Imam Ali b. Abi Talib (a): Difference between revisions

Abu Bakr passed away in [[13]]/[[634 CE|634]].<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 3, p. 419-420; Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 136-138.</ref> Before his death, he appointed [[Umar]] as his successor.<ref>Maʿādīkhāh, ''Tārīkh-i Islām'', p. 322, 331.</ref> In [[Muharram]], [[14]]/[[March]], [[635 CE|635]], Umar embarked on a military expedition against the [[Sasanids]]. He camped in an area called Sirar, but some prominent figures, including Imam Ali (a), advised him to remain in Medina, so he returned and sent [[Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas]] to the battle in his place.<ref>Maʿādīkhāh, ''Tārīkh-i Islām'', p. 379.</ref> Ibn al-Athir reports that Ali (a) was a judge during the caliphate of Umar, except in its first few years.<ref>Maʿādīkhāh, ''Tārīkh-i Islām'', p. 348, 441.</ref>

In the same year, Imam Ali (a) called [[Mu'awiya]] to pledge his allegiance to him. When Mu'awiya rebelliously refused to recognize the Imam's caliphate, Imam Ali (a) decided to remove him from the governorship of Syria and embarked on a military expedition to [[Damascus]] against Mu'awiya in [[Shawwal]] [[36]]/[[April]] [[657 CE|657]]. Thus, a battle that took place between the two parties in an area called [[Siffin]] (hence the name "the [[Battle of Siffin]]") towards the end of the year [[36]]/[[657 CE|657]] and the beginning of [[37]]/[[657 CE|657]]. Some scholars maintain that unlike what al-Tabari and Ibn al-Athir have mentioned, the peak of the war was in [[38]]/[[658 CE|658]], not in [[Safar]] [[37]]/[[August]] [[657 CE|657]]. As the army of the Imam (a) was about to win the battle, [[Amr b. al-'As]] advised Mu'awiya to have his troops lift copies of the Qur'an on their lances and call the army of Ali (a) to the Quran's arbitration. Under the pressure of his army, the Imam (a) accepted the [[arbitration]] and was forced to introduce [[Abu Musa al-Ash'ari]] as the arbitrator from his side. However, shortly after the Imam's acceptance of the arbitration, a number of his troops objected to his decision and, referring to [[Qur'an 5:44]] and [[Qur'an 49:9|49:9]], demanded that the war with Mu'awiya should continue. They considered the acceptance of arbitration an act of [[apostasy]], from which they repented. While some of them were among the ones who had forced the Imam (a) to accept the arbitration, the objectors demanded that the Imam (a) also must repent and violate his agreements with Mu'awiya. The Imam (a) rejected their demands and announced that he would continue the war with the Syrian army if the two arbitrators did not arbitrate based on the Qur'an.  

After the Muslims were severely persecuted by the [[Quraysh]], the Prophet (s) ordered his companions to [[Immigration to Medina|emigrate to Medina]], and so they gradually left Mecca.<ref>Ibn Hisham, ''al-Sira al-nabawiyya'', vol. 1, p. 480</ref> After exchanging ideas in the [[Dar al-Nadwa]] meeting, the [[Quraysh]] decided to designate brave young men from each tribe to assassinate the Prophet (s) in his house. The archangel [[Gabriel]] came to the Prophet (a), informed him of their plot, and commanded him not to sleep in his bed and to leave [[Mecca]] and emigrate to [[Medina]] that same night. The Prophet (s) informed 'Ali (a) of the enemy's plot and asked him to sleep in his bed to fool the enemy.<ref>Ibn al-Athir, ''al-Kamil fi l-tarikh'', vol. 2, p. 72; Majlisi, ''Bihar al-anwar'', vol. 19, p. 59</ref>

'''[[Uways al-Qarani]]''', (Uways b. 'Amir al-Muradi al-Qarani) was a famous ascetic who converted to [[Islam]] at the time of the Prophet (s).<ref>Ibn al-Athir, ''Usd al-ghaba'', vol. 1, p. 179</ref> Uways was among the special companions of 'Ali (a) who pledged allegiance with him and promised to defend him until the last moments of his life, and in doing so, would never turn his back from the enemy [i.e. escape the enemy].<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Jamal'', p. 59</ref>

'''[[Sa'sa'a b. Sawhan al-'Abdi]]''' was one of the companions of 'Ali (a) who participated in the battles imposed upon him.<ref>Ibn al-Athir, ''Usd al-ghaba'', vol. 3, p. 20</ref> He was among those who pledged allegiance with 'Ali (a) after [['Uthman]]'s death.<ref>Al-Ya'qubi, ''Tarikh al-Ya'qubi'', Vol. 2, p. 179</ref>

* Ibn al-Athir, ''Al-Kamil fi al-tarikh''. Beirut: dar sadir.

* Ibn al-Athir.''Usd al-ghaba''. Ed. Muhammad Ibrahim Bana. Cairo: Dar al-sha'b.