And other people believe that he was a just leader who guided others and was himself rightly guided, that he was one of the Companions—or even one of their foremost members—and that he was among the friends of Allah Most High. Some may even believe that he was one of the prophets. They say: “Whoever withholds judgment concerning Yazīd, Allah will make him stand over the fire of Hell.”

They also relate, on the authority of Shaykh “Hasan ibn Adī,” that there were so-and-so many saints, and that those who withheld judgment concerning him stood over the Fire because of what they said about Yazīd. In Shaykh Hasan’s time, they introduced falsehoods in both verse and prose. They went to extremes concerning Shaykh Adī “and concerning Yazīd,” making claims contrary to the path followed by Shaykh Adī the Elder—may Allah sanctify his soul. His path was sound and contained none of these religious innovations. They were afflicted by Rāfidites who opposed them and killed Shaykh Hasan, and turmoil arose that neither Allah nor His Messenger loves.

These extremes concerning Yazīd, on both sides, contradict the consensus of the people of knowledge and faith. Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiya was born during the caliphate of Uthmān ibn Affān—may Allah be pleased with him. He did not live in the Prophet’s lifetime, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and was not one of the Companions, by the agreement of the scholars. Nor was he known for religious devotion and righteousness. He was one of the young Muslims, neither an unbeliever nor a heretic. He assumed rule after his father, with some Muslims disapproving and others approving. He possessed courage and generosity, and he did not openly commit acts of indecency as his opponents claim.

Grave events occurred during his rule:

• One was the killing of al-Husayn—may Allah be pleased with him. He did not order al-Husayn’s killing, nor did he display