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army after 'Ubayd
Allah, had made a peace agreement with Mu'awiyah and
had reached terms with him. On the other hand he sent
another group amidst Qays's army to spread the rumor
that Imam al-Hasan had made peace with Mu'awiyah. His
purpose was to disrupt the solidarity and discipline
of both armies and cause dispersion between all their
units.
Another plot of Mu'awiyah was to send an official group
to the Imam consisting of al-Mughayrah ibn Shu'bah,
'Abd Allah Ibn 'Amir and 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Hakam.
They visited Imam al-Hasan in the city of Madam, which
was the headquarters of his military columns. They talked
for some time in the Imam's tent, and then emerged pretending
to be glad and satisfied and said loudly within the
hearing of other people: "God has preserved people's
blood through the son of the Prophet and has quelled
riot and mischief by establishing peace."
When the soldiers heard this, they became full of anxiety
especially as a large number of the Imam's army consisted
of the Khawarij (outsiders) who thought of war only,
and had joined the Imam only because he was going to
fight Mu'awiyah. They felt no special devotion and sanctity
towards the Imam, and did not unquestionably regard
him as a leader. It seemed that the soldiers allowed
no doubt about the words of such men as al-Mughayrah
who, in addition to their own wickedness and black record,
represented a tyrannical and mischievous man as Mu'awiyah.
Thus they were roused to such a great protest that they
rushed to the commanders' tent and plundered everything
which was there.
The lmam aiming to deliver himself from un-Islamic rioters
mounted a horse and proceeded towards the center of
the city of Madam and the governor's building. In the
darkness of Sabat, a place near Madam, a villainous
creature named Jarrah ibn Sanan al-Asadi who was of
the Khawarij, Lay an ambush in order to make an attempt
on the life of the Imam and kill him. As the Imam was
passing by, this man jumped and rushed upon the Imam
and delivered a severe blow with his dagger causing
a mortal injury. But the people, who were around prevented
the man from making any more move, and killed him on
the spot. As the Imam was badly wounded, he was carried
to the
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