Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiyah committed reprehensible acts, including the incident of al-Harrah. An authentic hadith transmitted from ʿAlī, may Allah be pleased with him, reports that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Medina is a sanctuary from ʿAyr to such-and-such a place. Whoever commits an offense within it or shelters an offender incurs the curse of Allah, the angels, and all mankind. Neither atonement nor ransom will be accepted from him.”

He also said:

“Whoever intends harm against the people of Medina, Allah will dissolve him as salt dissolves in water.”

For this reason, Imam Ahmad was asked, “Would you record hadith on Yazīd’s authority?” He replied, “No, certainly not! Was he not the one who did what he did to the people of al-Harrah?”

He was also asked—according to what people relate—“Do you not love Yazīd?” He replied, “Would anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day love Yazīd?” He was then asked, “Why, then, do you not curse him?” He replied, “When have you ever seen your father curse anyone?”

The position of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah is that they do not declare those who face the qiblah in prayer to be unbelievers merely because of sins or mistaken interpretations. Rather, when a person has both good and evil deeds, his affair rests with Allah. What we have related concerning the killing of al-Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, is the account on which people agree.