120 chapter three
The Fourth Caliph Ali (656–661)Imam Ali ibn Abi-Taleb, the Prophet’s first cousin, his son in law
and the father of his beloved grandson’s al-Œassan and al-Œusayn,
was elected as a caliph after the death of caliph Uthmàn. But the
election did not last long: rivalry to Caliph Ali’s successorship arose
in al-Œijaz, lead by two influential leaders and reinforced by the
Prophet’s young wife Aisha “the mother of the believers” (Al- ̨abarì).
The days of communal spirit and self-denial seemed to have long
gone. The rivalry developed into a military confrontation which took
place between Caliph Ali and the coalition of the three rivals in 656
outside al-Basra in Iraq in a battle called “the battle of the camel”
which referred to the camel ridden by Aisha in the battle. The result
of the battle established the position of Caliph Ali, as the coalition
was defeated, the two rivals were killed and the rider of the camel
was captured. Imam Ali mourned his rival friends, buried them hon-
ourably and sent the Prophet’s wife Aisha back to al-Medìnah in a
dignified manner that suited her position as the Prophet’s widow.
Although that rivalry was defeated, another, but much longer and
more bitter one followed in Syria which was lead by the governor
of Syria, Mu"awiyah ibn abi-Sufyan, the kinsman of ex-caliph Uthmàn.
Mu"awiyah, who was among those dismissed from office by caliph
Ali in the latter’s attempt at removing the reasons of discontent
among Muslims, withheld his homage from Caliph Ali. He declared
that he was the avenger of Uthmàn’s blood and cunningly stated
that if Caliph Ali could not execute the assassins of the murdered
caliph he should be regarded as an accomplice and therefore should
be disqualified from the caliphate. The issue was a political one. The
armies of the two men met in 657 and when Caliph Ali’s forces
were about to achieve victory Mu"awiyah they resorted to arbitra-
tion by lifting the Holy Book on the tips of spears (Al- ̨abarì). The
result of the arbitration was chaotic, caliph Ali’s representative walked
into a trap designed by Mu"awiyah’s shrewd representative that lead
to disqualifying the caliph by his representative and reinstating
Mu"awiyah by his referee. The results of the arbitration were disas-
trous to Caliph Ali. It made things worse, a few thousand men of
his supporters rose against him for accepting the principle of arbi-
tration and formulated a new group called Khawàrij, (seceders), who
were neither on caliph Ali’s nor on Mu"awiyah’s side. Despite their
military defeat by Caliph Ali, they succeeded to gather again and