22. EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSE OF YAHYA’S KILLING
Scholars have cited numerous reasons for the killing of Yahya (Peace be upon him); among the most well-known of them is that one of the kings at that time in Damascus desired to marry a member of his family who was unlawful to him and Yahya (Peace be upon him) forbade him from doing so, but he insisted on marrying her. Dressing attractively, she sang and danced before him. She succeeded in arousing his lust. Embracing her, he offered to fulfill whatever she desired. She then asked for Yahya (Peace be upon him) to be killed. The king granted this request and sent men to kill him and bring his head and his blood to her in a bowl. It was said that she died immediately upon holding it. It was also said that the wife of that king loved Yahya (Peace be upon him) and so she sent a message to him, but he refused her. When she despaired of him, she requested of the king that he kill him, but he refused. However, she kept on insisting until he agreed; then he sent some men to kill him and bring his head and his blood in a bowl.
Scholars differed regarding the killing of Yahya (Peace be upon him): Did it happen in Al-Aqsa Mosque, or somewhere else? There are two opinions in the matter: Ath-Thawri reported on the authority of Al-A‘mash, who in turn reported on the authority of Shimr Ibn ‘Atiyyah that he said, “Seventy Prophets were killed on the rock that is in Bait Al-Maqdis, including Yahya, son of Zakariyya (peace be upon them both).”
Abu ‘Ubaid Al-Qasim Ibn Sallam said, “We were informed by ‘Abdullah Ibn Salih, who reported on the authority of Al-Laith, who in turn reported on the authority of Yahya Ibn Sa‘eed, who likewise reported on the authority of Sa‘eed Ibn Al-Musayyib that he said, “Bukhtunossar advanced on Damascus and he found the blood of Yahya boiling. He asked about it and they told him about it. On account of his blood, he killed seventy thousand, after which it became still.” The isnad of this narration is authentic up to Sa‘eed Ibn Al-Musayyib and this must mean that he was killed in Damascus and that the story of Bukhtunassar was after ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him), as claimed by ‘Ata’ and Al-Hasan Al-Basri. And Allah knows better.
Al-Hafiz Ibn ‘Asakir narrated by way of Al-Waleed Ibn Muslim, on the authority of Zaid Ibn Waqid, who said, “I saw the head of Yahya, son of Zakariyya, when they intended to build the Damascus Mosque; it was taken from beneath one of the pillars of the Qiblah, which is next to the mihrab, adjacent to the east. The skin and the hair were unaffected by decay and remained unchanged.” In another version, it was stated that: “…it was as if he had just been killed.”
It was reported regarding the building of Damascus Mosque that it was placed under the pillar which is known as As-Sakasikah. And Allah knows better.
Al-Hafiz Ibn ‘Asakir narrated in Al-Mustaqsa Fi Fada’ilil-Aqsa by way of Al-‘Abbas Ibn Subh, who reported on the authority of Marwan, who in turn reported on the authority of Sa‘eed Ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez, who likewise reported on the authority of qusaim, the freed slave of Mu‘awiyah that he said, “The king of this city (i.e. Damascus) was Hadad Ibn Hadad and he had married his niece, Aryal, Queen of Saida. Included among its territories was Sooq Al-Mulook in Damascus. He had sworn to divorce her three times, but then he wished to return her to him and so he sought a religious verdict from Yahya. Yahya (Peace be upon him) told him, “She is not lawful for you until she has married another man (and been divorced by him).” She harbored feelings of hatred toward him because of this and so she requested from the king that he give her the head of Yahya. This was at the instigation of her mother, but he refused her at first, then later he agreed and sent some men to Jairoon Mosque, where they found him praying; they then killed him and brought the king his head. The head said to him, “She will not be lawful to you until she marries another man (and is subsequently divorced from him).” The woman took the plate and carried it on her head to her mother and it was still repeating the words it had said to the king. When she stood before her mother, the earth opened up at her feet and she sank down to her loins. Her mother began to wail and the servants screamed and slapped their faces. Then she sank down to her shoulders and so her mother ordered the swordsman to strike her neck and cut off her head, so that at least she could keep her head. Then the earth spat out her body. They were then humiliated and destroyed and the blood of Yahya (Peace be upon him) continued to boil until Bukhtunassar arrived and killed seventy-five thousand people on account of it.”
By Ibn Katheer
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