Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

76 The Battles of the Camel and Siffeen, and the issue of arbitration
fought others, including fatwas like these, which reflect piety more
than the correct fatwa issued for the correct situation.231 Al-Ahnaf
refused to join 'ALi (&), so he was not present with either side in the
Battle of the
Fnrthermore, az-Zubayr (a), who was one of the main
figures in the battle, explains to us more about the reality of the
matter: "This is the fitnah that we were told about." His freed slave
said to him: "Are you calling it fitnah when you are fighting in it?"
Az-Zubayr said: '.Woe to you! Sometimes we see clearly, and
sometimes we do not see clearly. There was no matter in which I was
uncertain where 1 stood except this matter, for I do not know whether
I should go ahead or give up."233 Talhah also referred to that when he
said: "We used to be one against others, but now we are like two
mountains of iron, each seeking out the other."234
On the other hand, the companions of 'Ali (&) also
confirmed that there wav fitnah. 'Ammir (&) said in Kufah,
,.
regarding 'kishah's coming out on the campaign: "By Allah, she is
the wife of your Prophet in this world and in the hereafter but Allah,
may He be blessed and exalted, is testing you by means of her."235
1.6.2. The first round of the Battle of the Camel
The Saba'is intensified their efforts to stir up fighting,
attacking the other side and inciting each side against the other. A
tough battle broke out, which was the Battle of the Camel. It is called
that because the Mother of the Believers 'kishah (I$$+) was in the
midst of the army of Basra during the second round, riding a camel
that had been given to her in Makkah by Ya'la ibn Umayyah, who
had brought it from Yemen. She set out on this camel from Makkah
to Basra, then she rode it during the battle.
The battle took place on Friday, 16 Jumiida ath-Thiiniyah 36
AH, in an area called az-Ziibooqah, near Basra. 'Ali was upset about