Murra b. Munqidh al-Abdi
Murra b. Munqidh al-Abdi | |
|---|---|
| Known for | Murderer of Ali Akbar |
| Activities | Participating in the Battle of Karbala |
Murra b. Munqidh al-'Abdi (Arabic: مُرّة بن مُنقذ العَبدی) was in the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd in the Battle of Karbala. In historical sources, he is mentioned as the murderer of 'Ali al-Akbar. He was hit by his right arm when he was surrounded by al-Mukhtar's soldiers, leading to his paralysis until his death. He could escape the surround and joined Mus'ab b. al-Zubayr in Basra.
Name and Lineage
Murra was from the 'Abd al-Qays tribe. He is variously mentioned as Murra b. Munqidh b. Shuja' al-'Abdi, Murra b. Munqidh b. Nu'man al-'Abdi, and Murra b. Munqidh b. 'Abd al-Qays.
His father, Munqidh b. Nu'man, was the flag-holder of the 'Abd al-Qays tribe in the army of Imam 'Ali in the Battle of Jamal. He held the flag of the tribe when a number of the tribe's flag-holders such as Qasim b. Muslim, Zayd b. Sawhan, and Sayhan b. Sawhan were martyred. He gave the flag to his son, Murra b. Munqidh who held the flag until the end of the battle.
In the Battle of Ashura
Murra b. Munqidh was in the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd in the Battle of Ashura. He speared 'Ali al-Akbar, making him fall on the ground. In historical sources, he is mentioned as the murderer of 'Ali al-Akbar. When 'Ali al-Akbar recited a paean to the effect that "we deserve the Prophet Muhammad more than Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan, 'Umar b. Sa'd, and 'Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad", Murra b. Munqidh al-'Abdi said: "I will be blamed with the biggest sin of Arabs if… I do not make his father mourn for him."
He is cursed in Ziyarah al-Nahiya al-Muqaddasa as the murderer of 'Ali al-Akbar.
After the Ashura
When al-Mukhtar was hunting down the murderers of Imam al-Hussain, he commissioned 'Abd Allah b. Kamil and a group of others to arrest Murra b. Munqidh. Ibn Kamil surrounded Murra's house. Murra fought Ibn Kamil's people while riding his horse. He speared and injured 'Abd Allah al-Shibami, a soldier of Ibn Kamil. Ibn Kamil hit Murra's right arm with his sword; his arm broke but it was not amputated. Murra could escape the surround. He went to Basra and joined Mus'ab b. al-Zubayr. His arm was paralyzed until his death.