Facts about the Battle of Jamal also known as Battle of Camel or Battle of Basra. Which is also known as the second fitnah!
- Battle of the Camel (Battle of Jamal or the Battle of Basra) appeared on 7th November 656 i.e. 10 Juamada Al-Awwal 36AH in Iraq at Basra.
- Ali Ibn Abu Talib (RA) fought the battle with Talhah and Zubair who were leading the war aiming against Ali for the purpose of death of the son-in-law of Muhammad (PBUH), the third Caliph Uthman (RA).
- In Madina, people showed commitment to Ali (RA), as the new Caliph of Muslims after the murder of Uthman ibn Affan (RA).
- However, after the allegiance Zubair and Talhah requested Ali (RA) to perform pilgrimage at Makkah. He accepted their request and they departed for the purpose.
- While crossing Madina on the way to reach Iraq, Aisha (RA), Zubair and Talha crossed a few people of Umayyads led by Marwan leaving Madina. Marwan stated that the killers of Uthman (RA) were causing them trouble in terms of living there.
- The tribes living in Basra were contacted by some chieftains belonging from the Kufa Tribe. One of the chieftain contacted Ali (RA) in terms of resolving the matter.
- Ali (RA) wasn’t willing to fight further and thus accepted their request to negotiate. He subsequently contacted Ayesha (RA) and talked to her.
- “It is not wise to shed the blood of five thousand for the punishment of five hundred.” Aisha (RA) also accepted to settle down the problem.
- In accordance to the Sunni sect, the rebels responsible for the killing of the third Caliph, Uthman (RA), were also accountable for initiating the fight.
- The forces of Ali (RA) overcame the rebels. The conquered army was attended as per the Islamic Law. The name of the battle was derived from the camel used by Aisha (RA).
- It was known that the battle would be over if the camel fall once. Few Scholars of Islam state that the name is listed for the history in a way to avoid the association of a woman’s name with the battle.