Battle of Siffin
The Battle of Siffin was a significant conflict that took place from July 26 to July 28, 657 CE, during the First Fitna, the first civil war in Islamic history. The battle pitted the forces of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the caliph following Uthman ibn Affan's assassination, against Muawiyah I, the governor of Syria and a relative of Uthman, who sought retribution for his cousin's murder. Approximately 120,000 troops supported Muawiyah, while Ali commanded an estimated 80,000 to 90,000 fighters. The confrontation centered around a dispute over the legitimacy of Ali's caliphate and the demand for justice regarding Uthman’s death.
Despite intense fighting, which resulted in tens of thousands of casualties—about 45,000 for Muawiyah and 25,000 for Ali—the battle ended inconclusively, with neither side achieving a decisive victory. A truce was called after three days of combat, but subsequent attempts to negotiate peace were unsuccessful. The conflict ultimately remained unresolved until Ali's assassination in 661, which allowed Muawiyah to assume the caliphate and marked the conclusion of the First Fitna. The Battle of Siffin is remembered for its profound implications on the political and religious landscape of early Islam, highlighting the deep divisions that emerged within the Muslim community.
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Battle of Siffin
The Battle of Siffin was a three-day battle fought in 657 CE as part of the first civil war within the religion of Islam. The main combatants were Muawiyah I, backed by a force reported to be about 120,000 men, and Ali ibn Abi Talib, who commanded about 80,000 to 90,000 troops. The battle began when the leaders of the two forces disagreed about avenging the death of a caliph, the religious leader overseeing a territory known as a caliphate, who was related to them both. The battle resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and ended in a stalemate. The dispute at its heart was not resolved until several years later, when Ali was killed and Muawiyah became the new caliph.
Overview
The First Fitna, the first civil war in the history of Islam, was fought between 656 and 661. It was precipitated by the death of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, who was born about 579 and was a companion to the Prophet Mohammed. An early convert to Islam, Uthman was named caliph in 644 and completed the first written version of the Muslim holy book the Qur’an in 650.
However, some followers were dissatisfied with favors granted to his family, so in 656, a group of Egyptians appeared before Uthman to demand the removal of his assigned emissary to Egypt. Uthman agreed, but after the Egyptians left, he sent a rider to reach Egypt before them with orders to kill the Egyptian group’s leader. The rider and his message were intercepted and the Egyptians returned to murder Uthman.
He was succeeded by his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib. Muawiyah, who was also related to Uthman, was displeased that Uthman’s murders were not captured and punished. He refused to recognize Ali as caliph. In early 657, he took an army from Damascus into territory held by Ali. Muawiyah stopped in an area along the Euphrates River in a town known as Siffin, where they had several skirmishes while attempting to access to the water supply in the river.
A truce was called for the month of Moharram, the start of the Islamic new year, and efforts were made to find a peaceful solution. At the end of the month, Ali sent an emissary to Muawiyah’s forces encouraging them to seek peace. However, this offer was rejected, and battle ensued.
The Battle of Siffin was fought between July 26 and July 28, 657, about 110 days after the troops first encountered each other. Ali became convinced that Muawiyah would not accept peace without conflict and ordered the attack. Ali and his general, Malik ibn Ashter, led their forces while Muawiyah had his general, Amr ibn al-Aas, lead the attack on their side. After three days of bloody fighting, it became clear that while neither side had gained an advantage in territory, Muawiyah’s forces were sustaining greater casualties. His troops suffered about 45,000 casualties, while Ali’s were estimated at about 25,000.
Following three days of fighting, the battle was called a draw and both forces withdrew. Further attempts to settle the dispute through an arbiter failed. The matter was finally resolved when Ali was assassinated in 661 and Muawiyah took over the caliphate. This also brought an end to the First Fitna.
Bibliography
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