The State of Egypt and Mu‘âwiyah’s Attempts to Capture Other Provinces

State of Egypt

As already mentioned, Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), the governor of Egypt, was not of any help to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) against Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) owing to his bitter engagements and internal feuds with those who wouldn't take Bai'ah until Uthmân's murderers were punished. Finishing with the battle of Siffin, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent Mâlik Ashtar Nakha'i as the governor of Jazirah but very shortly sent him to Egypt as governor.

When Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came to know of this, he grew sorry and dejected. Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) became anxious because of Ashtar's qualities of thought and action. But Mâlik Ashtar died suddenly in route to Egypt and Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) remained in power. Following the death of Mâlik Ashtar, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) wrote Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) that he had sent Ashtar as governor of Egypt not because he was angry with him but because Ashtar could solve some political matters more skillfully. But, since, Ashtar died he was allowed to manage the affairs of Egypt as usual. Moreover, he was required to face the enemy with courage and determination.

In reply to the letter, Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) wrote that he was loyal to him and was ready to fight his (Ali's) enemies at any time. These events had taken place before the decision of the arbitrators.

The Syrians later accepted Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) as Caliph and it added to his power and grandeur. He then entered into correspondence with Mu'âwiyah bin Hudaij and those who opposed Muhammad bin Abu Bakr Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to encourage them. They sought help from Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and that was what he intended. Thus he lost no time in dispatching Amr bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) at the head of six thousand troops with a letter in the name of Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Reaching close to Egypt, Amr bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent Mu'âwiyah's letter to Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) along with his own. Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent both the letters to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Kufah.

Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) gathered the people and roused them to take part in the Egyptian campaign but not more than two thousand men were ready to fight. At last, he sent these two thousand men to Egypt under the command of Mâlik bin Ka'b. Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had already sent two thousand troops against Amr bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) under the command of Kinânah bin Bishr who was martyred fighting with the Syrians and his men either fled from the field or were killed fighting.

With the news of the defeat, Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) decided to personally lead his troops. The awe-stricken men of Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) showed no courage to face the Syrians and fled, leaving their commander who was fighting alone, he came back from the battlefield and took refuge in the house of Jabalah bin Masruq. The house was surrounded by the Syrians and the companions of Mu'âwiyah bin Hudaij. Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came out of the house and was arrested trying to fight his opponents. Mu'âwiyah bin Hudaij killed him and burned him putting his body inside the skin of a dead donkey.

The news of the incident was brought to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) by his spy Abdur-Rahmân bin Shabib Fazâri. He at once sent someone to bring Mâlik bin Ka'b back. Mâlik bin Ka'b had covered about half the distance when Hajjâj bin Amr bin Ghaziyah Ansâri came across and informed him of the assassination of Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Amr bin Al-Âs' victory over Egypt. Meanwhile, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) assembled the people of Kufah and reproached them for their laziness and neglect. But this stirring address failed to inspire the audience and they remained unmoved. Now, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was under circumstantial compulsion to give up the campaign of Egypt and Syria.

Attempts made to capture Other Provinces

The conquest of Egypt was very encouraging for Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). His next step was to wrest even Basrah from the hands of Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). The atmosphere of Basrah was not much different from Egypt. The battle of Jamal had angered them with Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and a growing demand for revenging the blood of Uthmân (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had developed among the people in general. Taking advantage of the situation, Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent Abdullah bin Al-Hadrami towards Basrah with the instruction that the elements antagonistic to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) be assimilated and their hearts won by all means. When Ibn Al-Hadrami reached Basrah, he found the situation in Basrah conducive to his plan particularly when Abdullah bin Abbâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), the governor of Basrah was not present and had gone to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). A large party of the people joined him. Being informed of the new development in Basrah, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) made no delay in sending A'in bin Dubai'ah with the instruction of creating a rift among those who had joined hands with Ibn Al-Hadrami. He was crowned with success in the task entrusted to him. Thus the campaign of Abdullah bin Al-Hadrami ended in his assassination in the last days of 38 AH, in Basrah.

In 39 AH, when the Persians noticed that Basrah was divided between the followers of Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), they rose in revolt and expelled the governor, Sahl bin Hunaif, from their territory. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) wrote Ibn Abbâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), the governor of Basrah to send Ziyâd to Persia who went there and put down the revolt with a heavy hand.

In a situation, fraught with discontent and uprising against Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), Mu'âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) took advantage of the situation by using generosity, forgiveness, strategies and appreciation to one and all. This attitude proved fruitful as people in large numbers from Al-Madinah, Tâ'if and Yemen drew near to him. He also sent Nu'mân bin Bashir to Ain-ut-Tamr where Mâlik bin Ka'b, the governor did not receive reinforcements from Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and yielded the territory to the Syrian commander. Madâ'in and Anbâr met the same fate and Sufyân bin Auf returned to Damascus with huge possessions from these territories. Although Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) made an advancement to intercept him, Sufyân bin Auf got away uncaught.