Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2061
The caliphate of ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib
ذِكْرُ مَسِيرِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ بَدَلًا عَنْ مَسِيرِهِ إِلَى الشَّامِ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ قَدْ تَجَهَّزَ قَاصِدًا الشَّامَ، كَمَا ذَكَرْنَا، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُ قَصْدُ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ الْبَصْرَةَ، خَطَبَ النَّاسَ وَحَثَّهُمْ عَلَى الْمَسِيرِ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ لِيَمْنَعَ أُولَئِكَ مِنْ دُخُولِهَا إِنْ أَمْكَنَ أَوْ يَطْرُدَهُمْ عَنْهَا إِنْ كَانُوا قَدْ دَخَلُوهَا، فَتَثَاقَلَ عَنْهُ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ، وَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ. قَالَ الشَّعْبِيُّ: مَا نَهَضَ مَعَهُ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ غَيْرُ سِتَّةِ نَفَرٍ مِنَ الْبَدْرِيِّينَ، لَيْسَ لَهُمْ سَابِعٌ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: أَرْبَعَةٌ. وَذَكَرَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ وَغَيْرُهُ قَالَ: كَانَ مِمَّنِ اسْتَجَابَ لَهُ مِنْ كِبَارِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَبُو الْهَيْثَمِ بْنُ التَّيِّهَانِ، وَأَبُو قَتَادَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، وَزِيَادُ بْنُ حَنْظَلَةَ، وَخُزَيْمَةُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ. قَالُوا: وَلَيْسَ بِذِي الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ، ذَاكَ مَاتَ فِي زَمَنِ عُثْمَانَ، ؓ. وَسَارَ عَلِيٌّ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ نَحْوَ الْبَصْرَةِ عَلَى تَعْبِئَتِهِ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةِ إِلَى الشَّامِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ اسْتَخْلَفَ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ تَمَّامَ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، وَعَلَى مَكَّةَ قُثَمَ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، وَذَلِكَ فِي آخِرِ شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْآخَرِ سَنَةَ سِتٍّ وَثَلَاثِينَ. لقاء عبد الله بن سلام والحسن بن علي مع علي ؓ وَخَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ فِي نَحْوٍ مِنْ تِسْعِمِائَةِ مُقَاتِلٍ، وَقَدْ لَقِيَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلَامٍ، ؓ، عَلِيًّا وَهُوَ بِالرَّبَذَةِ، فَأَخَذَ بِلِجَامِ فَرَسِهِ وَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَا تَخْرُجْ مِنْهَا فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ خَرَجْتَ مِنْهَا لَا يَعُودُ إِلَيْهَا سُلْطَانُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَبَدًا. فَسَبَّهُ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: دَعُوهُ فَنِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ. وَجَاءَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ إِلَى أَبِيهِ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ نَهَيْتُكَ فَعَصَيْتَنِي، تُقْتَلُ غَدًا بِمَضْيَعَةٍ لَا نَاصِرَ لَكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ: إِنَّكَ لَا تَزَالُ تَحِنُّ عَلَىَّ حَنِينَ الْجَارِيَةِ، وَمَا الَّذِي نَهَيْتَنِي عَنْهُ فَعَصَيْتُكَ ؟ فَقَالَ: أَلَمْ آمُرْكَ قَبْلَ مَقْتَلِ عُثْمَانَ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنْهَا لِئَلَّا يُقْتَلَ وَأَنْتَ بِهَا، فَيَقُولُ قَائِلٌ أَوْ يَتَحَدَّثُ مُتَحَدِّثٌ ؟ أَلَمْ آمُرْكَ أَنْ لَا تُبَايِعَ النَّاسَ بَعْدَ قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ إِلَيْكَ أَهْلُ كُلِّ مِصْرٍ بَيْعَتَهُمْ ؟ وَأَمَرْتُكَ حِينَ خَرَجَتْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةُ وَهَذَانِ الرَّجُلَانِ أَنْ تَجْلِسَ فِي بَيْتِكَ حَتَّى يَصْطَلِحُوا، فَعَصَيْتَنِي فِي ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ: أَمَّا قَوْلُكَ أَنِّي أَخْرُجُ قَبْلَ مَقْتَلِ عُثْمَانَ، فَلَقَدْ أُحِيطَ بِنَا كَمَا أُحِيطَ بِهِ، وَأَمَّا مُبَايَعَتِي قَبْلَ مَجِيءِ بَيْعَةِ الْأَمْصَارِ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ يَضِيعَ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ، وَأَمَّا أَنْ أَجْلِسَ وَقَدْ ذَهَبَ هَؤُلَاءِ إِلَى مَا ذَهَبُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَتُرِيدُنِي أَنْ أَكُونَ كَالضَّبُعِ الَّتِي يُحَاطُ بِهَا وَيُقَالُ: لَيْسَتْ هَاهُنَا. حَتَّى يُحَلَّ عُرْقُوبُهَا فَتَخْرُجَ، فَإِذَا لَمْ أَنْظُرْ فِيمَا يَلْزَمُنِي مِنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَيَعْنِينِي، فَمَنْ يَنْظُرُ فِيهِ ؟ فَكُفَّ عَنِّي يَا بُنَيَّ. كتاب علي ؓ إلى أهل الكوفة وَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ خَبَرُ مَا صَنَعَ الْقَوْمُ بِالْبَصْرَةِ، كَتَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ مَعَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ: إِنِّي قَدِ اخْتَرْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْأَمْصَارِ، وَفَزِعْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ لِمَا حَدَثَ، فَكُونُوا لِدِينِ اللَّهِ أَعْوَانًا وَأَنْصَارًا، وَانْهَضُوا إِلَيْنَا، فَالْإِصْلَاحَ نُرِيدُ لِتَعُودَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ إِخْوَانًا. فَمَضَيَا وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَأَخَذَ مَا أَرَادَ مِنْ سِلَاحٍ وَدَوَابٍّ، وَقَامَ فِي النَّاسِ خَطِيبًا فَقَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَزَّنَا بِالْإِسْلَامِ وَرَفَعَنَا بِهِ، وَجَعَلَنَا بِهِ إِخْوَانًا بَعْدَ ذِلَّةٍ وَقِلَّةٍ وَتَبَاغُضٍ وَتَبَاعُدٍ، فَجَرَى النَّاسُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ; الْإِسْلَامُ دِينُهُمْ، وَالْحَقُّ قَائِمٌ بَيْنَهُمْ، وَالْكِتَابُ إِمَامُهُمْ، حَتَّى أُصِيبَ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ بِأَيْدِي هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ أَذَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ لِيَنْزِغَ بَيْنَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ لَا بُدَّ مُفْتَرِقَةٌ كَمَا افْتَرَقَتِ الْأُمَمُ قَبْلَهَا، فَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ. ثُمَّ عَادَ ثَانِيَةً فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ مِمَّا هُوَ كَائِنٌ أَنْ يَكُونَ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً ; شَرُّهَا فِرْقَةٌ تُحِبُّنِي وَلَا تَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِي، وَقَدْ أَدْرَكْتُمْ وَرَأَيْتُمْ، فَالْزَمُوا دِينَكُمْ، وَاهْتَدُوا بِهَدْيِ نَبِيِّكُمْ، وَاتَّبِعُوا سُنَّتَهُ، وَأَعْرِضُوا عَمَّا أَشْكَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَتَّى تَعْرِضُوهُ عَلَى الْكِتَابِ، فَمَا عَرَّفَهُ الْقُرْآنُ فَالْزَمُوهُ، وَمَا أَنْكَرَهُ فَرُدُّوهُ، وَارْضَوْا بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا، وَبِالْقُرْآنِ حَكَمًا وَإِمَامًا. خروج علي ؓ من الربذة يريد البصرة قَالَ: فَلَمَّا عَزَمَ عَلَى الْمَسِيرِ مِنَ الرَّبَذَةِ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ ابْنٌ لِرِفَاعَةَ بْنِ رَافِعٍ فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَيَّ شَيْءٍ تُرِيدُ ؟ وَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ بِنَا ؟ فَقَالَ: أَمَّا الَّذِي نُرِيدُ وَنَنْوِي فَالْإِصْلَاحُ، إِنْ قَبِلُوا مِنَّا وَأَجَابُوا إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ: فَإِنْ لَمْ يُجِيبُوا إِلَيْهِ ؟ قَالَ: نَدَعُهُمْ بِغَدْرِهِمْ وَنُعْطِيهِمُ الْحَقَّ وَنَصْبِرُ. قَالَ: فَإِنْ لَمْ يَرْضَوْا ؟ قَالَ: نَدَعُهُمْ مَا تَرَكُونَا. قَالَ: فَإِنْ لَمْ يَتْرُكُونَا ؟ قَالَ: امْتَنَعْنَا مِنْهُمْ. قَالَ: فَنَعَمْ إِذًا. فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ الْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ غَزِيَّةَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ فَقَالَ: لَأُرْضِيَنَّكَ بِالْفِعْلِ كَمَا أَرْضَيْتَنِي بِالْقَوْلِ، وَاللَّهِ لَيَنْصُرَنِّي اللَّهُ كَمَا سَمَّانَا أَنْصَارًا. قَالَ: وَأَتَتْ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ طَيِّئٍ وَعَلِيٌّ بِالرَّبَذَةِ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: هَؤُلَاءِ جَمَاعَةٌ جَاءُوا مِنْ طَيِّئٍ ; مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُرِيدُ الْخُرُوجَ مَعَكَ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُرِيدُ السَّلَامَ عَلَيْكَ. فَقَالَ: جَزَى اللَّهُ كُلًّا خَيْرًا وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا [ النِّسَاءِ: 95 ] ثُمَّ سَارَ مِنَ الرَّبَذَةِ عَلَى تَعْبِئَتِهِ وَهُوَ رَاكِبٌ نَاقَةً حَمْرَاءَ يَقُودُ فَرَسًا كُمَيْتَا، فَلَمَّا كَانَ بِفَيْدٍ جَاءَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَسَدٍ وَطَيِّئٍ، فَعَرَضُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: فِي مَنْ مَعِي كِفَايَةٌ. وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ يُقَالُ لَهُ: عَامِرُ بْنُ مَطَرٍ الشَيْبَانِيُّ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ: مَا وَرَاءَكَ ؟ فَأَخْبَرَهُ الْخَبَرَ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى فَقَالَ: إِنْ أَرَدْتَ الصُّلْحَ فَأَبُو مُوسَى صَاحِبُهُ، وَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ الْقِتَالَ فَلَيْسَ بِصَاحِبِهِ. فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الصُّلْحَ مِمَّنْ تَمَرَّدَ عَلَيْنَا. بلوغ علي خبر ما حدث في البصرة ومع عثمان بن حنيف وَسَارَ فَلَمَّا اقْتَرَبَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ وَجَاءَهُ الْخَبَرُ بِمَا وَقَعَ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ عَلَى جَلِيَّتِهِ، مِنْ قَتْلِ مَنْ قُتِلَ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَمِنْ إِخْرَاجِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَأَخْذِهِمْ أَمْوَالَ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ، جَعَلَ يَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي مِمَّا ابْتَلَيْتَ بِهِ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ. فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى ذِي قَارٍ أَتَاهُ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ حُنَيْفٍ مُهَشَّمًا، وَلَيْسَ فِي وَجْهِهِ شَعْرَةٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بَعَثْتَنِي إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ وَأَنَا ذُو لِحْيَةٍ، وَقَدْ جِئْتُكَ أَمْرَدَ. فَقَالَ: أَصَبْتَ أَجْرًا وَخَيْرًا. وَقَالَ عَنْ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ: اللَّهُمَّ احْلُلْ مَا عَقَدَا، وَلَا تُبْرِمْ مَا أَحْكَمَا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمَا، وَأَرِهِمَا الْمَسَاءَةَ فِيمَا قَدْ عَمِلَا - يَعْنِي فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ. إقامة علي ؓ بذي وقار وَأَقَامَ عَلِيٌّ بِذِي قَارٍ يَنْتَظِرُ جَوَابَ مَا كَتَبَ بِهِ مَعَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَصَاحِبِهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ - وَكَانَا قَدْ قَدِمَا بِكِتَابِهِ عَلَى أَبِي مُوسَى، وَقَامَا فِي النَّاسِ بِأَمْرِهِ - فَلَمْ يُجَابَا فِي شَيْءٍ، فَلَمَّا أَمْسَوْا دَخَلَ نَاسٌ مِنْ ذَوِي الْحِجَا عَلَى أَبِي مُوسَى يَعْرِضُونَ عَلَيْهِ الطَّاعَةَ لِعَلِيٍّ، فَقَالَ: كَانَ هَذَا بِالْأَمْسِ. فَغَضِبَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَمُحَمَّدٌ، فَقَالَا لَهُ قَوْلًا غَلِيظًا، فَقَالَ لَهُمَا: وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ بَيْعَةَ عُثْمَانَ لَفِي عُنُقِي وَعُنُقِ صَاحِبِكُمَا، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بُدٌّ مِنْ قِتَالٍ فَلَا نُقَاتِلُ أَحَدًا حَتَّى نَفْرَغَ مِنْ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ حَيْثُ كَانُوا وَمَنْ كَانُوا. فَانْطَلَقَا إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَأَخْبَرَاهُ الْخَبَرَ، وَهُوَ بِذِي قَارٍ، فَقَالَ لِلْأَشْتَرِ: أَنْتَ صَاحِبُنَا فِي أَبِي مُوسَى وَالْمُعْتَرِضُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ ! فَاذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَصْلِحْ مَا أَفْسَدْتَ. فَخَرَجَا فَقَدِمَا الْكُوفَةَ، وَكَلَّمَا أَبَا مُوسَى، وَاسْتَعَانَا عَلَيْهِ بِنَفَرٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ، فَقَامَ فِي النَّاسِ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ، ﷺ، الَّذِينَ صَحِبُوهُ أَعْلَمُ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ مِمَّنْ لَمْ يَصْحَبْهُ، وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا حَقًّا، وَأَنَا مُؤَدٍّ إِلَيْكُمْ نَصِيحَةً، كَانَ الرَّأْيُ أَنْ لَا تَسْتَخِفُّوا بِسُلْطَانِ اللَّهِ وَأَنْ لَا تَجْتَرِئُوا عَلَى أَمْرِهِ، وَهَذِهِ فِتْنَةٌ النَّائِمُ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَقْظَانِ، وَالْيَقِظَانُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْقَاعِدِ، وَالْقَاعِدُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْقَائِمِ، وَالْقَائِمُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الرَّاكِبِ، وَالرَّاكِبُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ السَّاعِي، فَاغْمِدُوا السُّيُوفَ، وَأَنْصِلُوا الْأَسِنَّةَ، وَاقْطَعُوا الْأَوْتَارَ، وَآوُوا الْمُضْطَهَدَ وَالْمَظْلُومَ حَتَّى يَلْتَئِمَ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ، وَتَنْجَلِيَ هَذِهِ الْفِتْنَةُ. فَرَجَعَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَالْأَشْتَرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ، فَأَخْبَرَاهُ الْخَبَرَ، فَأَرْسَلَ الْحَسَنَ وَعَمَّارَ بْنَ يَاسِرٍ، وَقَالَ لِعَمَّارٍ: انْطَلِقْ فَأَصْلِحْ مَا أَفْسَدْتَ. فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى دَخَلَا الْمَسْجِدَ فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمَا مَسْرُوقُ بْنُ الْأَجْدَعِ، فَقَالَ لِعَمَّارٍ: عَلَامَ قَتَلْتُمْ عُثْمَانَ ؟ فَقَالَ: عَلَى شَتْمِ أَعْرَاضِنَا وَضَرْبِ أَبْشَارِنَا. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا عَاقَبْتُمْ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَوْ صَبَرْتُمْ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لِلصَّابِرِينَ. قَالَ: وَخَرَجَ أَبُو مُوسَى فِلَقِيَ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ فَضَمَّهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ لِعَمَّارٍ: يَا أَبَا الْيَقْظَانِ أَعَدَوْتَ عَلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عُثْمَانَ قَتَلْتَهُ ؟ فَقَالَ: لَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَلَمْ يَسُؤْنِي ذَلِكَ. فَقَطَعَ عَلَيْهِمَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ لِأَبِي مُوسَى: لِمَ تُثَبِّطُ النَّاسَ عَنَّا ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ، وَلَا مِثْلَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُخَافُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ. فَقَالَ: صَدَقْتَ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي، وَلَكِنَّ الْمُسْتَشَارَ مُؤْتَمَنٌ، سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ، ﷺ، يَقُولُ: إِنَّهَا سَتَكُونُ فِتْنَةٌ الْقَاعِدُ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْقَائِمِ، وَالْقَائِمُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمَاشِي، وَالْمَاشِي خَيْرٌ مِنَ الرَّاكِبِ، وَقَدْ جَعَلَنَا اللَّهُ إِخْوَانًا، وَحَرَّمَ عَلَيْنَا دِمَاءَنَا وَأَمْوَالَنَا. فَغَضِبَ عَمَّارٌ وَسَبَّهُ، وَقَالَ: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا قَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، وَحْدَهُ: " أَنْتَ فِيهَا قَاعِدًا خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ قَائِمًا ". فَغَضِبَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ لِأَبِي مُوسَى وَنَالَ مِنْ عَمَّارٍ، وَثَارَ آخَرُونَ، وَجَعَلَ أَبُو مُوسَى يُكَفْكِفُ النَّاسَ، وَكَثُرَ اللَّغَطُ، وَارْتَفَعَتِ الْأَصْوَاتُ، وَقَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، أَطِيعُونِي وَكُونُوا خَيْرَ قَوْمٍ مِنْ خَيْرِ أُمَمِ الْعَرَبِ، يَأْوِي إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَظْلُومُ، وَيَأْمَنُ فِيهِمُ الْخَائِفُ، وَإِنَّ الْفِتْنَةَ إِذَا أَقْبَلَتْ شَبَّهَتْ، وَإِذَا أَدْبَرَتْ بَيَّنَتْ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِكَفِّ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُزُومِ بُيُوتِهِمْ، فَقَامَ زَيْدُ بْنُ صُوحَانَ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ سِيرُوا إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَسَيِّدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، سِيرُوا إِلَيْهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. فَقَامَ الْقَعْقَاعُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْحَقَّ مَا قَالَهُ الْأَمِيرُ، وَلَكِنْ لَا بُدَّ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ أَمِيرٍ يَرْدَعُ الظَّالِمَ، وَيُعْدِي الْمَظْلُومَ، وَيَنْتَظِمُ بِهِ شَمْلُ النَّاسِ، وَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيٌّ مَلِيءٌ بِمَا وَلِيَ، وَقَدْ أُنْصِفَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ، وَإِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الْإِصْلَاحَ فَانْفِرُوا إِلَيْهِ. وَقَامَ عَبْدُ خَيْرٍ فَقَالَ: النَّاسُ أَرْبَعُ فِرَقٍ ; عَلِيٌّ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ فِي ظَاهِرِ الْكُوفَةِ، وَطَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ بِالْبَصْرَةِ، وَمُعَاوِيَةُ بِالشَّامِ، وَفِرْقَةٌ بِالْحِجَازِ لَا تُقَاتِلُ وَلَا عَنَاءَ بِهَا. فَقَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى: أُولَئِكَ خَيْرُ الْفِرَقِ، وَهَذِهِ فِتْنَةٌ. قيام عمار والحسن في الناس على المنبر للنفير إلى علي ؓ ثُمَّ تَرَاسَلَ النَّاسُ فِي الْكَلَامِ، ثُمَّ قَامَ عَمَّارٌ وَالْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فِي النَّاسِ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يَدْعُوَانِ النَّاسَ إِلَى النَفِيرِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ; فَإِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الْإِصْلَاحَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ، وَسَمِعَ عَمَّارٌ رَجُلًا يَسُبُّ عَائِشَةَ، فَقَالَ: اسْكُتْ مَقْبُوحًا مَنْبُوحًا، وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهَا لَزَوْجَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ ابْتَلَاكُمْ بِهَا لِيَعْلَمَ أَتُطِيعُونَهُ أَوْ إِيَّاهَا. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ. وَقَامَ حُجْرُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ سِيرُوا إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ: انْفَرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا وَجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ [ التَّوْبَةِ: 41 ] وَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ كُلَّمَا قَامَ رَجُلٌ يُحَرِّضُ النَّاسَ عَلَى النَفِيرِ يُثَبِّطُهُمْ أَبُو مُوسَى مِنْ فَوْقِ الْمِنْبَرِ، وَعَمَّارٌ وَالْحَسَنُ مَعَهُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ حَتَّى قَالَ لَهُ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ: وَيْحَكَ ! اعْتَزِلْنَا لَا أُمَّ لَكَ، وَدَعْ مِنْبَرَنَا. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ عَلِيًّا بَعَثَ الْأَشْتَرَ، فَعَزَلَ أَبَا مُوسَى عَنِ الْكُوفَةِ، وَأَخْرَجَهُ مِنْ قَصْرِ الْإِمَارَةِ مِنْ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ. وَاسْتَجَابَ النَّاسُ لِلنَّفِيرِ فَخَرَجَ مَعَ الْحَسَنِ تِسْعَةُ آلَافٍ فِي الْبَرِّ وَفِي دِجْلَةَ، وَيُقَالُ: سَارَ مَعَهُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفًا وَرَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ، فَقَدِمُوا عَلَى عَلِيٍّ بِذِي قَارٍ فَتَلَقَّاهُمْ إِلَى أَثْنَاءِ الطَّرِيقِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ، مِنْهُمُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، فَرَحَّبَ بِهِمْ وَقَالَ: يَا أَهْلَ الْكُوفَةِ، أَنْتُمْ لَقِيتُمْ مُلُوكَ الْعَجَمِ فَفَضَضْتُمْ جُمُوعَهُمْ، وَقَدْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ لِتَشْهَدُوا مَعَنَا إِخْوَانَنَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَإِنْ يَرْجِعُوا فَذَاكَ الَّذِي نُرِيدُ، وَإِنْ أَبَوْا دَاوَيْنَاهُمْ بِالرِّفْقِ حَتَّى يَبْدَأُونَا بِالظُّلْمِ، وَلَمْ نَدَعْ أَمْرًا فِيهِ صَلَاحٌ إِلَّا آثَرْنَاهُ عَلَى مَا فِيهِ الْفَسَادُ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى. فَاجْتَمَعُوا عِنْدَهُ بِذِي قَارٍ. مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ مَنِ انْضَافَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْمَشْهُورِينَ مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ مَنِ انْضَافَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ ; الْقَعْقَاعُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، وَسِعْرُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، وَهِنْدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، وَالْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ شِهَابٍ، وَزَيْدُ بْنُ صُوحَانَ، وَالْأَشْتَرُ، وَعَدِيُّ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، وَالْمُسَيَّبُ بْنُ نَجَبَةَ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، وَحُجْرُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ، وَأَمْثَالُهُمْ، وَكَانَتْ عَبْدُ الْقَيْسِ بِكَمَالِهَا بَيْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَبَيْنَ الْبَصْرَةِ يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ. سبب ترك علي قتل من قتل عثمان ؓ فَبَعَثَ عَلِيٌّ الْقَعْقَاعَ رَسُولًا إِلَى طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ بِالْبَصْرَةِ يَدْعُوهُمَا إِلَى الْأُلْفَةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ، وَيُعَظِّمُ عَلَيْهِمَا الْفُرْقَةَ وَالِاخْتِلَافَ، فَذَهَبَ الْقَعْقَاعُ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، فَبَدَأَ بِعَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَقَالَ: أَيْ أُمَّهْ، مَا أَقْدَمَكِ هَذِهِ الْبَلْدَةَ ؟ فَقَالَتْ: أَيْ بُنَيَّ الْإِصْلَاحُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ. فَسَأَلَهَا أَنْ تَبْعَثَ إِلَى طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ لِيَحْضُرَا عِنْدَهَا، فَحَضَرَا فَقَالَ الْقَعْقَاعُ: إِنِّي سَأَلْتُ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا أَقْدَمَهَا ؟ فَقَالَتِ: الْإِصْلَاحُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ. فَقَالَا: وَنَحْنُ كَذَلِكَ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرَانِي مَا وَجْهُ هَذَا الْإِصْلَاحِ ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ عَرَفْنَاهُ لِنَصْطَلِحَنَّ، وَلَئِنْ أَنْكَرْنَاهُ لَا نَصْطَلِحَنَّ. قَالَا: قَتَلَةُ عُثْمَانَ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا إِنْ تُرِكَ كَانَ تَرْكًا لِلْقُرْآنِ. فَقَالَ: قَتَلْتُمَا قَتَلَةَ عُثْمَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَأَنْتُمْ قَبْلَ قَتْلِهِمْ أَقْرَبُ مِنْكُمْ إِلَى الِاسْتِقَامَةِ مِنْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ، قَتَلْتُمْ سِتَّمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، فَغَضِبَ لَهُمْ سِتَّةُ آلَافٍ فَاعْتَزَلُوكُمْ، وَخَرَجُوا مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِكُمْ، وَطَلَبْتُمْ حُرْقُوصَ بْنَ زُهَيْرٍ، فَمَنَعَهُ سِتَّةُ آلَافٍ، فَإِنْ تَرَكْتُمُوهُمْ وَقَعْتُمْ فِيمَا تَقُولُونَ، وَإِنْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُمْ فَأُدِيلُوا عَلَيْكُمْ، فَالَّذِي حَذِرْتُمْ وَفَرِقْتُمْ مِنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ أَعْظَمُ مِمَّا أَرَاكُمْ تَدْفَعُونَ وَتَجْمَعُونَ مِنْهُ. يَعْنِي أَنَّ الَّذِي تُرِيدُونَ مِنْ قَتْلِ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ مَصْلَحَةٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ يَتَرَتَّبُ عَلَيْهِ مَفْسَدَةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَى مِنْهَا، وَكَمَا أَنَّكُمْ عَجَزْتُمْ عَنِ الْأَخْذِ بِثَأْرِ عُثْمَانَ مِنْ حُرْقُوصِ بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ، لِقِيَامِ سِتَّةِ آلَافٍ فِي مَنْعِهِ مِمَّنْ يُرِيدُ قَتْلَهُ، فَعَلِيٌّ أَعْذَرُ فِي تَرْكِهِ الْآنَ قَتْلَ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ، وَإِنَّمَا أَخَّرَ قَتْلَ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ إِلَى أَنْ يَتَمَكَّنَ مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَ هَذَا، فَإِنَّ الْكَلِمَةَ فِي جَمِيعِ الْأَمْصَارِ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ عَلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ أَعْلَمَهُمْ أَنَّ خَلْقًا مِنْ رَبِيعَةَ وَمُضَرَ قَدْ أَجْمَعُوا لِحَرْبِهِمْ بِسَبَبِ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ الَّذِي وَقَعَ. فَقَالَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَةُ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ: فَمَاذَا تَقُولُ أَنْتَ ؟ قَالَ: أَقُولُ: إِنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ الَّذِي وَقَعَ دَوَاؤُهُ التَّسْكِينُ، فَإِذَا سَكَنَ اخْتَلَجُوا، فَإِنْ أَنْتُمْ بَايَعْتُمُونَا فَعَلَامَةُ خَيْرٍ، وَتَبَاشِيرُ رَحْمَةٍ، وَدَرَكٌ بِثَأْرٍ، وَإِنْ أَنْتُمْ أَبَيْتُمْ إِلَّا مُكَابَرَةَ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَائْتِنَافَهُ، كَانَتْ عَلَامَةَ شَرٍّ، وَذَهَابَ هَذَا الْمُلْكِ، فَآثِرُوا الْعَافِيَةَ تُرْزَقُوهَا، وَكُونُوا مَفَاتِيحَ خَيْرٍ كَمَا كُنْتُمْ أَوَّلَ، وَلَا تُعَرِّضُونَا لِلْبَلَاءِ فَتَعَرَّضُوا لَهُ، فَيَصْرَعَنَا اللَّهُ وَإِيَّاكُمْ، وَايْمُ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي لَأَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَيْهِ، وَإِنِّي لَخَائِفٌ أَنْ لَا يُتِمَّ حَتَّى يَأْخُذَ اللَّهُ حَاجَتَهُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ الَّتِي قَلَّ مَتَاعُهَا، وَنَزَلَ بِهَا مَا نَزَلَ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ الَّذِي قَدْ حَدَثَ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ، وَلَيْسَ كَقَتْلِ الرَّجُلِ الرَّجُلَ، وَلَا النَّفَرِ الرَّجُلَ، وَلَا الْقَبِيلَةِ الْقَبِيلَةَ. فَقَالُوا: قَدْ أَصَبْتَ وَأَحْسَنْتَ فَارْجِعْ، فَإِنْ قَدِمَ عَلِيٌّ وَهُوَ عَلَى مِثْلِ رَأْيِكَ صَلُحَ الْأَمْرُ. نزول عائشة على رأي القعقاع والصلح مع علي ؓ قَالَ: فَرَجَعَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَأَعْجَبَهُ ذَلِكَ، وَأَشْرَفَ الْقَوْمُ عَلَى الصُّلْحِ، كَرِهَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ كَرِهَهُ، وَرَضِيَهُ مَنْ رَضِيَهُ. وَأَرْسَلَتْ عَائِشَةُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ تُعْلِمُهُ أَنَّهَا إِنَّمَا جَاءَتْ لِلْإِصْلَاحِ، فَفَرِحَ هَؤُلَاءِ وَهَؤُلَاءِ، وَقَامَ عَلِيٌّ فِي النَّاسِ خَطِيبًا فَذَكَرَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةَ وَشَقَاءَهَا، وَذَكَرَ الْإِسْلَامَ وَسَعَادَةَ أَهْلِهِ بِالْأُلْفَةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ، وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ جَمَعَهُمْ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهِمْ، ﷺ، عَلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ، ثُمَّ بَعْدَهُ عَلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، ثُمَّ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ، ثُمَّ حَدَثَ هَذَا الْحَدَثُ الَّذِي جَرَّهُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَقْوَامٌ طَلَبُوا هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا، وَحَسَدُوا مَنْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا، وَعَلَى الْفَضِيلَةِ الَّتِي مَنَّ بِهَا، وَأَرَادُوا رَدَّ الْإِسْلَامِ وَالْأَشْيَاءِ عَلَى أَدْبَارِهَا، وَاللَّهُ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَلَا إِنِّي مُرْتَحِلٌ غَدًا فَارْتَحِلُوا، وَلَا يَرْتَحِلُ مَعِي أَحَدٌ أَعَانَ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ أُمُورِ النَّاسِ. اجتماع قتلة عثمان ؓ فَلَمَّا قَالَ هَذَا اجْتَمَعَ مِنْ رُءُوسِهِمْ جَمَاعَةٌ ; كَالْأَشْتَرِ النَّخَعِيِّ، وَشُرَيْحِ بْنِ أَوْفَى، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَبَأٍ، الْمَعْرُوفِ بِابْنِ السَّوْدَاءِ، وَسَالِمِ بْنِ ثَعْلَبَةَ، وَعِلْبَاءَ بْنِ الْهَيْثَمِ، وَغَيْرِهِمْ فِي أَلْفَيْنِ وَخَمْسِمِائَةٍ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِمْ صَحَابِيٌّ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ. فَقَالُوا: مَا هَذَا الرَّأْيُ ؟ وَعَلِيٌّ وَاللَّهِ أَبْصَرُ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مِمَّنْ يَطْلُبُ قَتَلَةَ عُثْمَانَ، وَأَقْرَبُ إِلَى الْعَمَلِ بِذَلِكَ، وَقَدْ قَالَ مَا سَمِعْتُمْ، غَدًا يَجْمَعُ عَلَيْكُمُ النَّاسَ، وَإِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الْقَوْمُ كُلُّهُمْ أَنْتُمْ، فَكَيْفَ بِكُمْ وَعَدَدُكُمْ قَلِيلٌ فِي كَثْرَتِهِمْ ؟ فَقَالَ الْأَشْتَرُ: قَدْ عَرَفْنَا رَأْيَ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ فِينَا، وَأَمَّا رَأْيُ عَلِيٍّ فَلَمْ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلَى الْيَوْمِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ قَدِ اصْطَلَحَ مَعَهُمْ فَإِنَّمَا اصْطَلَحُوا عَلَى دِمَائِنَا، فَإِنْ كَانَ الْأَمْرُ هَكَذَا أَلْحَقْنَا عَلِيًّا بِعُثْمَانَ، فَرَضِيَ الْقَوْمُ مِنَّا بِالسُّكُوتِ. فَقَالَ ابْنُ السَّوْدَاءِ: بِئْسَ مَا رَأَيْتَ، لَوْ قَتَلْنَاهُ قُتِلْنَا، فَإِنَّا يَا مَعْشَرَ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ فِي أَلْفَيْنِ وَخَمْسِمِائَةٍ، وَطَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَأَصْحَابُهُمَا فِي خَمْسَةِ آلَافٍ، وَلَا طَاقَةَ لَكُمْ بِهِمْ، وَهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُونَكُمْ. فَقَالَ عِلْبَاءُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ: دَعُوهُمْ وَارْجِعُوا بِنَا حَتَّى نَتَعَلَّقَ بِبَعْضِ الْبِلَادِ فَنَمْتَنِعَ بِهَا. فَقَالَ ابْنُ السَّوْدَاءِ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتَ، إِذًا وَاللَّهِ كَانَ يَتَخَطَّفُكُمُ النَّاسُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ ابْنُ السَّوْدَاءِ، قَبَّحَهُ اللَّهُ: يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّ عِزَّكُمْ فِي خُلْطَةِ النَّاسِ، فَإِذَا الْتَقَى النَّاسُ فَأَنْشِبُوا الْقِتَالَ، وَلَا تُفَرِّغُوهُمْ لِلنَّظَرِ، فَمَنْ أَنْتُمْ مَعَهُ لَا يَجِدُ بُدًّا مِنْ أَنْ يَمْتَنِعَ، وَيَشْغَلُ اللَّهُ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُمَا عَمَّا تَكْرَهُونَ. فَأَبْصَرُوا الرَّأْيَ وَتَفَرَّقُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَأَصْبَحَ عَلِيٌّ مُرْتَحِلًا، وَمَرَّ بِعَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ، فَسَارُوا مَعَهُ حَتَّى نَزَلُوا بِالزَّاوِيَةِ، وَسَارَ مِنْهَا يُرِيدُ الْبَصْرَةَ، وَسَارَ طَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَمَنْ مَعَهُمَا لِلِقَائِهِ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا عِنْدَ قَصْرِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، وَنَزَلَ النَّاسُ كُلٌّ فِي نَاحِيَةٍ، وَقَدْ سَبَقَ عَلِيٌّ جَيْشَهُ، وَهُمْ يَتَلَاحَقُونَ بِهِ، فَمَكَثُوا ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَالرُّسُلُ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ لِلنِّصْفِ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ سَنَةَ سِتٍّ وَثَلَاثِينَ، وَقَدْ أَشَارَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ عَلَى طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ بِانْتِهَازِ الْفُرْصَةِ مِنْ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ، فَقَالَا: إِنَّ عَلِيًّا قَدْ أَشَارَ بِتَسْكِينِ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ، وَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا إِلَيْهِ بِالْمُصَالَحَةِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ. وَقَامَ عَلِيٌّ فِي النَّاسِ خَطِيبًا، فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ الْأَعْوَرُ بْنُ بُنَانٍ الْمِنْقَرِيُّ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ إِقْدَامِهِ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ فَقَالَ: الْإِصْلَاحُ وَإِطْفَاءُ النَّائِرَةِ ; لِيَجْتَمِعَ النَّاسُ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ، وَيَلْتَئِمَ شَمْلُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ. قَالَ: فَإِنْ لَمْ يُجِيبُونَا ؟ قَالَ: تَرَكْنَاهُمْ مَا تَرَكُونَا. قَالَ: فَإِنْ لَمْ يَتْرُكُونَا ؟ قَالَ: دَفَعْنَاهُمْ عَنْ أَنْفُسِنَا. قَالَ: فَهَلْ لَهُمْ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي لَنَا ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. وَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو سَلَامَةَ الدَّالَانِيُّ، فَقَالَ: هَلْ لِهَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ فِيمَا طَلَبُوا مِنْ هَذَا الدَّمِ، إِنْ كَانُوا أَرَادُوا اللَّهَ فِي ذَلِكَ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ فِي تَأْخِيرِكَ ذَلِكَ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَمَا حَالُنَا وَحَالُهُمْ إِنِ ابْتُلِينَا غَدًا ؟ قَالَ: إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ لَا يُقْتَلَ مِنَّا وَمِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ نَقَّى قَلْبَهُ لِلَّهِ إِلَّا أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ. وَقَالَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَمْسِكُوا عَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَكُمْ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تَسْبِقُونَا فَإِنَّ الْمَخْصُومَ غَدًا مَنْ خُصِمَ الْيَوْمَ. الأحنف بن قيس والانضمام إلى علي وَجَاءَ فِي غُبُونِ ذَلِكَ الْأَحْنَفُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ، فَانْضَافَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ - وَكَانَ قَدْ مَنَعَ حُرْقُوصَ بْنَ زُهَيْرٍ مِنْ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ - وَكَانَ قَدْ بَايَعَ عَلِيًّا بِالْمَدِينَةِ ; وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَعُثْمَانُ مَحْصُورٌ، فَسَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ وَطَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ: إِنْ قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ مَنْ أُبَايِعُ ؟ فَقَالُوا: بَايِعْ عَلِيًّا. فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ بَايَعَ عَلِيًّا، قَالَ: ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ إِلَى قَوْمِي، فَجَاءَنِي بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مَا هُوَ أَفْظَعُ، حَتَّى قَالَ النَّاسُ: هَذِهِ عَائِشَةُ جَاءَتْ لِتَأْخُذَ بِدَمِ عُثْمَانَ. فَحِرْتُ فِي أَمْرِي لِمَنْ أَتَّبِعْ، فَنَفَعَنِي اللَّهُ بِحَدِيثٍ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، وَقَدْ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ الْفُرْسَ قَدْ مَلَّكُوا عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَةَ كِسْرَى فَقَالَ: لَنْ يُفْلِحَ قَوْمٌ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمُ امْرَأَةً وَأَصْلُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فِي " صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِيِّ ". وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ الْأَحْنَفَ لَمَّا انْحَازَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَمَعَهُ سِتَّةُ آلَافٍ فَقَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ: إِنْ شِئْتَ قَاتَلْتُ مَعَكَ، وَإِنْ شِئْتَ كَفَفْتُ عَنْكَ عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ سَيْفٍ. فَقَالَ: اكْفُفْ عَنَّا عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ سَيْفٍ. ثُمَّ بَعَثَ عَلِيٌّ إِلَى طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ يَقُولُ: إِنْ كُنْتُمْ عَلَى مَا فَارَقْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ الْقَعْقَاعَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو فَكُفُّوا حَتَّى نَنْزِلَ فَنَنْظُرَ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ. فَأَرْسَلَا إِلَيْهِ فِي جَوَابِ رِسَالَتِهِ: إِنَّا عَلَى مَا فَارَقْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْقَعْقَاعَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو مِنَ الصُّلْحِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ. فَاطْمَأَنَّتِ النُّفُوسُ وَسَكَنَتْ، وَاجْتَمَعَ كُلُّ فَرِيقٍ بِأَصْحَابِهِ مِنَ الْجَيْشَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا أَمْسَوْا بَعَثَ عَلِيٌّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَبَعَثُوا إِلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ طَلْحَةَ السَّجَّادَ. احتدام القتال بين جيش علي وجيش عائشة ؓ وَبَاتَ النَّاسُ بِخَيْرِ لَيْلَةٍ، وَبَاتَ قَتَلَةُ عُثْمَانَ بِشَرِّ لَيْلَةٍ، وَبَاتُوا يَتَشَاوَرُونَ وَأَجْمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يُثِيرُوا الْحَرْبَ مِنَ الْغَلَسِ، فَنَهَضُوا مِنْ قَبْلِ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ، وَهُمْ قَرِيبٌ مَنْ أَلْفَيْ رَجُلٍ فَانْصَرَفَ كُلُّ فَرِيقٍ إِلَى قَرَابَاتِهِمْ، فَهَجَمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بِالسُّيُوفِ، فَثَارَ كُلُّ طَائِفَةٍ إِلَى قَوْمِهِمْ لِيَمْنَعُوهُمْ، وَقَامَ النَّاسُ مِنْ مَنَامِهِمْ إِلَى السِّلَاحِ، فَقَالُوا: مَا هَذَا ؟ قَالُوا: طَرَقَنَا أَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ لَيْلًا، وَبَيَّتُونَا وَغَدَرُوا بِنَا. وَظَنُّوا أَنَّ هَذَا عَنْ مَلَأٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ عَلِيٍّ، فَبَلَغَ الْأَمْرُ عَلِيًّا فَقَالَ: مَا لِلنَّاسِ ؟ فَقَالُوا بَيَّتَنَا أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ. فَثَارَ كُلُّ فَرِيقٍ إِلَى سِلَاحِهِمْ، وَلَبِسُوا اللَّأْمَةَ، وَرَكِبُوا الْخُيُولَ، وَلَا يَشْعُرُ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ بِمَا وَقَعَ الْأَمْرُ عَلَيْهِ فِي نَفْسِ الْأَمْرِ. وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَقْدُورًا. فَنَشِبَتِ الْحَرْبُ وَتَوَاقَفَ الْفَرِيقَانِ، وَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ عِشْرُونَ أَلْفًا، وَالْتَفَّ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ وَمَنْ مَعَهَا نَحْوٌ مَنْ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا، وَقَامَتِ الْحَرْبُ عَلَى سَاقٍ، وَتَبَارَزَ الْفُرْسَانُ، وَجَالَتِ الشُّجْعَانُ، فَإِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ. وَالسَّبَئِيَّةُ أَصْحَابُ ابْنُ السَّوْدَاءِ، قَبَّحَهُ اللَّهُ لَا يَفْتَرُونَ عَنِ الْقَتْلِ، وَمُنَادِي عَلِيٍّ يُنَادِي: أَلَا كُفُّوا ! أَلَا كُفُّوا ! فَلَا يَسْمَعُ أَحَدٌ، وَجَاءَ كَعْبُ بْنُ سُورٍ قَاضِي الْبَصْرَةِ، فَقَالَ: يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَدْرِكِي النَّاسَ، لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُصْلِحَ بِكِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ. فَجَلَسَتْ فِي هَوْدَجِهَا فَوْقَ بَعِيرِهَا، وَسَتَرُوا الْهَوْدَجَ بِالدُّرُوعِ، وَجَاءَتْ فَوَقَفَتْ بِحَيْثُ تَنْظُرُ إِلَى النَّاسِ فِي مَعْرَكَتِهِمْ، فَتَصَاوَلُوا وَتَجَاوَلُوا، وَكَانَ فِي جُمْلَةِ مَنْ تَبَارَزَ الزُّبَيْرُ وَعَمَّارٌ، فَجَعَلَ عَمَّارٌ يَحُوزُهُ بِالرُّمْحِ، وَالزُّبَيْرُ كَافٌ عَنْهُ، وَيَقُولُ لَهُ: أَتَقْتُلُنِي يَا أَبَا الْيَقْظَانِ ؟ فَيَقُولُ: لَا يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ. وَإِنَّمَا تَرَكَهُ الزُّبَيْرُ لِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ: تَقْتُلُكَ الْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ وَإِلَّا فَالزُّبَيْرُ أَقْدَرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَلِهَذَا كَفَّ عَنْهُ، وَقَدْ كَانَ مِنْ سُنَّتِهِمْ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ أَنَّهُ لَا يُذَفَّفُ عَلَى جَرِيحٍ، وَلَا يُتْبَعُ مُدْبِرٌ، وَقَدْ قُتِلَ مَعَ هَذَا بَشَرٌ كَثِيرٌ جِدًّا، حَتَّى جَعَلَ عَلِيٌّ يَقُولُ لِابْنِهِ الْحَسَنِ: يَا بُنَيَّ لَيْتَ أَبَاكَ مَاتَ قَبْلَ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ بِعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً. فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا أَبَهْ قَدْ كُنْتُ أَنْهَاكَ عَنْ هَذَا. وعن عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ: لَمَّا اشْتَدَّ الْقِتَالُ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ، وَرَأَى عَلِيٌّ الرُّءُوسَ تَنْدُرُ، أَخَذَ عَلِيٌّ ابْنَهُ الْحَسَنَ، فَضَمَّهُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ يَا حَسَنُ ! أَيُّ خَيْرٍ يُرْجَى بَعْدَ هَذَا ! مقتل الزبير وطلحة فَلَمَّا رَكِبَ الْجَيْشَانِ، وَتَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ، طَلَبَ عَلِيٌّ الزُّبَيْرَ، وَطَلْحَةَ، لِيُكَلِّمَهُمَا، فَاجْتَمَعُوا حَتَّى الْتَفَّتْ أَعْنَاقُ خُيُولِهِمْ، فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُمَا: إِنِّي أَرَاكُمَا قَدْ جَمَعْتُمَا خَيْلًا وَرِجَالًا وَعَدَدًا، فَهَلْ أَعْدَدْتُمَا عُذْرًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَذَلِكَ ؟ فَاتَّقِيَا اللَّهَ، وَلَا تَكُونَا كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِنْ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنْكَاثًا، أَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَخَاكُمَا فِي دِينِكُمَا، تُحَرِّمَانِ دَمِي وَأُحَرِّمُ دَمَكُمَا، فَهَلْ مِنْ حَدَثٍ أَحَلَّ لَكُمَا دَمِي ؟ فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ: أَلَّبْتَ عَلَىَّ عُثْمَانَ. فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ [ النُّورِ: 25 ] ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَعَنَ اللَّهُ قَتَلَةَ عُثْمَانَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا طَلْحَةُ، أَجِئْتَ بِعِرْسِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، تَقَاتِلُ بِهَا، وَخَبَّأْتَ عِرْسَكَ فِي الْبَيْتِ ! أَمَا بَايَعْتَنِي ؟ قَالَ: بَايَعْتُكَ وَالسَّيْفُ عَلَى عُنُقِي. وَقَالَ لِلزُّبَيْرِ: مَا أَخْرَجَكَ ؟ قَالَ: أَنْتَ، وَلَا أَرَاكَ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ أَوْلَى بِهِ مِنِّي. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ: أَتَذْكُرُ يَوْمَ مَرَرْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، فِي بَنِي غَنْمٍ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيَّ وَضَحِكَ وَضَحِكْتُ إِلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتَ: لَا يَدَعُ ابْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ زَهْوَهُ. فَقَالَ لَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، ﷺ: " إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمَزْهُوٍّ لَتُقَاتِلَنَّهُ، وَأَنْتَ ظَالِمٌ لَهُ " فَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ: اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ، وَلَوْ ذَكَرْتُ مَا سِرْتُ مَسِيرِي هَذَا، وَوَاللَّهِ لَا أُقَاتِلُكَ. عَنْ رِفَاعَةَ بْنِ إِيَاسِ بْنِ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ لِطَلْحَةَ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ: أَمَا سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، يَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالَاهُ، وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ " ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى. وَانْصَرَفَ. وَقَدِ اسْتَغْرَبَهُ الْبَزَّارُ، وَهُوَ جَدِيرٌ بِذَلِكَ. فَرَجَعَ الزُّبَيْرُ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَذَكَرَ لَهَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ آلَى أَنْ لَا يُقَاتِلَ عَلِيًّا، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: إِنَّكَ جَمَعْتَ النَّاسَ فَلَمَّا تَرَآى بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ خَرَجَتْ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ، كَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَاحْضُرْ. فَأَعْتَقَ غُلَامًا لَهُ اسْمُهُ مَكْحُولٌ وَقِيلَ: سَرْجِسُ. وَقَدْ قِيلَ: إِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا رَجَعَ عَنِ الْقِتَالِ لَمَّا رَأَى عَمَّارًا مَعَ عَلِيٍّ، وَقَدْ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، يَقُولُ لِعَمَّارٍ: تَقْتُلُكَ الْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ. فَخَشِيَ أَنْ يُقْتَلَ عَمَّارٌ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ. وَعِنْدِي أَنَّ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي أَوْرَدْنَاهُ إِنْ كَانَ صَحِيحًا عَنْهُ فَمَا رَجَعَهُ سِوَاهُ، وَيَبْعُدُ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ثُمَّ يَحْضُرُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَيُقَاتِلَ عَلِيًّا. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ الزُّبَيْرَ لَمَّا رَجَعَ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ سَارَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ وَادِيًا يُقَالُ لَهُ: وَادِي السِّبَاعِ. فَاتَّبَعَهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ جُرْمُوزٍ، فَجَاءَهُ وَهُوَ نَائِمٌ فَقَتَلَهُ غِيلَةً، كَمَا سَنَذْكُرُ تَفْصِيلَهُ. وَأَمَّا طَلْحَةُ فَجَاءَهُ فِي الْمَعْرَكَةِ سَهْمٌ غَرْبٌ، يُقَالُ: رَمَاهُ بِهِ مَرْوَانُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. فَانْتَظَمَ رِجْلَهُ مَعَ فَرَسِهِ فَجَمَحَتْ بِهِ الْفَرَسُ فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: إِلَيَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِلَيَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ. فَاتَّبَعَهُ مَوْلًى لَهُ فَأَمْسَكَهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَيْحَكَ اعْدِلْ بِي إِلَى الْبُيُوتِ. وَامْتَلَأَ خُفُّهُ دَمًا فَقَالَ لِغُلَامِهِ: انْزِعْهُ وَارْدُفْنِي. وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ نَزَفَهُ الدَّمُ وَضَعُفَ، فَرَكِبَ الْغُلَامُ وَرَاءَهُ، وَجَاءَ بِهِ إِلَى بَيْتٍ فِي الْبَصْرَةِ فَمَاتَ فِيهِ، ؓ. طلب عائشة رفع المصحف عندما احتدم القتال وَتَقَدَّمَتْ عَائِشَةُ، ؓ، فِي هَوْدَجِهَا، وَنَاوَلَتْ كَعْبَ بْنَ سُورٍ قَاضِي الْبَصْرَةِ مُصْحَفًا وَقَالَتِ: ادْعُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ. وَذَلِكَ حِينَ اشْتَدَّ الْحَرْبُ وَحَمِيَ الْقِتَالُ، وَرَجَعَ الزُّبَيْرُ وَقُتِلَ طَلْحَةُ، ؓ، فَلَمَّا تَقَدَّمَ كَعْبُ بْنُ سُورٍ بِالْمُصْحَفِ يَدْعُو النَّاسَ إِلَيْهِ، اسْتَقْبَلَهُ مُقَدَّمَةُ جَيْشِ الْكُوفِيِّينَ وَهُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَبَأٍ - ابْنُ السَّوْدَاءِ - وَأَتْبَاعُهُ وَهُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْجَيْشِ يَقْتُلُونَ مَنْ قَدَرُوا عَلَيْهِ مَنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ لَا يَتَوَقَّفُونَ فِي أَحَدٍ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا كَعْبَ بْنَ سُورٍ رَافِعًا الْمُصْحَفَ رَشَقُوهُ بِنِبَالِهِمْ رَشْقَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ فَقَتَلُوهُ. الاعتداء على هودج أم المؤمنين عائشة ؓ وَوَصَلَتِ النِّبَالُ إِلَى هَوْدَجِ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَائِشَةَ، ؓ، فَجَعَلَتْ تُنَادَى: اللَّهَ اللَّهَ ! يَا بَنِيَّ اذْكُرُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ. وَرَفَعَتْ يَدَيْهَا تَدْعُو عَلَى أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرِ مِنْ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ، فَضَجَّ النَّاسُ مَعَهَا بِالدُّعَاءِ حَتَّى وَصَلَتِ الضَّجَّةُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا ؟ فَقَالُوا: أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ تَدْعُو عَلَى قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ وَأَشْيَاعِهِمْ. فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ الْعَنْ قَتَلَةَ عُثْمَانَ. وَجَعَلَ أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرُ لَا يُقْلِعُونَ عَنْ رَشْقِ هَوْدَجِهَا بِالنِّبَالِ حَتَّى بَقِيَ مِثْلَ الْقُنْفُذِ، وَجَعَلَتْ تُحَرِّضُ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَنْعِهِمْ وَكَفِّهِمْ، فَحَمَلَتْ مُضَرُ حَمْلَةَ الْحَفِيظَةِ، فَطَرَدُوهُمْ حَتَّى وَصَلَتِ الْحَمْلَةُ إِلَى الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي فِيهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَقَالَ لِابْنِهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ: وَيْحَكَ تَقَدَّمْ بِالرَّايَةِ. فَلَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَأَخَذَهَا عَلِيٌّ مِنْ يَدِهِ فَتَقَدَّمَ بِهَا وَجَعَلَتِ الْحَرْبُ تَأْخُذُ وَتُعْطِي ; فَتَارَةً لِأَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَتَارَةً لِأَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ، حَتَّى قُتِلَ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَجَمٌّ غَفِيرٌ، وَلَمْ تُرَ وَقْعَةٌ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ قَطْعِ الْأَيْدِي وَالْأَرْجُلِ فِيهَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ، وَجَعَلَتْ عَائِشَةُ تُحَرِّضُ النَّاسَ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرِ مِنْ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ، وَنَظَرَتْ عَنْ يَمِينِهَا فَقَالَتْ: مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمُ ؟ فَقَالُوا: نَحْنُ بَكْرُ بْنُ وَائِلٍ. فَقَالَتْ: لَكُمْ يَقُولُ الْقَائِلُ: وَجَاءُوا إِلَيْنَا بِالْحَدِيدِ كَأَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعِزَّةِ الْقَعْسَاءِ بَكْرُ بْنُ وَائِلِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ إِلَيْهَا بَنُو نَاجِيَةَ ثُمَّ بَنُو ضَبَّةَ، فَقُتِلَ عِنْدَهَا مِنْهُمْ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ قُطِعَتْ يَدُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا وَهِيَ آخِذَةٌ بِخِطَامِ الْجَمَلِ. دفاع بنو عدي بن عبد مناف عن زمام جمل عائشة فَلَمَّا أُثْخِنُوا تَقَدَّمَ بَنُو عَدِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ فَقَاتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، وَرَفَعُوا رَأْسَ الْجَمَلِ، وَجَعَلَ أُولَئِكَ يَقْصِدُونَ الْجَمَلَ، وَقَالُوا: لَا يَزَالُ الْحَرْبُ قَائِمًا مَا دَامَ هَذَا الْجَمَلُ وَاقِفًا. وَرَأَسُ الْجَمَلِ فِي يَدِ عَمِيرَةَ بْنِ يَثْرِبِيِّ، وَقُتِلَ أَخُوهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ يَثْرِبِيِّ، وَكَانَ مِنَ الشُّجْعَانِ الْمَذْكُورِينَ، وَالْفُرْسَانِ الْمَشْهُورِينَ، فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ هِنْدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْجَمَلِيُّ، فَقَتَلَهُ ابْنُ يَثْرِبِيٍّ، ثُمَّ صَمَدَ إِلَيْهِ عِلْبَاءُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ، فَقَتْلَهُ ابْنُ يَثْرِبِيٍّ أَيْضًا، وَقَتَلَ سَيَحَانَ بْنَ صُوحَانَ، وَارْتُثَّ صَعْصَعَةُ بْنُ صُوحَانَ، فَدَعَاهُ عَمَّارٌ إِلَى الْبِرَازِ فَبَرَزَ لَهُ، فَتَجَاوَلَا بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ - وَعَمَّارٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ ابْنُ تِسْعِينَ سَنَةً، عَلَيْهِ فَرْوَةٌ قَدْ رَبَطَ وَسَطَهُ بِحَبْلِ لِيفٍ - فَقَالَ النَّاسُ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، الْآنَ يُلْحِقُ عَمَّارًا بِأَصْحَابِهِ. فَضَرَبَهُ ابْنُ يَثْرِبِيٍّ بِالسَّيْفِ فَاتَّقَاهُ عَمَّارٌ بِدَرَقَتِهِ، فَعَضَّتِ السَّيْفَ وَنَشِبَ فِيهَا، وَضَرَبَهُ عَمَّارٌ فَقَطَعَ رِجْلَيْهِ، وَأَخَذَهُ أَسِيرًا إِلَى بَيْنِ يَدَيْ عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ: اسْتَبْقِنِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ: أَبَعْدَ ثَلَاثَةٍ تَقْتُلُهُمْ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهِ فَقُتِلَ. وَاسْتَمَرَّ زِمَامُ الْجَمَلِ بِيَدِ رَجُلٍ بَعْدَهُ كَانَ قَدِ اسْتَنَابَهُ فِيهِ مِنْ بَنِي عَدِيٍّ، فَبَرَزَ إِلَيْهِ رَبِيعَةُ الْعَقِيلِيُّ، فَتَجَاوَلَا حَتَّى قَتَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ، وَأَخَذَ الزِّمَامَ الْحَارِثُ الضَّبِّيُّ، فَمَا رُئِيَ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُ وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: نَحْنُ بَنُو ضَبَّةَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَمَلْ نُبَارِزُ الْقِرْنَ إِذَا الْقِرْنُ نَزَلْ نَنْعَى ابْنَ عَفَّانَ بَأَطْرَافِ الْأَسَلْ الْمَوْتُ أَحْلَى عِنْدَنَا مِنَ الْعَسَلْ رُدُّوا عَلَيْنَا شَيْخَنَا ثُمَّ بَجَلْ وَقَدْ قِيلَ: إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتَ لِوَسِيمِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الضَّبِّيِّ. وَكُلَّمَا قُتِلَ وَاحِدٌ مِمَّنْ يُمْسِكُ الْجَمَلَ تَقَدَّمَ غَيْرُهُ، حَتَّى قُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ أَرْبَعُونَ رَجُلًا. قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: مَا زَالَ جَمَلِي مُعْتَدِلًا حَتَّى فَقَدْتُ أَصْوَاتَ بَنِي ضَبَّةَ. ثُمَّ أَخَذَ الْخِطَامَ سَبْعُونَ رَجُلًا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، وَكُلُّ وَاحِدٍ يُقْتَلُ بَعْدَ صَاحِبِهِ، فَكَانَ مِنْهُمْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ الْمَعْرُوفُ بِالسَّجَّادِ، فَقَالَ لِعَائِشَةَ: مُرِينِي بِأَمْرِكِ يَا أُمَّاهُ. فَقَالَتْ: آمُرُكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ كَخَيْرِ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ. فَامْتَنَعَ أَنْ يَنْصَرِفَ وَثَبَتَ فِي مَكَانِهِ، وَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: حم لَا يُنْصَرُونَ. فَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ نَفَرٌ فَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَصَارَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ يَدَّعِي قَتْلَهُ، وَقَدْ طَعَنَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ بِحَرْبَةٍ فَأَنْفَذَهُ وَقَالَ: وَأَشْعَثَ قَوَّامٍ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ قَلِيلِ الْأَذَى فِيمَا تَرَى الْعَيْنُ مُسْلِمِ هَتَكْتُ لَهُ بِالرُّمْحِ جَيْبَ قَمِيصِهِ فَخَرَّ صَرِيعًا لِلْيَدَيْنِ وَلِلْفَمِ يُنَاشِدُنِي حم وَالرُّمْحُ شَاجِرٌ فَهَلَّا تَلَا حم قَبْلَ التَقَدُّمِ عَلَى غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ غَيْرَ أَنْ لَيْسَ تَابِعًا عَلِيًّا وَمَنْ لَا يَتْبَعِ الْحَقَّ يَنْدَمِ وَأَخَذَ الْخِطَامَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ، فَجَعَلَ لَا يَدْنُو مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا خَطَمَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ، فَأَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ زُهَيْرٍ الْأَزْدِيُّ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: يَا أُمَّنَا يَا خَيْرَ أُمٍّ نَعْلَمُ أَمَا تَرَيْنَ كَمْ شُجَاعٍ يُكْلَمُ وَتُخْتَلَى هَامَتُهُ وَالْمِعْصَمُ فَاخْتَلَفَا ضَرْبَتَيْنِ فَقَتَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ وَأَحْدَقَ أَهْلُ النَّجَدَاتِ وَالْمُرُوءَاتِ وَالشَّجَاعَةِ بِعَائِشَةَ، فَكَانَ لَا يَأْخُذُ الرَّايَةَ وَالْخِطَامَ إِلَّا شُجَاعٌ مَعْرُوفٌ، فَيَقْتُلُ مَنْ قَصَدَهُ، ثُمَّ يُقْتَلُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، وَقَدْ فَقَأَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَيْنَ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ، ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِ الْجَمَلِ وَهُوَ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُ، فَقِيلَ لِعَائِشَةَ: إِنَّهُ ابْنُكِ ابْنُ أُخْتِكِ. فَقَالَتْ: وَاثُكْلَ أَسْمَاءَ ! وَجَاءَ مَالِكُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ الْأَشْتَرُ النَّخَعِيُّ فَاقْتَتَلَا، فَضَرَبَهُ الْأَشْتَرُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَجَرَحَهُ جُرْحًا شَدِيدًا وَضَرَبَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ضَرْبَةً خَفِيفَةً، ثُمَّ اعْتَنَقَا وَسَقَطَا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ يَعْتَرِكَانِ، فَجَعَلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ يَقُولُ: اقْتُلُونِي وَمَالِكًا وَاقْتُلُوا مَالِكًا مَعِي فَأَرْسَلَهَا مَثَلًا. وَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ مَالِكًا مَنْ هُوَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ يُعْرَفُ بِالْأَشْتَرِ، فَحَمَلَ أَصْحَابُ عَلِيٍّ وَعَائِشَةَ فَخَلَّصُوهُمَا، وَقَدْ جُرِحَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ، بِهَذِهِ الْجِرَاحَةِ سَبْعًا وَثَلَاثِينَ جِرَاحَةً، وَجُرِحَ مَرْوَانُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ أَيْضًا. عقر جمل عائشة ؓ ثُمَّ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَضَرَبَ الْجَمَلَ عَلَى قَوَائِمِهِ، فَعَقَرَهُ وَسَقَطَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَسُمِعَ لَهُ عَجِيجٌ مَا سُمِعَ أَشَدُّ وَلَا أَنْفَذُ مِنْهُ، وَآخِرُ مَنْ كَانَ الزِّمَامُ بِيَدِهِ زُفَرُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ فَعُقِرَ الْجَمَلُ وَهُوَ فِي يَدِهِ وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ اتَّفَقَ هُوَ وَبُجَيْرُ بْنُ دُلْجَةَ عَلَى عَقْرِهِ. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ الَّذِي أَشَارَ بِعَقْرِهِ عَلِيٌّ. وَقِيلَ: الْقَعْقَاعُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو ; لِئَلَّا تُصَابُ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَإِنَّهَا صَارَتْ غَرَضًا لِلرُّمَاةِ، وَمَنْ يُمْسِكُ بِالزِّمَامِ بُرْجَاسًا لِلرِّمَاحِ، وَلِيَنْفَصِلَ هَذَا الْمَوْقِفُ الَّذِي قَدْ تَفَانَى فِيهِ النَّاسُ. وَلَمَّا سَقَطَ الْجَمَلُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ انْهَزَمَ مَنْ حَوْلَهُ، وَحُمِلَ هَوْدَجُ عَائِشَةَ وَإِنَّهُ لَكَالْقُنْفُذِ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ النُّشَّابِ، وَنَادَى مُنَادِي عَلِيٍّ فِي النَّاسِ: إِنَّهُ لَا يُتْبَعُ مُدْبِرٌ، وَلَا يَذَفَّفُ عَلَى جَرِيحٍ، وَلَا يَدْخُلُوا الدُّورَ. وَأَمَرَ عَلِيٌّ نَفَرًا أَنْ يَحْمِلُوا الْهَوْدَجَ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْقَتْلَى، وَأَمَرَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعَمَّارًا أَنْ يَضْرِبَا عَلَيْهَا قُبَّةً، وَجَاءَ إِلَيْهَا أَخُوهَا مُحَمَّدٌ فَسَأَلَهَا: هَلْ وَصَلَ إِلَيْكِ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْجِرَاحِ ؟ فَقَالَتْ: وَمَا أَنْتَ وَذَاكَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَثْعَمِيَّةِ. وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهَا عَمَّارٌ فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ أَنْتِ يَا أُمَّ ؟ فَقَالَتْ: لَسْتُ لَكَ بِأُمٍّ. قَالَ: بَلَى وَإِنْ كَرِهْتِ. وَجَاءَ إِلَيْهَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ مُسَلِّمًا فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ أَنْتِ يَا أُمَّهْ ؟ قَالَتْ: بِخَيْرٍ. فَقَالَ: يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكِ. وَجَاءَ وُجُوهُ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهَا، مِنَ الْأُمَرَاءِ وَالْأَعْيَانِ يُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيْهَا. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ أَعْيَنَ بْنَ ضُبَيْعَةَ الْمُجَاشِعِيَّ اطَّلَعَ فِي الْهَوْدَجِ. فَقَالَتْ: إِلَيْكَ لَعَنَكَ اللَّهُ. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَرَى إِلَّا حُمَيْرَاءَ. فَقَالَتْ: هَتَكَ اللَّهُ سِتْرَكَ، وَقَطَعَ يَدَكَ، وَأَبْدَى عَوْرَتَكَ. فَقُتِلَ بِالْبَصْرَةِ وَسُلِبَ وَقُطِعَتْ يَدُهُ وَرُمِيَ عُرْيَانًا فِي خَرِبَةٍ مِنْ خَرَابَاتِ الْأَزْدِ. دخول عائشة البصرة ومعها أخوها محمد بن أبي بكر فَلَمَّا كَانَ اللَّيْلُ دَخَلَتْ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْبَصْرَةَ، وَمَعَهَا أَخُوهَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَنَزَلَتْ فِي دَارِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَلَفٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ - وَهِيَ أَعْظَمُ دَارٍ بِالْبَصْرَةِ - عَلَى صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى بْنِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الدَّارِ، وَهِيَ أُمُّ طَلْحَةَ الطَّلَحَاتِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَلَفٍ، وَتَسَلَّلَ الْجَرْحَى مِنْ بَيْنِ الْقَتْلَى فَدَخَلُوا الْبَصْرَةَ، وَأَقَامَ عَلِيٌّ بِظَاهِرِ الْبَصْرَةِ ثَلَاثًا. مرور علي على قتلى الجمل وصلاته عليهم وعدد القتلى وَقَدْ طَافَ عَلِيٌّ بَيْنَ الْقَتْلَى، فَجَعَلَ كُلَّمَا مَرَّ بِرَجُلٍ يَعْرِفُهُ يَتَرَحَّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَيَقُولُ: يَعِزُّ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَرَى قُرَيْشًا صَرْعَى. وَقَدْ مَرَّ عَلِيٌّ - فِيمَا ذُكِرَ - عَلَى طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَقْتُولٌ، فَقَالَ: لَهْفِي عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ، إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ كُنْتَ كَمَا قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ: فَتًى كَانَ يُدْنِيهِ الْغِنَى مِنْ صَدِيقِهِ إِذَا مَا هُوَ اسْتَغْنَى وَيُبْعِدُهُ الْفَقْرُ ثُمَّ صَلَّى عَلِيٌّ عَلَى الْقَتْلَى مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ، وَخَصَّ قُرَيْشًا بِصَلَاةٍ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ، ثُمَّ جَمَعَ مَا وَجَدَ لِأَصْحَابِ عَائِشَةَ فِي الْعَسْكَرِ، وَأَمَرَ بِهِ أَنْ يُحْمَلَ إِلَى مَسْجِدِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَمَنْ عَرَفَ شَيْئًا هُوَ لِأَهْلِهِمْ فَلْيَأْخُذْهُ، إِلَّا سِلَاحًا كَانَ فِي الْخَزَائِنِ عَلَيْهِ سِمَةُ السُّلْطَانِ. وَكَانَ مَجْمُوعُ مَنْ قُتِلِ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ عَشَرَةَ آلَافٍ ; خَمْسَةٌ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ، وَخَمْسَةٌ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ، رَحِمَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَضِيَ عَنِ الصَّحَابَةِ مِنْهُمْ. السبئية وقسمة أموال أصحاب طلحة والزبير وَقَدْ سَأَلَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ عَلِيٍّ عَلِيًّا أَنْ يُقَسِّمَ فِيهِمْ أَمْوَالُ أَصْحَابِ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ، فَأَبَى عَلَيْهِمْ فَطَعَنَ فِيهِ السَّبَئِيَّةُ وَقَالُوا: كَيْفَ يَحُلُّ لَنَا دِمَاؤُهُمْ وَلَا تَحُلُّ لَنَا أَمْوَالُهُمْ ؟ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ عَلِيًّا فَقَالَ: أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تَصِيرَ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي سَهْمِهِ ؟ فَسَكَتَ الْقَوْمُ، وَلِهَذَا لَمَّا دَخَلَ الْبَصْرَةَ فَرَّقَ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ أَمْوَالَ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ، فَنَالَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ خَمْسَمِائَةٍ، وَقَالَ: لَكُمْ مِثْلُهَا مِنَ الشَّامِ فِي أَعْطِيَاتِكُمْ. فَتَكَلَّمَ فِيهِ السَّبَئِيَّةُ أَيْضًا، وَنَالُوا مِنْهُ مِنْ وَرَاءَ وَرَاءَ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the march of the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib from Madinah to al-Baṣrah instead of his march to al-Shām After he had prepared to set out for al-Shām, as we have mentioned, when news reached him that Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr intended to go to al-Baṣrah, he addressed the people and urged them to march to al-Baṣrah to prevent those men from entering it if possible or to expel them from it if they had already entered. Most of the people were slow to respond, but some answered his call. Al-Shaʿbī said: Only six men from the participants of Badr rose with him in this matter, with no seventh. Others said: Four. Ibn Jarīr and others mentioned that among the leading Companions who responded to him were Abū al-Haytham b. al-Tayyihān, Abū Qatādah al-Anṣārī, Ziyād b. Ḥanẓalah, and Khuzaymah b. Thābit. They said: He is not the one with the two testimonies (Dhū al-Shahādatayn); that one died in the time of ʿUthmān, ؓ. ʿAlī marched from Madinah toward al-Baṣrah with his previous military array that he had prepared for al-Shām, except that he appointed Tammām b. ʿAbbās as his deputy over Madinah and Qutham b. ʿAbbās over Makkah. That was at the end of the month of Rabīʿ al-Ākhir in the year thirty-six. The meeting of ʿAbd Allāh b. Salām and al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī with ʿAlī, ؓ ʿAlī left Madinah with about nine hundred fighting men. ʿAbd Allāh b. Salām, ؓ, met ʿAlī while he was at al-Rabadhah. He took hold of the bridle of his horse and said: O Commander of the Faithful, do not leave it, for by God, if you leave it, the authority of the Muslims will never return to it. Some people reviled him, but ʿAlī said: Leave him, for he is an excellent man from among the Companions of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. Al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī came to his father on the road and said: I forbade you, but you disobeyed me. Tomorrow you will be killed in a waste land with no one to help you. ʿAlī said to him: You keep moaning over me like a slave girl. What is it that you forbade me and I disobeyed you? He said: Did I not command you before the killing of ʿUthmān to leave the city so that he would not be killed while you were in it, and then some speaker might say or some talker might talk? Did I not command you not to accept the people's pledge of allegiance after the killing of ʿUthmān until the people of every garrison sent you their pledge? And I commanded you, when this woman and these two men went out, to sit in your house until they made peace, but you disobeyed me in all of that? ʿAlī said to him: As for your saying that I should leave before the killing of ʿUthmān, we were besieged just as he was besieged. As for my accepting the pledge before the pledges of the garrisons arrived, I disliked that this affair should be lost. As for my sitting while those people went where they went, do you want me to be like the hyena that is surrounded and about which it is said: She is not here, until its hamstring is cut and it comes out? If I do not look into what is incumbent upon me in this affair and what concerns me, then who will look into it? So restrain yourself from me, my son. ʿAlī's letter, ؓ, to the people of al-Kūfah When news reached him of what the people had done at al-Baṣrah, he wrote to the people of al-Kūfah with Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr and Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar: I have chosen you over the other garrisons and have turned to you because of what has happened. Be helpers and supporters for the religion of God, and rise up to us, for we desire reconciliation so that this community may become brothers again. They went off, and he sent to Madinah and took what he wanted of weapons and mounts. He stood among the people as an orator and said: God has honored us with Islam and raised us by it, and made us brothers after humiliation, fewness, mutual hatred, and distance. The people continued on that as long as God willed; Islam was their religion, truth was established among them, and the Book was their leader, until this man was struck down by the hands of those people whom Satan humiliated to stir up discord among this community. Indeed, this community will inevitably split, just as the communities before it split. We seek refuge in God from the evil of what is to come. Then he returned a second time and said: What is to come must inevitably be. Indeed, this community will split into seventy-three sects, the worst of which is a sect that loves me but does not act according to my deeds. You have witnessed and seen, so adhere to your religion, be guided by the guidance of your Prophet, follow his Sunnah, and turn away from what is unclear to you until you present it to the Book. Whatever the Qurʾān recognizes, adhere to it, and whatever it rejects, reject it. Be content with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, with Muḥammad as Prophet, and with the Qurʾān as judge and leader. ʿAlī's departure, ؓ, from al-Rabadhah intending al-Baṣrah He said: When he resolved to march from al-Rabadhah, a son of Rifāʿah b. Rāfiʿ stood up to him and said: O Commander of the Faithful, what do you want? And where are you taking us? He said: What we want and intend is reconciliation, if they accept it from us and respond to it. He said: And if they do not respond to it? He said: We leave them with their treachery, give them their right, and be patient. He said: And if they are not satisfied? He said: We leave them as long as they leave us. He said: And if they do not leave us? He said: We defend ourselves against them. He said: Then yes, indeed. Then al-Ḥajjāj b. Ghaziyyah al-Anṣārī stood up to him and said: I will satisfy you with action as you have satisfied me with words. By God, God will help me as He named us Anṣār (helpers). He said: A group from Ṭayyiʾ came to ʿAlī while he was at al-Rabadhah. It was said to him: These are a group who came from Ṭayyiʾ; among them are those who want to go out with you, and among them are those who want to greet you. He said: May God reward each one with good, and God has preferred the mujāhidūn over those who stay behind with a great reward [Qurʾān 4:95]. Then he marched from al-Rabadhah in his military array, riding a red camel and leading a bay horse. When he was at Fayd, a group from Asad and Ṭayyiʾ came to him and offered themselves to him. He said: Those with me are sufficient. A man from the people of al-Kūfah called ʿĀmir b. Maṭar al-Shaybānī came. ʿAlī said to him: What is behind you? He told him the news. He asked him about Abū Mūsā, and he said: If you want peace, Abū Mūsā is its man, but if you want fighting, he is not its man. ʿAlī said: By God, I want nothing but peace from those who rebelled against us. ʿAlī's receiving news of what happened at al-Baṣrah and with ʿUthmān b. Ḥunayf He marched on, and when he drew near al-Kūfah, the news came to him of what had happened in its full detail—of the killing of those who were killed among the people, of the expulsion of ʿUthmān b. Ḥunayf from al-Baṣrah, and of their seizure of the treasury funds. He began to say: O God, keep me safe from what You have afflicted Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr with. When he reached Dhū Qār, ʿUthmān b. Ḥunayf came to him disfigured, with not a single hair on his face. He said: O Commander of the Faithful, you sent me to al-Baṣrah when I had a beard, and I have come to you beardless. He said: You have gained reward and good. About Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr he said: O God, undo what they have tied, and do not confirm what they have made firm in their own minds, and show them evil in what they have done—meaning in this affair. ʿAlī's stay at Dhū Qār, ؓ ʿAlī stayed at Dhū Qār awaiting the answer to what he had written with Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr and his companion Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar. They had brought his letter to Abū Mūsā and had stood among the people carrying out his command, but they received no answer in anything. When evening came, some people of sound judgment went in to Abū Mūsā offering him obedience to ʿAlī. He said: That was yesterday's matter. Muḥammad and Muḥammad became angry and spoke harshly to him. He said to them: By God, the pledge to ʿUthmān is upon my neck and the neck of your companion. If fighting is unavoidable, we will not fight anyone until we have finished with the killers of ʿUthmān wherever they are and whoever they are. The two went to ʿAlī and told him the news while he was at Dhū Qār. He said to al-Ashtar: You are our man concerning Abū Mūsā and the one who interferes in everything! Go, you and Ibn ʿAbbās, and repair what you have corrupted. They went out and arrived at al-Kūfah, spoke to Abū Mūsā, and sought help against him from a number of the people of al-Kūfah. He stood among the people and said: O people, the Companions of Muḥammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, who accompanied him know God and His Messenger better than those who did not accompany him. You have a right over us, and I am delivering to you sincere advice. The right opinion is that you should not make light of God's authority and should not be bold against His command. This is a trial in which the sleeper is better than the wakeful, the wakeful is better than the sitter, the sitter is better than the stander, the stander is better than the rider, and the rider is better than the walker. Sheathe your swords, remove your spearheads, cut your bowstrings, and shelter the oppressed and the wronged until this affair is mended and this trial clears away. Ibn ʿAbbās and al-Ashtar returned to ʿAlī and told him the news. He sent al-Ḥasan and ʿAmmār b. Yāsir, and said to ʿAmmār: Go and repair what you have corrupted. They went until they entered the mosque. The first to greet them was Masrūq b. al-Ajdaʿ. He said to ʿAmmār: Why did you kill ʿUthmān? He said: Because he reviled our honors and struck our skins. He said: By God, you have not punished with the like of what you were punished with, and if you had been patient, it would have been better for the patient. He said: Abū Mūsā came out and met al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī, embraced him, and said to ʿAmmār: O Abū al-Yaqẓān, did you attack the Commander of the Faithful ʿUthmān and kill him? He said: I did not do it, and that did not please me. Al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī interrupted them and said to Abū Mūsā: Why do you discourage the people from us? For by God, we want nothing but reconciliation, and the like of the Commander of the Faithful is not to be feared in anything. He said: You have spoken the truth, may my father and mother be your ransom. But the one consulted is trusted. I heard the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, say: There will be a trial in which the sitter is better than the stander, the stander is better than the walker, and the walker is better than the rider. God has made us brothers and has forbidden our blood and our property to one another. ʿAmmār became angry and reviled him, and said: O people, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said that to him alone: "You sitting in it is better than you standing." A man from Banū Tamīm became angry on behalf of Abū Mūsā and insulted ʿAmmār, and others rose up. Abū Mūsā tried to restrain the people, the clamor increased, and voices rose. Abū Mūsā said: O people, obey me and be the best people of the best Arab community, to whom the oppressed resort and among whom the fearful are safe. When a trial comes, it makes things ambiguous, and when it departs, it makes them clear. Then he commanded the people to restrain their hands and stay in their homes. Zayd b. Ṣūḥān stood up and said: O people, march to the Commander of the Faithful and the master of the Muslims, march to him all together. Al-Qaʿqāʿ b. ʿAmr stood up and said: The truth is what the commander said, but the people must have a commander who restrains the oppressor, helps the oppressed, and unites the people. The Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī is fully capable of what he has undertaken, and he has been fair in his call; he only wants reconciliation, so march to him. ʿAbd Khayr stood up and said: The people are four factions: ʿAlī with those with him in the outskirts of al-Kūfah, Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr at al-Baṣrah, Muʿāwiyah in al-Shām, and a faction in the Ḥijāz that does not fight and is of no use. Abū Mūsā said: Those are the best faction, and this is a trial. The standing of ʿAmmār and al-Ḥasan among the people on the pulpit calling for marching to ʿAlī, ؓ Then the people exchanged words. Then ʿAmmār and al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī stood among the people on the pulpit calling them to march to the Commander of the Faithful, for he only wants reconciliation among the people. ʿAmmār heard a man reviling ʿĀʾishah, and said: Be silent, you who are ugly and reviled. By God, she is the wife of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, in this world and the hereafter, but God has tested you with her to know whether you obey Him or her. Al-Bukhārī narrated it. Ḥujr b. ʿAdī stood up and said: O people, march to the Commander of the Faithful: "Go forth, light and heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of God. That is better for you" [Qurʾān 9:41]. Whenever a man stood up urging the people to march, Abū Mūsā discouraged them from above the pulpit, while ʿAmmār and al-Ḥasan were with him on the pulpit, until al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī said to him: Woe to you! Withdraw from us, may you have no mother, and leave our pulpit. It is said that ʿAlī sent al-Ashtar, who removed Abū Mūsā from al-Kūfah and expelled him from the governor's palace that very night. The people responded to the call to march, and nine thousand went out with al-Ḥasan by land and on the Tigris. It is said that twelve thousand and one man marched with him. They came to ʿAlī at Dhū Qār, and he met them partway on the road with a group, including Ibn ʿAbbās. He welcomed them and said: O people of al-Kūfah, you have met the kings of the Persians and dispersed their gatherings. I have called you to witness with us our brothers from the people of al-Baṣrah. If they return, that is what we want, and if they refuse, we will treat them with gentleness until they begin wronging us. We will not neglect any matter in which there is righteousness, but will prefer it over what contains corruption, if God Almighty wills. They gathered with him at Dhū Qār. Some of the famous leaders who joined ʿAlī Among the famous leaders who joined ʿAlī were al-Qaʿqāʿ b. ʿAmr, Saʿr b. Mālik, Hind b. ʿAmr, al-Haytham b. Shihāb, Zayd b. Ṣūḥān, al-Ashtar, ʿAdī b. Ḥātim, al-Musayyab b. Najabah, Yazīd b. Qays, Ḥujr b. ʿAdī, and their like. The entire tribe of ʿAbd al-Qays was between ʿAlī and al-Baṣrah waiting for him, and they were in the thousands. The reason ʿAlī refrained from killing the killers of ʿUthmān, ؓ ʿAlī sent al-Qaʿqāʿ as an envoy to Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr in al-Baṣrah, calling them to unity and concord, and stressing to them the gravity of division and disagreement. Al-Qaʿqāʿ went to al-Baṣrah and began with ʿĀʾishah, the Mother of the Believers, saying: "O mother, what brought you to this town?" She said: "O my son, to set things right among the people." He asked her to send for Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr to attend before her, so they came. Al-Qaʿqāʿ said: "I asked the Mother of the Believers what brought her here, and she said: setting things right among the people." They said: "We are likewise." He said: "Then tell me the nature of this setting right. By God, if we come to know it, we shall surely make peace, and if we reject it, we shall not make peace." They said: "The killers of ʿUthmān. If this matter is left unattended, that would be to abandon the Qurʾān." He said: "You have killed those among the people of al-Baṣrah whom you regarded as the killers of ʿUthmān. Before killing them you were closer to uprightness than you are today. You killed six hundred men, and six thousand became angry on their behalf and withdrew from you, leaving from among you. You sought Ḥurqūṣ b. Zuhayr but six thousand prevented you. If you leave them alone, you fall into what you speak of, and if you fight them, they may gain the upper hand over you. What you feared and were wary of in this matter is greater than what you seek to repel and gather against." Meaning: your desire to kill the killers of ʿUthmān is a good aim, but it entails a corruption greater than it; just as you were unable to exact revenge for ʿUthmān from Ḥurqūṣ b. Zuhayr because six thousand rose to protect him from anyone wanting to kill him, ʿAlī has a stronger excuse in deferring the killing of ʿUthmān's killers now, for he has merely delayed killing them until he can gain power over them after this, since the word in all the garrison towns is divided against him. Then he informed them that a host from Rabīʿah and Muḍar had resolved to fight them because of this matter that had taken place. ʿĀʾishah, the Mother of the Believers, said to him: "What do you say, then?" He said: "I say: the remedy for this affair that has occurred is to calm it. When calm settles, they will pull apart. If you pledge allegiance to us, that is a mark of good and glad tidings of mercy and the attainment of vengeance. If you refuse anything but obstinate persistence in this affair and starting it anew, that would be a mark of evil and the passing away of this dominion. Choose well-being and you will be granted it. Be keys to good as you were at first, and do not expose us to trial lest you yourselves be exposed to it, and God may cast down us and you. By God, I speak this word of mine and summon you to it, yet I fear it will not be completed until God takes what He requires of this community, whose worldly goods have become little and upon which what has befallen has befallen. This affair that has occurred is a momentous matter, not like one man killing another, nor a band killing a man, nor a tribe killing a tribe." They said: "You have spoken rightly and well, so go back. If ʿAlī comes with the same view as yours, the matter will be set right." ʿĀʾishah adopts al-Qaʿqāʿ's view and peace with ʿAlī ؓ He said: He returned to ʿAlī and told him, and it pleased him. The people were on the verge of peace, which displeased those whom it displeased and pleased those whom it pleased. ʿĀʾishah sent word to ʿAlī informing him that she had come only to set things right. These and those rejoiced. ʿAlī rose to address the people and spoke of the Age of Ignorance and its wretchedness, and of Islam and the happiness of its people through concord and unity, and that God gathered them after their Prophet, ﷺ, behind the caliph Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, then after him behind ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, then behind ʿUthmān, then this event occurred that certain people dragged upon this community, people who sought this world, envied the one God had favored with it and with the excellence He had bestowed, and wished to turn Islam and matters back on their heels, but God attains His purpose. Then he said: "Lo, I am departing tomorrow, so depart, and let no one depart with me who aided against ʿUthmān in any matter concerning the people." The gathering of ʿUthmān's killers ؓ When he said this, a group of their leaders gathered, such as al-Ashtar al-Nakhaʿī, Shurayḥ b. Awfā, ʿAbd Allāh b. Sabaʾ known as Ibn al-Sawdāʾ, Sālim b. Thaʿlabah, ʿIlbāʾ b. al-Haytham, and others, in two thousand five hundred men, and not a single companion was among them, praise be to God. They said: "What is this view? By God, ʿAlī is more knowledgeable of the Book of God, and he is one who seeks the killers of ʿUthmān and is closer to acting on that. Yet he said what you heard. Tomorrow he will gather the people against you, and the people all mean you. How will you fare, few as you are amid their multitude?" Al-Ashtar said: "We know the view of Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr regarding us. As for ʿAlī's view, we have not known it until today. If he has made peace with them, then they have made peace over our blood. If that is so, we shall join ʿAlī to ʿUthmān, and the people will be satisfied with us keeping silent." Ibn al-Sawdāʾ said: "What a bad idea you have. If we killed him, we would be killed. For we, O band of ʿUthmān's killers, are two thousand five hundred, while Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr and their companions are five thousand, and you have no strength against them, and they mean only you." ʿIlbāʾ b. al-Haytham said: "Leave them and let us withdraw until we attach ourselves to some region and seek protection there." Ibn al-Sawdāʾ said: "What a bad thing you have said. By God, then the people would snatch you away." Then Ibn al-Sawdāʾ, may God disfigure him, said: "O people, your might lies in mingling with the crowd. When the people meet, instigate the fighting, and do not give them leisure to deliberate. Whoever you are with will find no choice but to defend himself, and God will occupy Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr and those with them away from what you dislike." They saw the merit of the plan and dispersed upon it. ʿAlī set out in the morning, passed by ʿAbd al-Qays, and they marched with him until they halted at al-Zāwiyah. From there he marched toward al-Baṣrah, and Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr and those with them marched to meet him. They met at the palace of ʿUbayd Allāh b. Ziyād, and the people encamped each in a direction, while ʿAlī preceded his army, and they kept catching up with him. They stayed three days with messengers passing between them. That was in the middle of Jumādā al-Ākhirah, year thirty-six. Some people advised Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr to seize the opportunity against the killers of ʿUthmān, but they said: "ʿAlī has counseled calming this matter, and we have sent to him proposing peace on that basis." ʿAlī rose to address the people, and al-Aʿwar b. Bunān al-Minqarī stood before him and asked him about his coming against the people of al-Baṣrah. He said: "To set things right and extinguish the blaze, so that the people may unite upon good and the unity of this community be restored." He said: "What if they do not answer us?" He said: "We leave them alone as long as they leave us alone." He said: "What if they do not leave us alone?" He said: "We defend ourselves against them." He said: "Do they have in this matter the like of what we have?" He said: "Yes." Abū Salāmah al-Dālānī stood before him and said: "Do these people have any argument in what they seek of this blood, if they intend God thereby?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Do you have an argument in your delaying it?" He said: "Yes." He said: "What will be our state and theirs if we are tested tomorrow?" He said: "I hope that no one of us or of them will be killed whose heart was made pure for God, but God will admit him to Paradise." And he said in his sermon: "O people, withhold your hands and your tongues from these people. Beware of getting ahead of us, for the one who is defeated tomorrow is the one who is refuted today." Al-Aḥnaf b. Qays joins ʿAlī During that interval al-Aḥnaf b. Qays came with a group and joined ʿAlī — he had previously prevented Ḥurqūṣ b. Zuhayr from Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr — and he had pledged allegiance to ʿAlī in Madinah. That was because he had come to Madinah while ʿUthmān was under siege, and he asked ʿĀʾishah, Ṭalḥah, and al-Zubayr: "If ʿUthmān is killed, to whom shall I pledge allegiance?" They said: "Pledge allegiance to ʿAlī." When ʿUthmān was killed, he pledged allegiance to ʿAlī. He said: "Then I returned to my people, and after that there came to me something more dreadful, until people said: 'This is ʿĀʾishah who has come to seek vengeance for ʿUthmān.' I was confounded in my affair as to whom I should follow, but God benefited me with a ḥadīth I heard from Abū Bakrah. He said: The Messenger of God, ﷺ, said, when news reached him that the Persians had made a daughter of Kisrā their ruler: 'A people will not prosper who entrust their affair to a woman.' The origin of this ḥadīth is in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. The point is that when al-Aḥnaf went over to ʿAlī with six thousand men, he said to ʿAlī: "If you wish, I will fight with you, and if you wish, I will hold back from you ten thousand swords." He said: "Hold back from us ten thousand swords." Then ʿAlī sent word to Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr saying: "If you are still upon what you parted with al-Qaʿqāʿ b. ʿAmr upon, then hold off until we alight and consider this matter." They sent back in answer to his message: "We are upon what we parted with al-Qaʿqāʿ b. ʿAmr upon, namely making peace among the people." So hearts were reassured and became calm, and each party gathered with its companions of the two armies. When evening came, ʿAlī sent ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās to them, and they sent to him Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥah al-Sajjād. The fighting intensifies between ʿAlī's army and ʿĀʾishah's army ؓ The people spent the night in the best of nights, while ʿUthmān's killers spent the night in the worst of nights, consulting one another. They resolved to stir up war before dawn. They rose before daybreak, nearly two thousand men, and each group went off to their kin. They fell upon them with swords, and every faction rose to protect their people. The people rose from their sleep to their weapons and said: "What is this?" They said: "The people of al-Kūfah raided us at night and attacked us by surprise and betrayed us." They thought this was from the main body of ʿAlī's companions. The matter reached ʿAlī, and he said: "What is wrong with the people?" They said: "The people of al-Baṣrah attacked us by night." Each party rushed to their weapons, donned their armor, mounted their horses, and not one of them realized what had actually brought about the matter. God's command is a decree decreed. War broke out and the two parties faced each other. With ʿAlī there had gathered twenty thousand, and around ʿĀʾishah and those with her gathered about thirty thousand. War stood on its leg, champions came forth in single combat, and brave men wheeled about. To God we belong and to Him we return. The Sabaʾiyyah, the companions of Ibn al-Sawdāʾ, may God disfigure him, did not cease killing, while ʿAlī's crier called out: "Hold back! Hold back!" but no one listened. Kaʿb b. Sūr, the judge of al-Baṣrah, came and said: "O Mother of the Believers, intervene among the people; perhaps God will set things right through you." She sat in her howdah atop her camel, and they covered the howdah with coats of mail. She came and stood where she could see the people in their battle. They clashed and wheeled about. Among those who met in single combat were al-Zubayr and ʿAmmār. ʿAmmār kept prodding him with the spear, while al-Zubayr held back from him, saying: "Will you kill me, O Abu al-Yaqẓān?" He said: "No, O Abū ʿAbd Allāh." Al-Zubayr only held back because of the saying of the Messenger of God, ﷺ: "The transgressing party will kill you." Otherwise al-Zubayr was more capable against him than he was against al-Zubayr, so for this reason he held back from him. It was their custom on that day not to finish off a wounded man nor to pursue a fleeing one. Yet with this a great many people were killed, until ʿAlī said to his son al-Ḥasan: "O my son, would that your father had died twenty years before this day." He said to him: "O father, I had been forbidding you from this." From Abū Bakrah: When the fighting intensified on the Day of the Camel and ʿAlī saw heads being struck off, he took his son al-Ḥasan and clasped him to his chest, then said: "To God we belong, O Ḥasan! What good can be hoped for after this!" The killing of al-Zubayr and Ṭalḥah When the two armies mounted and the two hosts came in sight of one another, ʿAlī sought al-Zubayr and Ṭalḥah to speak with them. They came together until the necks of their horses intertwined. It is said that he said to them: "I see you have gathered horses and men and numbers. Have you prepared an excuse for the Day of Resurrection for this? Fear God, and do not be like the woman who unraveled her spinning after it was strong, breaking it into strands. Was I not your brother in your religion, you forbidding my blood and I forbidding yours? Has any new event made my blood lawful to you?" Ṭalḥah said: "You incited against ʿUthmān." ʿAlī said: "On that day God will pay them their due in full" [al-Nūr: 25]. Then he said: "May God curse the killers of ʿUthmān." Then he said: "O Ṭalḥah, you have brought the wife of the Messenger of God, ﷺ, to fight by her side, while you kept your own wife at home! Did you not pledge allegiance to me?" He said: "I pledged allegiance to you with the sword at my neck." He said to al-Zubayr: "What brought you out?" He said: "You, and I do not see you more entitled to this matter than myself." ʿAlī said to him: "Do you remember the day I passed with the Messenger of God, ﷺ, among the Banū Ghanm, and he looked at me and smiled, and I smiled at him, and you said: 'The son of Abū Ṭālib never abandons his conceit'? The Messenger of God, ﷺ, said to you: 'He is not conceited. You shall fight him, and you will be in the wrong toward him.'" Al-Zubayr said: "By God, yes. Had I remembered it, I would not have made this journey of mine. By God, I shall not fight you." From Rifāʿah b. Iyās b. Abī Iyās, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: I heard ʿAlī say to Ṭalḥah on the Day of the Camel: "Did you not hear the Messenger of God, ﷺ, say: 'O God, befriend the one who befriends him, and be an enemy to the one who is his enemy'?" He said: "Yes." And he turned away. Al-Bazzār deemed it odd, and it is worthy of that. Al-Zubayr returned to ʿĀʾishah and told her that he had sworn an oath not to fight ʿAlī. His son ʿAbd Allāh said to him: "You gathered the people, then when they came in sight of one another you withdrew from among them. Expiate your oath and be present." So he freed a slave of his named Makḥūl, though it is said Sarjis. It has also been said that he turned away from fighting only when he saw ʿAmmār with ʿAlī, for he had heard the Messenger of God, ﷺ, say to ʿAmmār: "The transgressing party will kill you," and he feared ʿAmmār would be killed that day. In my view, if the ḥadīth we cited is sound from him, then nothing turned him back other than it, and it is far-fetched that he would expiate his oath and then attend and fight ʿAlī afterward. God knows best. The point is that when al-Zubayr returned on the Day of the Camel, he traveled until he halted in a valley called Wādī al-Sibāʿ. ʿAmr b. Jurmūz followed him, came upon him while he was sleeping, and killed him treacherously, as we shall mention in detail. As for Ṭalḥah, a stray arrow came to him in the battle – it is said that Marwān b. al-Ḥakam shot it at him, but Allah knows best. It pierced his leg together with his horse, and the horse bolted with him. He began to say: “To me, servants of Allah, to me, servants of Allah.” A mawlā of his followed him and caught the horse. He said to him: “Woe to you, bring me to the houses.” His leather sock filled with blood, so he said to his servant: “Pull it off and mount behind me.” That was because blood had drained him and he had grown weak. The servant mounted behind him and brought him to a house in al-Baṣrah, where he died, ؓ. ʿĀʾishah’s request to raise the muṣḥaf when the fighting intensified ʿĀʾishah, ؓ, advanced in her howdah and handed Kaʿb b. Sūr, the judge of al-Baṣrah, a muṣḥaf and said: “Call them to it.” That was when the war grew fierce and the fighting blazed, after al-Zubayr had withdrawn and Ṭalḥah had been killed, ؓ. When Kaʿb b. Sūr advanced with the muṣḥaf calling the people to it, the vanguard of the Kufan army met him, namely ʿAbd Allah b. Sabaʾ – Ibn al-Sawdāʾ – and his followers. They were ahead of the army, killing whomever of the people of al-Baṣrah they could, stopping for no one. When they saw Kaʿb b. Sūr raising the muṣḥaf, they shot him with their arrows in a single volley and killed him. The assault on the howdah of the Mother of the Believers ʿĀʾishah, ؓ The arrows reached the howdah of the Mother of the Believers ʿĀʾishah, ؓ. She began to call out: “Allah, Allah! O my sons, remember the Day of Reckoning.” She raised her hands, supplicating against that band of the killers of ʿUthmān, and the people raised their voices with her in supplication until the clamor reached ʿAlī. He said: “What is this?” They said: “The Mother of the Believers is supplicating against the killers of ʿUthmān and their partisans.” He said: “O Allah, curse the killers of ʿUthmān.” That band did not cease shooting arrows at her howdah until it became like a hedgehog. She began urging the people to prevent and restrain them. Muḍar charged with the charge of furious zeal and drove them off until the charge reached the place where ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib was. He said to his son Muḥammad b. al-Ḥanafiyyah: “Woe to you, advance with the banner.” He could not, so ʿAlī took it from his hand and advanced with it. The war began to ebb and flow: now for the people of al-Baṣrah, now for the people of al-Kūfah, until a great many and a vast multitude were killed. No battle was seen in which there were more severed hands and feet than this one. ʿĀʾishah kept urging the people against that band of the killers of ʿUthmān. She looked to her right and said: “Who are these people?” They said: “We are Bakr b. Wāʾil.” She said: “About you the poet says: They came to us with iron as though they were, from lofty might, Bakr b. Wāʾil.” Then Banū Nājiyah came to her, then Banū Ḍabbah, and a great many of them were killed around her. It is said that the hands of seventy men were cut off while she was holding the nose rein of the camel. The defense of the rein of ʿĀʾishah’s camel by Banū ʿAdī b. ʿAbd Manāf When they were weakened, Banū ʿAdī b. ʿAbd Manāf advanced and fought fiercely. They raised the head of the camel. That band began to aim at the camel and said: “The fighting will not cease as long as this camel stands.” The head of the camel was in the hand of ʿUmayrah b. Yathribī, and his brother ʿAmr b. Yathribī was killed. He was among the famous brave men and renowned horsemen. Hind b. ʿAmr al-Jamalī advanced against him, and Ibn Yathribī killed him. Then ʿIlbāʾ b. al-Haytham made for him, and Ibn Yathribī killed him too. He killed Sayḥān b. Ṣūḥān, and Ṣaʿṣaʿah b. Ṣūḥān was gravely wounded. ʿAmmār called him to single combat, and he came out to him. They fought between the two lines – ʿAmmār that day was ninety years old, wearing a fur garment, his waist tied with a rope of palm fiber. The people said: “Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we return. Now ʿAmmār will join his companions.” Ibn Yathribī struck him with the sword, and ʿAmmār warded it off with his leather shield. The sword bit into it and stuck. ʿAmmār struck him and cut off his two legs, then took him captive before ʿAlī. He said: “Spare me, O Commander of the Believers.” He said: “After three whom you killed?” Then he ordered him killed. The camel’s rein passed to a man after him from Banū ʿAdī whom he had deputized. Rabīʿah al-ʿAqīlī came out against him, and they fought until each killed his opponent. Al-Ḥārith al-Ḍabbī took the rein, and none was seen fiercer than he. He began to say: “We are Banū Ḍabbah, companions of the camel, we fight the foe when the foe dismounts. We mourn Ibn ʿAffān at the spearheads. Death is sweeter to us than honey. Return to us our elder, then enough.” It has been said that these verses are by Wasīm b. ʿAmr al-Ḍabbī. Whenever one of those holding the camel was killed, another advanced, until forty men of them were killed. ʿĀʾishah said: “My camel remained upright until I lost the voices of Banū Ḍabbah.” Then seventy men of Quraysh took the rein, each one killed after his companion. Among them was Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥah, known as al-Sajjād. He said to ʿĀʾishah: “Command me with your command, O mother.” She said: “I command you to be like the better of the two sons of Adam.” He refused to withdraw and stood firm in his place, saying: “Ḥā Mīm, they will not be helped.” A band advanced against him and attacked and killed him. Afterwards each of them claimed to have killed him. One of them had stabbed him with a short spear and pierced him through, saying: “And a disheveled one, steadfast in the signs of his Lord, little of harm as the eye sees, a Muslim. I tore with the spear the collar of his shirt, and he fell prostrate on his hands and mouth. He adjured me by Ḥā Mīm while the spear was thrusting, why did he not recite Ḥā Mīm before advancing? For no reason except that he did not follow ʿAlī; and whoever does not follow the truth will regret.” ʿAmr b. al-Ashraf took the rein, and no one approached him but he slashed his nose with the sword. Al-Ḥārith b. Zuhayr al-Azdī came to him saying: “O our mother, O best mother we know, do you not see how many a brave man is wounded? His crown and wrist are cut off.” They exchanged two blows and each killed his companion. The people of courage, chivalry, and bravery surrounded ʿĀʾishah. None took the banner and the rein but a renowned brave man, who killed whoever aimed at him and then was killed afterwards. One of them put out the eye of ʿAdī b. Ḥātim that day. Then ʿAbd Allah b. al-Zubayr advanced and took the camel’s rein without speaking. It was said to ʿĀʾishah: “He is your son, your sister’s son.” She said: “What a bereavement for Asmāʾ!” Mālik b. al-Ḥārith al-Ashtar al-Nakhaʿī came, and they fought. Al-Ashtar struck him on the head and wounded him severely, and ʿAbd Allah struck him a light blow. Then they grappled and fell to the ground wrestling. ʿAbd Allah b. al-Zubayr began to say: “Kill me and Mālik, and kill Mālik with me.” He sent it forth as a proverb. The people did not know who Mālik was; he was known only as al-Ashtar. The companions of ʿAlī and ʿĀʾishah charged and rescued them both. ʿAbd Allah b. al-Zubayr was wounded on the Day of the Camel, from this wound, thirty-seven wounds, and Marwān b. al-Ḥakam was also wounded. The hamstringing of ʿĀʾishah’s camel, ؓ Then a man came and struck the camel on its legs, hamstrung it, and it fell to the ground. A bellowing was heard from it such as none was heard fiercer or more piercing. The last one in whose hand the rein was Zufar b. al-Ḥārith, and the camel was hamstrung while it was in his hand. It is said that he and Bujayr b. Duljah agreed to hamstring it. It is said that the one who advised hamstringing it was ʿAlī. It is also said: al-Qaʿqāʿ b. ʿAmr, lest the Mother of the Believers be struck, for she had become a target for the archers, and whoever held the rein a target for the spears, and so that this stand in which the people were perishing might come to an end. When the camel fell to the ground, those around it fled. The howdah of ʿĀʾishah was carried away, and it was like a hedgehog from the multitude of arrows. A crier of ʿAlī called out among the people: “No fugitive is to be pursued, no wounded man is to be finished off, and they are not to enter the houses.” ʿAlī ordered a band to carry the howdah from among the slain, and ordered Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr and ʿAmmār to pitch a tent over her. Her brother Muḥammad came to her and asked: “Did any wound reach you?” She said: “What is it to you, O son of the Khathʿamī woman?” ʿAmmār greeted her and said: “How are you, O mother?” She said: “I am not a mother to you.” He said: “Indeed you are, even if you dislike it.” ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib came to her greeting and said: “How are you, O mother?” She said: “Well.” He said: “May Allah forgive you.” The notables of the people came to her, commanders and dignitaries, greeting her. It is said that Aʿyan b. Ḍubayʿah al-Mujāshiʿī peered into the howdah. She said: “Away with you, may Allah curse you.” He said: “By Allah, I see nothing but a ḥumayrāʾ.” She said: “May Allah rend your veil, cut off your hand, and expose your nakedness.” He was killed in al-Baṣrah, stripped, his hand cut off, and thrown naked into a ruin among the ruins of al-Azd. ʿĀʾishah’s entry into al-Baṣrah accompanied by her brother Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr When night came, the Mother of the Believers entered al-Baṣrah, accompanied by her brother Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr. She alighted in the house of ʿAbd Allah b. Khalaf al-Khuzāʿī – the greatest house in al-Baṣrah – with Ṣafiyyah bt. al-Ḥārith b. Ṭalḥah b. Abī Ṭalḥah b. ʿAbd al-ʿUzzā b. ʿUthmān b. ʿAbd al-Dār, who was the mother of Ṭalḥah al-Ṭalaḥāt b. ʿAbd Allah b. Khalaf. The wounded slipped away from among the slain and entered al-Baṣrah. ʿAlī remained outside al-Baṣrah for three days. ʿAlī’s passing by the slain of the Camel, his praying over them, and the number of the slain ʿAlī walked among the slain. Whenever he passed a man he recognized, he asked mercy for him and said: “It grieves me to see Quraysh struck down.” It is mentioned that ʿAlī passed by Ṭalḥah b. ʿUbayd Allah while he was slain and said: “Alas for you, O Abū Muḥammad. Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we return. By Allah, you were as the poet said: A youth whom wealth brought near to his friend when he was rich, and poverty drove him far.” Then ʿAlī prayed over the slain of both parties, and singled out Quraysh with a prayer among them. Then he gathered what was found belonging to the companions of ʿĀʾishah in the camp and ordered that it be carried to the mosque of al-Baṣrah. Whoever recognized anything belonging to their people was to take it, except weapons that were in the armories bearing the mark of the sultan. The total number of those killed on the Day of the Camel from both parties was ten thousand: five thousand from these and five thousand from those, may Allah have mercy on them and be pleased with the Companions among them. The Sabaʾiyyah and the division of the wealth of the companions of Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr Some of ʿAlī’s companions asked him to divide among them the wealth of the companions of Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr, but he refused them. The Sabaʾiyyah maligned him and said: “How is their blood lawful to us while their wealth is not lawful to us?” That reached ʿAlī, and he said: “Which of you would like the Mother of the Believers to fall to his share?” The people fell silent. For this reason, when he entered al-Baṣrah, he distributed the wealth of the public treasury among his companions, and each man received five hundred. He said: “You will have the like of it from Syria in your stipends.” The Sabaʾiyyah spoke against him about that too and disparaged him from behind.
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