Abd al-Rahman ibn Aqeel

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAqīl (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بن عقيل) was one of Husayn ibn Ali's companions who was killed in the Battle of Karbala (680), where he is regarded as one of the martyrs. He was a son of Aqil ibn Abi Talib (c. 580 – 670 or 683) and both a nephew and a son-in-law of the fourth caliph and first Shi'ite Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (c. 600 – 661).

Lineage

His father was Aqil ibn Abi Talib, while his mother was a slave woman. Meanwhile Abd al-Rahman was one of Ali's sons-in-law, his wife being Ali's daughter Khadija.

Battle of Karbala

Abd al-Rahman entered the battlefield at the army of Husayn on the day of Ashura, and recited the following Rajaz (epic verses):

"My father is Aqil, (then) you (ought to) know my position; I am from the descendant of Hashim, and Hashim is my brother."

In the Battle of Karbala Abd al-Rahman killed 17 cavalry units from the army of Umar ibn Sa'd, but was eventually killed by Uthman ibn Khalid ibn Rashim.

Not much is known about his life, but according to the author of the Labab al-Ansab, he was killed at the age of 35. Additionally, his name has been mentioned in Ziyarat Nahiya Muqaddasa and in Ziyarat Rajabiya.