Awana b. al-Hakam: Difference between revisions

`Awana b. al-Hakam was an Akhbari (author or collector of reports and narratives of historical, biographical, or anecdotal nature) historiographer of the second century and a member of a large family of scholars from [[Kufa]] and Wasit.  

[[Ibn al-Kalbi]] has included some narratives from `Awana b. al-Hakam which supplement the version of [[Abu Mikhnaf]] and sometimes provide alternatives for it. [[Al-Baladhuri]] also gives quotations from `Awana from different sources than Ibn al­Kalbi.<ref>Al-Badadhuri, Ansab al-Ashraf (Beirut, 1977), III, 165, 213, 218.</ref>

`Awana presents his reports without any further isnad. This suggests that they are taken from a continuous account which `Awana had written.

The first extract which we have from it concerns [[Yazid]]'s appointment of [[Obayd-Allah Ibn Ziad|Ibn Ziyad]] as governor of [[Kufa]] after receiving complaints from his supporters that Nu’man b. Bashir was not acting firm against [[Muslim b. ʿAqil b. Abi Talib|Muslim b. `Aqil]] and the Shi’i in Kufa. `Awana seems to be the only source for the story of Yazid consulting his father's Christian advisor, Sergius. Sergius tells Yazid that his father was going to appoint Ibn Ziyad over Kufa and advises him to do the same. Yazid takes this advice and writes to Ibn Ziyad, telling him to go to Kufa and hunt for Muslim. He gives him three choices in his treatment of Muslim: to imprison him, to kill him or to banish him.<ref>Al-Tabari, op. cit., II, 239-40.</ref>

[[Ibn A'tham]] repeats this account in a somewhat embellished version without giving any reference to `Awana<ref>Ibn A`tham, Kitab al-Futuh, V, 60-1.</ref> but it is clear that `Awana must be his source, probably in the version of Ibn al-Kalbi. [[Shaykh al-Mufid]] also reproduces the account but he says that his version is based on Ibn A'tham.<ref>Al-Mufid, op. cit., pp. 307-8.</ref>

Another report from `Awana of some significance is paralleled by reports from Abu Mikhnaf. It emphasizes the reluctance of [[Omar Ibn Sa’d|`Umar b. Sad]] to go against the [[Hussain ibn Ali|Imam al-Hussain]] and stresses the pressure that Ibn Ziyad put on him by threatening to withdraw the appointment that he had earlier given him. `Umar b. Sa'd suggests that the task be given to a tribal leader in Kufa but Ibn Ziyad refuses.

When `Umar b. Sa’d's army reaches the Imam al-Hussain, he finds it difficult to send a messenger to the Imam because nearly all of them had previously sent messages to the Imam urging him to come to Kufa. The report ends with `Umar b. Sa’d's hope that he will not have to fight the Imam al-Hussain.<ref> Al-Tabari, op. cit., Il, 309-11.</ref>

A report from `Awana, which has no support elsewhere, describes how Ibn Ziyad tries to get his letter instructing `Umar b. Sa'd to attack the Imam al-Hussain from `Umar b. Sa'd, but `Umar b. Sa'd has already used it as a justification for himself.<ref>Ibid., p. 385.</ref>

Thus, insofar as the reports from 'Awana which have been included in Ibn al-Kalbi’s version may be taken as a sample of `Awana's full account, it would seem that `Awana is presenting an account which reduces the amount of blame attached to [[Yazid]] in the affair. He is writing a marginally pro-[[Umayyad]] version. In his accounts of the battle of Siffin, it has been noted that `Awana tends to shift responsibility from [[Mu'awiya|Mu`awiya]] to `Amr b. al-As.<ref>E. L. Petersen, Ali and Mu awiya in Early Arab Tradition (Copenhagen, 1964), pp. 32, 48, 53.</ref>

The same operation appears to be taking place here with `Awana shifting the responsibility away from Yazid to Ibn Ziyad and ultimately to his advisor, Sergius, for suggesting Ibn Ziyad's appointment.

* [https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2/awana-b-al-hakam-al-kalbi-SIM_0865?s.num=14 Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition]