Amr Ibn Saeid Umawi Qurashi

Amr Ibn Saeid Ibn As Umawi Qurashi, one of the Umayyad and Marwanid rulers and the enemy and opponent of the Prophet’s household. He was a libertine, but an eloquent preacher. In the reign of Mu’awiya and his son Yazid (Umayyad caliph), he was the ruler of Medina and Mecca. His father was one of the significant political figures in the time of Mu’wiya. In 680 Hossein Ibn Ali (the third Imam of Shias) travelled to Mecca in order not to pledge allegiance to Yazid at Syria. Amr was appointed as the ruler of Mecca by Yazid to arrest or kill Imam Hossein. As soon as ####the Imam found out that he was going to be killed, left Mecca in order not to be treated with disrespect towards the housde of God (kaaba). Then Amr sent his brother Yahya Ibn Saeid with a group to Imam to make him come back but Imam refused. After the martyr of Imam Hossein (in the battle of Karbala); Amr was the ruler of Medina and was given glad tidings on murdur of Imam Hossein (P.B.U.H) by Ibn Ziyad (Umayyad governor; d. 686). Then Amr went to a mosque to inform people of the martyr of Imam Hossein, and prayed for Yazid. He made fun of those who cried for Imam Hossein and his companions over their death. Abdullah Ibn Zubayr who lived in Mecca, was another anti-caliph. Amr was supposed to suppress him with help of Amr Ibn Zubayr (Abdullah’s brother). They fought but were defeated and Amr Ibn Zubayr was taken captive. Amr Ibn Saeid had an amportant role in the reign of Marwan Ibn Hakam (Ummayad caliph) and had been appointed as his successor after Abdul Malek (son of Marwan), but when Abdul Malek came to the throne, decided to dethrone him. Eventually Amr was killed by Abdul Malek in 690.

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