Abul Sha'tha Yazid ibn Ziyad al-Kindi (r.a.)
The Archer of Karbala
A skilled archer who defected from Umar ibn Sa'd's army to join Imam Husayn (a.s).
- Born
- Unknown
- Died
- 10 Muharram 61 AH
- Cause of death
- Martyred in Karbala
Life and Role at Karbala
Abul Sha'tha Yazid ibn Ziyad al-Kindi (r.a.) was a renowned warrior and archer from Kufa. Initially, he arrived in Karbala as part of Umar ibn Sa'd's army. However, when the peaceful proposals of Imam Husayn (a.s) were unjustly rejected by the Umayyad commanders, his conscience awakened. He defected from the enemy ranks and proudly joined Imam Husayn (a.s).
During the battle of Ashura, he knelt before Imam Husayn (a.s) and fired 100 arrows at the enemy, out of which 95 hit their marks. Whenever he shot an arrow, Imam Husayn (a.s) prayed: "O Allah, direct his aim and reward him with Paradise." Once his arrows were exhausted, he drew his sword and fought valiantly until he achieved martyrdom.
Legacy
His story is a profound example of repentance and returning to the path of truth at the final hour. See his full account in Karbala and Beyond.