Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

224 The Battles of the Camel and Siffeen, and the issue of arbitration
party that was in the wrong, whether the refusal comes
from one or both of them. In that case, it is Islamically
binding upon Muslim forces in other countries to follow
the instructions and military decrees issued by the two
arbitrators to put an end to the conflict by force, by
intervening in a way that does not lead to harm or risk that
is greater than that of the current conflict.
6. Part of the authority of the two arbitrators, on the basis of
the agreement, is to issue decrees that have to do with
mobilising armed forces in other Muslim countries, so as
to resolve the current conflict in the manner described
above.796
Perhaps resorting to this method of solving conflicts among
different countries is a means of blocking foreign forces who interfere
in Muslim conflicts on the grounds that one of the parties called on
them to intervene. They take advantage of this opportunity to conspire
against the Muslims, strive to make these conflicts escalate, and
impose a solution that appeals to them and serves their interests only.
This leaves the Muslims to suffer, after that, from the consequences of
that solution in a manner that is worse than what they suffered during
the conflict itself. This suffering does not concern the foreign forces at
all; in fact, this suffering is one of the aims of the poor solutions they
offer. We say: perhaps resorting to arbitration in the manner described
above will block the way for those foreign forces which try to cause
division in the Muslim ranks. Moreover, it should be noted that the
Islamically binding nature of the solution reached through arbitration,
as we have discussed, is based on the consensus of the Companions.
The Companions, at the time of the conflict that arose between 'Ali
and MuC$wiyah, were all agreed on resorting to arbitration and
accepted it unanimously, whether these Companions were on the side
of 'Ali or on the side of MuC2wiyah, or were among those who kept