Transcript Ali Siffin Battle

Ali
Siffin Battle
A.S. Hashim, MD
From: www.wikipedia.com
And: http://archive.mumineen.org/deen/Ramadhan_dates.html
Sources of Reference
ibn Jarir al-Tabari,
Ibn Qutaybah,
Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. "Ali".
Madelung,
Encyclopaedia of the Holy Prophet and Companions
Tabatabaei,
Lapidus,
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward
Gibbon
Al-Shaykh Al-Mufid
Dakake
Nahj Al-Balagha, Sermon 3
Holt, P.M.; Lambton, Ann K.S.; Lewis, Bernard. Cambridge History of
Islam.
Watt, William Montgomery. Muhammad at Mecca. Oxford University Press.
In this Slide Show
Following Uthman’s Death
Who was Mu’awiya?
Ali’s Camp
Mu’awiya’s Camp
Ali Heading to face Mu’awiya
Ali’s forces Reach al-Raqqa ‫الرقه‬
Access to the Water
The Battle
William Muir Writes
Edward Gibbon Writes
Arbitration at Daumat al-Jandal ‫دومة الجندل‬
Deliberations of the Arbitration
The Deceit of Ibn Aas
Prelude
The Battle of Siffin, Time period: (May-July 657AD)
occurred during the First Fitna (Sedition), or First
Muslim civil war,
with the main engagement taking place from July 26 to
July 28.
It was fought between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Mu'awiya,
on the banks of the Euphrates river,
in what is now Al-Raqqa ‫ الرقة‬, Syria.
Following Uthman’s Death
Ali becomes Khalifa in an anxiety ridden atmosphere
Ali removes all Benu Umayya governors from office
Mu’awiya refuses to acknowledge Ali’s orders
A’isha (Umm al-Mu’mineen) along with Talha and Zubair
lead a rebellion against Ali
During the few months of the Jamal affairs Mu’awiya
consolidates his base of power
Benu Umayya in Jamal affair (being forgiven and freed by
Ali), join Mu’awiya to fight against Ali
Mu’awiya takes advantage of the circumstances and uses
the bloodied shirt of Uthman to raise emotions
Syria in a frenzy against Ali, to avenge the blood of Uthman.
The Envoy
Having defeated A’isha at the Jamal Battle, Ali returned from
Basra to Kufa in Rajab of 36H (January 657AD).
Ali transferred the capital of his government to Kufa from
Medina
because Kufa was more centrally placed,
and he could halt Mu'awiya's progress into Iraq.
However, Ali tried to settle matters peacefully.
He chose Jarir as his envoy,
Jarir was the chief of Benu Bajila and governor of Hamdan.
The negotiations between Mu’awiya and Jarir proved
fruitless,
and Mu'awiya's army pledged an oath that they would not
wash or sleep a night at home, until the murderers of
Uthman were brought to justice.
Asking for Union and Accord
In Syria, disorder and incitement to commotion continued
unabated.
Uthman's shirt, (besmeared with his blood) and the choppedoff fingers of his wife, Naila, were exhibited from the pulpit.
In this manner, Mu'awiya raised the entire country of Syria
against Ali.
Ultimately, both parties, opposed to each other, converged
on Siffin where their armies pitched their camps in
37H/657AD.
Even at this stage, Ali sent three men, viz. Bashir Ansaari,
Sa'eed Hamdani, and Shith Tamimi to Mu'awiya to induce
him to settle for union, and coming together.
According to Tabari (5h vol., p. 243), Mu'awiya’s reply was:
"Go away from here, only the sword will decide between us."
Who was Mu’awiya?
Mu'awiya was appointed by Omar as governor over Jordan when his
brother Yazid (governor of Jordan) had died
Then in addition, Mu’awiya became governor of Sham in Syria,
Mu’awiya was a cousin of Uthman.
Uthman, added Palestine, and North Syria to Mu’awiya’s governorship
after their governors had died.
Mu’awiya is now the governor of Syria (Sham plus Northern
Territory) and Jordan plus Palestine.
Thus increasing Mu’awiya’s power to a very high level
By Ali’s time, Mu’awiya has been governor for 17 years.
He was well entrenched.
Was generous to his loyalist at the expense of public treasury
Was therefore well liked in Syria
Who was Mu’awiya?
Mu'awiya worked in a clever, subtle, and hardly noticeable
manner.
He began to use the rich public treasury of Syria for his own,
often buying favors or influencing friends.
Mu'awiya's influence became much firmer with the passage of
years, people got used to his name and position.
When Khalifa Uthman started to reign Mu'awiya was
emboldened.
Once this happened, not only did the rest of the Umayya family
spread its tentacles
but Mu'awiya was much bolder in working with the public
treasury
and helping himself to buy friends and influence people.
He knew well the weakness of man for money.
The Side of Mu’awiya
Ali fired Mu'awiya as well as other governors of Benu Umayya line
Mu'awiya defied, and declined to give his allegiance to Ali.
Mu'awiya started a campaign for the revenge of the blood of Uthman.
Mu’awiya exploited Uthman in a clever way:
Often, in the center of the main mosque in Damascus, they would
show the bloody shirt in which Uthman had died, raising people's
emotions.
Every Friday, highly emotional speeches were given to arouse the
emotions, and let everyone cry.
Mu’awiya was aided by the hordes of Benu Umayya, all in a challenge
to grab power of Khilaafah.
The simple man in Damascus and Syria believed them and gave
them full support.
Ali’s Camp
Ali's camp was trying very hard:
to bring the Islamic nation together, and to unify it
and to put energy once more in the sagging Islamic spirit.
Ali's side was a camp of virtue and righteousness, with volunteers who
would give their blood and life for Islam.
Imam Ali's camp had many of the Prophet's Companions,
people coming from Medina to help,
and among them were highly respected personalities such as
Ammar.
Ali's camp was for the ideals of Islam, and the welfare of Muslims
and their lives, not only then but even now.
Ali's camp was of the righteous, upright, and virtuous.
Mu’awiya’s Camp
Mu'awiya was painstakingly building his campaign and forces.
Mu'awiya’s ambition was to become the Khalifa, the ruler.
People of Mu’awiya were not versed in Islamic ideals or knowing
much of Ali's contribution to Islam.
Mu'awiya paid them enticing salaries from the State Treasury (like
tax money in our days),
Mu'awiya promised them a high, prestigious, or influential
position.
Mu'awiya bargained with Amr Ibn Aas about the governorship of
Egypt
Mu’awiya’s secret agents even infiltrated Ali's side:
to successively entice a number of Ali's adherents by attractive
promises of the worldly nature!
Thus, Mu'awiya used the carrot and stick strategy effectively.
Ali on the Way, to face Mu’awiya
Ali headed northwest with a large force, the course was
along the Euphrates River.
While on the way Ali passed an eerie and gloomy place.
Ali asked anxiously, "What do you call this place?"
"It is called Karbala," someone answered.
On hearing that Ali looked grim. He then said with pain:
ُّ
‫محط ِرحالهم ومهراق دمائهم‬
‫هنا‬
It is here where they will be stopped
and it is here where the blood-shed will be.
This became indelible in the mind of Al-Husain. It later
proved to be the biggest tragedy in history, but through
which Islam was preserved.
From Kufa to Siffin
Distance about 700 miles
Many overnight stops
Distance between
overnight stops variable
The route is by the
Euphrates River
Trip is arduous personally
let alone for the whole
army
Siffin
Siffin
Siffin
Kufa
With Ali:
Historian Yaqubi (2nd vol., p. 188) writes that:
Ali had 80,000 men,
including 70 Companions who participated in Badr,
70 Companions who took oath at Hudaibiya,
and 400 prominent Ansaars and Muhaajirs;
while Mu'awiya had 120,000 Syrians.
Of his family Ali was accompanied by:
Al-Hasan and Al-Husain of Fatima, and
his teenage Al-Abbas of Umm Al-Baneen
Muhammad Ibn Al-Hanafiya
Ibn Abbas and others.
Siffin in Brief
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Ali leaves Kufa along the Euphrates River
Negotiations (for several weeks) fail to dissuade from
fighting
Fighting: Battle of Siffin takes place, fighting severe
Ammar the Companion killed by Mu'awiya side
Mu'awiya uses deceit, Ash'ath to undermine Ali
Mu'awiya averts his defeat, lifts 500 Qurans on spears
Qurans on spears bring fighting to a halt,
Ali's side in disorder and arguments
Ali recognizes the deceit, urges his men to fight: they
refuse
Ali is forced to accept Arbitration
A year later, deception at Arbitration by Mu'awiya's side
Ali’s forces Reach al-Raqqa ‫الرقه‬
Seeing that war was inevitable, Ali gathered his forces,
and, after at first planning to invade Syria from the North,
he attacked directly, marching through Mesopotamia.
Arriving at al-Raqqa ‫ الرقه‬, on the banks of the Euphrates, the
Syrian vanguard was sighted, but it withdrew without
engagement.
The people of al-Raqqa were hostile to Ali,
and without their cooperation his army would have difficulty
crossing the river.
Eventually, Malik al-Ashtar threatened the townspeople,
which forced their co-operation.
al-Raqqa ‫الرقه‬
Al-Riqqa
Finally they Meet at Siffin
So, finally, the army managed to cross the river,
by means of a bridge of boats.
Ali's army then marched along the right bank of the
Euphrates,
until they came across the Syrian outpost of Sur alRum,
where there was a brief skirmish, but Ali's advance was
not slowed.
So in Dhul Hijjah 36H (May 657AD), the army of Ali
came into sight of Mu'awiya's main forces,
which were encamped on the river plain at Siffin.
Access to the Water
Mu'awiya had stationed:
his general, Amr ibn al-Aas, with 10,000 men on the river to deny
Ali's army any access to water. Appeals to allow the water fail.
Ali’s general, Malik al-Ashtar, led the attack to gain access to the
water;
After heavy fighting, Amr's forces were dislodged from the river
bank.
But Ali insisted on free access to Mu’awiya’s forces to the water.
Even then, Ali did not immediately press forwards with his attack
instead, the two sides remained encamped facing each other for
110 days
while attempts were made at a negotiated settlement.
During this time, there were at least 90 skirmishes between tribal
columns in the two armies, but no general battle.
Mu'awiya Refuses
Mu'awiya refused Ali as Khalifa until those complicit in Uthman's murder
be brought to justice.
Ali saw Mu'awiya as motivated by ambition, the ambition for power.
Moreover, Ali's position began to harden; regarding the murder of
Uthman,
he is said to have stated "I will not say that he was wrongly
attacked, nor will I say that the attack was justified."
As compromise was impossible, the negotiations remained
deadlocked,
but both sides were reluctant to fight, because it would mean killing
fellow Muslims.
This situation lasted 110 days.
Ali Sends Delegations
Ali's next step was, as usual, to try and come to a peaceful settlement.
He deputed Bashir bin Amr, Sa'id bin Qais and Ibn Rabi, but Mu'awiya
declined the offer to the delegates.
Ali still did not give up and he sent a second delegation, but it also failed.
For the next three months, (May, June and July, 657AH), the armies
remained in camps at Siffin
facing each other neither at war nor at peace.
This negotiations lasted 110 days, during which time, there were at
least 90 skirmishes between tribal columns in the two armies, but no
general battle.
There was much heat in the discussions with Mu'awiya,
and finally Ali was obliged once again to resort to arms on 8th Safar,
36H/July 26, 657AD.
The Battle
On 8th Safar 36H (26 July 657AD) Ali gave the
order for a full attack.
The battle lasted all day, and into the night.
The fighting lulled a little in the darkness, but
started again even more fiercely the following
day.
Despite his age (he was now 58) Ali attacked
personally
With his Medina troops in the center,
And with his troops from Basra and Kufa on the flanks.
William Muir Writes
William Muir writes in "The Caliphate, its Rise and Fall“ (London,
1924, p. 261)
"Both armies drawn out in entire array, fought till the shades of
evening fell,
neither having got the better.
The following morning, the combat was renewed with great vigor.
Ali posed himself in the center with the flower of his troops from
Medina,
and the wings were formed, one of the warriors from Basra,
the other of those from Kufa.
Mu'awiya had a pavilion pitched on the field;
and there, surrounded by five lines of his sworn body-guards, he
watched the fight.
William Muir Writes
Amr with a great weight of horse, bore down upon the Kufa wing which
gave away;
and Ali was exposed to imminent peril, both from thick showers of
arrows and from close encounter.
Reproaching the men of Kufa for their cowardice,
the Khalifa fought bravely, his unwieldy figure notwithstanding, sword
in hand, and manfully withstood the charge.
Ali's general Ashtar, at the head of 300 readers of (the Quran) led
forward the other wing,
which fell with fury on Mu'awiya's Turbaned body-guard.
Four of its five ranks were cut to pieces,
and Mu'awiya, bethinking himself of flight, had already called for his
horse, when a martial couplet flashed in his mind, and he held his
ground."
Edward Gibbon Writes
Edward Gibbon writes in "The Rise and Fall of the
Roman Empire" (London, 1848, 3rd vol., p. 522) that:
"The Khalifa Ali displayed a superior character of valor
and humanity.
His troops were strictly enjoined to wait the first onset
of the enemy,
to spare their flying brethren,
and to respect the bodies of the dead, and the chastity
of the female captives.
The ranks of the Syrians were broken by the charge of
the hero,
who was mounted on a piebald horse, and wielded with
irresistible force, his ponderous and two edged sword."
Edward Gibbon Writes
Appalled by the carnage,
Ali sent a message to Mu'awiya and challenged him to
single combat,
saying that whoever won should be the Khalifa.
In Gibbon's words, "Ali generously proposed to save
the blood of the Muslims by a single combat;
but his trembling rival (Mu’awiya) declined the
challenge as a sentence of inevitable death."
Mu'awiya had indeed lost his nerve, and was about to
flee from the field,
a trick of his accomplice Amr ibn al-Aas saved them
from destruction.
Edward Gibbon Writes
At length, Mu'awiya made his mercenaries tie copies of Holy Quran to
their lances and flags, demanding for the decision of arbitration.
Tabari (6th vol., p. 46) writes that,
"The defeat startled Mu'awiya in the face.
Amr Ibn al-Aas, however, had a trick up his sleeve for this
emergency,
and it was the raising of the Quran aloft on spear-heads, and
announcing, "Brethren, this Book of God alone will decide between
you and us."
It will be recalled that even before the commencement of the battle,
Ali had invited Mu'awiya by sending his three men to turn to the
Quran for a decision, but Mu’awiya declined the offer, by telling
them:
"Go away from here, only the sword will decide between us."
(Tabari, 5th vol., p. 243).
The Intercession of the Holy Quran
Now they sought the intercession of the Holy Quran
to escape the unpleasant consequences of an
ignominious defeat.
At this Ali came forward and expostulated his soldiers,
saying,
"It is an infamous stratagem and a nefarious device
of Amr and Mu'awiya to cloak their defeat.
Beware of the trick which they are playing.
You should fight to a finish."
But Ali's men refused to fight.
Ali, with a great expectation of victory in sight, was
therefore impelled to call a retreat.
Possibilities of Arbitration
Mu'awiya and Amr did not necessarily think that all of Ali's
army would accept an arbitration,
but they were sure that some of them would favor this,
and so at the least it would cause dissension in Ali's
army.
Ali's entire army quickly began chanting along with
Mu'awiya's men.
Ali urged his army to fight on, saying that Mu'awiya was
simply using a trick and was on the point of defeat,
but the soldiers did not listen.
Ali and al-Ashtar spent a long time arguing against their
men, but they could not change their minds.
Upon Seeing the Quran on Spears
Ali's fighters, taken aback and confused, became divided,
each arguing with the other.
Of course, Al-Ash'ath, the General in Ali's camp, now a
secret agent working for Mu'awiya, was the most
persistent on stopping the fight.
He undermined everything and added much to the
confusion and was quite decisive in halting the fight.
Some of the staunch fighters in Ali's camp even began to
threaten Ali with his life if he didn't agree to Mu'awiya's
request!
Having had no choice, Ali reluctantly and unwillingly had
to consent to the demands of his fighters. They wanted
arbitration, and arbitration they got.
About the Negotiations
Meanwhile Ali's followers now became divided;
a group of 12,000 soldiers broke away from the main army,
and instead camped at the nearby village of Harura.
They took issue with the arbitration because they did not see it as
proper under Islam.
They said that the leadership of the Muslim world was not Ali's nor
Mu'awiya’s personal property,
Ali managed to persuade them to rejoin his army, but it proved
only temporary.
These soldiers later became the core of the Kharijis (dissenters)
‫الخوارج‬.
Events During Siffin
1. Ali’s vivacious spirit did wonders to his
camp
2. Hashim ibn Utba and Ammar ibn Yasir
3. Importance of Ammar
4. The charge of Ammar
5. Ibn Aas comes to the challenge
6. Ash'ath became a secret agent for
Mu'awiya
Event: Ali During Siffin
Even though Ali was near 58 years old, his boldness,
unique prowess, and incising hits had the same lightning
speed as when he was younger.
The vivacious spirit of Ali did wonders to his camp.
His fighters followed suit, and the fighting was fierce.
Every time Ali finished an opponent he would yell
"Allaahu Akbar", and it is said in one day he shouted
Allaahu Akbar 523 times!
The sound and fury of the battle was ominous and to see
death beaming in the eye is a frightening experience.
Everyone was thankful when nighttime came and the two
groups disengaged, and each was after their own
wounded.
Event: Hashim ibn Utba and Ammar ibn Yasir
The fighting continued fiercely, and casualties mounted,
including Hashim ibn Utba and Ammar ibn Yasir,
both of whom were Companions of the Prophet on the
side of Ali.
Both sides had by now ran out of ammunition for their
quivers
and so the battle was fought hand-to-hand.
Both Ali and Mu'awiya were unhappy at the heavy
losses both sides were taking,
but Mu'awiya was particularly dejected, believing that
the battle would eventually be lost.
Event: Importance of Ammar
Ammar, about 93 yrs old, was in Ali’s camp
Ammar, was highly regarded Companion of the Prophet
The Prophet (pbuh) had told Ammar 30 Yrs earlier:
‫يا عمار سوف تقتلك الفئة الباغيه‬
”O’ Ammar, you will be killed by the malicious group.”
Ammar along with 400 companions fought Mu’awiya
bravely until Ammar was killed.
A lot of Commotion was the result in Mu’awiya’s camp.
Since they knew of the Prophet’s Saying on his behalf.
Added to that, the ominous news of Ammar's death confirmed to
them that they were the malicious side, not Ali’s.
Ammar’s Charge
Ammar asked for a drink before charging
It was milk, just as the Prophet had informed him that
before his death he would have a drink of milk.
Ammar, charging by now, kept repeating,
"Follow me to Heavens, follow me to Heavens,"
and people kept following him, and they kept fighting.
Ammar at one time was near the tent of Mu'awiya
when he was surrounded by too many of the foe and
cut badly.
He managed to reach Ali's camp despite his wounds
and he died as the Prophet had told him before.
Event: Ibn Aas comes to the challenge
Amr Ibn Aas, (the General of Mu’awiya) came out to challenge Ali.
Ibn Aas was overwhelmed by Ali, and he lost control and fell to the
ground.
When Ali was about to slay him,
Ibn Aas, lying on his back and shaking nervously, alarmed,
raised his legs and displayed his genital parts to Ali and all
around!
He did this to disgust Ali and to spare him his life!
Seeing Ibn Aas lying on his back, shaking with fright, legs up in the
air, exposing his male organ in such a humiliating manner:
Ali became disgusted and turned his head away, bypassing Ibn
Aas.
Ali gave Ibn Aas his life rather than kill him. Ali believed that by
such act, Ibn Aas was too lowly to be hit by his sword!
Event: Works of Secret Agent, Ash’ath
Mu’awiya’s agent approached a one-eyed General in Imam
Ali's forces by the name of Ash'ath
who was one of the three most important commanders.
Mu'awiya sent a secret message promising Ash'ath wealth
and enticing position if he helped disrupt Ali's camp.
He promised to reward him exceptionally well, lavishly so.
Ash'ath became a secret agent for Mu'awiya,
and from then on this man never lost an opportunity without
undoing Ali's side.
He was quite effective in undermining Ali's side, even
though his daughter was married to Al-Hasan the son of Ali!
The Arbitration:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The arbitrators
Ali’s soldiers: Confused and Angry
Ali’s advice
Deliberations of the arbitration
The representative in the arbitration,
The deceit of Ibn Aas
The Kharijis and the upheaval in Iraq
Ali’s Soldiers: Confused and Angry
The soldiers of Ali were impatient, noisy and quite angry:
They attacked al-Ashtar with whips, calling him a warmonger;
they even threatened to send Ali to Mu'awiya as a prisoner if
he did not accept the arbitration.
With his army in mutiny against him, Ali had no choice but to
accept the arbitration.
Ali wanted:
his kinsman Abdullah ibn Abbas or Malik al-Ashtar
to represent him in the arbitration,
but the army rejected these candidates. They claimed AlAshtar as too prejudiced, and Ibn Abbas was related, very
close to his cause.
So Ali's men insisted that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari be the
representative.
Ali’s Advice
The arbitration was to be in Ramadhan a year
hence.
Ali had to agree to his fighter’s insistence of this choice
in order to ward off bloody dissensions in his army.
According to “Usud al Ghaaba" (3rd vol., p. 246), Ali:
had, therefore, taken care to personally explain to the
arbitrators,
"You are arbiters on condition that
you decide according to the Book of God,
and if you are not so inclined
you should not deem yourselves to be arbiters."
Arbitration at Daumat al-Jandal ‫دومة الجندل‬
Daumat al-Jandal
Nowadays
Deliberations of the Arbitration
One year after the Siffin battle the arbitration took place as
agreed upon.
There were deliberations for two months.
Ash'ari was no match to Ibn Aas, as Ali had expected.
Ali's representative was easily tricked by Ibn Aas, a stinking
story in itself!
Ibn Aas had convinced Ash'ari that it was best to demote both
Ali and Mu'awiya and let the people decide their choices.
Ibn Aas flattered the old Ash'ari to deliver his speech first,
though Ali's side tried to persuade Ash'ari not to, since none
could trust Ibn Aas.
Ash'ari did not listen to them and he naively accepted. And:
The Deceit of Ibn Aas
Ash'ari ascended the Minbar (pulpit) and announced that:
Ali and Mu'awiya were to be removed
and for the people to make their choices afterwards.
Ash'ari was followed by Ibn Aas.
Ibn Aas said,
"I agree with Ash'ari that Ali is to be removed,
but in my opinion Mu'awiya is fit for the Khilaafah and should be the
new Khalifa!"
With that an uproar came about and
Ali's people knew they were double crossed,
emotions were high and
they went home agonizing at the deceit.
The Upheaval in Iraq
In Iraq, emotional upheaval was evident,
and because of these treacheries, another
confrontation against Mu'awiya was in the mind,
and Ali once more was busy preparing a large new
force.
But he continued with a heavy, sorrowful heart, yet
holding to his Islamic ideals unswervingly.
As if this was not enough, the Kharijis broke rank and
rebelled against him.
They spread devastation everywhere: killing and
destroying, and many towns and villages suffered at
their hands.
In Conclusion
Ali: and the Battle of Siffin
Following Uthman’s Death
Ali’s Camp
Mu’awiya’s Camp
Ali Heading to face Mu’awiya
Ali’s forces Reach al-Raqqa ‫الرقه‬
The Battle
William Muir Writes
Edward Gibbon Writes
Arbitration at Daumat al-Jandal ‫دومة الجندل‬
The Deceit of Ibn Aas
Finally we quote the Quran:
•By the Token of Time
•Verily Man is in loss,
•Except those who believe and do
good works, and exhort one another
to Truth and exhort one another to
patience.
‫هللا الرَّ حْ م ِن الرَّ ِح ِيم‬
ِ ‫• ِبسْ ِم‬
‫َو ْال َعصْ ِر‬
‫ان َل ِفي ُخسْ ٍر‬
َ ‫•إِنَّ ِاالن َس‬
‫ين آ َم ُنوا َو َع ِملُوا‬
َ ‫•إِال الَّ ِذ‬
‫ص ْوا ِب ْال َح ِّق‬
ِ ‫الصَّالِ َحا‬
َ ‫ت َو َت َوا‬
‫صب ِْر‬
َّ ‫ص ْوا ِبال‬
َ ‫َو َت َوا‬
THANK YOU
Be in God’s Care
Dr. A.S. Hashim