Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

CIVIL WAR
March to Basrahh
The capture of Basrah by Hazrat Aisha (Rad.A) made the situation very grave. The Islamic state was really oh the verge of serious civil war. Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) never wanted to start war against the Muslims but the internal situation at that time compelled
!Dr. Majid Ali Khan, P. 194
Hazrat Ah (Rad. A.) 305
him to do so. War was unavoidable. The Caliph, therefore, postponed his march to Syria for the time being in order to set things right in lraq.*He decided to march on to Basrah. A number of Ansar and other Companions were not in favour of Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) leaving Medina, instead they asked him to send his army. When Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) was leaving Medina. If you leave it at this moment, you would never come back and the capital would be changed.” But he decided to go ahead with his mission because of the seriousness of the situation.
Some of the Companions remained neutral and did not join Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) even though he asked them-to-do so. Among such persons were: Abdullah bin Umar (Rad.A), Muhammad bin Muslimah, Sa’d bin Waqqas and Usamah bin Zaid (Rad.A).Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) started for Basrah towards the end of Rabi-ul-Awwal, 36 A.H. i.e. Nov. 656 A.D. Abdullah bin Saba and his followers were accompanying Hazrat Ali (Rad.A). Help from Basrah
Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) asked Abu Musa Ash’ari to send help but he got no response because Hazrat Abu Musa dreaded a civil war. Therefore Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) sent his eldest son, Hasan (Rad.A) to Kufa who addressed the people and pleaded for Ali (Rad.A). The people were stirred on the appeal and about nine thousand men marched on to join Ali (Rad.A). Hazrat AH (Rad.A) Seeks Peace
Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) assured all the people accompanying him that he would try his best to avoid blood-shed and to set the things right peacefully. On reaching Dhi’qar, a place near Basrah, Hazrat Ali (Rad.A), with his characteristic aversion to blood-shed sent his cousin Abdullah bin Abbas and Qa’qa bin Amr (Rad.A) to negotiate peacefully with Hazrat Aisha (Rad.A), Talha, and Zubair (Rad.A) who were preparing to face Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) with a big army. j The messengers of Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) assured Hazral Aisha
(Rad.A), Talha, and Zubair (Rad.A) that Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) would avenge the assassins of Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) as soon as peace was established in the state. Hearing this they were satisfied and there were hopes for a peaceful settlement.6 But in the army of Ali (Rad.A) there were Abdullah bin Saba and his henchman to whom peace was
5 Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. I, Germany, 1985, P. 383.

306 Political and Cultural History of Islam

fatal. At the possibility of peaceful settlement they were much disturbed. They met in a secret council and whispered to each other that Ali (Rad.A) was prepared to avenge the death of Hazrat Usman (Rad.A). They were determined to make the peaceful settlement a total failure.7 They sent their agents to Basrah to incite the Muslims population by saying that if Ali (Rad.A) entered Basrah he would enslave all the inhabitants and would kill all the youths. The Basrites, therefore, must check and fight him back.
Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) hoping for a peaceful settlement, marched towards Basrah to talk personally with Hazrat Talha and Zubair (Rad.A). The two armies were facing each other Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) gave an address to Basrities in which he said. ”I am but your
brother I will avenge Usman’s assassins,” Hazrat Talha, Zubair
and Basrites were fully satisfied with what Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) told them. Ali (Rad.A) also returned to his camp very satisfied. He gave strict orders to his men not to fight in any case, and prayed all the
night to Allah.
But Ibn Saba and his henchmen had planned otherwise. In the dlrkness of night they made a sudden attack on Hazrat Aisha’s (Rad.A) army. Hazrat Talha and Zubair were startled by the sudden attack and said, Ali (Rad.A) could aot desist from shedding Muslim blood and he has ordered a night attack. On the other hand Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) was shocked when he was told by Sabaites that Talha and Zubair had taken them by surprise. He also remarked in the same way that they did not stop from taking the blood of Muslims. According to Tabari the following Sabaites were the leaders behind this plan: Ashtar Nakh’i Ibn Sauda, Khalid bin Muljam, Alba bin Haitham and Shuraib bin Aufa, Ibn Saba was the ring leader THE BATTLE OF CAMEL (JAMAL)