| Sulayman ibn Surad Arabic: سُلَيْمَان ٱبْن صُرَد | |
| Death Date: | 4 January 685 |
| Birth Place: | Arabia |
| Death Place: | Ras al-Ayn, Syria |
| Allegiance: | Rashidun caliphate(Ali) |
| Serviceyears: | 656–685 |
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Sulayman ibn Surad al-Khuza'i (Arabic: سُلَيْمَان ٱبْن صُرَد ٱلْخُزَاعِيّ|translit=Sulaymān ibn Ṣurad al-Khuzāʿī; died January 685) was a pro-Alid leader from Kufa, who led the Tawwabin movement during the Second Fitna to avenge the death of Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He had participated in battles during the First Fitna on the side of the fourth caliph Ali, although at occasions was disapproving of his decisions. After the death of Mu'awiya I, he was the most prominent of the Kufans who urged Ali's son Husayn to revolt. After the death of Husayn at the Battle of Karbala in 680, in which he failed to support Husayn, Ibn Surad and some other Alid partisans of Kufa sacrificed themselves in an attempt to avenge his death.
The majority of sources assert that he was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, although some sources state he was one of the second generation of Muslims (Tabi'un). Muhammad is said to have changed his name from Yasar to Sulayman. He was one of the earliest Alid partisans of Kufa. Although his participation in the Battle of the Camel (November 656) is disputed, he had fought alongside caliph Ali at the Battle of Siffin (July 657), where he commanded the right wing of Ali's infantry. When Ali agreed to talks under pressure from his supporters in response to arbitration proposal from the army of his rival, Mu'awiya, Ibn Surad strongly opposed the decision. Following the death of Ali in January 661, his eldest son Hasan was elected caliph, but shortly afterwards abdicated in favor of Mu'awiya. Ibn Surad was critical of Hasan's decision. According to a report by Arab historian al-Baladhuri, two years after Hasan's abdication, Kufan pro-Alids led by Ibn Surad offered Hasan support of 40,000 troops and encouraged him to resume war against Mu'awiya, but Hasan rejected the offer. When Hasan died in 670, Sulayman unsuccessfully tried to persuade Husayn, the younger brother of Hasan, to revolt against Mu'awiya.
See main article: Tawwabin uprising. After the death of Mu'awiya in April 680, his son and nominated successor, Yazid became caliph. With Hasan already dead, Ibn Surad and other prominent pro-Alids of Kufa urged Hasan's younger brother Husayn to lead them in revolt against Yazid, but then failed to aid him. Husayn was killed along with his small band of followers, a few among them Kufans, by the Umayyad forces at the Battle of Karbala on 10 October 680.
Husayn's death aroused a deep sense of guilt in senior Alid partisans of Kufa, who considered themselves responsible for Husayn's death. Five senior among them met at Ibn Surad's house and decided to fight the Umayyads to atone for their sin, hence the term Tawwabin (penitents). Ibn Surad was declared commander of the movement. Since Kufa was under strong grip of the Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, the Tawwabin movement remained secret for some time. Nevertheless, they soon had following of one hundred other men. Every Friday, they would gather at Ibn Surad's house and he would address them: