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Arbitration (Battle of Siffin): Difference between revisions
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{{see also|Battle of Siffin}} | {{see also|Battle of Siffin}} | ||
In 37/657 | In 37/657, the Battle of Siffin broke out between the army of Kufa under the commandership of [[Imam Ali (a)]] and that of Syria under the commandership of [[Mu'awiya]]. After successive days of heavy fight, the army of Kufa was about to defeat that of Syria. At the suggestion of [[Amr b. al-As]] and Mu'awiya's proposal,<ref>Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 2, p. 210.</ref> people of Syria put copies of the Qur'an on spears and chanted the slogan: "O people of Iraq! Let the [[Book of God]] be our arbiter!" Also, the army of Syria yelled: "O Arabs! Think about your wives and daughters! If you get killed, who is going to fight the Romans, the Turks, and the Persians in the future?!"<ref>Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, ''Waqʿat ṣiffīn'', p. 478.</ref> | ||
==Riot in Imam Ali's (a) Army== | ==Riot in Imam Ali's (a) Army== | ||
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==Arbitrators== | ==Arbitrators== | ||
People of Syria elected Amr b. al-As as their representative and arbitrator. Al-Ash'ath b. Qays and some others suggested [[Abu Musa al-Ash'ari]] as the arbitrator from Kufa. But Imam Ali (a) suggested [[Abd Allah b. al-Abbas]] or [[Malik al-Ashtar]]. Imam Ali (a) | People of Syria elected Amr b. al-As as their representative and arbitrator. Al-Ash'ath b. Qays and some others suggested [[Abu Musa al-Ash'ari]] as the arbitrator from Kufa. But Imam Ali (a) suggested [[Abd Allah b. al-Abbas]] or [[Malik al-Ashtar]]. Imam Ali's (a) suggestions were opposed by al-Ash'ath and his friends; they refused Malik al-Ashtar on the grounds that he is pro-war, and they rejected Ibn Abbas on the grounds that Amr b. al-As is from the tribe of [[Mudar]] so his interlocutor should be from [[Yemen]].<ref>Ibn Aʿtham, ''al-Futūḥ'', vol. 3, p. 163-165.</ref> | ||
==Framework== | ==Framework== | ||
When the representatives of the two armies were selected, Mu'awiya sent Amr b. As, Abu l-A'war al-Sulami and some others to negotiate about the arbitration and its conditions to Imam 'Ali (a). They negotiated the contents of the peace treaty with Imam Ali (a) and his companions. According to [[al-Ya'qubi]], when there was a disagreement between the representatives of the two parties over whether Imam 'Ali's (a) name should be written with the title, [[Amir al-Mu'minin]], in the peace treaty, al-Ash'ath agreed with the elimination of the title, but Malik al-Ashtar strongly objected to him.<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 189.</ref> | When the representatives of the two armies were selected, Mu'awiya sent Amr b. As, Abu l-A'war al-Sulami and some others to negotiate about the arbitration and its conditions to Imam 'Ali (a). They negotiated the contents of the peace treaty with Imam Ali (a) and his companions. According to [[al-Ya'qubi]], when there was a disagreement between the representatives of the two parties over whether Imam 'Ali's (a) name should be written with the title, [[Amir al-Mu'minin]], in the peace treaty, al-Ash'ath agreed with the elimination of the title, but Malik al-Ashtar strongly objected to him.<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 189.</ref> | ||
The date of arbitration was | The date of arbitration was postponed to the end of the month of [[Ramadan]] (8 months after the negotiations) and it was agreed to hold it in [[Dumat al-Jandal]].<ref>See: Shahīdī, ''Tārīkh-i taḥlīlī-yi Islām'', p. 142.</ref> | ||
The terms of the agreement was: | The terms of the agreement was: | ||
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* Both parties should consent to the arbitration on the basis of the [[Quran]] with respect to the disputed matters. | * Both parties should consent to the arbitration on the basis of the [[Quran]] with respect to the disputed matters. | ||
* 'Ali and his followers elected Abu Musa al-Ash'ari as their arbitrator, and Mu'awiya and his followers elected 'Amr b. al-'As as their arbitrator. | * 'Ali and his followers elected Abu Musa al-Ash'ari as their arbitrator, and Mu'awiya and his followers elected 'Amr b. al-'As as their arbitrator. | ||
* If the Quran cannot be appealed to solve some disputed matters, then the [[Prophet (s)]] | * If the Quran cannot be appealed to solve some disputed matters, then the [[Prophet (s)|Prophet's (s)]] Tradition and practice should be consulted. | ||
* The arbitrators should not worsen the disputes and should not follow their whims. | * The arbitrators should not worsen the disputes and should not follow their whims. | ||
* The lives, properties and families of both arbitrators are respected so long as they do not trespass the boundaries of truth. | * The lives, properties and families of both arbitrators are respected so long as they do not trespass the boundaries of truth. | ||
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The meeting turned into a turmoil. Abu Musa was strongly upset by Amr b. al-As's cunning and told him: "you have deceived, and you are vice. You are like a dog that barks if hit and barks if left alone"{{enote|Referring to the verse of the Quran: {{ia|فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ}} [[Quran 7]]:176}}. Amr b. al-As replied: "and you are like a donkey that carries books"{{enote|Referring to the verse of the Quran: {{ia|كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا}} [[Quran 62]]:5}}.<ref>Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 2, p. 256.</ref> | The meeting turned into a turmoil. Abu Musa was strongly upset by Amr b. al-As's cunning and told him: "you have deceived, and you are vice. You are like a dog that barks if hit and barks if left alone"{{enote|Referring to the verse of the Quran: {{ia|فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ}} [[Quran 7]]:176}}. Amr b. al-As replied: "and you are like a donkey that carries books"{{enote|Referring to the verse of the Quran: {{ia|كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا}} [[Quran 62]]:5}}.<ref>Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 2, p. 256.</ref> | ||
Thus the arbitration was not based on the Quran and the Prophet (s) | Thus the arbitration was not based on the Quran and the Prophet's (s) Tradition. Instead of making peace, it gave rise to more hostility between Iraq and Syria.<ref>Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, ''Waqʿat ṣiffīn'', p. 545.</ref> And its most important upshot for people of Syria was that they gave Mu'awiya the title of [[Amir al-Mu'minin]] since then. | ||
==Formation of Khawarij== | ==Formation of Khawarij== | ||
{{main|Khawarij}} | {{main|Khawarij}} | ||
After the ceasefire for the sake of arbitration, another group of Imam 'Ali's (a) army chanted the slogan, "there is no verdict except for God", and thereby they expressed their will to continue the battle and considered arbitration to amount to infidelity, calling the Imam to [[tawba|repent]] to God. However, the Imam (a) appealed to the Quranic verse, "fulfill your indentures",<ref>Qur'an, 5:1.</ref> and thus he refused to violate his agreement with Mu'awiya. When Imam 'Ali (a) returned to [[Kufa]] and Mu'awiya returned to Syria, opponents of the arbitration left Imam 'Ali (a) and resided in the village, Harura', near Kufa.<ref>Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, ''Waqʿat ṣiffīn'', p. 513-514; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 63, 72, 78.</ref> Thus, a group called [[Khawarij]] | After the ceasefire for the sake of arbitration, another group of Imam 'Ali's (a) army chanted the slogan, "there is no verdict except for God", and thereby they expressed their will to continue the battle and considered arbitration to amount to infidelity, calling the Imam to [[tawba|repent]] to God. However, the Imam (a) appealed to the Quranic verse, "fulfill your indentures",<ref>Qur'an, 5:1.</ref> and thus he refused to violate his agreement with Mu'awiya. When Imam 'Ali (a) returned to [[Kufa]] and Mu'awiya returned to Syria, opponents of the arbitration left Imam 'Ali (a) and resided in the village, Harura', near Kufa.<ref>Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, ''Waqʿat ṣiffīn'', p. 513-514; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 5, p. 63, 72, 78.</ref> Thus, a group called [[Khawarij]] emerged. | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
* [[Mariqun]] | * [[Mariqun]] | ||
* [[Battle of Nahrawan]] | * [[Battle of Nahrawan]] | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
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