Jul 07
Battle of Siffin
Sunday 1 Safar, 7561
Jul 07
Sunday 1 Safar, 7561
In Islamic history, one of the most disturbing, confusing, and intricate moments was the Battle of Siffin that led to division within the Muslim community. This battle was fought in 657 CE in Syria (near Siffin) on the banks of the Euphrates River due to differences in opinions about leadership, unity, and justice among the Muslim community. This battle stemmed from a clash between the differing perspectives of two important figures in Islam, both of whom were companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
One of them was cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ while the other was the governor of Syria Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ. The battle of Siffin is a pivotal event in Islamic history, as it marked the first Fitnah of Islam, which has led to a series of ongoing questions about leadership, authority, and problem-solving within Islam, keeping people in a state of confusion to this day.
To fully understand the reason behind this Battle, one needs to look back in history and search for the events that took place before it. The main reason that created a base for this war was the assassination of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) by the people of Medina. This act created a great disturbance in the Muslim community.
Hazrat Ali ibn Ali Talib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was selected as the 4th Caliph after the assassination of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), whose death was not accepted by the Muslim community, as many of them firmly stood by the fact that justice should be served before the appointment of the 4th Caliph. Among these people, the governor of Syria, Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, was included, who demanded justice.
The demand for justice and retribution paved the way for the development of many problems within the community:
In Quran, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has mentioned about such situations as:
“Hold on firmly together to the rope of God, and be not divided among yourselves,” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, 3:103)
A lot of effort was made to resolve this matter without a battle, but all of them went in vain. Hazrat Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) moved to Kufa, and Muawiya stayed in Syria, making himself more powerful. Neither of the parties wanted to have a battle, but the situation deteriorated to the point where nothing else seemed like a viable solution.
The main root cause of the Battle of Siffin was the assassination of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), which led to the development of a series of problems among the Muslim community:
The root cause of the battle was Muawiya's demand for justice as the governor of Syria. He demanded that the killers of Uthman should be punished without delay. But Caliph Ali ibn Ali Talib رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ suggested that it was not the right time to do so, as the Muslim community was still weak, and the killers were rebels of Mecca who had quite powerful and influential command over the people of Mecca.
The Muslim Ummah was growing and nurturing under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; however, after he departed from this world, unity among Muslims weakened as different perspectives, loyalties, and ways of thinking among leaders altered the entire scenario. Hazrat Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had quite an influential personality and was one of the loyal’s of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ faced resistance and doubts from the people about his leadership qualities.
Many people from other parties tried to escalate the situation as they didn’t want it to settle down. For their benefit, they encouraged both parties to have a battle. In the Quran, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has already mentioned the effects of conflicts within the Muslim Ummah:
“Obey God and His Apostle, and do not disagree among yourselves or you will be unmanned and lose courage. Persevere, for God is with those who endure.” (Surah Al-Anfal, 8:46)
However, despite all the discussions and suggestions aimed at resolving the situation, things worsened and ultimately led to the Battle of Siffin.
The following events took place during this battle:
In 657 CE, the fourth Caliph Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) marched from Kufa to Syria to negotiate and resolve this dispute with Muawiya. Both parties camped on the banks of the Euphrates River for weeks; the armies even engaged in skirmishes, but tried to avoid a full-scale battle. The attempt to resolve the dispute was made many times, but due to disagreement, all the struggles went in vain.
As no settlement was made after discussions, the disagreements led both parties to engage in a battle. The battle was fought fiercely and courageously, and continued for weeks.
During the Battle, the Muslims had to deal with the problems of water as Hazrat Ali’s (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) troops were not allowed access to the Euphrates River. But due to Hazrat Ali’s (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) wisdom and problem-solving capabilities, they were allowed access to the river’s water.
As the battle continued, Hazrat Ali’s (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) army had to face many other problems, such as the act of putting the Quran on sticks and javelins and using it as protective gear by Muawiya’s men. As Hazrat Ali’s (رضي الله عنه) soldiers deeply respected the Quran, they were hesitant to attack the opposing army, which further prolonged the battle.
As Hazrat Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) knew that this act was nothing more than just a simple move to avoid defeat, this intervention still managed to stop both armies. After this, Hazrat Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) agreed to solve this matter by discussing all the points with Muawiya, thus ending the battle. This act is part of one of the most significant events in Islamic history.
The interventions of using the Quran as a protective gear in the battle by Muawiya forced bitch the armies to resolve matters by discussing all the points peacefully. Although Caliph Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) didn’t want any further bloodshed, he agreed to this problem-solving solution.
For conciliation, Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) represented Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) while Amr ibn Al-As (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) represented Muawiya (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). This conciliation was held to decide who was more able to lead the Muslim community.
The conciliation was held at Dumat al-Jandal. It is reported by many historians that Amr ibn Al-As (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) passed Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) many times during the whole discussion, and when Abu Musa gave the Muslim community the authority of choosing their Caliph, Amr, instead of stepping aside, he pronounced Muawiya as their new leader.
This announcement led to further dispute, as the Muslims who were already disagreeing with Ali’s decision of conciliation were infuriated. They were later called KHARIJITES, who, after this event, stood against Ali’s believing the fact that the intervention of using the Quran should have been left in Allah’s سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى hands and the fight should have been continued. This event led to the creation of many divisions in the Muslim Ummah, thus increasing chaos among the community that continued for years.
The following are some of the impacts of battle:
In 661 CE, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was brutally killed by people who belonged to a group of Kharijites, the group that went against Ali after the conciliation.
After the battle, the effects and impacts on the Muslim community were massive, as it led to the development of different concepts among them. This event led to political, cultural, and religious disputes that exist until today.
In Quran, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى says:
“Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects—you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything.” (Surah Al-An’am, 6:159)
The Battle of Siffin is regarded as a pivotal moment in Islamic history, as the conflict between Ali (رضي الله عنه) and Muawiya (رضي الله عنه) raised significant concerns regarding Islamic leadership. As both of them were the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, this dispute gave an example of how small things, if not handled perfectly, can turn a simple situation into a complex one. The Battle of Siffin is significant in Islamic history, as it serves as a reminder of the importance of faith, discipline, and a problem-solving mindset in handling disputes and conflicts.
The Battle of Siffin remains one of the most significant events in Islamic history, teaching the Muslim Ummah important lessons. It shows the importance of unity and faith among the community. The two companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Muawiya (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), fell into a fight due to disagreements, confusion, and political disturbances, thus escalating this situation into a battle.
The most important highlights of this event are the importance of maintaining a peaceful and easy communication pattern to resolve disputes and matters, as well as fostering unity, faith, and trust in Allah’s سبحانه و تعالى plans. The problem of decision-making still remains a problem to this day. Nowadays, Muslims should try to follow the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They should possess discipline, faith, and strength to handle difficult situations calmly.
The Battle of Siffin was a turning point in Islam that was not only linked to some political disputes among the Muslim Ummah. This event changed the religious, cultural, and political viewpoints that continue to influence Muslims to this day. By examining these events, Muslims learn many valuable lessons that help them navigate difficult situations. It teaches them the importance of resolving disputes and disagreements calmly and peacefully before they escalate to a more serious level.