Sinan b. Anas al-Nakha'i
| Sinan b. Anas al-Nakha'i Murderer of Imam al-Hussain | |
|---|---|
| Native name | سِنان بن أَنَس النَخَعی |
| Full Name | Sinan b. Abu 'Amr b. Anas al-Nakha'i |
| Place of Birth | Kufa |
| Place of Residence | Kufa |
| Death | After al-Mukhtar's uprising |
| Cause of Death | He was killed by companions of al-Mukhtar |
| Era | Umayyad dynasty |
| Known for | Murderer of Imam al-Hussain |
Sinan b. Anas al-Nakhaʿi (Arabic: سِنان بن أَنَس النَخَعی) was the person who martyred and decapitated Imam Hussain on the Day of Ashura.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Sinan was born in Kufa but there is disagreement about the exact date of his birth. His father's name was Abu 'Amr and his grandfather's was Anas; he was known by his grandfather's name. Ibn Abi al-Hadid reported from Ibn Hilal al-Thaqafi that Sinan was a child during the caliphate of Imam Ali and Imam foretold that he would kill the son of the Apostle of God.
Day of 'Ashura[edit | edit source]
When Imam Hussain had fallen on the ground and no one from Omar b. Sa'd's army dared to get closer to him, Sinan b. Anas hit Imam Hussain by a spear on the chest and back and martyred the Imam. Then Khawli b. Yazid al-Asbahi decided to decapitate Imam Hussain; but he started shivering and could not do that. Sinan rebuked him and said, "May God break your arms and cut your hands." Then he dismounted from his horse and decapitate Imam Hussain. After that, he went to Omar b. Sa'd's tent and read this poem loudly:
"Hang gold and silver form my horse's stirrup, I indeed have killed an eminent master. I killed the best person regarding the father and the mother, and the best person regarding the lineage."
It should be noted that there is a disagreement among historical sources about the person who martyred Imam Hussain. According to some sources, it was Shimr who sat on Imam's chest and decapitate him form back. It is also reported that Omar b. Sa'd gave the head of Imam Hussain to Khawli and ordered him to hurry to Kufa and inform Obayd Allah b. Ziyad about the their victory.
After 'Ashura[edit | edit source]
After the death of Yazid, Kufa experienced a period of chaos. Sinan, who was known as one of the main killers of Imam Hussain started to live a secret life. According to some reports he left Kufa after al-Mukhtar's uprising and fled to Basra and its outskirts. Some reported that he was killed by al-Mukhtar's companions. Some sources said that he died during the government of Hajjaj b. Yusuf al-Thaqafi over Kufa.