Draft:Execution of Abu Lu'lu'a
The execution of Abu Lu'lu'a al-Majusi (also known as Fīrūz) took place on 1 November 644 CE, shortly after he fatally stabbed Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Rashidun Caliph, during prayer in the mosque of Medina. Sources differ on the exact circumstances of his death. Sunni historical records state that Abu Lu'lu'a was killed on the spot by surrounding worshippers. Other versions—particularly in some Shia traditions—claim that he committed suicide or even escaped the scene and died later in Kashan, Persia.
| Execution of Abu Lu'lu'a | |
|---|---|
| Part of Muslim conquest of Persia | |
| Location | Medina, Rashidun Caliphate |
| Coordinates | 24°28′02″N 39°36′40″E / 24.4672°N 39.6111°E |
| Date | 1 November 644 CE Early morning |
| Target | Abu Lu'lu'a |
Attack type | Execution |
| Weapons | Dagger |
| Victims | Abu Lu'lu'a |
| Perpetrators | Ubayd Allah ibn Umar |
No. of participants | 1 |
| Motive | Retaliation for the assassination of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab |
Abu Lu'lu'a was a Persian slave and skilled craftsman, reportedly in the service of al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba. His motivations for assassinating Umar have been the subject of scholarly debate and sectarian interpretation, ranging from personal grievance and oppressive taxation to ideological resistance.
According to traditional Sunni accounts, Abu Lu'lu'a was immediately pursued and killed after the stabbing. However, a rival narrative asserts that he managed to flee Medina and took refuge in Persia, where a shrine believed by some to be his burial site still stands. The existence of this shrine has been controversial, with calls from Sunni scholars and authorities for its closure or removal.
The legacy of Abu Lu'lu'a's death is sharply divided along sectarian lines: while denounced as an assassin and criminal in Sunni Islam, he has been venerated in some Shia and Persian contexts as a symbol of defiance against early Arab hegemony.
Legacy
[edit]The question of whether Abu Lu'lu'a was executed or escaped has had enduring political and theological implications. In modern Iran, a shrine in Kashan once attracted Shia pilgrims annually for the so-called "Festival of Omar Slaying" (Jashn-e Omar Koshi), though the event has been suppressed in recent years due to its sectarian nature. In Sunni Islam, his killing is viewed as justified retaliation for the assassination of the Caliph.
References
[edit]- Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk
- Ibn Sa'd, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir
- Madelung, Wilferd. The Succession to Muhammad (1997)
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition