44. The Battle of Siffin

After Imam Ali ordered the removal of Muawiyah from office, Muawiyah began mobilising the people of Damascus to “take revenge for Uthman.” Imam Ali then sent a letter to him asking him to give allegiance and to stop causing fitna (division). The Imam added that he is willing to judicially look into the killing of Uthman. Muawiyah did not respond to the letter, and instead declared that the Imam himself killed Uthman. Then he returned the Imam’s messenger with a letter declaring war. The Imam then consulted the chiefs of Kufa and the companions, who agreed to fight back. The Imam then mobilised his forces, and appointed Malik al-Ashtar as the commander of his forces. The Imam’s forces advanced to the city of Raqqa in Syria, where a bridge was built for the forces to cross. The Imam sent Malik al-Ashtar and a few brigades in advance to set the camp in the area of Siffin (near Raqqa) and ordered him not to begin the battle (unless he is attacked first). The two forces finally met in Siffin, and the battle began.