| Battle of Bassorah | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the First Islamic civil war | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| The Caliphate | Rebel Arabs | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ali ibn Abi-Taleb
Qays ibn Sa'ad |
Aisha bint Abu-Bakr | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| About 20,000 | About 30,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| About 5,000 | About 13,000 | ||||||
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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.
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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.
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]
− During the siege of Uthman, Aisha was asked to stay in Medina, but she left the city without paying attention. Aisha believed Uthman had become an apostate due to neglecting the Islamic traditions during his caliphate, and she encouraged people to kill him.[10] in 655 AD, Uthman was murdered provoking the First Fitna.[11]
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 killed, they went to Ali who was in his own estate and said:
They said: “No, we do swear by God! We won’t let you until we promise you loyalty!”
His cousin Abdullah Abbas said:
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:
“Yes!” they said. He said:
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. [13][14] 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.[15][16] 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."[17]
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:
Then Ziayd recited a poem:
Unconsciously recited another poem:
Then Ziyad came out to the people waiting for his conclusion. They asked:
Ziyad only said:
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:
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:
These events displeased Aisha and a large number of most significant sahaba (companions) of Muhammad. Having an implacable hatred against Ali and his family,[18] they evidently believed that Ali was wrong to occupy himself in other tasks before finding Uthman's murderer. They challenged Ali's caliphate under the claim that Ali had been unsuccessful in finding Uthman's murderer, claiming Qisas for Uthman. Aisha formed a rebel army including Talha and Zubair and went to the city of Basra to seek vengeance for Uthman's blood, which was the beginning of the second civil war in Islam. They raised an army of 3000 warriors, and decided to march on Basra.[19]
On learning of the advance of the rebels, Ali set out to meet them. He had with him only 700 men. Too weak to proceed, he camped at a desert well in Nejd.[20] He sent his elder son Hasan, in company with former Kufa governor Ammar ibn Yasir, to request assistance from Kufa; their appeal[21] eventually had the desired effect. With several thousand men from Kufa reinforcing his army, Ali was now ready for battle, and descended upon Basra.
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.[22]
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.[19] | ” |
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.[19][23]
In the war, Aisha accompanied the rebel army in her camel-litter.[24] Professor Leila Ahmed claims that it was during this engagement that Muslims fought Muslims for the first time.[25] Battle ensued and Aisha's forces were defeated. Aisha directed her forces from a howdah on the back of a camel; this 656 AD battle is therefore called the Battle of the Camel.
The attitude of the leaders was in marked contrast with the bitter struggle of the ranks. Zubair, half-hearted since his interview with Ali, left the battlefield according to his promise, and was killed in an adjoining valley. A man named Amr ibn Jarmouz had followed Zubair and murdered him while he performed Salat.[26]
Marwan ibn al-Hakam shot his own general,[27] Talha, who became disabled in the leg by the shot, and carried into Basra, where he died later of his wound.[28][29][30] Marwan said,
| “ | By God, now I will not have to search for the man who murdered Uthman.[31] | ” |
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. 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.[32]
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.[32]
The combat had lasted 110 days in total.
| Preceded by Conquest of Mecca |
Muslim battles Year: 656 CE |
Succeeded by Battle of Siffin |