Why Was a Sahabi’s Severed Head Sent to Muawiya?

Amr bin al-Hamiq al-Khuza‘i — A Sahabi of the Prophet, hunted by Muawiya’s authorities, and his head sent to Muawiya

Amr bin al-Hamiq al-Khuza‘i was not an ordinary political opponent.

Sunni biographical sources mention him as a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, a supporter of Imam Ali a.s, and one of those who fought with Imam Ali a.s in his wars.

His case is one of the most disturbing cases in the history of Muawiya’s rule, because Sunni sources record that he was hunted, captured, killed according to one version, and his head was sent to Muawiya.

Core narration 1: Amr bin al-Hamiq was a Companion and fought with Imam Ali

Arabic:

عمرو بن الحمق بن الكاهن الخزاعي... صحابي... وشهد مع علي حروبه، وكان على خزاعة يوم صفين.

English:

“Amr bin al-Hamiq bin al-Kahin al-Khuza‘i... a Companion... He witnessed Ali’s wars with him, and he was over Khuza‘ah on the day of Siffin.”

Reference:

Al-Zirikli, al-A‘lam, biography of Amr bin al-Hamiq al-Khuza‘i.

Status:

Sunni biographical report.

Comment:

This establishes that Amr bin al-Hamiq was not some unknown rebel. He was a Sahabi and one of Imam Ali’s supporters.

Core narration 2: Muawiya’s authorities hunted Amr bin al-Hamiq

Arabic:

وطلب أصحابه، فخرج عمرو بن الحمق حتى أتى الموصل ومعه رفاعة بن شداد فاختفيا بجبل هناك، فرفع خبرهما إلى عامل الموصل، فسار إليهما... وأخذ عمرو أسيرا... فبعثوه إلى عامل الموصل، وهو عبد الرحمن بن عثمان الثقفي الذي يعرف بابن أم الحكم، وهو ابن أخت معاوية، فعرفه فكتب فيه إلى معاوية.

English:

“His companions were sought, so Amr bin al-Hamiq went out until he reached Mosul, and with him was Rifa‘ah bin Shaddad. They hid in a mountain there. Their news was raised to the governor of Mosul, so he went to them... Amr was taken prisoner... They sent him to the governor of Mosul, Abd al-Rahman bin Uthman al-Thaqafi, known as Ibn Umm al-Hakam, who was the son of Muawiya’s sister. He recognized him and wrote about him to Muawiya.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Sunni historical report.

Comment:

This shows that Amr bin al-Hamiq was captured under Muawiya’s administrative system, and the governor wrote to Muawiya about him.

Core narration 3: Muawiya ordered that he be stabbed

Arabic:

فكتب إليه: إنه زعم أنه طعن عثمان تسع طعنات بمشاقص معه، فاطعنه كما طعن عثمان. فأخرج وطعن، فمات في الأولى منهن أو الثانية.

English:

“Muawiya wrote to him: He claimed that he stabbed Uthman nine times with arrowheads he had, so stab him as he stabbed Uthman. So he was brought out and stabbed; he died from the first or second of them.”

Reference:

Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of year 51 AH.

Status:

Historical report.

Comment:

This is the strongest version directly connecting Muawiya’s written order to the killing of Amr bin al-Hamiq.

Core narration 4: His head was sent to Muawiya

Arabic:

حدثنا شريك عن أبي إسحاق عن هنيدة بن خالد الخزاعي قال: أول رأس أهدي في الإسلام رأس عمرو بن الحمق، أهدي إلى معاوية.

English:

“Sharik narrated to us from Abu Ishaq, from Hunaydah bin Khalid al-Khuza‘i, who said: The first head gifted in Islam was the head of Amr bin al-Hamiq; it was gifted to Muawiya.”

Reference:

Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Musannaf, Kitab al-Awa’il.

Status:

Historical athar/report.

Comment:

This is a terrifying sentence: the first head gifted in Islam was the head of Amr bin al-Hamiq, and it was gifted to Muawiya.

Core narration 5: Ibn Abd al-Barr’s version

Arabic:

فأخذ عامل الموصل رأسه، وحمله به زياد إلى معاوية، كان أول رأس حُمل في الإسلام.

English:

“The governor of Mosul took his head, and Ziyad carried it to Muawiya. It was the first head carried in Islam.”

Reference:

Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, biography of Amr bin al-Hamiq al-Khuza‘i.

Status:

Sunni biographical/historical report.

Comment:

This confirms the same core idea: Amr bin al-Hamiq’s head was taken and sent to Muawiya.

Core narration 6: Variant report — he died from snake bite, then his head was still sent to Muawiya

Arabic:

فدخل غارا فنهشته حية فمات، فأخذ عامل الموصل رأسه فأرسله إلى زياد فبعث به زياد إلى معاوية، فكان أول رأس حمل في الإسلام.

English:

“He entered a cave, and a snake bit him, so he died. The governor of Mosul took his head and sent it to Ziyad, then Ziyad sent it to Muawiya. It was the first head carried in Islam.”

Reference:

Al-Zirikli, al-A‘lam, biography of Amr bin al-Hamiq.

Status:

Historical variant.

Comment:

Even in the variant where he dies from a snake bite, the ugly fact remains: his head was cut off and sent to Muawiya.

Core narration 7: Report about Banu Umayyah killing him and his head being the first carried

Arabic:

والله إن كنت في حجر في جوف حجر لاستخرجني بنو أمية حتى يقتلوني. حدثني به حبيبي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أن رأسي أول رأس يحتز في الإسلام، وينقل من بلد إلى بلد.

English:

“By Allah, even if I were inside a stone within a stone, Banu Umayyah would extract me until they kill me. My beloved, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, told me that my head would be the first head cut off in Islam and carried from one land to another.”

Reference:

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

Status:

Weak chain. Al-Haythami said in its chain is Abdullah bin Abd al-Malik al-Mas‘udi, and he is weak.

Comment:

This report is not strong as a hadith, but it shows how famous the story of Amr’s head became in early historical memory.

Important note:

There are different versions about how Amr bin al-Hamiq died.

One version says Muawiya wrote that he should be stabbed, and he died from the first or second stab.

Another version says he died from a snake bite while hiding, then his head was cut off and sent to Muawiya.

But both versions agree on the central horror:

Amr bin al-Hamiq was hunted by Muawiya’s side, and his head was sent to Muawiya.

Now ask honestly:

What kind of rule hunts a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ?

What kind of rule sends the head of a Muslim to a ruler?

What kind of politics turns the head of a Sahabi into a gift?

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

Amr bin al-Hamiq al-Khuza‘i was a Sahabi.

He was one of Imam Ali’s supporters.

He was hunted by Muawiya’s authorities.

And Sunni historical sources say his head was sent to Muawiya.

So do not use Imam Hasan a.s’s peace treaty to erase this blood.

The treaty was made to stop bloodshed.

It was not a certificate of innocence for the blood already spilled.