An Extraordinary Example of Altruism by Imam Ali (A.S.)

Compiled by: Allama Husayn Ansariyan

The Battle of Camel
Imam Ali (a.s.) made his utmost effort not to enter battle so that no one would be killed. When he was informed in Medina that the leaders of the Camel Army have left Mecca for Basrah, he quickly left Medina to hold talks with them. He sent them a letter through Sasa’ah, a great man of Basrah.
In that letter, he gave them advice with the utmost degree of kindness and magnanimity. Once again, he sent Ibn Abbas to al-Zubayr to talk to him saying, “Do not go or speak to Talhah, for it will be useless. Speak to al-Zubayr who is softer. Tell him, your cousin says: In Hijaz you were my friend. How come you have become my enemy in Iraq?”
Then, he sent a letter to Talhah and al-Zubayr through Imran al-Khuza’i that read, “Though people may deny, but I did not go to people rather they came to me to pledge allegiance with me. Their allegiance with me was not out of fear, force or allurement. If your allegiance has not been out of fear, repent quickly and turn to Allah. You claim that I have killed Uthman! I leave the judgment to unbiased people. Anyone who is condemned should be punished. You two elderly men of Quraish! Stop behaving like this before this disgrace will be accompanied with Hellfire.”
When Imam Ali (A.S.) arrived in the land of Zaviah on his way to Basrah, he performed a four-Rakah prayer saying, “O Lord of heavens and what cast shadow on them! O Lord of the earths and what they have on shoulders! O Lord of the Great Throne! This is Basrah! I ask You to put the good of this people in my hand and I seek refuge in You from their evil. O Lord! These people have disobeyed me, rebelled against me and have broken allegiance with me. O Lord! Preserve the blood of Muslims and let not any blood be shed!”
When Ali (A.S.) was placed against the army of Basrah, he called, “O people! Do not make haste!” Then the Imam (A.S.) called Ibn Abbas ordering him to go to Talhah, al-Zubayr and Aishah and call them to Allah. Then Ammar ibn Yasir, the great companion and elderly man of truth, stood between the two armies, addressing the army of Basrah as such he said, “O people! It is not fair that you have kept your wives behind curtains while you have brought the Holy Prophet’s wife to be faced with arrows and swords.” Then he went to Aishah, asking, “What do you want?” Aishah said, “I am here to seek the revenge of Uthman!” Ammar said, “May Allah on this day kill the oppressor, perish the rebel and destroy falsehood.”
Then, addressing the army of Basrah he cried out, “O people! Do you know which of the two parties has had a hand in killing Uthman?” The arrows were coming towards Ammar. The answer was arrows! Ammar came to Ali (A.S.) saying, “O Amir al-Muminin: What are you waiting for? They have no goal but killing with arrows showered on the army of Ali (A.S.). There has been no permission for battle yet!” Imam Ali (a.s) addressed his army as such, “Who is here to take this Quran to the people and call them to it? Whoever does this will be killed but I will guarantee his going to Paradise.” A young man by the name of Muslim rose up, saying, “O Amir al-Muminin (A.S.): I will take the Quran to them and do what you said.” He took the Quran, went to the enemy and called them to the Quran. They pierced his body with spear. He fell on the ground and was martyred. Was killing with spear an answer to logic?
Ali (A.S.) told his army to be prepared for battle but not start it. Ibn Badil, a brave soldier, brought the dead body of his brother saying: O Amir al- Muminin (A.S.)! Until when should we wait? Should they kill us and we look on?” The dead body of another soldier was brought to Ali (A.S.) but he still did not give the permission to fight. He just said, “O Lord! You are the Witness.” Then, he turned to his army saying, “Have mercy on the people!” Then, he took off his armor, rode on the mule of the Holy Prophet (SAWA), went to the battlefield and cried out, “O Zubayr! Come to me.” Al-Zubayr came to the field with full arms. Seeing that Ali (A.S.) called al- Zubayr to the field, Aishah said to herself, “Woe to me, my sister Asma - al Zubayr's wife - will became a widow!” When Aishah was told that Ali (A.S.)has come to the battlefield without arms, she calmed down.
In the battle field, Ali (A.S.) hugged al-Zubayr, saying, “Why have you rebelled against me?” Al-Zubayr said, “I have come to take the revenge of Uthman!” Ali (A.S.) said, “May God kill either of us who has had a hand in the killing of Uthman.” Then he spoke softly to him reminding him of Allah’s Messenger, who had said, “You will fight Ali (A.S.) and you will be the wrong party.” Al-Zubayr said, “I seek Allah's forgiveness. If I had not forgotten this word, I would not have rebelled.” The Imam (A.S.) said, “Zubayr! Now, go back.” Al-Zubayr said, “How can I go back? My going back would be considered as fear, a disgrace which cannot be washed away.”
The Imam (A.S.) said, “Go back before disgrace is accompanied with Hellfire.” Al-Zubayr went back and as soon as he intended to go out of the Army of the Camel, his son Abdullah cried out, “Where are you going?” Al-Zubayr said, “My Son! Ali (A.S.) reminded me of something I had forgotten.” The son said, “This is no the case, you are afraid of the swords of the Hashimites!” The father said, “No, I remembered what the time had made me forget. Are you blaming me for fear?” He took the spear and attacked the right wing of Ali’s army.
Then addressing his soldiers, Ali (a.s.) said, “Let no one fight him. Open the way for him. They have provoked him!” Al-Zubayr so attacked both sides of the army. No one fought him or resisted against him. Returning to his army he said to his son, “Does a timid man act like that?” Then he took his way and left.
Ali’s kindness towards the enemy made a hero of him in the battlefield. Did the Army of the Camel realize that what the Holy Prophet (SAWA) had foreseen was not particular to al-Zubayr alone but everyone who fought Ali (A.S.) would be a wrongdoer?
Again Ali (A.S.) came to the battlefield and called Talhah saying, “Why did you rebel against me?” Talhah claimed that he wanted to take the revenge of Uthman. Ali (A.S.) said, “May Allah kill either of us who has had a hand in killing Uthman. Haven’t you heard the words of the Holy Prophet saying: (O God) Befriend one who befriends Ali (A.S.) and bear enmity to one who bears enmity to Ali (A.S.). Were you not the first man who swore allegiance with me and breached your allegiance? Allah says: Whoever breaks his faith, he breaks it only to the injury of his own soul (48:10)
Expressing his regret, Talhah said, “I seek Allah’s forgiveness.” He went back. Sensing that Talhah intends to leave the battlefield, Marwan ibn Hakam threw an arrow towards him. Talhah died immediately without having a chance to inform the people of Basrah of their treacherous and unjust act which he and al-Zubayr had planned.
Addressing his army, Ali (a.s.) said, “When you defeat the Army of the Camel, do not kill the wounded and the captives, nor follow the deserters, nor expose people’s private parts, nor cut anyone’s ears or noses, nor loot anyone’s property except what they leave in the battlefield.”
The enemy’s defeat was certain. Yet, no order of attack was issued. The Army of the Camel attacked the right wing of Ali’s army, pushing them back. It was at this moment that the order of attack was issued and the Army of the Camel suffered a disgraceful defeat, this is Ali’s kindness towards the enemy and his mercy on people in the battlefield. Does history remember a ruler to have behaved like this towards the rebels?

The Battle of Siffin
Siffin was a region by the river Euphrates. When the army of Ali (a.s.) reached it, he was told to block the army of Muawiyah from having access to the river, but Ali did not accept the idea. Muawiyah took advantage of this situation, seized all the ways leading to the river and blocked the army of Ali (A.S.) from having access to the river.
By his command, the army opened ways to the river. To retaliate, Imam Ali’s companions decided to block Muawiyah’s army from access to river, but again Ali (A.S.) did not permit. The Battle of Siffin lasted for eighteen months. The offensive by Ali’s army was started hoping that the Syrians would give up and less blood would be shed!

The Battle of Nahrawan
The best definition we can use in describing the Kharijites is that they were people afflicted with the disease of enmity with Ali (a.s.) and they did not stop this enmity until they had killed him. If we use the word disease here it is because enmity with anyone needs a reason. A person bears enmity to someone for personal reasons, for being jealous of that person’s position, for having been hurt or harmed by that person, for having experienced a tyranny, a family feud or religious differences. None of those reasons existed for those who were hostile to Ali (A.S.). They simply could not see Ali (A.S.) alive and victorious.
These people were in the army of Ali (a.s.) in the Battle of Siffin but when he overcame the enemy, they drew their swords against him and deprived him of victory. They did not accept the intelligent arbiter Imam Ali (a.s.) had chosen and selected the arbiter who was Ali’s enemy! They were the enemies of Muawiyah too but unknowingly assisted him and compelled Ali (A.S.) to accept the mediation of the arbiters.
When the treachery of mediation became clear, they started to disagree with Ali (a.s.) so much so that they disrespected him in his presence and absence. Ali (A.S.) too had left them to themselves showing no reaction to what they said and did.
Ali’s friends who could not tolerate hearing their sarcastic and insulting remarks would often ask Ali (A.S.) to suppress and imprison them or check their activities. However, Ali (A.S.) would not agree, saying, “As long as they do not do anything against us, we will not harm them nor will we cut their stipend from the public fund. We will allow them to come to the mosque but if they kill anyone, we will retaliate.”
The inner disease of Kharijites was being intensified. Hence, they could not stay in Kufah, for they saw Ali (A.S.) there. So, they left it for Nahrawan. Still Ali (A.S.) let them act freely and had nothing to do with them. When he set out to suppress Muawiyah, he wrote a letter as such, “We are going to suppress your enemies, a common enemy; come long with us.” The Kharijites did not accept the offer and declared war against him! Still Ali (a.s.) did not go to them and set off for Syria. Ali (A.S.) was asked to put an end to the enmity of Kharijites first and then set out for Syria. It was not accepted and the order to move to Syria was issued.
Ali’s army was or the way to Syria when news reached that the Kharijites have become active, forcing people to curse Ali (A.S.) and anyone who does not comply with it, is killed. Ali (A.S.) headed for Nahrawan, the Kharijites base. He still refused to enter battle against them. So, he started to admonish and guide them. He managed to dissuade many of them from fighting though they refused to assist Ali (A.S.) in suppressing Muawiyah. Those Kharijites who were dissuaded to fight Ali (a.s.) returned to Kufah but remained Ali’s enemies.
Same people sowed the seeds of Kharijites in the history of Islam and the rest did not accept any option but fighting and preferred death to living with Ali (A.S.). So they attacked Ali’s army with the motto of ‘we are going to Paradise’. Still no order of counterattack was issued until one of Ali’s soldiers was killed. It was then that Imam Ali (A.S.) said, “It is now the right time to fight them."Ali’s army started its attack, which put the Kharijites to flight. (The path of Imam Ali: p. 53)