Sunni Sources: Sahaba and Sons of Sahaba Directly or Indirectly Involved in Maqtal Imam Hussain a.s
This post is not based on Shia sources.
This is a Sunni-source list showing that Yazid’s state machinery, Ibn Ziyad’s Kufa authority, and Umar bin Sa‘d’s Karbala army included Sahaba/counted-Sahabi figures and sons of Sahaba.
So the slogan “Imam Hussain a.s was killed by his own Shia” is historically misleading.
A) Sahaba themselves / counted in Sahabi works
1. Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Sabrah al-Ju‘fi
Status:
Counted in Sahabi works and listed as a commander in Umar bin Sa‘d’s army.
Arabic:
كان اسمه عزيزا فسماه رسول الله ﷺ عبد الرحمن
Translation:
“His name was Aziz, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ named him Abd al-Rahman.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma‘rifat al-Sahabah, biography of Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Sabrah.
His role in Karbala army:
Arabic:
وعلى ربع مذحج وأسد عبد الرحمن بن أبي سبرة الجعفي
Translation:
“Over the quarter of Madhhij and Asad was Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Sabrah al-Ju‘fi.”
Then Ibn al-Athir says about these commanders:
Arabic:
فشهد هؤلاء كلهم مقتل الحسين
Translation:
“All of these witnessed Maqtal al-Hussain.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of 61 AH.
So a man counted in Sahabi biographical works is listed among the commanders present in the army of Umar bin Sa‘d.
2. Amr bin Hurayth al-Makhzumi
Status:
Confirmed Sahabi.
Al-Dhahabi says:
Arabic:
كان عمرو من بقايا أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ الذين كانوا نزلوا الكوفة
Translation:
“Amr was from the remaining Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who had settled in Kufa.”
Arabic:
له صحبة ورواية
Translation:
“He had companionship and narration.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, biography of Amr bin Hurayth.
His role in Ibn Ziyad’s Kufa state machinery during the Muslim bin Aqil episode:
Arabic:
ودخل ابن زياد وعقد لعمرو بن حريث وجعله على الناس
Translation:
“Ibn Ziyad entered, appointed Amr bin Hurayth, and placed him over the people.”
Reference:
Historical account of the events of Muslim bin Aqil.
Important note:
Amr bin Hurayth is not being presented here as a proven Karbala battlefield commander. His safe role is indirect: Kufa state control during Ibn Ziyad’s crackdown before Karbala.
B) Sons of Sahaba directly or indirectly involved
1. Yazid bin Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan
Status:
Son of Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan.
Ibn Kathir describes Muawiya as:
Arabic:
معاوية بن أبي سفيان صخر بن حرب بن أمية بن عبد شمس بن عبد مناف بن قصي القرشي الأموي، أبو عبد الرحمن، خال المؤمنين، وكاتب وحي رسول رب العالمين
Translation:
“Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb bin Umayyah bin Abd Shams bin Abd Manaf bin Qusay, the Qurashi Umayyad, Abu Abd al-Rahman, the maternal uncle of the believers, and the scribe of the revelation of the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds.”
Reference:
Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, biography of Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan.
Yazid’s role:
Political authority over Ibn Ziyad and the anti-Hussain state machinery.
Arabic:
فأخذ برأيه وجمع الكوفة والبصرة لعبيد الله وكتب إليه بعهده وسيره إليه مع مسلم بن عمرو الباهلي والد قتيبة، فأمره بطلب مسلم بن عقيل وبقتله أو نفيه
Translation:
“He accepted his advice, joined Kufa and Basra under Ubayd Allah, wrote his appointment and sent it to him with Muslim bin Amr al-Bahili, the father of Qutaybah, and ordered him to seek Muslim bin Aqil and kill him or exile him.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of 60 AH.
So the political responsibility begins from Yazid’s state authority. Ibn Ziyad was not acting as a private Shia rebel; he was acting under Yazid’s appointment and command.
2. Umar bin Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas
Status:
Son of famous Sahabi Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas and commander of the army against Imam Hussain a.s.
Arabic:
فلما كان الغد قدم عليهم عمر بن سعد بن أبي وقاص من الكوفة في أربعة آلاف
Translation:
“On the next day, Umar bin Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas came upon them from Kufa with four thousand.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of 61 AH.
Ibn Kathir also records that Ibn Ziyad threatened Umar bin Sa‘d and then he marched against Imam Hussain a.s.
Arabic:
ثم إن عبيد الله بن زياد تهدده وتوعده بالعزل والقتل، فسار إلى الحسين
Translation:
“Then Ubayd Allah bin Ziyad threatened him with dismissal and killing, so he marched toward Hussain.”
Reference:
Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, Maqtal al-Hussain.
Who was Umar bin Sa‘d?
He was the son of Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas.
Al-Dhahabi says about Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas:
Arabic:
أحد العشرة، وأحد السابقين الأولين، وأحد من شهد بدرا والحديبية، وأحد الستة أهل الشورى
Translation:
“He was one of the ten, one of the earliest first Muslims, one of those who witnessed Badr and Hudaybiyyah, and one of the six members of the Shura.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, biography of Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas.
So the commander of the army that fought Imam Hussain a.s was not “a Shia.” He was Umar bin Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas, son of a famous Sahabi.
3. Shimr bin Dhi al-Jawshan
Status:
Son of Dhi al-Jawshan, who is counted among the Sahaba.
Al-Mizzi says about Dhi al-Jawshan:
Arabic:
وهو أبو شمر بن ذي الجوشن الذي شهد قتل الحسين بن علي، عداده في الصحابة
Translation:
“He was the father of Shimr bin Dhi al-Jawshan, who witnessed the killing of al-Hussain bin Ali; he is counted among the Sahaba.”
Reference:
Al-Mizzi, Tahdhib al-Kamal, biography of Dhi al-Jawshan.
Role in the army:
Arabic:
وعلى ميسرته شمر بن ذي الجوشن
Translation:
“On his left wing was Shimr bin Dhi al-Jawshan.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of 61 AH.
So Shimr was not “a Shia of Hussain.” He was the son of a man counted among the Sahaba, and he was placed on the left wing of Umar bin Sa‘d’s army.
4. Qays bin al-Ash‘ath bin Qays
Status:
Son of Sahabi al-Ash‘ath bin Qays.
Al-Dhahabi says about al-Ash‘ath bin Qays:
Arabic:
له صحبة، ورواية
Translation:
“He had companionship and narration.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, biography of al-Ash‘ath bin Qays.
Role in the army:
Arabic:
وعلى ربع ربيعة وكندة قيس بن الأشعث بن قيس
Translation:
“Over the quarter of Rabi‘ah and Kindah was Qays bin al-Ash‘ath bin Qays.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of 61 AH.
So another commander in the army against Imam Hussain a.s was the son of a Sahabi.
5. Muhammad bin al-Ash‘ath bin Qays
Status:
Son of Sahabi al-Ash‘ath bin Qays.
Role:
Involved in the crackdown against Muslim bin Aqil, the representative of Imam Hussain a.s.
Arabic:
فقال له ابن زياد: قم فأتني به الساعة
Translation:
“Ibn Ziyad said to him: Stand up and bring him to me at once.”
Reference:
Historical account of the events of Muslim bin Aqil.
The report continues that Muhammad bin al-Ash‘ath was sent with men to the house where Muslim bin Aqil was.
Arabic:
وبعث معه عمرو بن عبيد الله بن عباس السلمي في سبعين من قيس حتى أتوا الدار التي فيها ابن عقيل
Translation:
“He sent with him Amr bin Ubayd Allah bin Abbas al-Sulami with seventy men from Qays until they reached the house in which Ibn Aqil was.”
Reference:
Historical account of the events of Muslim bin Aqil.
So Muhammad bin al-Ash‘ath, son of Sahabi al-Ash‘ath bin Qays, was involved in Ibn Ziyad’s crackdown against Muslim bin Aqil.
6. Ali bin Qarazah al-Ansari
Status:
Son of Qarazah bin Ka‘b al-Ansari.
Al-Mizzi says about Qarazah bin Ka‘b:
Arabic:
قرظة بن كعب بن ثعلبة بن عمرو بن كعب بن الإطنابة الأنصاري الخزرجي أبو عمرو المدني حليف بني عبد الأشهل له صحبة
Translation:
“Qarazah bin Ka‘b bin Tha‘labah bin Amr bin Ka‘b bin al-Itnabah al-Ansari al-Khazraji, Abu Amr al-Madani, ally of Banu Abd al-Ashhal; he had companionship.”
Reference:
Al-Mizzi, Tahdhib al-Kamal, biography of Qarazah bin Ka‘b al-Ansari.
Role:
Maqtal material reports Ali bin Qarazah as being on Umar bin Sa‘d’s side, while his brother Amr bin Qarazah was martyred defending Imam Hussain a.s.
Arabic:
وكان أخوه علي بن قرظة مع عمر بن سعد
Translation:
“His brother Ali bin Qarazah was with Umar bin Sa‘d.”
Reference:
Maqtal/Abu Mikhnaf-style reports quoted in later Maqtal works.
Important note:
Use this point with a caveat. Qarazah bin Ka‘b’s companionship is safe from Sunni rijal sources, but the exact Karbala role of Ali bin Qarazah depends on Maqtal reports, so this is not the strongest proof in the list.
Final point:
This is the real issue.
If Imam Hussain a.s was supposedly killed by “his own Shia,” then why do Sunni historical sources show:
Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Sabrah, counted in Sahabi works, listed among army commanders;
Amr bin Hurayth, a confirmed Sahabi, placed over people in Kufa during Ibn Ziyad’s crackdown;
Yazid bin Muawiya, son of Muawiya, appointing Ibn Ziyad and giving orders;
Umar bin Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas, son of a famous Sahabi, commanding the army;
Shimr bin Dhi al-Jawshan, son of a counted Sahabi, on the left wing;
Qays bin al-Ash‘ath, son of a Sahabi, commanding a tribal quarter;
Muhammad bin al-Ash‘ath, son of a Sahabi, involved in the crackdown against Muslim bin Aqil?
This was not the army of Imam Hussain’s loyal Shia.
This was Yazid’s state machinery.
This was Ibn Ziyad’s Kufa authority.
This was Umar bin Sa‘d’s army.
So stop hiding Maqtal Imam Hussain a.s behind the slogan “Shias killed Hussain.”
The sources show direct and indirect involvement of state officials, tribal commanders, counted-Sahabi figures, and sons of Sahaba in the machinery that led to Maqtal Imam Hussain a.s.
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