Who Killed Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr and Burned His Body?

The Killing of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr in Sunni Historical Sources

Before discussing history, first read the Qur’an.

Allah says about intentionally killing a believer:

Arabic:

ومن يقتل مؤمنا متعمدا فجزاؤه جهنم خالدا فيها وغضب الله عليه ولعنه وأعد له عذابا عظيما

English:

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment 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

This is not a small issue. The Qur’an does not treat the blood of a believer as a political mistake, tribal excuse, or “ijtihad.”

Before anyone calls this “Shia propaganda,” read what Sunni historical and biographical sources themselves record.

Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was not an ordinary political figure. He was the son of Abu Bakr, and he was raised in the house of Imam Ali a.s after his mother Asma bint Umays married Imam Ali a.s. During the conflict over Egypt, he was governor of Egypt from Imam Ali a.s’s side.

Sunni sources record that Muawiya sent Amr bin al-‘As against Egypt in the year 38 AH, and Muawiya bin Hudayj was part of that campaign.

Arabic:

بعث معاوية عمرو بن العاص في سنة ثمان وثلاثين إلى مصر ومعه أهل دمشق ... ومعاوية ابن حديج على الخارجة ... فساروا حتى قدموا مصر فاقتتلوا

English:

“Muawiya sent Amr bin al-‘As in the year 38 AH to Egypt, with the people of Damascus… and Muawiya bin Hudayj was over the vanguard… They marched until they reached Egypt and fought.”

Reference:

Abu Umar al-Kindi, Kitab al-Wulat wa Kitab al-Qudat, p. 29.

Comment:

So the Egypt campaign was not independent. It was from Muawiya’s political and military side.

When Muhammad bin Abi Bakr’s army collapsed, he hid in a ruin. Sunni historians record that Muawiya bin Hudayj found him while he was almost dying of thirst.

Arabic:

فدخلوا عليه فاستخرجوه منها وقد كاد يموت عطشا

English:

“They entered upon him and brought him out while he was almost dying of thirst.”

Reference:

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

This was not a normal battlefield death. He was found weakened and thirsty.

Even Amr bin al-‘As reportedly ordered that Muhammad bin Abi Bakr should not be killed, but Muawiya bin Hudayj refused.

Arabic:

فبعث عمرو بن العاص إلى معاوية بن حديج أن يأتيه بمحمد بن أبي بكر ولا يقتله

English:

“Amr bin al-‘As sent to Muawiya bin Hudayj ordering him to bring Muhammad bin Abi Bakr to him and not kill him.”

Reference:

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

This makes the brutality even clearer: an order not to kill him was allegedly ignored.

Al-Tabari records that Muhammad bin Abi Bakr asked for water, but Muawiya bin Hudayj refused.

Arabic:

فقال لهم محمد: اسقوني من الماء. قال له معاوية بن حديج: لا سقاه الله إن سقاك قطرة أبدا

English:

“Muhammad said to them: ‘Give me water.’ Muawiya bin Hudayj said to him: ‘May Allah not give him drink if I give you even a drop, ever.’”

Reference:

Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

A thirsty captive asking for water was denied water before being killed.

Then the threat was made openly:

Arabic:

أتدري ما أصنع بك؟ أدخلك في جوف حمار، ثم أحرقه عليك بالنار

English:

“Do you know what I will do to you? I will put you inside the belly of a donkey, then burn it over you with fire.”

Reference:

Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

This is not a Shia book. This is Sunni historical reporting.

Then al-Tabari records the actual killing:

Arabic:

فغضب معاوية فقدمه فقتله ثم ألقاه في جيفة حمار ثم أحرقه بالنار

English:

“Muawiya became angry, brought him forward and killed him. Then he threw him into the carcass of a donkey and burned him with fire.”

Reference:

Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

The direct killer here is Muawiya bin Hudayj, and the method recorded is killing, donkey carcass, and burning.

Ibn Kathir also preserves the same core report from Ibn Jarir al-Tabari:

Arabic:

وقد ذكر ابن جرير، أن محمد بن أبي بكر نال من معاوية بن حديج هذا وشتمه، ومن عمرو بن العاص، ومن معاوية ومن عثمان بن عفان أيضا؛ فعند ذلك غضب معاوية بن حديج، فقدمه فقتله، ثم جعله في جيفة حمار فأحرقه بالنار

English:

“Ibn Jarir mentioned that Muhammad bin Abi Bakr spoke harshly against Muawiya bin Hudayj and insulted him, and also Amr bin al-‘As, Muawiya, and Uthman bin Affan. Then Muawiya bin Hudayj became angry, brought him forward and killed him; then he placed him in the carcass of a donkey and burned him with fire.”

Reference:

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

Even Ibn Kathir records the killing and burning.

Abu Umar al-Kindi records:

Arabic:

فقال معاوية بن حديج: قتلت من قومي ثمانين رجلا في عثمان وأتركك وأنت صاحبه. فقتله ثم جعله في جيفة حمار ميت فأحرقه بالنار

English:

“Muawiya bin Hudayj said: ‘I killed eighty men from my people for Uthman, and shall I leave you while you were his companion?’ So he killed him, then placed him in the carcass of a dead donkey and burned him with fire.”

Reference:

Abu Umar al-Kindi, Kitab al-Wulat wa Kitab al-Qudat, p. 29.

Comment:

This report directly names Muawiya bin Hudayj as the killer.

Al-Mizzi also quotes the Egyptian historian Ibn Yunus:

Arabic:

فقال: احفظوني لأبي بكر، فقال له معاوية بن حديج: قتلت ثمانين رجلا من قومي في دم عثمان وأتركك وأنت صاحبه؟ فقتله، ثم جعله في جيفة حمار ميت، وأحرقه بالنار

English:

“He said: ‘Protect me for the sake of Abu Bakr.’ Muawiya bin Hudayj said to him: ‘I killed eighty men from my people for the blood of Uthman, and shall I leave you while you were his companion?’ So he killed him, then placed him in the carcass of a dead donkey and burned him with fire.”

Reference:

Al-Mizzi, Tahdhib al-Kamal, biography of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr, quoting Abu Sa‘id ibn Yunus.

Comment:

Again, the same core event appears: killed, placed in a dead donkey, and burned.

Al-Dhahabi records the same in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala:

Arabic:

فقال: احفظوني في أبي بكر. فقال معاوية بن حديج: قتلت ثمانين من قومي في دم الشهيد عثمان، وأتركك وأنت صاحبه! فقتله، ودسه في بطن حمار ميت، وأحرقه

English:

“He said: ‘Protect me for the sake of Abu Bakr.’ Muawiya bin Hudayj said: ‘I killed eighty of my people for the blood of the martyr Uthman, and shall I leave you while you were his companion?’ So he killed him, stuffed him into the belly of a dead donkey, and burned him.”

Reference:

Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, biography of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr.

Comment:

Al-Dhahabi, a major Sunni historian, also preserves the same report.

Al-Dhahabi also states in Tarikh al-Islam:

Arabic:

وسيّر معاوية من الشام معاوية بن حديج على مصر أيضًا، وعلى حرب محمد ... فقتله ثم جعله في بطن حمار وأحرقه

English:

“Muawiya sent from Syria Muawiya bin Hudayj also against Egypt and against Muhammad… So he killed him, then placed him in the belly of a donkey and burned him.”

Reference:

Al-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

This wording clearly links Muawiya’s Syrian side to the campaign.

Ibn al-Athir records:

Arabic:

ولما ولي مصر، سار إليه عمرو بن العاص فاقتتلوا، فانهزم محمد ودخل خربة، فأخرج منها وقتل، وأحرق في جوف حمار ميت. قيل: قتله معاوية بن حديج السكوني. وقيل: قتله عمرو بن العاص صبرا

English:

“When he became governor of Egypt, Amr bin al-‘As marched against him and they fought. Muhammad was defeated and entered a ruin; he was brought out from it and killed, and burned in the belly of a dead donkey. It is said Muawiya bin Hudayj al-Sakuni killed him, and it is said Amr bin al-‘As killed him as a captive.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma‘rifat al-Sahabah, vol. 4, p. 326.

Comment:

Even when Ibn al-Athir mentions variant opinions about the exact killer, the burning in the donkey remains part of the report.

Ibn Abd al-Barr also records the donkey-burning report:

Arabic:

فسار إليه عمرو بن العاص فاقتتلوا، فانهزم محمد بن أبي بكر، فدخل في خربة فيها حمار ميت، فدخل في جوفه فأحرق في جوف الحمار. وقيل: بل قتله معاوية بن حديج في المعركة، ثم أحرق في جوف الحمار بعد

English:

“Amr bin al-‘As marched against him and they fought. Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was defeated and entered a ruin in which there was a dead donkey; he entered its belly and was burned inside the donkey. It is also said that Muawiya bin Hudayj killed him in the battle, then he was burned in the belly of the donkey afterwards.”

Reference:

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

Comment:

The details differ slightly, but the brutal burning remains in the Sunni biographical record.

Al-Haythami quotes al-Tabarani:

Arabic:

وعن الحسن قال: أخذ الفاسق محمد بن أبي بكر في شعب من شعاب مصر، فأدخل في جوف حمار فأحرق

English:

“From al-Hasan, he said: ‘The sinner Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was captured in one of the mountain passes of Egypt, then he was put into the belly of a donkey and burned.’”

Reference:

Al-Haythami, Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, vol. 9, p. 97/100. He says: رواه الطبراني، ورجاله ثقات — “al-Tabarani narrated it, and its men are trustworthy.”

Comment:

Even a hadith-style collection records the burning, though this is a historical athar, not a Prophetic hadith.

Aisha’s reaction is also recorded. When she heard what happened, she grieved deeply and prayed against Muawiya and Amr bin al-‘As.

Arabic:

فلما بلغ ذلك عائشة جزعت عليه جزعا شديدا، وضمت عياله إليها، وكان فيهم ابنه القاسم، وجعلت تدعو على معاوية وعمرو بن العاص دبر الصلوات

English:

“When that reached Aisha, she grieved intensely over him, took his family into her care, among them his son al-Qasim, and she began supplicating against Muawiya and Amr bin al-‘As after the prayers.”

Reference:

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, events of 38 AH.

Comment:

This is a very important point: even Aisha is reported to have prayed against Muawiya and Amr after the killing of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr.

Ibn al-Athir records her pain even more clearly:

Arabic:

ولما بلغ عائشة قتله اشتد عليها وقالت: كنت أعده ولدا وأخا، ومذ أحرق لم تأكل عائشة لحما مشويا

English:

“When news of his killing reached Aisha, it became very hard upon her and she said: ‘I used to count him as a son and a brother.’ And from the time he was burned, Aisha did not eat roasted meat.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 4, p. 326.

Comment:

The killing was so horrifying that Sunni sources record Aisha stopped eating roasted meat after it.

Now ask a simple question:

If this was done by the political and military side of Muawiya, and if Sunni historians repeatedly recorded that Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was killed, placed in a donkey carcass, and burned, then why do some people get angry when Shias mention it?

This is not a Shia-only story.

This is recorded in:

Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah

Abu Umar al-Kindi, Kitab al-Wulat wa Kitab al-Qudat

Al-Mizzi, Tahdhib al-Kamal

Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala

Al-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam

Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah

Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab

Al-Haythami, Majma‘ al-Zawa’id quoting al-Tabarani

The fair wording is this:

Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was killed during the Egypt campaign launched by Muawiya’s side under Amr bin al-‘As. The main reports name Muawiya bin Hudayj as the direct killer. Multiple Sunni sources record that after being killed, he was placed in the belly, carcass, or skin of a donkey and burned.

So when people try to present Muawiya’s side as innocent, peaceful, and purely “ijtihadi,” they should first answer these Sunni historical reports.