Islam - The Battle of Islam at Siffin:

After the battle of Jamal was over, Imam Ali (A.S.) returned from
Basra to Kufa in Rajab of 36 A.H. He decided to transfer the capital
of his government to Kufa fromMadina because it was more centrally
placed in the Muslim Empire, and he could halt Muawiya's progress into
Iraq.
Before marching towardsMuawiya, Imam Ali (A.S.) tried to settle
matters peacefully by sending Jarir, chief of Bani Bajila and the
governor of Hamdan, to Syria as an envoy. However, Jarir became so
engrossed in the entertainment that Muawiya put his way, that he
wasted his time in Syria. He finally returned three months later with
the useless message that peace couldonly be negotiated if the
murderers of Uthman were brought to justice. Malik al-Ashtar accused
him of having wasted time in effeminate pleasures with Muawiya, who
purposely kept him long enough to mature his plans of hostilities.
Jarir left Kufa and joined Muawiya.
Imam Ali (A.S.) decided that matters could be only decided by war, so
he marched without delay through the Mesopotamian desert to Riqqa at
the banks of the Euphrates. After crossing the river by constructing a
bridge they came across the Syrian outposts at Sur al-Rum. There were
a few skirmishes between the armies but the Syrians gave way and in
the month of Zilhaj of 36 A.H.,the army of Imam Ali (A.S.) came into
sight of Muawiya's main forces, which had already camped at Siffin.
At Siffin, Muawiya had stationed his general, Abul Awr, with 10,000
men on the river to stop the access to water for Imam Ali's (A.S.)
army. Imam Ali (A.S.) sent Sasaa Bin Sauhan al-Abdi to Muawiya that
this action was not necessary because, after all, the people whom he
was refusing water were also Muslims. He further assured Muawiya that
if the situation had been reversed, the river wouldhave been open to
both armies. However, Muawiya sent back a message that the murderers
of Uthman had not allowed him any water when they had laid siege to
his palace, and Muawiya was avenging that action.
Imam Ali (A.S.) knew that this situation would be intolerable and he
launched an attack underMalike Ashtar. The brave commander secured the
river after heavy fightingand Abul Awr was dislodged from its banks.
Having control of the river, Imam Ali (A.S.) kept to his word and
allowed unlimited access to Muawiya's side.
Imam Ali (A.S.) divided hisarmy of 90,000 men into seven units each
commanded by brave warriors. Muawiya similarly divided his armyof
120,000 men into seven columns. Everyday one column from each army
would engage one another in combat.
The battles were mostly restricted to single combats or small groups
fighting because Imam Ali (A.S.) was trying to avoid the serious loss
of Muslim lives that would have resulted from a full scale battle. The
month ofZilhaj ended in this manner and the month of Muharram, in
which fighting is forbidden, set in. During this month, Imam Ali
(A.S.) tried hard to resolve the crisis by negotiation, but to no
avail. He pointed out thathe was ready to punish the murderers of
Uthmanif Muawiya would point them out. However, Muawiya did not wish
the matter to end so easily, because it was the issue of Uthman's
unavenged death that had enabled him to gather such a large army.
In the month of Safar fighting was resumed. For a week, fierce battles
raged all day. Everyday the conflict got more severe and bitter. In
the second week Imam Ali (A.S.) came to the battlefield for the first
time. After a series of single combats, in which he overcame every
opponent with his awesome skill, no body would come to fight him.
He was forced to disguisehimself to get anybody tochallenge him. On
one such occasion, an unsuspecting warrior from Muawiya's side
attacked Imam Ali (A.S.). The man was struck with a single sweep of
Zulfiqarwith such force by Imam Ali (A.S.) that the upper half of his
body was severed from the lower half. Those who watched thought that
the blow had missed, and it was only when the horse moved and the two
halves fell to the ground, that people realized what had happened.
Day after day the loss of lives increased, especiallyin the ranks of
Muawiya. However, Imam Ali (A.S.) also lost several distinguished
Companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) from his side. Amongst them
wereHashim bin Utba and Ammar Yasir.
Ammar, who was 93 years old, had been informed by the Holy Prophet
(S.A.W.) that he would die fighting rebelsand enemies of Islam. This
was well known by all, and when he died there was some commotion in
Muawiya's army. He managed to quieten them down by saying that, since
Ammar had been brought to fight by Imam Ali (A.S.), it was he who was
the cause of his death. He said that Imam Ali (A.S.) therefore was the
rebel that the prophecy talked about, and not Muawiya. This incredible
argument was accepted by his men and war continued until the 13th
night.
On that day the commander-in-chief of Imam Ali's (A.S.) army, Malike
Ashtar , attacked the enemy ferociously. His shout of Allahu
Akbar,every time he killed a man, was heard no less than 400 times.
The hero of the battle began to bring on victorywhen Amr al-Aas on
Muawiya's side said, "Call the enemy to the Word ofGod."
Muawiya eagerly accepted these words and his men raised 500 copies of
the Holy Qur'an on their spears, saying that the Holy Book woulddecide
their differences. This trick had a strange effect on some people in
the army of Imam Ali (A.S.), who dropped their weapons and agreed that
the Holy Qur'an should decide the matter.
Imam Ali (A.S.) stepped into the battlefield urging his men to
continue fighting and ignore the tricks of Muawiya, but they
disobeyed. The war thus came to an unsatisfactoryend, and it was
decided that one representative from each side should meet to reach a
final decision.
Imam Ali (A.S.) wanted Abdullah bin Abbas or Malike Ashtar to
represent him, but his men insisted that Abu Musa Ash'ari be chosen
instead. Muawiya appointed Amr al-Aas to represent him. Abu Musa had
neither wit nor tact and was no match for thecunning Amr al-Aas.
In the meeting that took place some months later, Abu Musa was badly
tricked by Amr into giving up the rights of Imam Ali (A.S.), and it is
asfollows.
Decision of the umpires
The time for arbitration having come, the umpires proceeded to
Dumat-al-Jondel or Azroh, each with a retinue of four hundred horsemen
according to the agreement. Many a leading Chief from Mecca,Medina,
Iraq and Syria went there to watch the proceedings, which wereto
decide the future of Islam. Abdallah bin Abbas, who
accompaniedAbu-Musa to preside at the daily prayers, while having a
discourse with Abu-Musa upon the topic of arbitration, urged him to
beware of the crafty ways of his astute colleague and to keep
particularly in his mind the fact that Ali had no blemish to render
him incapable of government, nor Muawiya any virtue to qualify him for
it. When Abu-Musa reached Duma, Amr bin Aas received him with great
respect. A private conference was held between the two alone in a
pavilion erected for the purpose. Amr was already well aware of the
weaknessesin Abu-Musa's character. He treated Abu-Musa with utmost
respect and civility till he brought him completely under
hisinfluence. Having won his confidence, he made him admit that Osman
was foully murdered. Then he asked him why the avenger of his blood, a
near relation of his andan able administrator viz.Muawiya should not
be taken as his successor. To this Abu-Musa replied that the
succession should not be determined on such a basis which would give
preference to Osman's Sons as legitimate claimants; but that they must
above all things take care lest a mutiny should be kindled or civil
wars break again. Upon this Amr bin Aas asked Abu-Musa to reject both
Ali and Muawiya, and let the Faithful elect a third. This is the
simplest and safest solution of the problem. 'I agree,' said Abu-Musa,
let us go forth to pronounce. A tribunal was erected from which each
of the umpires was to declare publicly his decision. Abu-Musa wished
Amr to go up first, but Amr, alleging reasons to give preference to
Ali's man, overcame all his scruples and insisted upon Abu-Musa going
up first. Abu-Musa ascended and addressed the people thus: 'Brethren!
I and Amrbin Aas, both of us, have given full consideration to the
matter and have come to the conclusion that no other course to restore
peace and to remove discord from the people can possibly be better
than to depose both Ali and Muawiya in order that people may have
their choice of a better man in their stead.I therefore depose both
Ali and Muawiya from theCaliphate to which they pretend, in the manner
as I draw this ring from my finger.' Having made this declaration
Abu-Musa came down. Amr bin Aas now took histurn and went up to
announce what he had to declare. 'You have heard,' he said, 'how
Abu-Musa on his part has deposed his chief Ali; I, on my part, do
depose him too and I invest my chief Muawiya with the Caliphate and I
confirm him to it, as I put this ringupon my finger. I do this with
justice because Muawiya is the avenger of Osman and his rightful
successor.' So saying, he came down. This arbitration took place in
the month of Ramadan, 37 A.H. or February 658 A.D.
Muawiya thus managed to escape certain defeat at Siffin. The damage
done at the battle was great. Muawiya lost 45,000 men and 25,000 men
were killed on the side of Imam Ali (A.S.).