The Role of Aishah in the History of Islam (volume Three)

Abu Musa and 'amr Ibn Al-'as

You are like a dog which on being attacked, breathes hard with its tongue hanging out, and in being left alone, it does the same thing.

Abu Musa addressing 'Amr ibn al-'As You are like a donkey laden with books.

'Amr ibn al-'As addressing Abu Musa

As we saw, the Imam was eventually compelled to accept the view of the rebels of his army who demanded arbitration. The matter led to the choice of arbitrators. The people of ash-Shim chose 'Amr ibn al-'As, and al-Ash'ath and his Kufan supporters, who after this event formed the party of Khawarij (namely outsiders, leaving 'Ali's side as a successor to the caliphate), declared that Abu Musa was their nominee. The Imam said: "I do not think Abu Musa is the right man for such an important task."

al-Ash'ath and his supporters said: "We choose no one but him, since it was he who warned us against this war from the beginning." The Imam said: "I could not be pleased with him and his judgment. He stayed away from me and forbade the people from aiding me. Then he fled from me until I granted him grace. I nominate Ibn 'Abbas for this affair."

They said: "By God! Ibn 'Abbas is not different from you. We accept none from the army of Iraq unless his family ties with you and Mu'awiyah is on an equal footing." The Imam said: "In that case I nominate Malik al-Ashtar." al-Ash'ath said: "It was none but Malik who set fire to the land under our feet. Is it not true that we are under al-Ashtar's verdict?"

The Imam said: "What is his verdict?" They said: "His verdict is that we and the army of ash- Sham give each other so many blows of the sword until what you desire and what he wishes to be fulfilled."

The Imam said: "But you see, 'Amr ibn al-'As will deceive Abu Musa." They said: "We will be satisfied with Abu Musa's arbitration." Then Imam said: "Is he your only choice?" They said: "Yes." The Imam said: "Then do what you wish."

They sent after Abu Musa and when he arrived, al-Ashtar suggested to Imam 'Ali: "O Imam, let me go with him."

This suggestion was presented to the Kufans, but again they showed obstinacy and rejected it. Then they wrote a letter of agreement making God a witness over the two arbitrators to deliver a judgment only in accordance with the Qur'an the Prophet's tradition. Then they added that if they judge contrary to the Qur'an and the Prophet's tradition, the Muslims would not heed to it.

With the signing of this agreement, 'Amr ibn al-'As, the cunning adviser of Mu'awiyah was chosen for arbitration by the people of ash-Sham, and the thick head and faithless Abu Musa by the Iraqis.(146) In the first meeting of the two arbitrators of Dumat al-Jandal, 'Amr ibn al-'As tried to show a deep respect to Abu Musa and cunningly gave him priority over himself. He said to him: "You have been the Prophet's companion a long time before me, and you are older than me."

After sitting down for discussion, Abu Musa said to him: "O 'Amr! Are you not in favour of the good of the Ummah and satisfaction of God?" 'Amr ibn al-'As asked: "What is the good of the ummah?" Abu Musa said: "Let us give the caliphate to 'Abd Allah bin 'Umar (147) who has taken no part at all in these wars.

'Amr said: "Why have you forgotten Mu'awiyah?" Abu Musa said: "What business has Mu'awiyah with the caliphate? He has no merit for it at all." The discussion lasted long, and neither of them reached any agreement. At last Abu Musa said: "In my opinion we should reject both 'Ali. and Mu'awiyah, and let a council of Muslims choose anyone they like as caliph." 'Amr ibn al-'As said: "This is exactly what I had in mind, and I approve of it. This is the kind of verdict which contains the good of the people."

In the morning of next day they appeared before the people, and Abu Musa said to 'Amr: "Climb the pulpit and announce the verdict." 'Amr ibn al-'As in accordance with his pre-arranged plan, said: "I shall never allow myself priority over you. You are superior to me, and excel me in both the matters of age and wisdom."

So Abu Musa rose and climbed the pulpit and after offering his praises to God, he announced: "0 people! We have thought of the way of bringing back the unity and friendship of the Islamic ummah, and we have found no better way than denouncing both 'Ali and Mu'awiyah, so that we may leave the choice of the caliph to the Muslims' council, that they may choose anyone they choose. I hereby announce the deposition of both 'Ali and Mu'awiyah, and you can start your task of appointing as your ruler anyone you elect."

Saying this he descended from the pulpit, 'Amr ibn al-'As was next to climb the pulpit. After praising God, he said: "You heard what this man said. He deposed 'Ali and I do the same, and replace him by Mu'awiyah, since he is the friend of 'Uthman, and avenger of his blood, and the most deserving and meritorious person to succeed him."

Abu Musa who was greatly enraged at this cunning and perfidy of 'Amr ibn al-'As shouted: "Why have you acted in this way? May God never help you! You have resorted to treachery. In your sin you are like a dog which in being attacked, lets its tongue hang out and breathes hard, and if it is left alone, it does the same thing."

'Amr ibn al-'As retorted at once: 'and you are Like a donkey laden with books."(148) The arbitrators and their companions separated abusing each other while they had achieved nothing by their arbitration, except placing Mu'awiyah in the same rank as Imam 'Ali, whereas until that moment he could claim no title but an unruly and rebellious governor, and now his name was mentioned as a nominee for the position of a ruler over the realm of Islam. In the battle of Siffin the number of men killed were forty-five thousands of the army of ash- Sham, and twenty-five thousands of the army of Iraq.(149)

ash-Shami plunderers

After his return to ash-Sham, Mu'awiyah dispatched some plunderers to 'Ali's dominion to kill and plunder. In the year 37 of the Hijrah, Mu'awiyah and his remaining army returned to ash-Sham, but he prepared a new plan for the destruction of the righteous army of Imam 'Ali. From time to time he sent small military units to various regions under rule of Imam 'Ali, to kill, burn, plunder, take captives, and destroy everything that flourished!

Those who were given these criminal missions included such persons as an-Nu'man bin Bashir, Sufyan ibn 'Awf, 'Abd Allah ibn Mus'adah, ad-Dahhak ibn Qays and Busr ibn Abi Artat who carried out the order of Mu'awiyah in the flourishing lands of Islam, namely Iraq, Hejaz and Yemen, and brought souvenirs of death, destruction, fear and panic for innocent Muslims. Here we will narrate the tragic story of these bloodshed's, massacres and inhumane acts and give a description of these hirelings.

A) an-Nu'man ibn Bashjr

Mu'awiyah sent an-Nu 'man ibn Bashkr with one thousand men to 'Ayn at-Tamr and they destroyed the city.

He was one of the Ansar and of the al-Khazraj tribe who was born six or eight years before the Prophet's decease. In the riots and rebellions of 'Uthman's time, which had started because of 'Uthman's wrong deeds, he was a supporter of 'Uthman. After 'Uthman's death he joined Mu'awiyah, and after him he cooperated with his son, Yazid. His conduct was wholly contrary to the conduct of almost all his tribe, since the Ansar helped both Imam 'Ali and Imam al-Hasan al- Mujtaba during their caliphates and exhibited every kind of loyalty and self-sacrifice.

an-Nu'man ibn Bashir is the man who brought the bloody shirt of 'Uthman from Medina to ash- Shim, and, as we saw Mu'awiyah hung it by the pulpit of Damascus in order to rouse the simple- minded people of ash-Sham against the Alawite Islamic front and Imam 'Ali. During the rule of Mu'awiyah he was governor of Kufah and then governor of the city of Him a. After Mu'awiyah, ibn Yazid, the third Umayyad caliph, chose to support 'Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr, and so the Umayyad forces killed an-Nu'man at Marai Rahit in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the year 64 of the Hijrah.(150)

In the year 39 oft he Hijrah Mu'awiyah sent an-Nu'man with a thousand men to 'Ayn at-Tamr (151) a town where a garrison of the Imam existed consisting of a hundred men. an-Nu'man made a violent raid, but the brave defenders of the city took arms and fought bravely against the ash-Shami plunderers. During the engagement fifty men of the surrounding lands came to their aid. The Umayyad raiders took them for a big reinforcement so they fled during the night towards the frontiers of ash-Sham.(152)

B) Sufyan ibn 'Awf

Kill anyone who confronts you, and destroy everything in your way.

Mu'awiyah

It is fitting if a Muslim dies with this sorrow, and there is no reproach for him. Imam 'Ali The second such plunder and pillage by the army of ash-Sham was carried out by Sufyan ibn 'Awf, son of the 'Awf ibn alMughaffal al-Azdi al-Ghamidi.

He accompanied Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah in the wars and conquests of ash-Sham. Later on Mu'awiyah gave him the command of an army in the holy war with the Romans. He died at last in Roman land in the year 51 or 52 of the Hijrah. Sufyan was also given other commissions by Mu'awiyah, one of which was the raid upon the Islamic land of Iraq, which took place in the year 34 of the Hijrah..

Some of the instructions given to him by Mu'awiyah on Sufyan's departure from ash-Sham were: "In your military travel whenever you meet someone who differs from you in your views and is not of the Umayyad house, kill him at once, and destroy any inhabited district by which you pass and plunder their property; for, plunder is not unlike massacre from the viewpoint of demolition, and it is in some cases even more heart-rending.(153)

at-Tabari and Ibn al-Athir describe this plunder as follows:

Mu'awiyah sent Sufyan in command of an army of six thousand on a military mission, and gave him the following instruction for fighting and plunder: You will first go to the flourishing region of Hit(154) and raid it and then proceed to the two cities of Anbar and Madam and attack them.

Sufyan departed and reached Hit and found no one there to plunder. So he continued his advance till he reached the city of Anbar, where a small garrison of a hundred soldiers protected that city. During clashes a number of them were killed. The raiders plundered the city and returned to Mu'awiyah with a great deal of property.(155) Abu al-Faraj, the great historian and literary man, writes in his book of a1-Aghani the following story of the raids of Sufyan:

The al-Ghamidi fellow raided the city of Anbar and savagely killed its governor and a large number of its men and women. The event was reported to the Imam, and he said in a sermon: "You disobeyed my words and orders. This al-Ghamidi man has raided the city of Anbar and has cruelly killed many men and women. By God, I am told that he has assaulted Muslim women as well as the followers of divine books and has forcefully pulled off their adornments from their hands and feet, and then the raiders have returned to their city, their hands full of plundered property, and without suffering the slightest wound or injury. If a valiant Muslim man dies of regret and sorrow for these un-Islamic and inhuman acts, it would be fitting and he cannot be blamed."(156)

C) 'Abd Allah ibn Mus'adah

Mu'awiyah has ordered to kill every one of the primitive tribes between here and' Mecca who refuses to pay you tithe.

at-Ta ban

'Abd Allah ibn Mus'adah, son of the Hakamah ibn Malik ibn Badr al-Fazari was another commander sent by Mu'awiyah for sabotage and destruction in Iraq in the Imam's realm. 'Abd Allah was at first a follower of the Imam, but he went to Damascus after some time to join Mu'awiyah, and changed his conduct so much that he became one of the staunchest enemies of Imam 'Ali. He lived long, so that in the time of Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah he took part in the event of al-Harrah when the army of ash-Sham attacked Medina, a combat which was full of cruelty, violation, insult and disgrace, and another black stain on the wicked character of Yazid and Umayyad caliphs.

Later on 'Abd Allah fought in the ash-Shami front with 'Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr, and was badly wounded. Historians have said nothing of this man's life after the above event.(157) Mu'awiyah sent 'Abd Allah ibn Mus'adah with 1700 soldiers to the Imam's realm, ordering him to collect tithe by force from every inhabited place on his route, and kill anyone who refused payment. By Mu'awiyah's order he passed through Medina, Mecca and the land of Hejaz.(158)

D) ad-Dahhak ibn Qays

They plundered the pilgrims on the way to Mecca.

ad-Dahhak ibn Qays was of the Quraysh and one of Mu'awiyah's commanders. He was born seven years before the decease of the Prophet. He fought hard in the wars of Mu'awiyah and suffered many difficulties. He was for a long time chief of the police in Damascus. Later in the year 53 of the Hijrah he became governor of Kufah for four years, and was then given, for the second time, the position of chief of the police of Damascus. In the time of Mu'awiyah's death he was in charge of his burial affairs, and informed Yazid who had gone hunting, of his father's death. But after the death of Mu'awiyah ibn Yazid, the third Umayyad caliph, he showed allegiance to 'Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr and fought with Marwan ibn-Hakam, the Umayyad caliph, at Maraj Rahit, and it was in the same region and battle that he was killed in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the year 64 of the; Hijrah.(159)

at-Tabari writes: Mu'awiyah sent ad-Dahhak towards Iraq with three thousand men, ordering him to pass through the lower region of Waqisah and plunder all the Arabs who inhabited this region and were followers of the Imam. ad-Dahhak obeyed the order and went to the region of ath-Tha'labjyah and plundered the tribes that lived there. Then he proceeded towards Kufah and raided the region of al-Qutqutanah, and came across 'Amr ibn 'Umays ibn Mas'ud who was on a pilgrimage trip and without paying attention to any sanctity he pillaged him and the caravan which was visiting the House of God, and prevented them from continuing their sacred journey.(160)

In ath-Thaqafi's book of "Plunders" (al-Gharat), the story of ad-Dahhak is narrated as follows: ad-Dahhak proceeded to Iraq, plundering every place and killing of people, until he reached the region of ath-Tha'labiyah where he plundered the pilgrims who were going to Mecca, and then went on till he came across 'Amr ibn 'Umays, nephew of 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, a well known companion of the Prophet, who was with the caravan going to Mecca, and killed him and a group of his fellow pilgrims(161)

E) Busr ibn Abi Artat

Mu'awiyah ordered them to roam the Islamic real in and kill everyone who supported 'Ali Busr ibn Abi Artat was one of the Quraysh and one of the most bloodthirsty commanders that Mu'awiyah dispatched to Iraq and Hejaz. He was a most stubborn supporter of Mu'awiyah and one of his army commanders in the battle of Siffin. During the battle Mu'awiyah ordered him to combat with 'Ali in a man-to-man fight, and said: "I heard that you long for such a duel. So you can challenge him now, and if God grants you victory, this world and hereafter will be yours."

Mu'awiyah continued encouraging him to this combat. But we know that such a duel with the Imam was a very difficult task, and no brave warrior came out safety from such a combat.

Therefore, Busr with all his daring and boldness and his pagan Arab fanaticism, did not venture into the arena, until one day during the battle he saw himself face to face with the Imam. He rushed upon Imam 'Ali, but before he could deal a blow with his sword, the Imam gave him a heavy stroke, which knocked him down from his saddle. This shameless man, seeing his life in the clutches of such a valiant and strong lion as the Imam, resorted to a very disgraceful and unmanly act, by pushing aside his garment to exhibit his private parts. The noble Imam turned away his face and left him to himself.

As we know, in the same battle a similar incident occurred in the case of 'Amr ibn al-'As, when the Imam turned away from and abstained from killing a man who has lowered himself to this extent in order to save his life.

These two incidents have produced a sharp reaction in Arab literature, and some poets have composed verses about them. One of these is al-Harith ibn an-Nadr as-Sahmi who says:

"Do you send a warrior horseman to the field on every day of the war Whose private parts are displayed amidst the dust of the battlefield?

It is then that 'Alt does not bring down his spear upon on him And Mu'awiyah laughs at that man in secret.

Yesterday 'Amr's private pails were shown And this meanness will forever be tied on his head like a headgear. Today, too, Busrs 'private pails were displayed like 'Amr's.

Tell 'Amr ibn al-As and Busr to look carefully at their way, Lest they once more face the formidable lion! You must be praisers and worshippers of your private parts; For by God, it was your private parts that saved your lives!

Surely, if it were not for them, you would not have been saved! This incident must check you from returning to the scene of war."(162) Malik al-Ashtar, the valiant warrior of the battlefield, too, has composed the following lines about this matter:

"Does every day of the combat the leg of one of your great men lift itself To exhibit his private parts in the dust of the field?

The hard blow of the spear-owner who has been treated unjustly Results in revealing your private parts! Whose private parts? Amr's and Busr's, May their backs be broken!" ( 163) Historians differ about the point whether Busr has had any association with the Prophet or not. And if so, has he heard from him any tradition or not? They think that after the Prophet he showed no constancy in his faith and became an apostate. When Imam 'Ali heard of his criminal acts and carnage's in the Islamic lands of Iraq and Hejaz, and learned that he had not even abstained from killing small children, he cursed him, and said: "0 God! Take back his faith from him, and seize his intellect from him before his death!"

The Imam's prayer was fulfilled, and Busr lost his mind before death and he was usually in delirium and would cry out:

"Sword! Sword!" and then searched for it. They handed him a wooden sword and placed a balloon-like skin in front of him, and he dealt it so many blows until he became weary and exhausted. He lived for sometime in this misery and pain until he died in the time of Mu'awiyah.(164)

at-Tabari writes: In the year 40 of the Hijrah, Mu'awiyah sent Busr ibn Abi Artat with an army to the lands ruled over by the Imam. They proceeded from ash-Sham to Medina. The raid of this bloodthirsty man terribly frightened the defenseless people of that city and the remaining Ansar who had for many long years defended Islam and had spared no life and property of theirs to that end. As a result of this raid many houses of Medina were demolished and many people became homeless.

Then he left Medina and went towards Yemen. There he came across the baggage of 'Ubayd Allah bin al-'Abbas, governor of that land, which was accompanied by two of his children. That savage man beheaded these little children with his own hands. This was not, of course, his only crime. He had killed many supporters of Imam 'All only because they loved and respected their exalted Imam.(165)

Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ath-Thaqafi, the Islamic historian writes in his book of "al-Gharat" (plunders): Mu'awiyah sent Busr with three thousand ash-Shami soldiers to Iraq, ordering him to proceed to Medina, disperse the people, and frighten everyone that he met, and plunder those who had some property and did not submit to Mu'awiyah's rule.

Busr carried out the evil order of Mu'awiyah, and when his army reached any inhabited place, they seized the people's camels and quadrupeds to ride or take, away. During the whole route between ash-Sham and Medina, every inhabited spot suffered the same unfortunate fate. On their arrival at Medina, they entered the city, and Busr delivered an oration to the people, abusing and threatening them.(166)

The story of Busr is narrated as follows in the book of "Tahdhib at-tahdhib": Mu'awiyah sent Busr towards Yemen and Hejaz in the year 40 of the Hijrah, ordering him to kill anyone who obeyed the Imam. By the order of Mu'awiyah this tyrannical man committed many inhuman and criminal acts in Mecca and Medina, the birthplace of Islam.(167)

Ibn 'Asakir writes: He came across many people and killed anyone who had shown submission to the Imam. For instance, he massacred the tribe of Banu Ka'b who lived at a place between Mecca and Medina, and then threw their bodies into a well.(168)

al-Mas'udi writes in his reliable book of "Muruj adh-dhahab":

In Medina and on the way between Medina and Mecca there lived many people of the Khuza'ah and other tribes, who were killed by him. Then he went to al-Jarf(169) and killed many of its Arab inhabitants named "Abna"' and he left alive no one who was a supporter of Imam 'Ali.(170) Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani the well-known historian and literary man,

reports in his book of al- Aghani: After the question of arbitration, Mu'awiyah sent Busr to the Imam's realm when Imam 'All was still alive. He had ordered Busr to roam about that realm and kill every Shi'ah and companion of the Imam that he came across, and then plunder their property, and even spare no women had children.

Busr, this bloodthirsty and devilish commander, proceeded by the order of Mu'awiyah towards Medina, and on reaching there he killed many of the Imam's friends and supporters and destroyed many houses. Then he proceeded to Mecca where he killed some children of Abu Lahab, and then to as-Sirat where he killed some followers of the Imam. From there he went to Najran where he killed 'Abd Allah ibn al-Madan al-Harithi and his son who were of the house of al-'Abbas.

Then he went to Yemen, the governor of which was appointed by the Imam, and named 'Ubayd Allah son of al-'Abbas, who was at that time not present in Yemen, or, as some historians says, he had fled on hearing of the arrival of Busr. When Busr saw that 'Ubayd Allah was not within his reach, he seized his two small sons and killed them with his own hands. Then he returned with his army to ash-Sham.(171)

Historians says: A woman said to Busr: "Man! You have killed so many people. Why do you kill these two little children? By God, neither in pagan times nor after Islam any one has killed children as you do. O son of Artat! I swear to God that a government, which lays its foundation with the massacre of children and old men, and severs the ties of kinship and abstains from pity and kindness, is a very bad government.(172)

It is said that the bereaved mother of these two children had suffered so much pain at the calamity of their loss, that she had gone crazy, and she listened only to words in which they talked of her dear sons, and she sang out these heart-rending lines here and there in public gatherings:

"Oh, who has heard the story of my two dear sons, Who were like two precious pearls out of shells? Oh, who knows the story of my two sons? Who were my heart and my hearing? Now I have been robbed of my heart! Oh, who has heard of the state of my two sons, Who were the narrows of my bones, And now the bones are without marrow? Who is aware of my lost and perplexed heart? That heart is distressed for the loss Of the two children who were helpless in the absence of their father. They told me of it, but I believed them not. They spoke of the injustice inflicted on me! They told me that Busr cut the throats Of my two sons with his sharp swords! Alas! Is such a great injustice possible?'(173)

We read the following passage in the two books of al-Isti'ab and Usd al-ghabah: Busr ibn Abi Artat. in one of his savage raids, attacked the Hamdan tribe, killed their men and took their women captive. They were the first group of Muslim women who were taken captive in Islam and put up for sale in the market.(174)

We read also in the book of al-Gharat: A group of people of Ma'rib came across Busr and his soldiers on a caravan route. This inhuman creature killed them all except one man who fled from his bloody clutches and returned to his tribe, reporting this great calamity in one brief sentence: "I have brought you the news of death and massacre of our old and young men."(175)