The Biography of Hazrat Ali, May Allah Be Pleased with Him (Part 30)
Judgment Meeting
In the month of Ramadan in the year 37 of Hijri, according to a prior agreement, the time for the meeting of Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari and Hazrat Amr bin As arrived at the appointed place. Hazrat Ali sent four hundred people, headed by Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas, to attend this meeting. Hazrat Muawiya also sent four hundred people to the meeting, among whom was Abdullah bin Omar.
Some Muslims wanted Saad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) to participate in these discussions, and some wished for him to accept the position of caliphate in order to create unity among Muslims and end the conflict. However, he had distanced himself from these events and did not side with any of the parties.
The first arbitration meeting was held, during which the two sides discussed various methods to resolve the dispute. It is essential to remember that during this council meeting in Azrah, the only recognized Caliph of the Muslims was Amir al-Mu’minin Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). Hazrat Muawiya did not claim the caliphate nor consider himself the Amir al-Mu’minin, nor did his supporters pledge allegiance to him as such.
What this means is that the two sides of the dispute did not consist of the Caliph and the Amir al Mu’minin. Rather, one side was Hazrat Ali, the Caliph and Amir al Mu’minen, to whom the majority of Muslims pledged allegiance; on the other side were the Syrians, led by Hazrat Muawiya, who pledged allegiance to him under duress.
Hazrat Muawiya did not contest Hazrat Ali’s eligibility or worthiness for the caliphate, nor did he see himself as a replacement for Hazrat Ali. His criticism was directed at certain decisions made by Hazrat Ali, such as the speed of dismissals and appointments and the failure to punish rebellious criminals—particularly as many people had yet to pledge allegiance to him.
Considering what has been stated, let us examine the first meeting of judges to gain further insight into the situation at hand.
The reality facing Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari and Hazrat Amr bin As was that a significant group of people had pledged allegiance to Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and felt bound to obey him. Conversely, a large faction of Syrian Muslims, led by Hazrat Muawiya, did not recognize Imam Ali’s authority. They believed his election did not adhere to correct Islamic principles (as they understood them) and that several companions were still with him and had not pledged allegiance.
Moreover, they argued that Hazrat Ali had failed to enforce divine decrees against sedition and criminal rebels, and many of these criminals had even joined his ranks and fought alongside him. From their perspective, Hazrat Ali’s election as Amir al-Mu’minin had contributed to division and laid the groundwork for subsequent civil wars, including the Battle of Jamal, in which thousands were killed and wounded, and the Battle of Safin, where, according to some accounts, seventy thousand people lost their lives and many more were injured.
From the viewpoint of Hazrat Ali’s opponents, the question arose: given the events and bloodshed among Muslims after his election as Amir al-Mu’minin and the ongoing refusal of many Muslims to pledge allegiance, wasn’t it better for him to renounce his claim to the caliphate and leave the decision to the elders and companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? They believed this council could find a suitable candidate who was agreeable to all Muslims.
This matter was discussed and investigated by Hazrat Amr bin As and Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari during the gathering in Azrah. After considerable discussions, they reached an agreement to leave the decision regarding the caliphate to the companions of the Prophet who were still alive at the time.
They agreed that a council, including Hazrat Ali himself, Saad bin Abi Waqqas, Saeed bin Zayd, and Abdullah bin Omar (may Allah be pleased with him), who had previously participated in electing Hazrat Usman to the caliphate, should convene in Azrah to decide on the caliphate and select one of them as Amir al-Mu’minin. The aim was for all Muslims throughout the Islamic lands to pledge allegiance to the chosen individual.
Their consensus implied that Hazrat Ali would not claim the caliphate and would govern over all Islamic lands until the council met to resolve the dispute; however, if he were reaffirmed as caliph by this council, all would pledge allegiance to him. Conversely, if another individual were chosen as Amir al-Mu’minin, Hazrat Ali would also pledge allegiance to him.
The judges further agreed that until the time of the upcoming council, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) would manage the affairs of regions such as Iraq, Hijaz, and Yemen, while Hazrat Muawiya would oversee Syria, Egypt, and North Africa. They regarded the ongoing conflict as concluded.
Hazrat Amr bin As later provided a summary of the discussions between him and Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari during the meeting. In response to Huzain bin Manzar’s inquiry about their conversations, Hazrat Amr bin As said that many had exaggerated the details but assured that most of what was said was untrue.
He recounted, “I asked Hazrat Abu Musa: What is your perspective on the caliphate?” to which he replied, “I believe the companions with whom the Messenger of Allah departed will select one among themselves as Amir al-Mu’minin.”
Amr then queried, “What role do Muawiyah and I play in this?” Hazrat Abu Musa responded that the appointed Amir al-Mu’minin should seek your assistance in managing affairs, and if he finds you unnecessary, the responsibility would be lifted from your shoulders.
Hazrat Abu Musa also noted that Amr bin As reflected on the admirable qualities of the caliphate of Abu Bakr Siddique and Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with them).
Unfortunately, no tangible steps were taken to implement the agreements made by the judges. The results of their discussions did not satisfy either party, and the elders among the companions were unable to convene to elect a caliph. Consequently, the situation between Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Muawiya persisted as before.
Hazrat Muawiya continued to target the territories under Hazrat Ali’s caliphate while he, in turn, occupied regions governed by Hazrat Muawiya. Although the latter operated under the title of governor, the conflict remained unresolved.
After the arbitration meeting concluded, the land of Sham remained calm under Hazrat Muawiya’s rule, and the people obeyed him. However, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) faced escalating challenges from the Khawarij, culminating in the Nahrwan war. Ultimately, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was fatally wounded by the poisoned sword of a wicked individual named Abd al-Rahman bin Muljam on the morning of Friday, the 17th of Ramadan in the year 40 Hijri, at the gate of the Kufa mosque. On the night of the 19th of Ramadan, he uttered the words of truth and was martyred.
Following Hazrat Ali’s martyrdom, the people of Iraq pledged allegiance to Hazrat Hassan (may Allah be pleased with him). As tensions grew, it became apparent that another confrontation between the Iraqi and Syrian armies was imminent. Movements began on both sides, but chaos ensued within the Iraqi ranks as they disobeyed Hazrat Hassan’s orders. This unrest led him to consider reconciliation with Hazrat Muawiya, for which he sent a letter.
After negotiations, a peace agreement was signed between Hassan and Muawiya in the month of Rabi’ul Awl in the year 40 Hijri. Hazrat Hassan stepped down from the caliphate in favor of Hazrat Muawiya, marking this year as the “Year of Solidarity” among all Muslims.