The
End of the Battle
At this juncture, Amr bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) counselled Mu’âwiyah
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to order his men to
raise the Qur'ân high on the point of their spears crying aloud: "Between
you and us is the Book of Allâh." The Syrians began to say that they bowed
down to the verdict of the Qur'ân. Someone was heard saying, "Muslims! we
were fighting in the way of Faith; come on and obey the judgement of the Qur'ân
and make peace." Some others called out, "O people! Who will fight
the Romans if the Syrians are destroyed, and who will face the eastern invaders
if the Iraqis are ruined?" When Ali's men witnessed the Qur'ân raised with
the spears, they stopped fighting at once. Abdullah bin Abbâs remarked at the
new developments: "It was fighting until now but this is the beginning of
cheating." Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
tried to make his men understand not to fall short of carrying their mission to
its logical end, for the victory was not far away. However, as the people had
been completely exhausted by continuous fighting, they found this an
opportunity from providence to stop fighting without delay. Moreover, the
fierce and bloody fighting that was still going hid the fact that victory was
within reach. The nearness of victory was visible only to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and his generals and
officers and had not yet come into the view of the fighters' sight so they were
not in favor of fighting further.
Ashtar was sure of his victory and
was in full command of the situation, it seemed unreasonable and illogical to
call him back from the battlefront. It was tantamount to undoing of all his
efforts and sacrifices. But fighters including the hypocrites of Saba party
surrounded Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
on all sides to stop fighting and to recall Ashtar.
Ali was still undecided when a
strong threat of internal fighting changed his mind and he called Ashtar back.
They threatened him with the consequences of Uthmân. In response to the
menacing situation, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was compelled to issue emergency orders for Ashtar to come back at once as the
door of a series of problems was now thrown open. Ashtar called off the
fighting, but very reluctantly.
[These details about the last part
of the Siffin Battle, especially the complete submission of Syrian army, and
the raising of the Qur'ân on the spears, are false fabrications of Shiite
narrations while the actual events testify differently:
The Prophet had directed Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Fâtimah to
mention Subhân Allâh, Al-hamdu lillah and Allâhu Akbar, thirty-three times each
while going to sleep. The Prophet told this act better than getting a slave.
Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) told that he never
discontinued this act. When he was asked whether he continued this act even on
the night of Siffin, he replied that even that night he performed it. (Bukhari
5362, Fath Al-Bari 9/506). Some other narrations also strengthen this fact. As
these mentions are recited at the time of sleep, it is proved that the fight
was stopped during this night of Siffin and people got the chance of taking a
rest or sleep.
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, the Book of
Commentary (Sûrat Al-Fath), there is a narration about this event. The first
part of it is not so clear, but in Musnad Ahmad (3/485) and An-Nasa'î (2/306),
this event is well-described with the reference of Sahih Al-Bukhari. According
to the wording of Musnad Ahmad, Habib bin Abu Thâbit said: I went to Abu Wa'il,
he said, 'We were in Siffin, when the fight with Syrians grew fierce, Amr said
to Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
: 'Send the Scripture (Qur'ân) to Ali, and call him towards the Book of Allâh,
he cannot refuse it to you.' So, a man took Qur'ân to him and said, 'Between us
and you, this is the Book of Allâh.' Then he recited the Verse which accuses
the people of the Scriptures: 'Have you not seen those who have been given a
portion of the Scripture? They are being invited to the Book of Allâh to settle
their dispute, then a party of them turns away, and they are averse.' (V.3:23).
On this Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
said, 'We are more entitled to it than you.' (Thus he at once agreed to make
the Book of Allâh their judge, and stopped fighting. Upon this) some
distinguished persons said (who became Khawârij later): 'O Chief of the
believers, what we have to see of them now? Should we not go with our swords
until Allâh decides between us?' On this Sahl bin Hunaif said: 'O people, blame
yourselves. We have seen ourselves on the day of Hudaibiyah. If there was a
possibility of fight, we would have fought.' (A narration of Bukhari says: 'If
I could have resisted the order of the Prophet, I would have done that.' It
means that the order of Allâh and His Messenger is to be obeyed, and there is
no other way. Here also the Book of Allâh is accepted as judge, so no other way
out).
Many
points are known from this narration:
The proposal presented by Amr bin Al-Âs
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to make the Qur'ân
judge was not to cheat the Iraqi people but to stop Muslims indulging in more
bloodshed and destroying themselves.
This proposal was not presented in
the way that the people while fighting, unexpectedly produced Qur'ân from
somewhere in their clothes, and raised them on the spears. The Muslim fighters
don't keep the Qur'ân with them in this way. Actually a man took the Qur'ân to
Ali. Same is the wording of Musnad Ahmad and An-Nasa'î. It is stated in
Daraqutni also that a man took the Qur'ân to Ali. So, this was done in the most
suitable diplomatic way.
Ali had not termed the proposal as
cheating or fraud, neither his army had forced him to accept the proposal. But
Ali, on his own, had accepted it as soon as it was brought forward. He not only
accepted it without any delay or any argument but he praised it to be the
suitable and timely proposal, and told that he was more entitled to act upon it
than Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
It was also not the case that the
army, especially the learned people had forced Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to accept the proposal, as is mentioned in general narratives,
but contrary to it, the most distinguished persons of his army came to him with
swords in their hands and asked his permission to fight. But Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) didn't give them
permission. Even Sahl bin Hunaif, the right hand of Ali, explained the army
that the Book of Allâh has been made judge in this matter, so nothing else can
be adopted nor any opinion can be considered. He gave the reference of the
Hudaibiyah Treaty in this regard.
When this narration of Musnad Ahmad
and An-Nasa'î is considered with its full context, it becomes clear enough that
at the time of sending the proposal, no fighting was going on. But both the
parties were ready to begin the fight. It means that the fighting had stopped
the night before, and after the day appeared, both parties were making their
preparations that the proposal was made by Amr bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to save the Muslims from further destruction. Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent a man to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) with the proposal
and Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) at once accepted it
to end the fight. He had said before that he would not fight until there is a
justification, and now there was no justice greater than the Book of Allâh. The
second party had itself asked to accept it, and so there was no room for
further fighting.]
Ali informed Ashtar of the reason
for his recall. Expressing deep grief, Ashtar said addressing the people,
"O the people of Iraq, you were entrapped by delusions when you were about
to overpower the Syrians." But the people were so much overwhelmed with
fervor against fighting that they made an attempt to attack Ashtar but held
back when Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
intervened. After a while Ash'ath bin Qais stepped forward and submitted to
Ali, "As now the battle has come to a halt and the people have accepted
the Qur'ân as an arbitrator, will you permit me to contact Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to know his
mind." Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
acceded to his request. He went to Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and said, "What was your intention behind raising the
Qur'ân upon the spears?" He said in reply, "Both of us should turn to
the Command of Allâh and His Messenger. Now two persons, one from each side,
should be appointed to examine and decide the matter under oath and both sides
should follow their decision."
Having heard this, Ash'ath came back
and related to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
what he had heard. The people around Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) hurried to accept the proposal. When Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was asked about the
man to represent his side, he named Amr bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
named Abdullah bin Abbâs. But the proposal was rejected on the plea that
Abdullah was his relative. They demanded a neutral person. When Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) left the matter to
them, they named Abu Musa Ash’ari (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ). But Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
expressed his reluctance declaring him unauthentic. [This attitude related to
Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) is absolutely
baseless.]
However, he yielded to their
constant insistence and pressure. The deliberations were still on when Amr bin Al-Âs
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) turned up to make
out the declaration under oath.
No comments:
Post a Comment