Battle of the Camel 'Jamal'

    On the morning of Friday, the 16th of Jamadi II, 36 A.H. (November 656 A.D.) Ayesha took the field, mounted in a litter on her great camel Al-Askar and riding up and down among her troops, animating them by their presence and by her voice.  In history, the battle is named 'the battle of the camel' after the strange animal on which Ayesha was mounted, though it was fought on the field of Khoreiba close to Basra.
 
    Ali's army faced the enemy in the battle array, but the Caliph ordered them not to take the offensive unless the enemy began the onset.  He further gave stringent orders that no wounded should be slain, no fugitive pursued, no plunder seized nor the privacy of any house violated.  No sooner had he given these orders when showers of arrows started to pour from the enemy but, still Imam Ali (a.s.) forbade his soldiers to retaliate and bade them wait.

      "To the very last moment Ali evinced a decided repugnance to shed the blood of a Muslim; and just before the battle, he endeavored to turn the adversary to allegiance by a solemn appeal to the Quran.  A person named Muslim immediately offered himself for the service; and uplifting a copy of the sacred volume with his right hand, this individual proceeded to admonish the enemy to recede from their unwarranted designs.   But the hand which for the Holy Manuscript was severed from his arm by one of the infuriated multitude.  Seizing the  Qur'an with his left, that limb was also severed by another scimitar.  Still, however, pressing it to his bosom with his mutilated arms he continued his exhortations until finally he was killed by the swords of the enemy.  His body was subsequently recovered by his friends and prayers pronounced over it by Imam Ali (a.s.) in person; after which, taking up a handful of dust, and scattering it toward the insurgents, that prince imprecated upon them in retribution of an avenging Deity.  In the meantime, the impetuosity of Imam Ali's (a.s.) followers could no longer be restrained.  Drawing their swords and pointing their spears, they rushed impetuously to the combat, which was supported on all sides with extraordinary fierceness and animosity."  "Price's Mohamedan History" quoted by S. Ockley p. 308.  
Talha's fate

    During the heat of the battle when victory began to incline towards Ali, Marwan b. al-Hakam (Secy. of the late Caliph Osman) one of the officers in Ayesha's army, noticed Talha urging his troops to fight valiantly.  'Behold the traitor,' said he to his slave attendant, 'but recently he was one of the murderers of the aged Caliph, now he stands as the pretended avenger of his blood.  What a mockery!  All to gain worldly grandeur.'  So saying he in a fit of hatred and fury, shot Talha with an arrow which pierced his leg right through and struck his horse, who reared and threw the rider to the ground.  In the anguish of the moment, Talha cried, "O God, take vengeance upon me for  Osman according to Thy will!" And then called for help.  Seeing his footwear full of blood, he asked one of his men to pick him up and put him on his horse and carry him to Busra.  Finding his death approaching, he called one of Ali's men, who happened to be present.  'Give me thine hand,' said the dying penitent, "that I may put mine in it and by this act renew my oath of fealty to Ali."  With these words Talha breathed his last.  It touched the generous heart of Imam Ali (a.s.) when he heard it, and he said, "Allah would not call him to heaven until He had blotted out his first breach of his word by this last vow of fidelity."  Talha's son Mohammed was also killed in this battle.

Zubeir's fate
    Remorse and compunction had been aroused in the heart of Zubeir at Imam Ali's reminding him of the Prophet's prophecy.  He had no doubt entered into the battle at the instance of Ayesha and his own son, but his heart was heavy.  Now he saw that Ammar Yasir, the venerable old companion of the Prophet, noted for his probity and uprightness, was a General in the Caliph's army, he recollected having heard from the Prophet's lips that Ammar was a person who would always be found on the side of justice and right and that he would fall under the sword of the rebels.  It all looked ominous to Zubeir and with a boding spirit he withdrew from the field of battle and all alone took the road to Mecca.  When he came to the valley crossed by the brook Saba where Ahnaf b. Quis was encamped with a horde of Arabs (as already mentioned), awaiting the issue of the battle, he was identified by Ahnaf at a distance.  'Cannot any one bring me tidings of Zubeir, said he to his men.'  One of his men, Amar b. Jarmuz, understood the hint and immediately set off.  Seeing him approach, Zubeir suspected some evil intent and bade him keep his distance.  But after some argument they made friends and both dismounted to offer prayers as it was the time for prayers.  When Zubeir prostrated himself in the prayer, Amar seized his opportunity and struck off Zubeir's head with a single stroke of his scimitar.  He carried the head to Imam Ali (a.s.), who shed tears at the sight of it.  It was the head of one who was once his friend.  Turning to the man he said, 'Go' villain!  Carry thy news to Ibn Safiah in hell."  This unexpected malediction so enraged the wretch, who expected a reward, that he uttered a rhapsody of abuse upon Imam Ali (a.s.) and in a fit of desperation he drew his sword and plunged it through his own heart.

Defeat of Ayesha
    Such was the end of the two great leaders of the rebels.  As to Ayesha, the implacable soul of revolt, the vindictive lady was still screaming unceasingly with her shrill voice, "Slay the murderers of Osman," and urging her men to fight.  But the troops, bereft of there leaders, had already lost heart and were falling back upon the city.  Seeing, however that she was in peril, they stayed their flight and turned to her rescue.  Rallying round her camel, one after another rushed to seize the bridle and the standard, and one after another they were cut down.  Thus seventy men perished by the bridle of the ill-fated animal.  Her litter, steel-plated and constructed like a cage, bristled all over with darts and arrows, and the hump of the huge beast looked like a startled and angry hedgehog.  "Convinced that the battle must remain in suspense as long as the camel continued to exhibit a rallying point to the defenders of Ayesha, Ali signified his desire to those around him that their efforts should be directed to bring down the animal.  After repeated and desperate assaults, Malik-al-Ashtar succeeded at length in forcing a passage and immediately struck off one of the camel's legs.  Malik smote another leg, and the camel immediately sank to the earth.  The litter of Ayesha being thus brought to the ground, Mohammed, the son of Abubakr, was directed by Imam Ali (a.s.) to take charge of his sister and protect her from being injured by the missiles which still flew from all quarters.  He drew near accordingly, but when on introducing his hand into the litter and happening to touch that of Ayesha, she loaded him with abuse and execration, demanding what reprobate had presumed to stretch his hand where none but the Prophet's had been permitted.  Mohammed replied that though it was the hand of her nearest in blood, it was also that of her bitterest enemy.  Recognizing, however, the well known accents of her brother, the apprehensions of Ayesha were speedily dispelled."  Price's Mohamedan History as quoted by S Ockley p. 310.

Ali's magnanimity towards the enemy.
    "Ayesha might have looked for cruel treatment at the hands of Imam Ali (a.s.), having been his vindictive and preserving enemy, but he was too magnanimous to triumph over a fallen foe."  W. Irving's Succ. of Mohd. p. 197.  When all the confusion of the battle was over, Imam Ali (a.s.) came to her and asked her how she felt.  Finding that she was all right and had escaped without injury, he reproachfully said to her, 'Had the Prophet directed thee to behave in this way?'   She replied, 'You are victorious, be good to your fallen foe.'  Ali reproached her no more and gave instructions to her brother Mohammed, to take her to the house of Abdallah b. Khalaf a Khozaite who was a leading citizen of Busra and was killed fighting for Ayesha.  She asked her brother to trace Abdallah, the son of Zubeir, who was subsequently found lying wounded on the battlefield among the dead and wounded.  As desired by Ayesha, he was brought before Imam Ali (a.s.) for pardon and forgiveness.  The generous-hearted conqueror   magnanimously announced general amnesty to all the rebels and their confederates along with Abdallah b. Zubeir.  In spite of all this, Marwan and the Umayyads fled to Moawiya in Syria and to Mecca.

Carnage in the battle
    The losses in the battle were very great.  Some historians say that 16,796 men of Ayesha's forces and 1,070 of Imam Ali's (a.s.) army were killed in the battle.  The field was covered all over with dead bodies.  A trench was dug and the dead bodies of friends and foes together were buried by the order of the Caliph.

Retirement of Ayesha
    When all was quiet, Imam Ali (a.s.) sent Abdallah b. Abbas to ask Ayesha to go to Medina, but she declined, saying that she would not go to a place where the Bani Hashim dwelt.  Some reproachful arguments passed between the two, after which Ibn Abbas came back to Imam Ali (a.s.) and reported her refusal.  Malik-al-Ashtar was then sent to her, but he too failed in his attempts to persuade her.  Then Imam Ali (a.s.) himself went to her home where she should now go to take her abode in the place where the Prophet left her, forgetting the past.  'The Lord pardon thee,' he said, 'for what hath passed and have mercy upon thee.'  but she paid no heed to his words.  At last, he sent his son Hasan (a.s.) with the message that if she persisted in her refusal to go to her house in Medina, she would be treated in the way with which she was well acquainted.  When Hasan visited her, she was dressing her hair, but hearing the message she was to perplexed that leaving her head half dressed she got up and ordered preparations for the journey.  Hasan retired, but the ladies of the house inquired of her what it was the boy said that made her so uneasy after her rejected Ibn Abbas, Malik-al-Ashtar and even Ali's suggestion.  Then she narrated the incident when the Prophet had authorized Ali to divorce any of the Prophet's wives during this life or after.  Hasan, said she, was the bearer of a warning from Ali to enforce that authority, which made her so uneasy.  Ali made proper arrangements for Ayesha's journey and directed his two sons, Hasan and Husain, to escort her to a day's march, himself accompanying her for some distance.

"By the direction of Ali, Ayesha was escorted by a retinue of women (40 or 70), appareled as men, and their familiar approach afforded a constant subject of complaint.  On her arrival at Medina, however she discovered the delicacy of the imposture, and became as liberal in her acknowledgments as she had before been in her reproaches."  Price's Mohomedan History as quoted by S. Ockley p. 310.

It may be out of place here to refer to the well-known tradition from Sahih Bokhari (translation by Wahiduzzaman part XII, Book of Jehad and Siyar page 68, Ahmedi Press, Lahore) wherein it is narrated:  The Holy Prophet pointing to the house of Ayesha, proclaimed three times that mischief will start from this house and the head of Satan will make its appearance from this very house."  Needless to say that Ayesha's rebellious and irreligious actions was in clear contravention of the mandate of God in Surah Ahzab verse 33 as also of the various exhortations of the Holy Prophet about this incident.

The spoils of war
    It has been mentioned earlier that Imam Ali (a.s.) had forbidden his army to seize any plunder.  "So clearly were Ali's orders against plundering observed, that whatever was found on the field, or in the insurgent camp, was gathered together in the great mosque, and every man was allowed to claim his own.  To the malcontents, who complained that they were not allowed to take the booty, Ali replied that the rights of war, in this case, lasted only so long as the ranks were arrayed against each other, and that immediately on submission, the insurgents resumed their rights and privileges as brother Muslims.  Having entered the city, he divided the contents of the Treasury amongst the troops which had fought on his side, promising them a still larger reward should the Lord deliver Syria into his hands."  Muir's Annals, p. 366.

Sir William on the battle of the Camel
    "The carnage in the ill-starred Battle of the Camel (for so it came to be called) was very great.  The field was covered with over 10,000 bodies and this, not-withstanding  that the victory was not followed up, for Ali had given orders that no fugitive should be pursued, nor any wounded soldier slain, nor plunder seized, on the privacy of any house invaded.  A great Trench was dug, and into it the dead were lowered, friends and foes alike.  Ali encamped for three days outside the city, and himself performed the funeral service.  It was a new experience to bury the dead slain in battle not against the infidel, but Believer fighting against Believer.  Instead of cursing the memory of his enemies (too soon the fashion in these civil wars), Ali spoke hopefully of the future state of such as had entered the field, on whatever side, with an honest heart."  Sir William Muir - The Caliphate, it's Rise, Decline and Fall page 250.
 

Source of Reference:
Lalljee, Yousuf. N.  Ali the Magnificent.  Published by Takrik-e-Tarsil-e-Quran, New York.  Pages 153-161.