Sayfi ibn Fasil: Executed for Refusing to Curse Imam Ali

Sayfi bin Fasil al-Shaybani — Executed under Muawiya’s rule for refusing to curse Imam Ali

Sayfi bin Fasil al-Shaybani was not killed in a normal battlefield.

Sunni historical sources record that he was arrested, interrogated about Imam Ali, beaten for refusing anti-Ali propaganda, imprisoned in chains, and then executed with Hujr bin Adi and his companions.

Core narration 1: Sayfi was one of the leading companions of Hujr bin Adi

Arabic:

جاء قيس بن عباد الشيباني إلى زياد فقال: إن امرأ منا من بني همام يقال له صيفي بن فسيل من رؤوس أصحاب حجر، وهو أشد الناس عليك، فبعث زياد فأتي به.

English:

“Qays bin ‘Abbad al-Shaybani came to Ziyad and said: There is a man from us, from Banu Hammam, called Sayfi bin Fasil; he is among the leading companions of Hujr, and he is the strongest of people against you. So Ziyad sent for him, and he was brought to him.”

Reference:

Tarikh al-Tabari, events of year 51 AH.
Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, biography of Sayfi bin Fasil.

Comment:

This shows Sayfi was not an unknown person. He was counted among the leading companions of Hujr bin Adi.

Core narration 2: Ziyad questioned him about Imam Ali

Arabic:

فقال: يا عدو الله، ما تقول في أبي تراب؟ فقال: ما أعرف أبا تراب. قال: أما تعرف علي بن أبي طالب؟ قال: بلى. قال: فذاك أبو تراب. قال: كلا، ذاك أبو الحسن والحسين.

English:

“Ziyad said: O enemy of Allah, what do you say about Abu Turab? Sayfi said: I do not know Abu Turab. Ziyad said: Do you not know Ali bin Abi Talib? He said: Yes. Ziyad said: That is Abu Turab. Sayfi replied: No, he is Abu al-Hasan and al-Husayn.”

Reference:

Tarikh al-Tabari, events of year 51 AH.
Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, biography of Sayfi bin Fasil.

Comment:

The issue was clear: they wanted to insult Imam Ali through the title “Abu Turab,” but Sayfi refused to turn a Prophetic title into an insult.

Core narration 3: Sayfi refused to lie against Imam Ali

Arabic:

فقال له صاحب الشرطة: يقول لك الأمير هو أبو تراب، وتقول أنت لا؟ قال: وإن كذب الأمير، أتريد أن أكذب وأشهد له على باطل كما شهد؟

English:

“The police chief said to him: The governor tells you he is Abu Turab, and you say no? Sayfi replied: If the governor lies, do you want me to lie and testify falsely as he testified?”

Reference:

Tarikh al-Tabari, events of year 51 AH.
Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, biography of Sayfi bin Fasil.

Comment:

Sayfi openly refused to support false testimony against Imam Ali.

Core narration 4: Sayfi refused to curse Imam Ali even under threat of death

Arabic:

قال: ما قولك في علي؟ قال: أحسن قول أنا قائله في عبد من عباد الله أقوله في المؤمنين. قال: اضربوا عاتقه بالعصا حتى يلصق بالأرض، فضرب حتى لزم الأرض، ثم قال: اقلعوا عنه، إيه، ما قولك في علي؟ قال: والله لو شرحتني بالمواسي والمدى ما قلت إلا ما سمعت مني. قال: لتلعننه أو لأضربن عنقك. قال: إذا تضربها والله قبل ذلك، فإن أبيت إلا أن تضربها رضيت بالله وشقيت أنت. قال: ادفعوا في رقبته، ثم قال: أوقروه حديدا، وألقوه في السجن.

English:

“Ziyad said: What do you say about Ali? Sayfi replied: The best statement I can say about a servant from the servants of Allah, I say about him among the believers. Ziyad said: Strike his shoulder with the stick until he sticks to the ground. So he was beaten until he fell to the ground. Then Ziyad said: Stop. Now, what do you say about Ali? Sayfi said: By Allah, even if you cut me with razors and knives, I would say nothing except what you heard from me. Ziyad said: You will curse him, or I will strike your neck. Sayfi replied: Then by Allah you will strike it before that; if you insist on striking it, I am pleased with Allah and you are miserable. Ziyad said: Put chains on his neck, load him with iron, and throw him into prison.”

Reference:

Tarikh al-Tabari, events of year 51 AH.
Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, biography of Sayfi bin Fasil.

Comment:

This is the heart of Sayfi’s story. He was beaten, threatened and imprisoned because he refused to curse Imam Ali.

Core narration 5: Sayfi was among the seven executed with Hujr

Arabic:

تسمية من قتل من أصحاب حجر رحمه الله: حجر بن عدي، وشريك بن شداد الحضرمي، وصيفي بن فسيل الشيباني، وقبيصة بن ضبيعة العبسي، ومحرز بن شهاب السعدي ثم المنقري، وكدام بن حيان العنزي، وعبد الرحمن بن حسان العنزي، فبعث به إلى زياد فدفن حيا بقس الناطف، فهم سبعة قتلوا وكفنوا وصلى عليهم.

English:

“The names of those who were killed from the companions of Hujr are: 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 then al-Minqarī, Kudam bin Hayyan al-‘Anazi, and Abd al-Rahman bin Hassan al-‘Anazi, who was sent to Ziyad and buried alive at Qass al-Natif. They were seven men who were killed, shrouded and funeral prayers were offered over them.”

Reference:

Tarikh al-Tabari, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Historical report.

Comment:

Sayfi bin Fasil was one of the seven men executed together with Hujr bin Adi.

Biographical support:

Arabic:

صيفي بن فسيل الشيباني: أحد الشجعان المذكورين، من أصحاب علي بن أبي طالب. كان يقيم في الكوفة واشترك في إثارة الناس على بني أمية، فقتله معاوية صبرا بالشام.

English:

“Sayfi bin Fasil al-Shaybani: one of the mentioned brave men, from the companions of Ali bin Abi Talib. He lived in Kufa and took part in stirring people against Banu Umayyah, so Muawiya killed him in captivity/execution in Syria.”

Reference:

Al-Zirikli, al-A‘lam, entry of Sayfi bin Fasil.

Comment:

Al-Zirikli clearly identifies him as one of the companions of Imam Ali and says Muawiya killed him in Syria.

Now ask yourself:

Why was Sayfi beaten?
Why was he chained?
Why was he imprisoned?
Why was he executed?

Because he refused to curse Imam Ali.

And the Prophet said about Ali:

Arabic:

من سب عليا فقد سبني

English:

“Whoever curses Ali has cursed me.”

Reference:

Musnad Ahmad; al-Nasa’i; al-Hakim.
Graded authentic by scholars for its shorter wording.

So what kind of rule forces people to curse Imam Ali, beats those who refuse, imprisons them in chains, and executes them?

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

Sayfi bin Fasil al-Shaybani was not killed for crime.

He was killed because he refused to lie against Imam Ali and refused to join the curse of Ali.

This is why Imam Hasan’s peace treaty cannot be used as a certificate of Muawiya’s righteousness.

The treaty stopped bloodshed.

It did not erase the blood already spilled.