters to the Hijaz… Then he went until he reached Mecca, then he went to Yemen… Ubayd Allah appointed Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan al-Harithi in his place, so Busr came to him, killed him, killed his son, and killed a group from the Shia/supporters of Ali.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Muntazam fi Tarikh al-Muluk wa al-Umam, events of year 40 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

This is very important for the Muawiya connection.

Ibn al-Jawzi begins the event with:

توجيه معاوية بسر

“Muawiya’s sending/directing Busr.”

Then he says Busr killed Abdullah, his son, and a group from the supporters of Imam Ali a.s.

Core narration 6: Usd al-Ghabah says Muawiya sent Busr to kill the supporters of Ali

Arabic:

قتله بُسْر بْن أَبِي أرطاة لما سيره معاوية إلى الحجاز، واليمن ليقتل شيعة عليّ، وكان عُبَيْد اللَّه بْن الْعَبَّاس أميرًا لعليّ عَلَى اليمن، وهو زوج ابْنَة عَبْد اللَّه، فقتله.

English:

“Busr bin Abi Artat killed him when Muawiya sent him to the Hijaz and Yemen to kill the Shia/supporters of Ali. Ubayd Allah bin Abbas was Ali’s governor over Yemen, and he was married to the daughter of Abdullah, so Busr killed him.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma‘rifat al-Sahabah, biography of Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan.

Status:

Sunni biographical / historical report.

Comment:

This wording is very strong:

لما سيره معاوية إلى الحجاز واليمن ليقتل شيعة علي

“When Muawiya sent him to Hijaz and Yemen to kill the Shia/supporters of Ali.”

Now ask honestly:

What was Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan’s crime?

He was connected to Imam Ali a.s’s administration in Yemen.

He stood in the place of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas.

He was on the side of Imam Ali a.s.

And for that, Busr bin Abi Artat killed him and his son in a campaign Sunni sources themselves connect to Muawiya.

This was not a battlefield duel.

This was a political killing in Yemen during Muawiya’s campaign.

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

Abdullah bin Abd al-Madan was listed in the books of the Companions.

His son was killed with him.

The two young sons of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas were killed in the same campaign.

And Sunni sources say this campaign was sent by Muawiya.

So do not use Imam Hasan a.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.