about two hundred slaves.

It is reported that Yazīd wrote to his governor ʿAmr ibn Saʿīd: “Dispatch a force against Ibn al-Zubayr.” ʿAmr asked, “Who is the fiercest of people in enmity toward him?” They replied, “His own brother ʿAmr.” So ʿAmr set out at the head of one thousand Syrian troops to fight his brother.

Jubayr ibn Shaybah said to him, “Someone other than you was more suited to this task. You are heading toward Allah’s Sacred Precinct, His haven of security, and toward your brother—advanced in age and merit—intending to fix an iron collar on him. I do not think the people will allow you to carry out what you intend.”

He replied, “I will fight anyone who bars my way.”

He then took up residence in his house near al-Ṣafā and opened correspondence with his brother. Ibn al-Zubayr’s stance softened, and he said:

“I hear and obey. You are Yazīd’s governor and I will pray behind you; I have no objection. But to have a collar fastened round my neck and be led away—never! Go back to your master.”

ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣafwān then advanced with a force; the two sides met, the Syrians were routed, and ʿAmr was brought in wounded and captive.

His brother ʿUbaydah ibn al-Zubayr said, “I grant him protection.”

ʿAbd Allāh replied, “As for my own right, yes; as for the people’s right, there must be retaliation.”

So he exposed him to the people. A man would come forward and say, “He plucked out my beard,” and ʿAbd Allāh would say, “Pluck out his beard!” (1)

Muṣʿab ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf said, “He flogged me a hundred lashes,” so ʿAmr was flogged one hundred times. He died, and his brother crucified him.

Others said that he died while they were dragging him off to prison, after which he was crucified; al-Ḥajjāj later crucified Ibn al-Zubayr in that very spot (2).

100 – ʿAmr ibn Akhtab, Abū Zayd al-Anṣārī* (M, 4), of the Khazraj tribe, a Madinan, known as al-Aʿraj (“the Lame”).