Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

184 The Battles of the Camel and Szffeen, and the issue of arbitration
in their books. They relied on weak and fabricated reports that
distorted the image of the noble Companions, especially Abu Moosa
al-Ash'ari. He was described as a feebleminded and weak character
who was easily deceived with words, and as a man who was so
heedless that he was tricked by 'Amr ibn al-'AS with regard to the
matter of arbitration. They described 'Am ibn EL-'& (&) as a crafty
and deceitful man. These writers, who had ulterior motives ;md a
grudge against Islam, tried to ascribe to these two great men many
blameworthy characteristics, even though these were the two men
whom the Muslims chose to make a decision regarding a serious
dispute that had led to the killing of many Muslims. Many historians,
writers and researchers treated these reports, which were fabricated
by the opponents of the Companions, as if they were historical facts.
People accepted them without examining them, as if they were sound
and as if there was no doubt concerning them. It may be because of
the exciting, narrative style in which they were written, or because
the claims of trickery and deceit made people interested in it and
made the historians keen to write it down. We are speaking about the
details of what happened, not the issue of arbitration itself, because
there is no doubt that it took place.672
I decided to begin this discussion with a look at the biography
of the two great Companions, Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari and 'Amr ibn
al-'As (may Allah be pleased with them both).
3.1. Biography of Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari
His full name was Abdullah ibn Qays ibn Haddir ibn Harb. He
was the great leader and Companion of the Messenger of Allah (g),
Abu Moosa d-Ash'ari at-Tameemi, the prominent scholar and reciter
of ~nr'an.~'~ Abu Moosa became Muslim during the early days in
MaWtah. Ibn Sa'd said: "He came to Makkah and formed an alliance
with Sa'eed ibn al-'As. He became Muslim early on and migrated to