The Slaying of Shimr ibn Dhī Jawshan, commander of the detachment that killed al-Ḥusayn

The leading men of Kūfah fled to Basra and sought refuge with Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr. Among those who made their escape was Shimr ibn Dhī Jawshan—may Allah disfigure him. Al-Mukhtār sent a servant of his, a youth called Zarnab (1), to track him down.

When the pursuer drew near, Shimr said to his companions, “Ride on ahead and leave me behind, as though you had run off and abandoned me, so that this ʿilj (foreign lout) will fancy he can seize me.” They pressed forward while Shimr dropped to the rear. Zarnab caught up with him; Shimr wheeled round and struck him a blow that broke his back and killed him. He then rode on, leaving the corpse.

Shimr wrote a letter to Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr in Basra, warning him of his approach and of his intention to present himself before him—for everyone who had escaped from the battle was heading for Muṣʿab. He entrusted the letter to a non-Arab serf from the village where he was lodging, called al-Kaltāniyyah (2), situated by a river beside a hill.

The messenger set off but met another ʿilj, who asked, “Where are you going?”
“To Muṣʿab.”
“From whom?”
“From Shimr.”
“Come with me to my master.” That master proved to be Abū ʿAmrah, commander of al-Mukhtār’s personal guard, who had already mounted in pursuit of Shimr. The messenger guided Abū ʿAmrah to him.

Shimr’s own men had advised him to shift from that spot, but he retorted, “All this is nothing but fear of the impostor! By Allah, I shall not move from here for three days until I have filled their hearts with terror.”

That night Abū ʿAmrah swept down on them with cavalry, giving them no time to mount or arm themselves. Shimr ibn Dhī Jawshan sprang at them, thrusting with his spear while naked, then ducked into his tent, drew a sword, and cried:
“You have roused a lion from his lair, bold and fierce, (3)
grim-faced, one who smashes necks.
Never was he seen to shrink from an enemy; (4)
he either presses on in combat or he kills.
He scatters them with his blows and slakes the thirsty blade. (5)”

He went on fighting for his life until he was slain. When his routed companions heard the takbīr and the shout of al-Mukhtār’s men, “Allāhu akbar! The wretch is dead,” they realized that he had indeed been killed—may Allah curse him.

Abū Mikhnaf relates, on the authority of Yūnus ibn Abī Isḥāq: “When al-Mukhtār left Jabbānat al-Sabīʿ and drew near…”