Shemr was a son of Shurahbil ibn Kurt, a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who settled in Kufa after the Muslim conquest of Iraq. He was from the Banu Kilab branch of the Qaysid tribes. Shemr was originally an Alid ally and fought against Mu'awiya at the Battle of Siffin, but later defected to Umayyads. When Ziyad ibn Abih arrested the pro-Alid Hujr ibn Adi on the charge of treason in 671, Shemr was among those who testified against Hujr. In 680, Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of Muhammad and son of caliph Ali, sent his cousin Muslim ibn Aqil to Kufa in response to calls from the pro-Alids to overthrow the Umayyads. Shemr, along with various other tribal notables, aided the governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad in quelling the rebellion. Shortly afterwards, Husayn arrived in Iraq and was intercepted in the desert of Karbala outside of Kufa. After Ibn Ziyad consented to a peace proposal from Husayn, Shemr reportedly opposed the proposal and convinced Ibn Ziyad to subdue Husayn with force. Shemr was subsequently sent to Karbala with orders to either force Husayn into submission or to kill him in case of refusal. A day before the battle, Shemr offered safe conduct to three paternal brothers of Husayn, including Abbas ibn Ali, whose mother, Umm ul-Banin, was from the tribe of Shemr. The offer was declined because Husayn was not offered any safe conduct. On the battle day, Shemr commanded the left wing of the Umayyad army. Upon the orders of the commander of the army, Umar ibn Sa'd, Shemr set on fire the tents of Husayn's companions, and was intent on burning Husayn's personal tent before being prevented by his own comrades. After an almost day-long sequence of skirmishes and duels, most of Husayn's companions were killed, but the Umayyad soldiers hesitated to kill Husayn. Shemr encouraged them to kill him: "Shame on you! Why are you waiting for the man? Kill him, may your mothers be deprived of you!" Shemr then led the final assault. Some accounts name him as the one who ultimately killed and decapitated Husayn, while other accounts name Sinan ibn Anas. He then attempted to kill Husayn's surviving son Ali Zayn al Abidin, but was prevented by Ibn Sa'd. Afterwards, Shemr led the escort carrying the heads of the dead to Kufa. Later he accompanied the prisoners to Syria. He is reported to have regretted his actions later in his life. During the rule of Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, who had seized Kufa in October 686, Shemr was among the agitators who attempted to topple Mukhtar. After the rebellion was defeated, Shemr escaped to Sadama, a place between Kufa and Basra. Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr ruled Basra at the time and Shemr wrote him a letter requesting assistance. The letter was intercepted by Mukhtar's soldiers led by Abu Amra Kaysan. With his location thus exposed, Shemr was found and killed. Other variants suggest that he was wounded and sent to Mukhtar, who then killed him. Shia traditions relate that Shemr's body was then torn to pieces by wild dogs.
Depiction
Shemr is depicted in the passion plays during the Shia mourning remembrance of Ashura.
