)
Mughira died in about 670. Mu`awiyah then appointed Ziyad ibn Abihi as the Governor of Kufa. After the death of Mughirah in Kufa and of Hasan in Medina, some, such as Hujr ibn Adi, who were previously unhappy with Hasan's peace treaty with Muawiyah, now became increasingly noticeable creating a movement of rebellion against yet another Caliph. The new Governor, Ziyad ibn Abihi, was equally firm and up to the challenge posed by the rebels among the Kufans.
Umayyad era revolts (699�694)
Throughout the Umayyad era, as was the case since the inception of the City by Umar ibn Khattab, there were those among Kufa's inhabitants who were rebellious against the ruling Caliph be that Ali himself or an Ummayad Caliph. Kufans turned to Husayn ibn �Al?, grandson of the prophet, as their leader after the death of Muawia, but turned on Husayn ibn �Al? and formed an army which massacred him and his family and companions in the battle of karbala. With a history of assassinations, rebellions were dealt with firmly such as those by Al-Mukhtar (on behalf of Ibn al-Hanifiya). Many Kufans also supported the mutiny of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Ash`ath in 699�702 against al-Hajjaj but were defeated by al-Hajjaj. Some say, the Governors of Kufa or Basra, from Ziyad ibn Abihi to his son, Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, to al-Hajjaj, were understandably firm given the frequent uprisings and assassinations (e.g. of Ali). However, it cannot be denied that al-Hajjaj, and before him, Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad ibn Abihi, were indeed very severe, and even cruel, against the rebels of Kufa especially and of Basra to a lesser extent.
Abbasid era (749)
In 749, the `Abbasids took Kufa and made it their capital. In 762, they moved their seat to Baghdad. Under the Umayyad and early `Abbasid decades, Kufa's importance gradually shifted from caliphal politics to Islamic theory and practice.
Kufa in Islamic theology and scholarship
Wael Hallaq
