The Causes Behind the Outbreak of the Battle of Siffin
When the Battle of Jamal came to an end, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) prepared to confront Muawiyah. The people of Kufa received this call with enthusiasm, many of whom had already fought alongside the Imam (peace be upon him) in the previous battle and were eager to achieve another victory for Islam.
Before the fighting began, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) sent envoys and letters to Muawiyah, inviting him to obedience and to join the path already chosen by the community of Muslims.
However, Muawiyah rejected the Imam’s invitation, responding with arrogance and hostility. He chose war over reconciliation and mobilized a large army, advancing toward Iraq.
When Imam Ali (peace be upon him) received the news, he marched to intercept Muawiyah’s forces to prevent their incursion into Iraqi territory and to avert bloodshed and corruption. Thus, the confrontation at Siffin began.
The Compassionate Conduct of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) Regarding Access to the Euphrates
Muawiyah’s army reached Siffin first and encamped by the banks of the Euphrates River, appointing Abu al-Awar al-Sulami to guard it.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) sent Sasah ibn Sawhan to request that access to the water not be restricted. Muawiyah consulted his followers, and some advised him, “Deny them water as they denied it to Uthman ibn Affan; let them die of thirst as he did.” But Amr ibn al-As advised against it, urging Muawiyah to allow access.
When Sasah returned, he informed the Imam (peace be upon him) that Muawiyah had deferred his decision. Shortly thereafter, Muawiyah ordered Abu al-Awar to block the river from the army of Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
Upon hearing this, the Imam (peace be upon him) declared, “Then the battle shall be for water,” and sent forth a division of his troops. Fierce fighting ensued until the companions of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) drove Muawiyah’s forces back, gaining control over the Euphrates.
Some suggested, “By Allah, we will not let the people of Syria drink.” But Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “Take what water you need, and do not prevent them, for Allah has granted you victory and exposed their wrongdoing.”
Thus, even in warfare, the Imam (peace be upon him) demonstrated mercy toward his fiercest enemies.
The Martyrdom of Ammar ibn Yasir and the Fulfillment of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him and his family) Prophecy
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) called his commanders and instructed them, “Go to Muawiyah and invite him to the obedience of Allah and the unity of the Muslims.”
They delivered the message faithfully, but Muawiyah replied, “Leave me, for nothing remains between us but the sword.”
A fierce and relentless battle followed—one of the most intense recorded in the annals of war.
The Imam (peace be upon him) advanced with his troops under the command of Ammar ibn Yasir. Upon facing Amr ibn al-As, Ammar said, “The bearer of this banner has fought three times against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and this is the fourth. As before, he is not upon righteousness.”
Habbah ibn Huwayn al-Arani narrated, “I once told Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman that we feared the coming of tribulations. He replied, “Be with the group of Ibn Sumayah (Ammar), for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said, ‘A transgressing, misguided faction will kill him; his final nourishment shall be milk mixed with water.’”
On the day Ammar was martyred, his companions brought him a bowl of milk mixed with water—fulfilling the Prophet’s prophecy. When Ammar fell, many among Muawiyah’s ranks were shaken, for they knew well that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) had said, “Blessed is Ammar; the transgressing group shall kill him. Ammar is with the truth, and the truth is with him.”
This event exposed the falsehood of Muawiyah’s camp before all.
Raising the Quran upon Spears—The Appearance of Falsehood in the Garb of Truth
When Amr ibn al-As saw the steadfastness of the Iraqis and feared total defeat, he said to Muawiyah, “Shall I suggest something that will unite us and sow division among them?” Muawiyah agreed, and Amr proposed, “Let us raise the Quran upon spears and call for judgment according to it.”
They raised the Qurans and cried out, “Let the Book of Allah be the judge between us! Shall any Muslim remain to fight and perish when the Quran calls us to peace?”
Many soldiers, moved by the sight, said, “We must answer the call of the Book of Allah.”
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) warned them: “O servants of Allah, remain firm upon the truth! Continue your fight, for Muawiyah, Amr, Ibn Abi Muayt, Habib, Ibn Abi Sarh, and Dahhak are not men of religion or the Quran. I know them well—from their youth to their manhood—the worst of children and now the worst of men! By Allah, they have raised the Quran only out of deceit and hypocrisy.”
The Emergence of the Khawarij
Some among the Imam’s followers said, “We cannot reject an appeal to the Book of Allah.”
He replied, “We fight them so that they may act by this Book; they have disobeyed Allah, violated their oaths, and abandoned the Quran.”
Yet a faction—later known as the Khawarij—insisted, “O Ali, accept the judgment of the Book of Allah, or we will do to you what was done to Uthman ibn Affan.”
The Imam (peace be upon him) responded, “Remember, I warned you. You told me to accept. If you obey me, then fight; if you disobey, do as you wish.”
Only a few meters separated the two armies. Had his followers not faltered, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) could have subdued the rebellion entirely. But the so-called ‘arbitration’ diverted events disastrously, altering the course of history and paving the way for further strife.
The Clarifying Words of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) Regarding the Arbitration
After the arbitration concluded, one of the Imam’s companions protested, shouting, “Judgment belongs only to Allah!”
He disrupted the Imam’s address, and a group of about twelve thousand followed him, forming the sect known as “al-Muhakkimah,” who later gathered in a place called Harura, earning the name “Haruriyyah.”
In his address, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) explained:
“I conditioned the two arbiters to revive what the Quran revives and to nullify what the Quran nullifies. If they judge according to the Book of Allah, we shall have no objection. But if they deviate, we will disavow them.”
When asked, “Can men judge in matters of blood and religion?” The Imam (peace be upon him) replied, “We have appointed the Quran as the judge, not the men. The Quran is written words between two covers—it does not speak. Men must speak according to it.”
The Deception of Abu Musa al-Ashari and Amr ibn al-As
Abu Musa al-Ashari and Amr ibn al-As met as the appointed arbiters. Abu Musa fell prey to Amr’s deceit. Amr said, “You are the companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and older than I. You should speak first.”
His true intent was to have Abu Musa publicly depose Imam Ali (peace be upon him). Abu Musa announced, “I remove Ali from the caliphate, just as I remove this ring from my finger.”
Then Amr stood and declared, “You have heard his words. I too remove Ali as he has, and I appoint my companion Muawiyah as the caliph.”
Abu Musa was stunned; they reproached each other bitterly, and the arbitration ended in scandal.
Muslims sought Abu Musa, but he had fled to Makkah. Meanwhile, Amr returned to Muawiyah with the Syrians, who then pledged allegiance to him as caliph.
Thus, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) returned to reorganize his army and prepare for another campaign—but internal divisions among his followers delayed his plans and hindered his pursuit of justice.