14th of Rabi’ al-Awwal Marks Joyous Death Anniversary of Killer of Imam al-Hussein: Yazid ibn Mu‘awiya
14th of Rabi’ al-Awwal Marks Joyous Death Anniversary of Killer of Imam al-Hussein: Yazid ibn Mu‘awiya
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Shiites around the world celebrate today, the 14th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, as the joyous occasion of the death anniversary of Yazid ibn Mu‘awiya, the second tyrannical Umayyad caliph.
Yazid assumed power in 60 AH (680 CE), but his rule lasted only three years. Historians have described him as corrupt, indulgent in drinking, and indifferent to religion.
His most notorious crime was the killing of Imam al-Hussein (peace be upon him) and his loyal companions at the Battle of Karbala, an event that remains an eternal stain on the history of the Umayyads.
Following Karbala, Yazid ordered the attack on Medina, which led to the tragic incident of al-Harra, where the sanctity of the Prophet’s city was violated, with thousands killed, women raped and people’s wealth looted.
He also commanded an assault on Mecca, during which the Kaaba was bombarded with stones and damaged.
Yazid died suddenly in 64 AH (683 CE) in the region of Hawran at the age of about 37. Sources differ on the cause of his death, with some attributing it to illness and others to intoxication.
