Who Killed Muhammad ibn Abi Hudhayfa Under Muawiya’s Rule?

Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa: Killed After Being Imprisoned by Muawiya’s Side According to Sunni Historical Sources

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

Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa was not an ordinary man. He was from Quraysh, raised under the care of Uthman, and later became connected with Egypt and the side of Imam Ali a.s.

Sunni sources record that Muawiya marched toward Egypt because he did not want Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa and the people of Egypt behind him before Siffin.

Arabic:

ثم كان من مسير معاوية بن أبي سفيان إلى مصر لما أراد المسير إلى صفّين، فرأى ألّا يترك أهل مصر مع ابن أبي حذيفة خلفه، فسار إليهم في عسكر كثيف

English:

“Then Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan marched to Egypt when he intended to go to Siffin, because he saw that he should not leave the people of Egypt behind him with Ibn Abi Hudhayfa. So he marched against them with a large army.”

Reference:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, biography of Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa.

Comment:

This clearly connects Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa’s case to Muawiya’s military planning before Siffin.

Then the sources mention a truce, but also betrayal by Muawiya’s army.

Arabic:

فدار الكلام بينهم في الموادعة ... وخرج مع جماعة منهم: عبد الرحمن بن عديسى، وكنانة بن بشر، وأبو شمر بن أبرهة بن الصباح، فلما بلغوا به غدر بهم عسكر معاوية وسجنوهم إلى أن قتلوا بعد ذلك

English:

“The discussion between them turned to a truce… and he went out with a group among whom were Abd al-Rahman bin Udays, Kinanah bin Bishr, and Abu Shamir bin Abraha bin al-Sabbah. When they reached him, Muawiya’s army betrayed them and imprisoned them until they were killed after that.”

Reference:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, biography of Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa.

Comment:

The wording is very important: غدر بهم عسكر معاوية — “Muawiya’s army betrayed them.”

Another Sunni report says even more directly that Muawiya deceived Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa.

Arabic:

خدع معاوية محمد بن أبي حذيفة حتى خرج إلى العريش في ثلاثين نفسا، فحاصره ونصب عليه المنجنيق، حتى نزل على صلح، فحبس ثم قتل

English:

“Muawiya deceived Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa until he came out to al-Arish with thirty men. Then he besieged him and set up the mangonel against him until he surrendered on a truce. Then he was imprisoned and killed.”

Reference:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, quoting Abu Ahmad al-Hakim.

Comment:

This is one of the clearest reports. The words are not mine. The source says: “Muawiya deceived Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa.”

Al-Dhahabi also records that Muawiya took them into Syria, separated them, and imprisoned Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa in Damascus.

Arabic:

انطلق ابن أبي حذيفة مع معاوية، حتى دخل بهم الشام، ففرقهم نصفين، فسجن ابن أبي حذيفة وجماعة بدمشق، وسجن ابن عديس وجماعة ببعلبك

English:

“Ibn Abi Hudhayfa went with Muawiya until he entered Syria with them. He divided them into two groups, imprisoning Ibn Abi Hudhayfa and a group in Damascus, and imprisoning Ibn Udays and a group in Baalbek.”

Reference:

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

Comment:

This confirms the imprisonment under Muawiya’s authority in Syria.

Al-Dhahabi also quotes Ibn Yunus and says that Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa was killed in Palestine and that Muawiya had removed him from Egypt.

Arabic:

وقال ابن يونس: قتل ابن أبي حذيفة بفلسطين سنة ست وثلاثين وكان ممن أخرجه معاوية من مصر

English:

“Ibn Yunus said: Ibn Abi Hudhayfa was killed in Palestine in the year 36 AH, and he was among those whom Muawiya removed from Egypt.”

Reference:

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

Comment:

This is short but powerful: Muawiya removed him from Egypt, and he was later killed in Palestine.

Ibn Kathir also preserves a version where Amr bin al-‘As sent him to Muawiya, Muawiya imprisoned him in Palestine, then he escaped and was killed.

Arabic:

فبعثه عمرو بن العاص إلى معاوية ولم يبادر إلى قتله؛ لأنه ابن خال معاوية، فحبسه معاوية بفلسطين فهرب من السجن ... فلحقه رجل من خثعم يقال له: عبد الله بن عمرو بن ظلام ... فخشي عبد الله بن ظلام أن يرده إلى معاوية فيعفو عنه، فضرب عنقه هنالك

English:

“Amr bin al-‘As sent him to Muawiya and did not rush to kill him because he was Muawiya’s maternal cousin. So Muawiya imprisoned him in Palestine, and he escaped from prison… A man from Khath‘am named Abdullah bin Amr bin Zilam caught up with him… Abdullah bin Zilam feared that if he returned him to Muawiya, Muawiya would pardon him, so he struck off his neck there.”

Reference:

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

Comment:

In this version, the direct killer is not Muawiya himself. But the report clearly says Muawiya imprisoned him in Palestine before he escaped and was killed.

Ibn Abd al-Barr records another version where the killer was connected to Muawiya’s household.

Arabic:

فلما قتل عثمان هرب إلى الشام، فوجده رشدين مولى معاوية فقتله

English:

“When Uthman was killed, he fled to Syria. Rushdin, the freedman of Muawiya, found him and killed him.”

Reference:

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

Comment:

This version differs in details, but again the killing is connected to Muawiya’s side through “مولى معاوية” — the freedman/client of Muawiya.

Ibn Hajar honestly records that Sunni sources differed about the direct killer.

Arabic:

واختلف في وفاته، فقال ابن قتيبة: قتله رشدين مولى معاوية، وقال ابن الكلبيّ: قتله مالك بن هبيرة السكونيّ

English:

“They differed about his death. Ibn Qutaybah said: Rushdin, the freedman of Muawiya, killed him. Ibn al-Kalbi said: Malik bin Hubayrah al-Sakuni killed him.”

Reference:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, biography of Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa.

Comment:

This is why the fair wording is not “Muawiya personally killed him with his own hand.” The fair wording is: he was captured, deceived, imprisoned, and later killed under Muawiya’s authority, while sources differ on the direct killer.

This is not a Shia-only story.

This is recorded in:

Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah

Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah

Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab

The fair wording is this:

Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa was killed after being captured and imprisoned under Muawiya’s authority. Some Sunni reports say Muawiya deceived him and imprisoned him. Some say Muawiya’s army betrayed his group. Some say he escaped Muawiya’s prison and was then killed by a Khath‘ami man. Some say Rushdin, the freedman of Muawiya, killed him. So the direct killer differs in reports, but the connection to Muawiya’s side is clear.

Important note:

The sources differ about the exact year and direct killer. Some place his killing in 36 AH, while Ibn Kathir mentions it under events of 38 AH. So the honest wording is: “Sunni historical sources preserve these reports,” not “every Sunni source agrees on every detail.”

But the main point remains:

Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa appears in Sunni historical sources as a man deceived, imprisoned, and later killed under Muawiya’s authority.

Now return to 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

Allah also says:

Arabic:

من قتل نفسا بغير نفس أو فساد في الأرض فكأنما قتل الناس جميعا

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

So ask honestly:

If Sunni sources say “Muawiya deceived Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfa,” and “Muawiya’s army betrayed them,” and “Muawiya imprisoned him,” and then he was killed, why do people become angry when Shias mention this?

When people present Muawiya’s side as innocent, peaceful, and purely “ijtihadi,” they should first answer the Qur’an and then answer these Sunni historical reports.