The unnamed Kinani defender — killed while trying to protect two innocent children in Muawiya’s Yemen campaign
Some people tell us not to speak about Muawiya.
But how can we stay silent when Sunni historical sources themselves record that two small children were slaughtered in a campaign sent by Muawiya, and an unnamed man from Banu Kinanah gave his own life trying to protect them?
This man’s personal name is not clearly preserved in the sources I found.
But his courage is preserved.
He is remembered as:
الرجل الكناني
“The Kinani man”
or:
الكناني الذي قاتل عن الغلامين
“The Kinani man who fought for the two boys.”
The two boys were:
Abd al-Rahman bin Ubayd Allah bin Abbas
and
Qutham bin Ubayd Allah bin Abbas
They were the young sons of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas, Imam Ali’s governor over Yemen.
The killer was Busr bin Abi Artat.
And Sunni sources connect Busr’s campaign directly to Muawiya.
Core narration 1: Muawiya sent Busr with 3,000 men
Arabic:
في هذه السنة بعث معاوية بسر بن أبي أرطاة، وهو من عامر بن لؤي، في ثلاثة آلاف.
English:
“In this year Muawiya sent Busr bin Abi Artat, from Banu ‘Amir bin Lu’ayy, with three thousand men.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 40 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This was not Busr acting alone as a random criminal.
The source says:
بعث معاوية بسر
“Muawiya sent Busr.”
Core narration 2: The children were staying with a man from Kinanah
Arabic:
وأخذ ابنين لعبيد الله بن عباس صغيرين هما: عبد الرحمن وقثم فقتلهما، وكانا عند رجل من كنانة بالبادية.
English:
“He seized two young sons of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas; they were Abd al-Rahman and Qutham, and he killed them. They were with a man from Kinanah in the desert.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 40 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
The two boys were not soldiers.
The source says:
صغيرين
“two small children.”
They were staying with a man from Banu Kinanah.
Core narration 3: The Kinani defender objected and offered his own life
Arabic:
فلما أراد قتلهما قال له الكناني: لم تقتل هذين ولا ذنب لهما؟ فإن كنت قاتلهما فاقتلني معهما! فقتله وقتلهما بعده.
English:
“When Busr wanted to kill them, the Kinani said to him: Why are you killing these two when they have no sin? If you are going to kill them, then kill me with them! So he killed him and then killed them after him.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 40 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This is the heart of the story.
The Kinani man said:
ولا ذنب لهما
“They have no sin.”
Then he said:
فإن كنت قاتلهما فاقتلني معهما
“If you are going to kill them, then kill me with them.”
And Busr killed him.
Then he killed the two children.
Core narration 4: Another version says the Kinani man took his sword and fought for the boys
Arabic:
وقيل إن الكناني أخذ سيفه وقاتل عن الغلامين وهو يقول:
الليث من يمنع حافات الدار
ولا يزال مصلتا دون الجار
وقاتل حتى قتل.
English:
“It is also said that the Kinani took his sword and fought on behalf of the two boys, saying:
The lion is the one who protects the sides of the house,
and remains unsheathed before the neighbor.
And he fought until he was killed.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 40 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This version shows that the Kinani defender did not only speak.
He fought.
He defended the children until he was killed.
Core narration 5: Ibn Asakir’s fuller version
Arabic:
فلما رأى ذلك الكناني دخل بيته أخذ السيف ثم خرج ينشد عليهم بسيفه حاسرا وهو يقول:
الليث من يمنع حافات الدار
ولا يزال مصانا دون الدار
ألا فتى أزوع غير غدار
فقال له بسر: ثكلتك أمك والله ما أردنا قتلك فلما عرضت نفسك للقتل؟ فقال: أقتل دون جاري فعسى أعذر عند الله وعند الناس. فضرب بسيفه حتى قتل وقدم بسر الغلامين فذبحهما ذبحا.
English:
“When the Kinani saw that, he entered his house, took the sword, then came out rushing at them with his sword bare, saying:
The lion is the one who protects the sides of the house,
and remains guarded before the house,
Is there not a brave young man who is not treacherous?
Busr said to him: May your mother lose you! By Allah, we did not intend to kill you, so why did you expose yourself to death?
He replied: I will be killed defending my neighbor; perhaps I will have an excuse before Allah and before people.
So he struck with his sword until he was killed. Then Busr brought the two boys forward and slaughtered them.”
Reference:
Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, biography of Busr bin Abi Artat.
Status:
Sunni historical / biographical report.
Comment:
Look at his words:
أقتل دون جاري
“I will be killed defending my neighbor.”
This man knew the children were innocent.
He knew he could die.
But he chose to stand between Busr and the children.
That is courage.
That is humanity.
That is Islam.
Core narration 6: A woman from Banu Kinanah condemned the killing of children
Arabic:
فخرج نسوة من بني كنانة، فقالت امرأة منهن: يا هذا! قتلت الرجال فعلام تقتل هذين؟ والله ما كانوا يقتلون في الجاهلية والإسلام! والله يا ابن أبي أرطاة إن سلطانا لا يقوم إلا بقتل الصبي الصغير، والشيخ الكبير، ونزع الرحمة، وعقوق الأرحام لسلطان سوء!
English:
“Women from Banu Kinanah came out, and one of them said: O man! You killed the men, but why are you killing these two? By Allah, they were not killed in Jahiliyyah nor in Islam! By Allah, O Ibn Abi Artat, a rule that only stands by killing the small child, the old man, removing mercy, and cutting family ties is an evil rule!”
Reference:
Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 40 AH.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This woman said what many people today are afraid to say:
إن سلطانا لا يقوم إلا بقتل الصبي الصغير... لسلطان سوء
“A rule that only stands by killing the small child... is an evil rule.”
She did not call it ijtihad.
She called it an evil rule.
Core narration 7: Al-Mizzi preserves the same story in Tahdhib al-Kamal
Arabic:
وكان عبيد الله بن العباس قد جعل ابنيه هذين عبد الرحمن وقثم عند رجل من بني كنانة وكانا صغيرين، فلما انتهى إلى بني كنانة بعث إليهما ليقتلهما، فلما رأى ذلك الكناني دخل بيته وأخذ السيف، ثم خرج يشد عليهم بسيفه حاسرا.
English:
“Ubayd Allah bin Abbas had placed these two sons of his, Abd al-Rahman and Qutham, with a man from Banu Kinanah while they were small. When Busr reached Banu Kinanah, he sent for them to kill them. When the Kinani saw that, he entered his house, took the sword, then came out rushing at them with his sword bare.”
Reference:
Al-Mizzi, Tahdhib al-Kamal, biography of Busr bin Abi Artat.
Status:
Sunni rijal / historical report.
Comment:
Again, the source says the boys were small.
And the Kinani man took his sword to defend them.
Core narration 8: Ibn Abd al-Barr calls the massacre an ugly deed
Arabic:
وكان معاوية قد استعمله على اليمن أيام صفين... فقضى فيها هذه القضية الشنعاء.
English:
“Muawiya had appointed him over Yemen during the days of Siffin... and he committed this ugly / horrific deed there.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, biography of Busr bin Abi Artat.
Status:
Sunni biographical / historical report.
Comment:
Ibn Abd al-Barr did not beautify this.
He called it:
هذه القضية الشنعاء
“this ugly / horrific deed.”
Core narration 9: The campaign purpose was to kill the supporters of Imam Ali
Arabic:
لما وجه معاوية بسر بن أرطاة الفهري لقتل شيعة علي...
English:
“When Muawiya sent Busr bin Artat al-Fihri to kill the Shia/supporters of Ali...”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab.
Status:
Sunni historical report.
Comment:
This line is brutal and clear:
لقتل شيعة علي
“to kill the supporters of Ali.”
So do not pretend this was a neutral military operation.
It was a political campaign against Imam Ali’s side.
Now ask honestly:
Who had more Islam in that moment?
Busr, who came with the army and killed children?
Or the unnamed Kinani man, who said:
ولا ذنب لهما
“They have no sin.”
Who had more honor?
The one who slaughtered children?
Or the man who said:
If you kill them, kill me with them.
Who understood justice better?
The ruler whose campaign produced this massacre?
Or the woman of Banu Kinanah who said:
A rule that stands by killing small children is an evil rule.
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
The Kinani defender’s name may not have survived.
But his stand survived.
He died defending innocent children.
He died before the two sons of Ubayd Allah bin Abbas were slaughtered.
And this happened in the campaign that Sunni sources connect to Muawiya.
So do not tell us to stay silent.
Do not tell us to erase the blood of children.
Do not tell us Imam Hasan a.s’s treaty made oppression righteous.
The treaty was made to stop bloodshed.
It was not a certificate of innocence for the blood already spilled.
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