Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2068
The caliphate of ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib
قِصَّةُ التَّحْكِيمِ توكيل معاوية لعمرو بن العاص وعلي لأبي موسى الأشعري ؓ ثُمَّ تَرَاوَضَ الْفَرِيقَانِ بَعْدَ مُكَاتَبَاتٍ وَمُرَاجَعَاتٍ يَطُولُ ذِكْرُهَا عَلَى التَّحْكِيمِ وَهُوَ أَنْ يُحَكِّمَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْأَمِيرَيْنِ - عَلِيٌّ وَمُعَاوِيَةُ - رَجُلًا مِنْ جِهَتِهِ، ثُمَّ يَتَّفِقَ الْحَكَمَانِ عَلَى مَا فِيهِ الْمَصْلَحَةُ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ. فَوَكَّلَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ وَأَرَادَ عَلِيٌّ أَنْ يُوَكِّلَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ - وَلَيْتَهُ فَعَلَ - وَلَكِنَّهُ مَنَعَهُ الْقُرَّاءُ الْخَوَارِجُ مِمَّنْ ذَكَرْنَا، وَقَالُوا: لَا نَرْضَى إِلَّا بِأَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ. وَذَكَرَ الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ فِي كِتَابِ " الْخَوَارِجِ " لَهُ أَنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَشَارَ بِأَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ الْأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، وَتَابَعَهُ أَهْلُ الْيَمَنِ، وَوَصَفُوهُ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْهَى النَّاسَ عَنِ الْفِتْنَةِ وَالْقِتَالِ، وَكَانَ أَبُو مُوسَى قَدِ اعْتَزَلَ فِي بَعْضِ أَرْضِ الْحِجَازِ، قَالَ عَلِيٌّ: فَإِنِّي أَجْعَلُ الْأَشْتَرَ حَكَمًا. فَقَالُوا: وَهَلْ سَعَّرَ، الْأَرْضَ إِلَّا الْأَشْتَرُ ؟ قَالَ: فَاصْنَعُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ. فَقَالَ الْأَحْنَفُ لِعَلِيٍّ: وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ رَمَيْتَ بِحَجَرٍ، إِنَّهُ لَا يَصْلُحُ لِهَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ يَدْنُو مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ فِي أَكُفِّهِمْ، وَيَبْعُدُ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ النَّجْمِ، فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَنِي حَكَمًا فَاجْعَلْنِي ثَانِيًا أَوْ ثَالِثًا، فَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يَعْقِدَ عُقْدَةً إِلَّا حَلَلْتُهَا، وَلَا يَحُلَّ عُقْدَةً عَقَدْتُهَا إِلَّا عَقَدْتُ لَكَ أُخْرَى مِثْلَهَا أَوْ أَحْكَمَ مِنْهَا. قَالَ: فَأَبَوْا إِلَّا أَبَا مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيَّ. فَذَهَبَتِ الرُّسُلُ إِلَى أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ - وَكَانَ قَدِ اعْتَزَلَ - فَلَمَّا قِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدِ اصْطَلَحُوا. قَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ. قِيلَ لَهُ: وَقَدْ جُعِلْتَ حَكَمًا. فَقَالَ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ. ثُمَّ أَخَذُوهُ حَتَّى أَحْضَرُوهُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ، ؓ. صحيفة التحكيم وَكَتَبُوا بَيْنَهُمْ كِتَابًا هَذِهِ صُورَتُهُ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ هَذَا مَا تَقَاضَى عَلَيْهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ اكْتُبِ اسْمَهُ وَاسْمَ أَبِيهِ هُوَ أَمِيرُكُمْ وَلَيْسَ بِأَمِيرِنَا. فَقَالَ الْأَحْنَفُ: لَا تَكْتُبْ إِلَّا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: امْحُهُ، وَاكْتُبْ: هَذَا مَا قَاضَى عَلَيْهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، ثُمَّ اسْتَشْهَدَ عَلِيٌّ بِقِصَّةِ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ حِينَ امْتَنَعَ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ: هَذَا مَا قَاضَى عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. فَامْتَنَعَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَقَالُوا: اكْتُبْ: هَذَا مَا قَاضَى عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ. فَكَتَبَ الْكَاتِبُ: هَذَا مَا قَاضَى عَلَيْهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَمُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ ; قَاضَى عَلِيٌّ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُمْ مِنْ شِيعَتِهِمْ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَقَاضَى مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، إِنَّا نَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ حُكْمِ اللَّهِ وَكِتَابِهِ، وَنُحْيِي مَا أَحْيَا اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَنُمِيتُ مَا أَمَاتَ اللَّهُ، فَمَا وَجَدَ الْحَكَمَانِ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ - وَهُمَا أَبُو مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيُّ وَعَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ - عَمِلَا بِهِ وَمَا لَمْ يَجِدَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ، فَالسُّنَّةُ الْعَادِلَةُ الْجَامِعَةُ غَيْرُ الْمُتَفَرِّقَةِ. ثُمَّ أَخَذَ الْحَكَمَانِ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ وَمُعَاوِيَةَ وَمِنَ الْجُنْدَيْنِ مِنَ الْعُهُودِ وَالْمَوَاثِيقِ عَلَى أَنَّهُمَا آمِنَانِ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمَا وَأَهْلِهِمَا، وَالْأُمَّةُ لَهُمَا أَنْصَارٌ عَلَى الَّذِي يَتَقَاضَيَانِ عَلَيْهِ وَيَتَّفِقَانِ، وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا عَهْدُ اللَّهِ وَمِيثَاقُهُ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى مَا فِي هَذِهِ الصَّحِيفَةِ، وَأَجَّلَا الْقَضَاءَ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ، وَإِنْ أَحَبَّا أَنْ يُؤَخِّرَا ذَلِكَ عَلَى تَرَاضٍ مِنْهُمَا، وَكُتِبَ فِي يَوْمِ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ صَفَرٍ، سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ، عَلَى أَنْ يُوَافِيَ عَلِيٌّ وَمُعَاوِيَةُ مَوْضِعَ الْحَكَمَيْنِ بِدُومَةِ الْجَنْدَلِ فِي رَمَضَانَ، وَمَعَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْحَكَمَيْنِ أَرْبَعُمِائَةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجْتَمِعَا لِذَلِكَ اجْتَمَعَا مِنَ الْعَامِ الْمُقْبِلِ بِأَذْرُحَ. وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ فِي كِتَابِهِ " الْخَوَارِجِ " أَنَّ الْأَشْعَثَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ لَمَّا ذَهَبَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَفِيهِ: هَذَا مَا قَاضَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيٌّ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لَوْ كَانَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَمْ أُقَاتِلْهُ، وَلَكِنْ لِيَكْتُبِ اسْمَهُ وَلِيَبْدَأْ بِهِ قَبْلَ اسْمِي لِفَضْلِهِ وَسَابِقَتِهِ. فَرَجَعَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَكَتَبَ كَمَا قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ. وَذَكَرَ الْهَيْثَمُ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ أَبَوْا أَنْ يَبْدَأُوا بِاسْمِ عَلِيٍّ قَبْلَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَبِاسْمِ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ قَبْلَهُمْ، حَتَّى كُتِبَ كِتَابَانِ ; كِتَابٌ لِهَؤُلَاءِ وَكِتَابٌ لِهَؤُلَاءِ بِمَا أَرَادُوا. ممن شهدوا التحكيم وَهَذِهِ تَسْمِيَةُ مَنْ شَهِدَ عَلَى هَذَا الْكِتَابِ وَالتَّحْكِيمِ مَنْ جَيْشِ عَلِيٍّ: عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَالْأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْكِنْدِيُّ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الطُّفَيْلِ الْعَامِرِيُّ، وَحُجْرُ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ الْكِنْدِيُّ، وَوَرْقَاءُ بْنُ سُمَيٍّ الْبَجَلِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحِلٍّ الْعِجْلِيُّ، وَعُقْبَةُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ حُجَيَّةَ التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَمَالِكُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ. فَهَؤُلَاءِ عَشَرَةٌ. وَأَمَّا مِنَ الشَّامِيِّينَ فَعَشَرَةٌ آخَرُونَ ; وَهُمْ أَبُو الْأَعْوَرِ السُّلَمِيُّ، وَحَبِيبُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ، وَمُخَارِقُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ الزُّبَيْدِيُّ، زِمْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الْعُذْرِيُّ، وَعَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، وَحَمْزَةُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، وَسُبَيْعُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، وَعُتْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ أَخُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ الْحُرِّ الْعَبْسِيُّ. وَخَرَجَ الْأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ بِذَلِكَ الْكِتَابِ يَقْرَأُهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَعْرِضُهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ. دفن القتلى وإطلاق الأسارى ثُمَّ شَرَعَ النَّاسُ فِي دَفْنِ قَتْلَاهُمْ. قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُدْفَنُ فِي كُلِّ قَبْرٍ خَمْسُونَ نَفْسًا. وَكَانَ عَلِيٌّ قَدْ أَسَرَ جَمَاعَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ الِانْصِرَافَ عَنْ صِفِّينَ أَطْلَقَهُمْ، وَكَانَ مِثْلُهُمْ أَوْ قَرِيبٌ مِنْهُمْ قَدْ أَسَرَهُمْ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ، وَكَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ قَدْ عَزَمَ عَلَى قَتْلِهِمْ لِظَنِّهِ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا قَدْ قَتَلَ أَسْرَاهُمْ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَطْلَقَهُمْ، أَطْلَقَ مُعَاو?يَةُ الَّذِينَ فِي يَدِهِ، وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ رَجُلًا يُقَالُ لَهُ: عَمْرُو بْنُ أَوْسٍ - مِنَ الْأَوْدِ. كَانَ مِنَ الْأُسَارَى، فَأَرَادَ مُعَاوِيَةُ قَتْلَهَ، فَقَالَ: امْنُنْ عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّكَ خَالِي. فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ ! مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنَا خَالُكَ ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ زَوْجَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، وَهِيَ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَأَنَا ابْنُهَا وَأَنْتَ أَخُوهَا، فَأَنْتَ خَالِي. فَأَعْجَبَ ذَلِكَ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَأَطْلَقَهُ. وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زِيَادِ بْنِ أَنْعُمَ - وَذَكَرَ أَهْلَ صِفِّينَ - فَقَالَ: كَانُوا عَرَبًا يَعْرِفُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، فَالْتَقَوْا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ مَعَهُمْ بِتِلْكَ الْحَمِيَّةِ نُهْيَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَتَصَابَرُوا وَاسْتَحْيَوْا مِنَ الْفِرَارِ، وَكَانُوا إِذَا تَحَاجَزُوا دَخَلَ هَؤُلَاءِ فِي عَسْكَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ فِي عَسْكَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ، فَيَسْتَخْرِجُونَ قَتْلَاهُمْ فَيَدْفِنُوهُمْ. قَالَ الشَّعْبِيُّ: هُمْ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ، لَقِيَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا فَلَمْ يَفِرَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَحَدٍ.
Translation
✧ The Story of the Arbitration Muʿāwiyah's delegation of ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ and ʿAlī's delegation of Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī ؓ Then the two parties, after correspondences and exchanges that would be lengthy to mention, negotiated the arbitration. This was that each of the two commanders—ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah—should appoint a man from his own side as an arbitrator, and the two arbitrators should then agree upon what was in the best interest of the Muslims. So Muʿāwiyah delegated ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ, and ʿAlī wanted to delegate ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās—would that he had done so—but the Qurʾān reciters, the Khawārij, from among those we have mentioned, prevented him, and they said: "We will not accept anyone but Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī." Al-Haytham b. ʿAdī mentioned in his book "al-Khawārij" that the first to suggest Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī was al-Ashʿath b. Qays, and the people of Yemen followed him. They described him as one who used to forbid people from discord and fighting. Abū Mūsā had withdrawn to some land of the Hijaz. ʿAlī said: "Then I will make al-Ashtar an arbitrator." They said: "And did anyone set the earth ablaze except al-Ashtar?" He said: "Do as you wish." Al-Aḥnaf said to ʿAlī: "By God, you have thrown a stone. For these people, no one is suitable except a man from among them who is close to them until he becomes in their hands, and far from them until he becomes like the star. If you refuse to make me an arbitrator, then make me a second or third, for he will not tie a knot but I will untie it, and he will not untie a knot that I have tied but I will tie for you another like it or firmer than it." He said: But they refused anyone but Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī. So messengers went to Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī—and he had withdrawn—and when it was said to him: "The people have made peace," he said: "Praise be to God." It was said to him: "And you have been made an arbitrator." He said: "Indeed we belong to God and to Him we return." Then they took him until they brought him to ʿAlī ؓ. The Arbitration Document They wrote a document between them, of which this is the form: In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. This is what ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, Commander of the Faithful, has arbitrated upon. Then ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ said: "Write his name and his father's name; he is your commander, not ours." Al-Aḥnaf said: "Write only 'Commander of the Faithful.'" ʿAlī said: "Erase it, and write: 'This is what ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib has arbitrated upon.'" Then ʿAlī cited the story of al-Ḥudaybiyah when the people of Makkah refused his saying: "This is what Muḥammad, the Messenger of God, has arbitrated upon." The polytheists refused that and said: "Write: 'This is what Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh has arbitrated upon.'" So the scribe wrote: "This is what ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib and Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān have arbitrated upon. ʿAlī has arbitrated on behalf of the people of Iraq and those with them from among his partisans and the Muslims, and Muʿāwiyah has arbitrated on behalf of the people of Syria and those with him from among the believers and the Muslims. We shall abide by the judgment of God and His Book, and we shall revive what God, Mighty and Majestic, has revived, and we shall cause to die what God has caused to die. Whatever the two arbitrators—Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī and ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ—find in the Book of God, they shall act upon it; and whatever they do not find in the Book of God, then the just, comprehensive, non-divisive Sunnah." Then the two arbitrators took from ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah and from the two armies pledges and covenants that they should be secure for themselves and their families, and that the community would support them in what they arbitrate and agree upon. And upon the believers and Muslims of both factions is the covenant of God and His compact that they will abide by what is in this document. And they set the judgment for Ramaḍān, and if they wished to postpone that by mutual consent, they could. It was written on Wednesday, thirteen nights having passed of Ṣafar, in the year thirty-seven, on condition that ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah should meet at the place of the two arbitrators at Dūmat al-Jandal in Ramaḍān, and with each of the two arbitrators four hundred of his companions. If they did not meet for that, they would meet in the following year at Adhruḥ. Al-Haytham b. ʿAdī mentioned in his book "al-Khawārij" that when al-Ashʿath b. Qays went to Muʿāwiyah with the document, and in it was: "This is what ʿAbd Allāh, Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī, has arbitrated with Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān," Muʿāwiyah said: "If he were Commander of the Faithful, I would not have fought him. But let him write his name, and let his name be placed before mine because of his excellence and precedence." So he returned to ʿAlī and it was written as Muʿāwiyah said. Al-Haytham mentioned that the people of Syria refused to place ʿAlī's name before Muʿāwiyah's, or the name of the people of Iraq before theirs, until two documents were written: one document for these, and one document for those, as they wanted. Those who witnessed the arbitration This is the list of those who witnessed this document and the arbitration from ʿAlī's army: ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās, al-Ashʿath b. Qays al-Kindī, Saʿīd b. Qays al-Hamdānī, ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Ṭufayl al-ʿĀmirī, Ḥujr b. ʿAdī al-Kindī, Warqāʾ b. Sumayy al-Bajalī, ʿAbd Allāh b. Muḥill al-ʿIjlī, ʿUqbah b. Ziyād al-Ḥaḍramī, Yazīd b. Ḥujayyah al-Tamīmī, and Mālik b. Kaʿb al-Hamdānī. These are ten. As for the Syrians, there were ten others: Abū al-Aʿwar al-Sulamī, Ḥabīb b. Maslamah, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Khālid b. al-Walīd, Mukhāriq b. al-Ḥārith al-Zubaydī, Ziml b. ʿAmr al-ʿUdhrī, ʿAlqamah b. Yazīd al-Ḥaḍramī, Ḥamzah b. Mālik al-Hamdānī, Subayʿ b. Yazīd al-Ḥaḍramī, ʿUtbah b. Abī Sufyān, brother of Muʿāwiyah, and Yazīd b. al-Ḥurr al-ʿAbsī. Al-Ashʿath b. Qays went out with that document, reading it to the people and presenting it to them from the two factions. Burial of the dead and release of prisoners Then the people began to bury their dead. Al-Zuhrī said: "It has reached me that fifty people were buried in every grave." ʿAlī had captured a group from the people of Syria, and when he wanted to depart from Ṣiffīn, he released them. A similar number or close to it had been captured by the people of Syria. Muʿāwiyah had resolved to kill them, thinking that ʿAlī had killed their prisoners. But when those whom he released came, Muʿāwiyah released those in his hands. It is said that a man named ʿAmr b. Aws—from al-Awd—was among the prisoners, and Muʿāwiyah wanted to kill him. He said: "Show favor to me, for you are my maternal uncle." He said: "Woe to you! From where am I your maternal uncle?" He said: "Umm Ḥabībah, the wife of the Messenger of God ﷺ, and she is the Mother of the Believers, and I am her son, and you are her brother, so you are my maternal uncle." That pleased Muʿāwiyah and he released him. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ziyād b. Anʿum said, mentioning the people of Ṣiffīn: "They were Arabs who knew one another in the Age of Ignorance, and they met in Islam with that zeal which Islam forbade. So they endured and were ashamed to flee. When they separated, these entered the camp of those, and those entered the camp of these, and they would extract their dead and bury them." Al-Shaʿbī said: "They are the people of Paradise; they met one another and no one fled from anyone."
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