The Biography of Hazrat Ali, May Allah Be Pleased with Him (Part 20)
The First Stage of the Safin War
When peace efforts failed, war began. However, since the parties involved were Muslims and held love for one another, they did not exhibit significant enthusiasm for warfare; they generally desired that peace be established in some manner. The method of war was such that one person from each side would enter the field and engage in combat. This situation persisted for several days. Eventually, it intensified to the point where a general from each army would confront the other alongside their troops, while the rest of the armies would only observe.
This situation continued for a month. After the month of Zi-al Hijja ended, the war ceased, and the month of Muharram was spent in peace negotiations. However, genuine reconciliation was not realized, and they needed to find a way to achieve peace.
During these days, the group led by Abdullah bin Saba, which lacked a distinct identity and was subsumed within the army, did not remain idle. The members of this group continually sought to undermine any atmosphere of love and understanding and to exacerbate enmity.
The problems obstructing peace included Hazrat Ali’s inability to withdraw from the caliphate. Additionally, punishing the murderers of Hazrat Uthman and the rebels posed significant difficulties. In fact, punishing prominent commanders like Malik Ashtar and Muhammad bin Abi Bakr, as well as dealing with respected companions like Ammar bin Yasir, risked creating hostility among the people of Kufa and Egypt. Furthermore, it was challenging to definitively identify the killers of Hazrat Usman and their accomplices. Even Hazrat Usman’s wife, may Allah be pleased with her, could not identify them with certainty because, when Hazrat Amir Ul Mu’minin spoke of avenging his murderers, ten thousand men raised their spears and claimed, “We are Usman’s murderers. Take revenge on all of us.”
On the other hand, Hazrat Amir Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, was the son of Abu Sufyan and considered one of the Arab nobles. He was the brother of the Messenger of Allah’s wife and a notable figure in Islamic history. Due to his close ties with Hazrat Usman, may Allah be pleased with him, he viewed himself as his rightful heir. From Hazrat Amir Muawiyah’s perspective, failing to take action against those suspected of the murder of such a great person was entirely unreasonable. Therefore, he rejected Hazrat Ali’s justifications. The disloyalty of Talha, Zubair, and some other companions further strengthened Muawiyah’s position against Hazrat Ali. Amr bin al-As also supported him. Indeed, if the supporters of both sides had engaged in a genuine peace process during Muharram, they might have seized the opportunity for reconciliation. Unfortunately, during this period, Abdullah bin Saba’s group, through their covert actions, undermined all efforts towards peace.
Peace Efforts
After the war ceased in the month of Muharram in the year 37 Hijri, Hazrat Ali sent a four-member delegation to Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, for peace negotiations. This delegation included Uday bin Hatim, Yazid bin Qais Al-Aharabi, Ziyad bin Khasfa, and Shabsth bin Rabi. Since Shabsth bin Rabi had previously visited Hazrat Muawiyah and engaged with him harshly, his return was not without risk.
Upon their arrival, Uday bin Hatim began by addressing Hazrat Mu’awiyah, saying, “O Mu’awiyah! You must obey Hazrat Ali. If you pledge allegiance to him, there will be unity among Muslims. Except for you and your followers, no one else has refused allegiance. If you continue your opposition, it is likely that the events of the Battle of Jamal will be repeated.” At this point, Hazrat Mu’awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, interrupted Uday’s speech, stating, “O Uday! Did you come for peace and reconciliation or for war? Do you wish to intimidate me by reminding me of the Battle of Jamal? Do you not know that I am a warrior by nature and have absolutely no fear of battle? I know perfectly well that you are among Usman’s killers; may Allah punish you.”
Next, Yazid bin Qais began to speak, saying, “We are merely messengers. Our goal is not to offer you advice, but we must strive for peace and harmony among Muslims and eliminate divisions.” Yazid then enumerated the virtues of Hazrat Ali and asserted his right to the caliphate. “Peace and reconciliation will be possible when you surrender the killers of Hazrat Usman to us.” When he finished, Shabsth Ibn Rabi interjected, “O Mu’awiyah! Are you seriously considering killing Ammar bin Yasir?” Hazrat Mu’awiyah replied, “What would prevent me from killing Ammar? I am prepared to take vengeance on him for Usman’s slave.” Shabsth responded, “You will never succeed in killing him; the earth will constrict for you.” To which Hazrat Mu’awiyah replied, “The earth will indeed be cramped for you first.” Ultimately, the peace delegation returned empty-handed after such violent exchanges.
The Historical Speech of Hazrat Ali (May Allah Be Pleased with Him)
Afterward, Hazrat Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, sent Habib bin Muslimah al-Fahri, Shahrabil bin Samat al-Kandi, and Saad bin Yazid bin Akhans to Hazrat Ali. When they arrived in his presence, Habib bin Muslimah was the first to speak, stating, “Hazrat Usman was the rightful caliph; he acted in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah, and you could not tolerate him, yet you killed him. If you truly had no part in his murder, surrender his murderers to us and withdraw from caliphate. Following that, the Muslims will choose whoever they wish as caliph.”
Upon hearing these words, Hazrat Ali, may Allah bless him, became upset and reprimanded Habib bin Muslimah. He stated, “You do not have the right to comment on caliphate and governance in this manner.” Habib replied, “You will see us in a state you will not like,” implying that violence would determine their fate. Hazrat Ali retorted, “Go and do what your heart desires.”
Hazrat Ali then stood up, praised Allah, and recounted the story of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him; he discussed the caliphate of the two Sheikhs and their virtues. “We found both Usman and Abu Bakr worthy of fulfilling the assigned duties; therefore, despite being closer to the Messenger of Allah in terms of kinship, we did not disrupt the caliphate of those two noble figures. Yet, the people appointed Usman as caliph, and when some were dissatisfied, they murdered him. The people then demanded allegiance from me while Muawiyah declared his opposition to me. If he is not an earlier convert to Islam like me, I question how you have become obedient to him while I call people back to the Book, the Sunnah, and the tenets of our religion. I will strive to restore truth and eliminate falsehood.”
Upon hearing Hazrat Ali’s words, Sharhbil bin Samat said, “Do you not acknowledge that Hazrat Usman was unjustly murdered?” Hazrat Ali responded, “I neither consider Usman oppressed nor do I regard him as a tyrant.” After hearing his response, the delegation quickly arose, stating, “We detest anyone who does not acknowledge Usman as oppressed; there is no value in counseling such people.” Following the departure of this delegation, no significant efforts were made for peace.
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