Muslim ibn Aqeel was the cousin of Imam Hussein and was the son of Aqeel Ibn Abutalib, brother of Imam Ali. Muslim ibn Aqeel was sent ahead as an envoy to Kufa to see if the people could be trusted to be loyal.

Imam Hussein received a letter from people of Kufa with these words: “We invite you to come to Kufa as we have no Imam to guide us. Through you Allah will unite us on the path of truth."

There followed hundreds of other letters and many special emissaries from the people of Kufa to Imam Hussein. Receiving so many petitions and messages from Kufa, Imam Hussein decided to send Muslim ibn Aqeel, who was a famous warrior, as his emissary to Kufa to study the situation there and report him.

He also wrote a letter to the people of Kufa and gave it to Muslim ibn Aqeel. In this letter he said,

“I am sending my cousin and one of the most trusted ones from my family, Muslim ibn Aqeel, to report to me about your affairs. If his report agrees with what you have written I will soon be with you. You must be clear of the fact that the Imam is the only one who follows the book of Allah, and serves Allah in all matters and affairs with justice, honesty and truth.”

Imam Hussein said to Muslim Ibn Aqeel everyone knows that you are one of the bravest warriors and it is possible that some people seeing you on your own may that our intention is to fight Yazid. Take your two sons Mohamed and Ibrahim with you; when they see you with such young sons they will know they will know that out intentions are peaceful.

On reaching Kufa, more than eighteen thousand people appeared before Muslim ibn Aqeel and pledged their allegiance to Imam Hussein as their Imam. Seeing this Muslim ibn Aqeel reported to the Imam that he should proceed to Kufa as situation is ok.

Amongst the people of Kufa there were many spies of Yazid. When Yazid heard from them of the invitations to Imam Hussein and the arrival in Kufa of Muslim ibn Aqeel ibn Aqeel he was filled with anger. He sent a message to his Governor in Basra Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad to go to Kufa and take over the position of the governor of Kufa. Ibn Ziyad was also told to arrest Muslim and kill him. Arriving in Kufa, he addressed the people of Kufa announcing his appointment as Yazid's governor. He then ordered them to surrender Muslim ibn Aqeel to him. Ibn Ziyad sealed Kufa.

When this announcement was made Muslim Ibn Aqeel secretly moved to Hani Ibn Urwa’s house but ibn Ziyad found out where Muslim ibn Aqeel was. Hani was arrested and thrown into prison. Muslim ibn Aqeel and his two sons left Hani's house leaving the children with Qadhi Shurayb, a judge, and went into the desert to try to get back to Imam Hussein to warn him not to come to Kufa.

After Ibn Ziyads order the Kufans became hostile towards Muslim Ibn Aqeel and did not give him sanctuary. Tired, hungry and exhausted Muslim Ibn Aqeel on the door of a house on the outskirts of the city, he had reached the house of an old lady who was the follower of the Ahlul-Bayt she offered him shelter for the night. However, when her son learnt that the man that Ibn Ziyad was looking for was at his mother’s house, he in greed of the reward gave the information to Ibn Ziyad. Early the next morning Ibn Ziyads army surrounded the house and demanded Muslim Ibn Aqeel’s surrender. Muslim Ibn Aqeel came out fought the army bravely but in the end Ibn Ziyads army captured him.

When Muslim ibn Aqeel ibn Abi Talib was arrested, ibn Ziyad told ibn Aqeel that he would be killed and asked him if he had any last wishes. Muslim ibn Aqeel said: “I owe a debt which should be paid off by selling off my sword and armor. Secondly I want my body to be given a proper burial. Thirdly I want a message sent to Imam Hussein advising him not to come to Kufa.” ibn Ziyad agreed to the first request refusing the last two. He then ordered Muslim ibn Aqeel to be taken to the roof of the palace to be executed and his body thrown to the ground.

Immediately after Muslim's death, Hani ibn Urwah was dragged to the rooftop and executed. Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel’s two sons, Mohammad and Ibrahim, were also killed in Kufa.

Submitted by Fateema Suleiman