Al-Wāqidī (1) relates: Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad al-Zubayrī told me, from ʿUthmān ibn ʿUrwah, from his father.

Ishāq ibn Yaḥyā ibn Ṭalḥah and others likewise narrated to us. They said:

Al-Mukhtār was harsher toward Ibn al-Zubayr than anyone else. He began spreading the claim that Ibn al-Zubayr had first sought the caliphate on behalf of Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah but then wronged him. Continually extolling Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah and summoning people to his cause, he secured their private pledges of allegiance.

Some people hesitated and said, “We have given this man our oaths because he asserts that he is the envoy of Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah, yet the latter is in Mecca, not far from us.”

A party therefore went to see Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah, informed him of al-Mukhtār’s activity, and he replied, “As you can see, we are confined (2). I would not trade the dominion of the whole world for the killing of a single believer. I would rather that Allah grant us victory through whomsoever He wills, so beware of the liars.”

It is said that al-Mukhtār drafted a letter in Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah’s name and sent it to Ibrāhīm ibn al-Ashṭar. He then came seeking permission to enter—some maintained, “Al-Mukhtār is the trustee and emissary of the Prophet’s family.” Permission was granted, he was welcomed, and—being an eloquent speaker—he addressed Ibrāhīm, saying:

“You are a household whom Allah has honored with supporting the Prophet’s family. You know what wrongs have been committed against them. The Mahdī has written you a letter, and here are its witnesses (3).”

The witnesses declared, “We testify that this is indeed his letter; we were present when he handed it over.”

Ibrāhīm read it and said, “I am the first to answer the call. We have been commanded to obey and assist you; therefore say whatever you will.”

After that he rode out to visit al-Mukhtār every day, and the matter settled firmly in people’s hearts.

News of this reached Ibn al-Zubayr, and he grew estranged from Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah.

Al-Mukhtār’s influence meanwhile increased. He pursued the murderers of al-Ḥusayn and executed them. He dispatched Ibn al-Ashṭar with twenty thousand men against ʿUbayd Allah ibn Ziyād; Ibn al-Ashṭar defeated him and sent his head to al-Mukhtār, who forwarded it to Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah and ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn. The Banū Hāshim invoked blessings for al-Mukhtār, though Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah disliked much of what he was doing.

Al-Mukhtār then wrote