Who is Yazeed (Ref's from Sunni books)

Ibn Kathir's comments on Yazeed
Ibn Kathir himself writes in Bidayah:

"Traditions inform us that Yazeed loved worldly vices, would drink,
listen to
kept the company of boys with no facial hair , played drums, kept dogs , not a day would go by when he was not in a
drunken state".


Ibn Atheer's comments on Yazeed
In Tareekh al Kamil Volume 3 page 450 Ibn Atheer narrates from Munzir
bin Zabeer:

"Verily Yazeed rewarded me with 100,000 dirhams but this cannot stop me
from highlighting his state, By Allah he is a drunkard?"


Ibn Atheer's comments on Yazeed
In "Siyar A'lam Al-Nubala" Volume 4 pages 37-38, Dhahabi narrates:

"Ziyad Hurshee narrates 'Yazeed gave me alcohol to drink, I had never
drunk alcohol like that before and I enquired where he had obtained its
ingredients'. Yazeed replied 'it is made of sweet pomegranate, honey
from Isfahan, sugar from Hawaz and grapes from Burdah?Yazeed
indulged in alcohol and would participate in actions that opposed the
dictates set by Allah (swt)".


Ibn Jauzi's comments on Yazeed 'the drunkard'
Ibn Jauzi in Wafa al-Wafa:

"Yazeed appointed his cousin Uthman bin Muhammad bin Abu Sufyan as
Governor of Madina. He sent a delegation to visit Yazeed who bore gifts
so that they might take the oath of allegiance to him. Upon their
return
they said 'We have returned having visited a man who has no religion,
he
drinks, plays instruments, keeps the company of singers and dogs , we declare that we have broken our allegiance to
him. Abdullah bin Abi Umro bin Hafs Mukhzumee commented 'Yazeed gave me
gifts. But the reality is this man is an enemy of Allah (swt) and a
drunkard. I shall separate myself from him in the same way that I
remove
my turban ?."


Ibn Hajr's comments on Yazeed
In Sawaiqh al Muhriqa:

"One group have deemed Yazeed to be a kaafir, another has stated he was
a Muslim but a fasiq (transgressor), a fajir (one that commits
debauchery) and a drunkard. There is consensus over his fisq
(transgression). One party of Ulema have stated that you can curse him
by name, this includes individuals such as Ibn Jauzi and Ahmad. One
group made up of individuals such as Ibn Jauzi deem Yazeed a kaafir,
others say he was not a kaafir but rather this is a matter that has
caused a difference of opinion.


The majority of Ahl'ul Sunnah all agree that he was a fasiq
(transgressor), a fajir (one that commits debauchery) and a drunkard.
Waqidi had recorded a narration 'Verily we opposed Yazeed fearing Allah
(swt) would reign stones down on us, Yazeed considered nikah (marriage)
with mothers and sisters to be permissible and drank alcohol".

"Dhahabi narrates that when Abdullah bin Kuzai returned from Damascus
he
stated that Yazeed performs zina with his mother, sister and daughters.
We had better start a movement to oppose Yazeed otherwise stones may
reign down on us"

This is one reason why Ibn Hajar al Makki calls Yazeed one of the most
debased men in history.


A Sahaba's testimony that Yazeed was an incestuous drunkard
In Isaba we read:
"The Sahaba Maqil stated that 'Yazeed drank alcohol, committed zina
with
his mahram relatives, infact he performed every type of bad action"


Al Muhaddith Shah Abdul Aziz's comments on Yazeed
In Sirush Shahadhathayn, Shah Abdul Aziz states:

"Imam Husayn did not give bayya to Yazeed because he was a drunkard, a
fasiq and Dhaalim".

Ibn Taymeeya's condemnation of unjust Yazeed
Ibn Taymeeya in Minhajj:

"Yazeed had the sword and hence he had the power to deal with anyone
that opposed him. He had the power to reward his subjects with the
contents of the treasury, and could also withhold their rights. He had
the power to punish criminals; it is in this context that we can
understand that he was the khalifah and king. Issues such as Yazeed's
piety or lack of it, or his honesty or lack of it, is another matter.
In
all of his actions Yazeed was not just, there is no dispute amongst the
people of Islam on this matter".


Yazeed's rule was dogged by alcoholism and transgression
We read in Muruj al Dhahab:

"Due to his hatred of Allah (swt) Yazeed openly drank alcohol. In his
deeds he followed the Seerah of Pharoah, but Pharoah was more just to
his own subjects."

Ibn Khaldun states:
"Yazeed's time of governance can be seen as fisq and debauchery, and
the
blame is on Mu'awiya who should have controlled him".

We read in Tareekh Kamil:
"The narrator states 'By Allah, Yazeed drinks alcohol and abandons
Salat"

We read in Tareekh Abul Fida:
"Yazeed played the tambourine, drank alcohol and raised bears ".

Hayaath al Haywaan states:
"Yazeed would hunt with cheetas, play chess and drink alcohol".


People opposed Yazeed due to his atrocious deeds
We read in Tareekh Khamees:

"The people of Medina broke the bayya to Yazeed on account of his bad
acts, he used to drink alcohol"


Qadi Thanaullah's comments on Yazeed's kufr poetry
We read in Tafseer Mazhari:

"Yazeed deemed drinking alcohol to be Halaal, and he recited these
couplets 'if the Deen of Ahmad deems alcohol to be haraam?"


Any narrations by Yazeed are to be rejected
In Ahsan aur Meezan:

"Yazeed was a fasiq, faajir, we cannot rely on his narrations"

Yazeed was such a fasiq that not a single hadith of his can be
accepted,
when this is the case then his khilafat cannot be accepted either.


Shariat Mukhammad Majid 'Ali Shakir stated in Badh Shariat:

"Some say 'Why should we discuss such a thing since he was a
King and he was also a King' - one who makes such comments
{refusing to hold opinion on Yazeed and Husayn (as)] is accursed, a
Kharijee, Nasibi and hell bound. The dispute is over whether he

was a kaafir. The madhab of Abu Hanifa stipulates that he was a fasiq
and fajir, nor was he a kaafir nor a Muslim".


Yazeed's attack on Harra
We read in 'au khanar al masalik' that Shaykh al hadith Muhammad
Zakaria
stated:

"The army that Yazeed had sent to Medina comprised of 60,000 horsemen
and 15,000 foot soldiers. For three days they shed blood freely, 1000
women were raped and 700 named Quraysh and Ansar were killed. Ten
thousand women and children were made slaves. Muslim bin Uqba forced
people to give bayya to Yazeed in such a manner that people were
enslaved and Yazeed could sell them as he pleased, no

Sahaba who were at Hudaibiya were spared".

Ibn Katheer in al Bidayah Volume 8 page 222 stated:
"Muslim was ordered to ransack Medina for three days. Yazeed committed
a
major sin. Sahaba and their children were slaughtered openly; other
heinous acts were also perpetuated. We have already mentioned that he
had Ibn Ziyad kill the grandson of Rasulullah (s) Husayn and his
companions. In those three days in Madina, it is difficult to mention
the type of acts that were carried out. By doing this act Yazeed wanted
to secure his governance, in the same way Allah (swt) broke the neck of
every Pharoah, the true King (swt) also broke the neck of Yazeed".

One who attacks Medina is cursed
We read in al Bidaya Volume 8 page 223
"Rasulullah (s) said whoever perpetuated injustice and frightened the
residents of Medina, the curse (la'nat) of Allah (swt), His Angels and
all people is on such a person"

Yazeed used to copulate with his mother and sisters
We read in Tabaqath:

"Abdullah bin Hanzala the Sahaba stated 'By Allah we opposed Yazeed at
the point when we feared that stones would reign down on us from the
skies. He was a fasiq who copulated with his mother, sister and
daughters, who drank alcohol and did not offer Salat"

Other sources:
1. Tabaqath al Kabeera Volume 5 page 66 Dhikr Abdullah bin Hanzala and
Volume 4 page 283
2. Tareekh ul Khulafa page 209 Dhikr Yazeed
3. Sawqih al Muhriqa page 132 Dhikr Yazeed
4. Mustadrak al Hakim Volume page 522
5. Al Isaba Volume 3 page 469
6. Ya Nabi al Mawaddath page 326
7. Tareekh Ibn Asakir Volume 7 page 275
8. Fatawi Abdul Hai page 79
9. Tareekh al Islam Volume 2 page 356
10. Al Masalaik Sharh Muwatta Imam Malik page 435

Yazeeds rejection of the Qur'an
Citing Tadhkira, Maqathil and Shazarath al Dhabah.
This is also found in the Arabic (non-Leiden) version of the History of
Al-Tabari:

When the head of Husayn (as), the grandson of the Holy prophet (saws),
was presented before Yazeed he recited the couplets of the kaafir
Zubayri:

"Banu Hashim staged a play for Kingdom there was no news from the skies
nether was there any revelation"

In Tafseer Ruh al Maani it is stated clearly:
"Allamah Alusi stated, Yazeed the impure denied the Prophethood of
Rasulullah (s). The treatment that he meted out to the people of Makka,
Medina and the family of the Prophet proves that he was a kaafir".

Point references:
1. Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah Volume 8 page 204 Dhikr Ras al Husayn
2. Minhajj al Sunnah Volume 2 page 249 Dkikr Yazeed
3. Sharh Foqh Akbar page 73 Dhikr Yazeed
4. Sharh Tafseer Mazhari Volume 5 page 21 Surah Ibrahim
5. Shazrah al Dhahab page 69 Dhikr Shahadth Husayn
6. Maqatahil Husayn Volume 2 page 58 Dhikr Shahdath Husayn
7. Tadhkira Khawwas page 148
8. Tareekh Tabari Volume 11 pages 21-23 Dhikr 284 Hijri
9. Tafseer Ruh al Ma'ani (commentary of Surah Muhammad)

Ibn Kathir in al Bidaya wa al Nihaya Volume 8 page 231 narrates this
hadith on the authority of
Abu Ubaydah:
"My Ummah shall be ruled with justice, until the first individual that
shall destroy it, he shall from the Banu Ummaya, his name will be
Yazeed".

We read in Izalath ul Khifa:
"The khalifah should be a man and should be adil. By 'just' we mean he
should refrain from major sins and should not repeat minor sins. He
should also be a mujtahid".

We read in Sharh Muqassad:
"The Imam over the Ummah should possess these merits - have sense, be
Muslim, be just, free, a man, a mujtahid, and brave"

We read in Sharh Muwaffaq
"It is incumbent on the imam / Khalifah to be adil, he should not be
zaalim, since a fasiq deems the treasury to be his personal wealth, and
will waste money".

1. Izalathul Khifa page 20 Dhikr Sharth Imamate
2. Sharh Muwaffaq page 731 Muqassad Saneeh
3. Sharh Muqassad Volume 2 page 271 Fadail Imama
4. Al Ahkam al Sultaneeya page 8 by Al Mawardi
5. Ahkam al Sultaneeya page 9 by Qadi Abu Yala
6. Taufa Ithna Ashari page 178 Bab 7 Imamate aqeedah


We read in al Bidaya that Uqbah bin Subhan narrates:

"I accompanied Husayn from Makka until the time that he was killed. I
heard all of his speeches and at no point did he state 'Take me to
Yazeed so that I can give him bayya"



Allamah Shibli in his book Zeyneb page 156 are also worthy of note:

"Husayn said 'I am from the Ahl'ul bayt of the Prophet. Yazeed is not
worthy of receiving my bayya'"

1. Tareekh Kamil Volume 4 page 48 Imam Husayn
2. Al Bidayah Volume 8 page 175
3. Tareekh Tabari page 314
4. Tadkhira Khawwas page 141

Yazeed's own admission that he killed the family of the Prophet (sawas)
We read in Sharh Fiqh Akbar:
"Following the murder of Husayn, Yazeed said 'I avenged the killing of
my kaafir relatives in Badr through killing the family of the Prophet".


The testimony of Shah Abdul Aziz that Yazeed killed Imam Hussain
We read in Taufa
"Upon the orders of Yazeed the disgraceful people from Syria and Iraq
killed Imam Husayn".


Yazeed ordered his Governor Waleed kill Imam Hussain (as)
We read in Maqathil Husayn:
"Yazeed wrote a letter to Waleed the Governor of Medina, in which he
stated 'Force Husayn to give bayya. Should he refuse then strike off
his
head and return it to me.'



Yazeed wrote to Ibn Ziyad telling him to kill Imam Hussain (as)
We read in Mutaalib al Saul that:

"Ibn Ziyad wrote to Husayn 'I have received information that you have
arrived in Kerbala, and Yazeed has told me not to kill you, provided
you
accept his authority and mine.'"



Ibn Ziyad's own admission that he killed Imam Husayn on the orders of
Yazeed
We read in al Bidayah:

"When Yazeed wrote to Ibn Ziyad ordering him to fight Ibn Zubayr in
Makka, he said 'I can't obey this fasiq. I killed the grandson of
Rasulullah (sawas) upon his orders, I'm not now going to assault the
Kaaba'.


Testimony of Ibn Abbas that Yazeed killed Imam Hussain (as)
We read in Tareekh Kamil:

Ibn Abbas replied to a letter of Yazeed stating 'You killed Husayn ibn
'Ali as well as the youth from Banu Abdul Muttalib, who were beacons of
guidance."


Point 24 The testimony of Abdullah Ibn Umar that Yazeed killed Imam
Hussain (as)
We read in Maqathil al Husayn:

"Ibn Umar wrote to Yazeed, 'Hasn't your heart gone black yet? You
murdered the family of the Prophet?'



The testimony of Shah Abdul Haqq that Yazeed killed Imam Hussain (as)
We read in Ashiath al Lamaath:

"It is unusual that some say Yazeed did not kill Husayn when he
instructed Ibn Ziyad to carry out the killing".


Yazeed's pride at killing Imam Hussain (as)
We read in al Bidayah Volume 8 page 204:

"Ibn Asakir, writing on Yazeed, states then when Husayn's head was
brought before Yazeed, he recited the couplets of Ibn Zubayri the
kaafir
'I wish my ancestors of Badr were hear to see the severed head of the
rebellious tribe (The Prophet (saws's tribe of Hashim)."

Al Hafidh Jalaladun Suyuti (ra) records this tradition in Khasais al
Kubra, on the authority of Sahaba Uns bin Harith:
"I heard Rasulullah (sawas) say 'Verily my son (Husayn) will be killed
in a land called Kerbala, whoever amongst you is alive at that time
must
go and help him".
Khasais al Kubra Volume 2 page 125 (Maktaba Nurree Rizvi Publishers,
Pakistan)



Yazeeds own words noted in Sharh Fiqh Akbar:
"Following the murder of Husayn, Yazeed said '
I avenged the killing of my kaafir relatives in Badr through killing
the
family of the Prophet".


Allamah Taftazani said Yazeed was worthy of more than just cursing
We read in Sharh Muqassad:

"The harms that were inflicted on the Ahl'ul bayt after the Sahaba are
acts that cannot be covered up. These acts were so heinous that they
cannot be hidden - all including animals testify to their suffering.
Their pain was such that the earth and skies shed tears and beat
themselves when their suffering is retold - and retelling this shall
continue until the Day of Judgement. May Allah's curse be upon those
that perpetuated injustices, and those that helped them (to carry out
these acts). The curse on these individuals shall be even greater in
the
next world. If some Ulema are opposed to cursing, then it should be
known that Yazeed deserves more than just cursing".

The Fatwa of Allamah Baghdadi - Yazeed denied the Prophethood, to curse
him is an act of Ibadath
We read in Tafseer Ruh al Ma'ani page 72 commentary of Surah Muhammad:

"The wicked Yazeed failed to testify to the Prophethood of Hadhrath
Muhammad (sawas). He also perpetrated acts against the residents of
Makka, Medina and the family of the Prophet (sawas). He indulged in
these acts against them during their lives and after their deaths.
These
acts are so conclusively proven that had he placed the Qur'an in his
hands it would have testified to his kuffar. His being a fasiq and
fajir
did not go unnoticed by the Ulema of Islam, but the Salaf had no choice
but to remain silent as they were living under threat."

The Fatwas of Qadhi Abu Ya'ala and Abu Husayn deeming it permissible to
curse Yazeed
Ibn Katheer in al Bidaya stated:
"Whoever frightens Medina incurs the wrath of Allah, His Angels and all
the people - and some Ulema have deemed it permissible to curse Yazeed.
This includes individuals such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Allamah Hilalee,
Abu
Bakr Abdul Aziz, Qadhi Abu Ya'ala and his son Qadhi Abu Husayn. Ibn
Jauzi wrote a book deeming it permissible to curse Yazeed".


Al Suyuti personally cursed Yazeed
In Tareekh ul Khulafa page 207, Dhikr Shahadath Husayn we read as
follows:
"May Allah's curse be upon the killers of Husayn and Ibn Ziyad".


Qadhi Thanaullah Panee Pathee deemed it permissible to curse the kaafir
Yazeed
We read in Tafseer Mazhari Volume 5 page 21, under the commentary of
Surah Ibrahim verse 28 as follows:

"The Banu Umayya were initially kaafir, then some of them presented
themselves as Muslim. Yazeed then became a kaafir. The Banu Umayya
maintained their enmity towards the family of the Prophet (sawas), and
killed Husayn in a cruel manner. The kaafir Yazeed committed kufr in
relation to the Deen of Muhammad (sawas) proven by the fact that at the
time of the killing of Husayn he made a pointed reference to avenging
the deaths of his kaafir ancestors slain in Badr. He acted against the
family of Muhammad (sawas), Banu Hashim and in his drunken state he
praised the Banu Umayya and cursed the Banu Hashim from the pulpit".


Allamah Alusi set out the viewpoint of the Shaafi Ulema on this topic
as
follows:
Haseeya Nabraas page 551

"Amongst the Shaafi's we are in agreement that it is permissible to
curse Yazeed"