Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

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Sermon
67

SERMON 67

When Amir al-mu'minin appointed
Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr (1)
Governor of Egypt and he was overpowered and killed, Amir
al-mu'minin said:

I had intended to send
Hashim ibn Utbah to Egypt and had l done so he would have made
way for the opponents nor given them time (to get hold of him).
This is without reproach to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr as I loved him
and had brought him up.

(1).
Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr's mother was Asma' bint Umays whom Amir
al-mu'minin married after Abu Bakr's death. Consequently, Muhammad
lived and was brought up under the care of Amir al-mu'minin and he
imbibed his ways and manners. Amir al-mu'minin too loved him much
and regarded him as his son, and used to say "Muhammad is my
son from Abu Bakr." He was born in the journey for the last
hajj (of the Prophet) and died as martyr in 38 A.H. at the age of
twenty eight years.

On accession to the
Caliphate Amir al-mu'minin had selected Qays ibn Sad ibn Ubadah
as the Governor of Egypt but circumstances so developed that he
had to be removed and Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr had to be sent there
as Governor. The policy of Qays there was that he did not want to
take any serious step against the Uthmani group but Muhammad's
view was different. After the lapse of a month he sent them word
that in case they did not obey him their existence there would be
impossible. Upon this these people organised a front against him,
and engaged themselves in secret wire-pullings, but became
conspicuous soon. After arbitration they started creating trouble
with the slogan of vengeance. This polluted the atmosphere of
Egypt. When Amir al-mu'minin came to know these deteriorated
conditions he gave the governorship of Egypt to Malik ibn
al-Harith al-Ashtar and sent him off there in order that he might
suppress insurgent elements and save the administration from
getting worse, but he could not escape the evil designs of the
Umayyads and was killed by poison while on his way. Thus, the
governorship of Egypt remained with Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr.

On this side, the
performance of Amr ibn al-As in connection with the Arbitration
made Muawiyah recall his own promise. Consequently, he gave him
six thousand combatants and set him off to attack Egypt. When
Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr knew of the advancing force of the enemy he
wrote to Amir al-mu'minin for help. Amir al-mu'minin replied that
he would be soon collecting help for him but in the meantime he
should mobilise his own forces. Muhammad mobilised four thousand
men under his banner and divided them into two parts. He kept one
part with himself and on the other he placed Kinanah ibn Bishr
at-Tujibi in command and ordered him to go forward to check the
enemy's advance. When they settled down in camp before the enemy
various parties of the enemy began attacking them but they faced
them with courage and valour. At last Muawiyah ibn Hudayj
as-Sakuni al-Kindi made an assault with full force. These people
did not turn away from the enemy's swords but faced them
steadfastly and fell as martyrs in action. The effect of this
defeat was that Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr's men got frightened and
deserted him. Finding himself alone Muhammad fled away and sought
refuge in a deserted place. The enemy however got news about him
through someone and traced him out when he was dying with thirst.
Muhammad asked for water but these cruel men refused and butchered
him thirsty. Then they put his body in the belly of a dead ass and
burnt it.

Malik ibn Kab
al-Arhabi had already left Kufah with two thousand men but before
he could reach Egypt it had been occupied by the enemy.