Battle of Bassorah

For other battles in the area, see Battle of Basra (disambiguation).

Battle of Bassorah
Part of the First Islamic civil war
Date 656 Location Basra, Iraq Result Caliphate victory
Belligerents
The Caliphate	Rebel Arabs
Commanders and leaders
Ali ibn Abi Talib	Aisha bint Abu Bakr
Strength
About 20,000	About 30,000
Casualties and losses
About 5,000	About 13,000

The Battle of Bassorah (also known as the Battle of the Camel or Battle of Jamal) was a battle that took place at Basra, Iraq in 656 between forces allied to Ali ibn Abi Talib (Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Commander of the Faithful) and forces allied to Aisha (widow of Muhammad, and Mother of the Believers (Arabic: Umm-al-Mu'mineen)), who wanted justice on the perpetrators of the assassination of the previous caliph, Uthman.

History

Prelude

The siege

Main article: Siege of Uthman

Abu Bakr's reign was short, and in 634 AD he was succeeded by Umar as caliph. Assassination ended Umar's reign of ten years, and he was succeeded by Uthman Ibn Affan in 644 AD. Both of these men had been among Muhammad's earliest followers, were linked to him by clanship and marriage, and had taken prominent parts in various military campaigns.

Dissatisfaction and resistance had openly risen since 650-651 (30 AH) throughout most of the empire.^[1] The dissatisfaction with his regime and the governments he appointed was not restricted to the provinces outside Arabia.^[2] When Uthman's kin, especially Marwan, gained control over him, Uthman lost control over his Caliphate, and many of the noble companions, including most of the members of the elector council, withdrew their support.^[3]

The rebels of Egypt began the siege of Uthman Ibn Affan.^[4] The rebels refused to provide Uthman with food or water, and kept him imprisoned, hoping to force his abdication.

Role of Ali and Aisha

Ali

Ali intervened only when informed that the rebels were preventing the delivery of water to the besieged caliph.^[5] He tried to mitigate the severity of the siege by insisting that Uthman should be allowed water.^[6] Ali went to the extent of even sending his own sons to protect Uthman's house when he was in danger of being attacked.^[7][8] Rebels protested against it and committed excess therein.^[9]

Caliphate to Ali

Ali was offered the caliphate by a large number of Muslims of Medina after Uthman's death. He is reported to have refused the caliphate at first but later, upon their insistence, he accepted.

It is said that the disciples of the prophet asked Ali to take the government, but he didn’t accept. They were not satisfied and insisted more until he had to accept. When Othman was martyred, they went to Ali who was in his own estate and said:

“This man is martyred. The public have to have a leader. No one we have found more deserving to the position than you! You are the oldest in the faith and the nearest to the prophet by relationship.”

“Don’t do that!” Ali said. “Better I be your advisor than your leader.”

They said: “No, we do swear by God! We won’t let you until we promise you loyalty!”

“So, let it to be in the mosque,” he said: “for the promise to be clear and by the willing of the people.”

His cousin Abdullah Abbas said:

I didn’t like him to go there for I was afraid there could be some opponents and problems. But he didn’t accept anywhere but in the mosque. Then he entered the mosque, both people of Migrants and Helpers gathered around him and promised him loyalty.

Abu-Boshre Abedi reports: When Othman was killed, people among them Talhah and Zobeir came to Ali and insisted: ‘Abul-Hassan! Come and let yourself to be our leader!’ Ali said: ‘I don’t need to be your leader! Any one you find, I am in your side and I we’ll accept him. Find another one for God's sake.’ ‘No one but you!’ people said.

They came many times to him and at the last time they said: ‘People can’t manage without a leader. This has become too long!’

Ali said: ‘Many times you have come to me and gone; now you have returned again! I will say a word that if you accept, I will take the position; otherwise I don’t need it!’ They said: ‘Anything you say!’

Ali went to the mosque on the pulpit and spoke:

‘I didn’t like to be your leader. But you insisted; now you must know that I won’t do anything against your will. The keys of your treasury will be in my hands but I don’t spend one drachma without your satisfaction. You accept this manner?’

“Yes!” they said. He said:

‘God! Witness this word!’^[10]

Many reports absolve Ali of complicity in the murder. German historian Wilferd Madelung is of the opinion that there is no evidence to suggest that Ali had a close relationship with the rebels who supported his caliphate or directed their actions. ^[11][12] On the other hand, Ali himself said in numerous cases that he had done everything he could to defend him but that he didn't agree with Uthman's policies.^[13][14] Some other sources say that Ali had acted as a restraining influence on Uthman without directly opposing him.^[6] However, Madelung narrates that Marwan told Zayn al-Abidin, the grandson of Ali: "No one [among the Islamic nobility] was more temperate toward our master than your master."^[15]

Before hostilities

Talhah and Zubeir asked Ali the permission for pilgrimage. He let them and they departed. The Medina people wanted to know Ali’s point of view about war against Muslims by asking his view about Muawiah and his opposition. So they sent Ziyad Ben Hanzalah of Tamim who was an intimate friend to Ali. He went to him and sat for a while. Then Ali said:

"Get ready Ziad!"

"What for?"

"To fight the Syrians."

"Better to wait and tolerate."

Then Ziayd recited a poem:

"One who doesn’t tolerate

"He will be torn by the teeth

"And will be smashed by the feet"

Unconsciously recited another poem:

"When a wake heart and a brave sword and brain

Are gathered, then you will be safe from the oppression"

Then Ziyad came out to the people waiting for his conclusion. They asked:

"What happened? What is he going to do?"

Ziyad only said:

"You people! Sword!!"

And they understood what Ali was going to do. Ali gave the war flag to his young son Muhammad. He made Abdullah Abbas as the commander of the right wing and made Amr Ben Abi-Salamah as the head of the left. He wrote to his ruler in Egypt Keis Ben Said to make an army to fight the Syrians. Same letters he sent to Abu-Musa Ashaari in Kufah and Othman Ben Honeif in Basrah. Then he went to the mosque and spoke:

"God sent a prophet guiding us with a Book and a stable manner from which no one will be perverted but the destroyed people. Doubts and new ways can ruin man but if God saves him. So he is who saves you; obey him then with no doubt. I swear by God if you don’t do that, He will take the power of Islam from you and never give it back to you.

"Now get ready to fight with people who want to divide you! May God make what has ruined by the men in far horizons right by your hands! Accomplish now the duty you have!"

People were gathering for the fight but suddenly news came from Mecca saying that the people are getting ready to rebel. Again Ali went to the mosque and spoke:

"God forgives the oppressors, and delivers one who stands and resists. Everyone who can’t bear the truth, he will go the lies. Now beware you! that the mother of the believers and Talhah and Zubeir have been gathered to oppose my rule and have invited people with no violence. As long as I don’t feel danger about your unity, I will tolerate. If they stop and do only what I have heard, I won’t take any action too." ^[10]

Preparation for battle

Aisha formed an army including Talha and Zubair and went to the city of Basra They raised an army of 3000 warriors, and decided to march on Basra.^[16]

Led by Zubair and Talha, the rebels marched out to meet Ali's army. Not all Basra was with them. Beni Bekr, the tribe once led by the Muthanna, joined the army of Ali. Beni Temeem decided to remain neutral.^[17]

Rebels in Basra

According to prominent Sunni scholar and historian Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Ali had employed Jats to guard the Basra treasury during the Battle of Jamal.

“

Jats were the guards of the Baitul Mal at al-Basra during the time of both Uthman's and Ali's caliphate.[16]

”

The rebel army reached Basra, and encamped close by. Upon entering the city of Basra, Aisha ordered 600 Muslims beheaded, including 40 in the grand mosque, who were considered to be on Ali's side.^[16][18]

The battle

Professor Leila Ahmed claims that it was during this engagement that Muslims fought Muslims for the first time.^[19] Battle ensued and opposing forces were defeated. they directed her forces from a howdah on the back of a camel; this 656 AD battle is therefore called the Battle of the Camel.

End of the battle

Marwan ibn al-Hakam shot his own general,^[20] Talha, who became disabled in the leg by the shot, and carried into Basra, where he died later of his wound.^[21][22][23] Marwan said,

“

By God, now I will not have to search for the man who murdered Uthman.[24]

”

Ali's forces overcame the rebels, and the defeated army was treated with generosity. Ali met Aisha, who was at that time aged 45, with the intent of reconciliation.However it is a common misconception that Aisha went to the battle to fight and not protect Ali. He sent her back to Medina under military escort headed by her brother Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, one of Ali's commanders. She subsequently retired to Medina with no more interference with the affairs of state.^[25]

Losses in the battle

According to William Muir, 10,000 people lost their life in this battle, with each party bearing equal loss. In the three days after the battle, Ali performed a funeral service for all the dead from both parties.^[25]

The combat had lasted 110 days in total.

Participants

Fought with Ali

• Ali^[26]
• Harith ibn Rab'i^[26]
• Malik al-Ashtar
• Ammar ibn Yasir
• Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr
• Hasan ibn Ali
• Abu Ayub Ansari^[27]
• Abu Qatada bin Rabyee^[27]
• Qais bin Sa'd bin Idadah^[27]
• Qathm bin Abbas^[27]

Fought with Aisha

• Aisha^[26]
• Talha ibn Ubayd-Allah^[26]
• Muhammad ibn Talha^[28]
• Zubayr ibn al-Awwam^[26]
• Marwan ibn al-Hakam^[26]

Others involved

• Abd-Allah ibn Umar^[26]
• Hafsa bint Umar^[26]
• Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya^[26]
• Jatts

Unclassified

• Abdullah bin Aamir Hadhrami of Makkah^[26]
• Ya'la bin Umayya^[26]
• Abdullah bin Aamir bin Kurayz of Basra^[26]
• Saeed bin Aas^[26]
• Mughira bin Shaaba^[26]

See also

• Jat people#History

Preceded by Conquest of Mecca

Muslim battles Year: 656 CE

Succeeded by Battle of Siffin

References

1. ^ Madelung (1997), pp. 87 and 88
2. ^ Madelung (1997), p. 90
3. ^ Madelung (1997), pp. 92-107
4. ^ Madelung (1997), pp. 111-112
5. ^ Madelung (1997), pp. 112, 113 and 130
6. ^ ^{a b} "Ali ibn Abitalib". Encyclopedia Iranica. http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v1f8/v1f8a043.html. Retrieved 2007-10-25. 
7. ^ Madelung (1997), pp. 107 and 134
8. ^ "Ali". Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 
9. ^ Nahj al-Balaghah Sermon 30
10. ^ ^{a b} Abul-Kasim Payandeh. Tabari's History [Tarikh ar-Rosol i wa'l-Mulouk] translated from Arabic into Persian.
11. ^ Holt (1977), pp. 67 - 68
12. ^ Madelung (1997), pp. 107 and 111
13. ^ Nahj al-Balaghah Sermon 3 and 238
14. ^ Nahj al-Balaghah Letter 1, 6, 28 and 54
15. ^ Madelung (1997), p.334
16. ^ ^{a b c} Dr. Mohammad Ishaque in Journal of Pakistan Historical Society, Vol 3, Part 1
17. ^ Sir John Glubb, The Great Arab Conquests, 1967, p. 320
18. ^ Ali Asghar Rizwi, Restatement of Islam History, chapter 62, "The Battle of Basra"
19. ^ Goodwin, Jan. Price of Honour: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World. UK: Little, Brown Book Group, 1994
20. ^ anwary-islam.com
21. ^ http://anwary-islam.com/companion/ten-talhah-ibn-ubaydullah.htm
22. ^ http://www.al-islam.org/restatement/61.htm
23. ^ http://www.islam4theworld.com/Sahabah/talhah_bn_ubaydullah_R.htm
24. ^ Ibn Saad, Tabaqat, vol. III, p. 223
25. ^ ^{a b} William Muir, The Caliphate: Its Rise, Decline and Fall from Original Sources. Chapter XXXV: "Battle of the Camel". London: 1891. p. 261.
26. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n} Restatement of History of Islam The Battle of Basra on Al-Islam.org, http://www.ismaili.net/Source/myflag/04islamic.html
27. ^ ^{a b c d} Islamic period
28. ^ www.islam4theworld.com

External links

• Ali ibn Abi Talib (1984). Nahj al-Balagha (Peak of Eloquence), compiled by ash-Sharif ar-Radi. Alhoda UK. SBN 0940368439. 
• Al-Tabari, Muhammad ibn Jarir (1990). History of the Prophets and Kings , translation and commentary issued by R. Stephen Humphreys. SUNY Press. ISBN 0791401545.  (volume XV.)
• Holt, P. M.; Bernard Lewis (1977). Cambridge History of Islam, Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521291364. 
• Madelung, Wilferd (1997). The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521646960. 
• William Muir. The Caliphate: Its Rise, Decline, and Fall [1].