Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad

Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan (died 67 AH / 686 CE) was the Umayyad governor of Kufa and Basra who ordered and organized the events leading to the massacre at Karbala in 61 AH, making him one of the most condemned figures in Islamic history. He was the son of Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan (Ziyad ibn Abih), the powerful Umayyad administrator, and inherited his father's position and ruthlessness.

Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiyah appointed him governor of Kufa when Husayn ibn Ali's movement toward Iraq began gaining traction. Ubaydullah moved decisively: he arrested Muslim ibn Aqil, Husayn's advance representative in Kufa, crushed the nascent support movement, and executed Muslim ibn Aqil publicly to terrorize potential supporters. He then organized the force under Umar ibn Sa'd that intercepted Husayn's small group at Karbala.

He gave the orders that resulted in the killing of Husayn ibn Ali, the granddaughter's sons, and the male members of Husayn's party on the 10th of Muharram 61 AH. His command extended to blocking access to water for Husayn's camp. After the massacre, he received Husayn's head in Kufa before it was sent to Yazid in Damascus.

He was killed thirteen years later in 67 AH by the forces of al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi during the uprising that specifically sought to avenge Husayn's death. His killer Ibrahim ibn al-Ashtar presented his head to al-Mukhtar. He died as universally condemned in Islamic tradition — even sources sympathetic to the Umayyad caliphate generally regarded his actions at Karbala as an atrocity.