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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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Mawaddah Association

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presents:

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The Ten Promised Paradise:

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'Ali Ibn Abi Talib,

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may Allah be pleased with him.

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"Loving the Companions and the Prophet's kin is an established Sunnah,

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with which I shall meet my Lord when He resurrects me."

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Loving the Companions and the Prophet's kin...

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When the rebel Kharijites stormed

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the house of the Commander of the Faithful,

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'Uthman Ibn 'Affan, may Allah be pleased with him,

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intending to kill him,

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his wife defended him:

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Na'ilah bint al-Farafisah.

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She shielded him from the sword with her bare hand,

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and her fingers were severed,

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and her husband 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred.

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Thereupon, she wrote a letter to

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Mu'awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him)

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in the Levant (al-Sham),

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describing how they had broken in upon 'Uthman

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and how he was assassinated.

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She also sent him 'Uthman's tunic,

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which he was wearing when he was killed,

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stained with his blood,

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along with her severed fingers

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that had been cut off while defending him.

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She urged him

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to avenge her husband's blood,

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and dispatched the letter with

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al-Nu'man Ibn Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him.

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When the letter arrived

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to Mu'awiyah,

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and he read its contents

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and saw the tunic,

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he was shaken to his very core.

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He ordered the tunic to be taken

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and paraded among the troops,

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then placed upon the pulpit

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for all the people to see,

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with her fingers attached to the sleeve of the tunic.

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The people wept bitterly at the sight,

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stirring each other to tears,

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and Mu'awiyah summoned the people

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to seek this retribution.

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The people began inciting

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one another

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to demand justice for the blood of 'Uthman,

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may Allah be pleased with him,

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against those who had murdered him among those

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Kharijites.

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As we have mentioned earlier,

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Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was not

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seeking the caliphate;

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rather, he was demanding legal retribution (qisas)

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against the murderers of 'Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.

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From

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the foregoing,

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we understand why he insisted on his demands,

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why he was so uncompromising regarding them,

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and why he withheld his pledge of allegiance

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to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)

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until retribution was exacted—

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for he considered

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himself to be the next of kin entitled to seek retribution.

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He genuinely believed he was in the right,

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and that Allah would grant him victory.

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For it had reached him

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that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

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was once seated

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with some of his Companions,

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when 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan

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(may Allah be pleased with him) passed by,

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and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

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"A tribulation will surely emerge

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from beneath the feet of

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this man;

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he and those who follow him on that day

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will be upon guidance."

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Mu'awiyah regarded himself

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as one of the followers of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him),

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and thus upon guidance.

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Moreover,

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he considered himself among the Victorious Group,

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who were said to be

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the people of the Levant,

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as conveyed by the Prophet,

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peace and blessings be upon him.

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Such reports reinforced

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his conviction and that of his followers.

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On the other hand, there is no doubt that

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the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib,

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may Allah be pleased with him,

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held a position strengthened by

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the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:

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"A renegade faction will break away

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at a time of division among the Muslims;

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they will be fought by the closer

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of the two parties to the truth."

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And this is precisely what occurred,

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as will be detailed later, if Allah wills.

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For the Kharijites

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emerged when the Muslims differed,

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and 'Ali fought them,

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may Allah be pleased with him,

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thereby proving to be closer to the truth.

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The Commander of the Faithful,

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'Ali Ibn Abi Talib

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(may Allah be pleased with him), inaugurated his caliphate

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in the year 36 AH.

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He proceeded

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to appoint his governors

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over the major provinces:

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he appointed 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas

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(may Allah be pleased with them both) over Yemen,

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Samurah Ibn Jundub

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(may Allah be pleased with him) over Basra,

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'Ammar Ibn Shihab

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over Kufa,

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Qays Ibn Sa'd Ibn 'Ubadah

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(may Allah be pleased with them both) over Egypt,

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and Sahl Ibn Hunayf

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(may Allah be pleased with him) over the Levant,

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to replace Mu'awiyah,

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may Allah be pleased with him.

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Sahl Ibn Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him)

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departed for the Levant,

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but was turned back by Mu'awiyah's cavalry.

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Thereupon, the Commander of the Faithful,

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'Ali Ibn Abi Talib

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(may Allah be pleased with him), realized

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that the Levant had defied his authority.

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He dispatched Jarir Ibn 'Abdullah

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al-Bajali to Mu'awiyah,

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may Allah be pleased with them both,

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bearing a letter

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informing him of the consensus of the Muhajirun

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and the Ansar in pledging allegiance to him,

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and calling upon him to enter

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into that which the people had entered.

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Mu'awiyah summoned

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'Amr Ibn al-'As and the notables

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of the Levant to consult them,

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and they refused to give the pledge of allegiance

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until the killers of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)

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were brought to justice,

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or surrendered to them.

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When they refused to enter

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into the pledge of allegiance and cast off obedience,

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at that point,

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the Commander of the Faithful (may Allah be pleased with him) deemed them

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rebels against whom

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fighting was justified.

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He mobilized from Kufa, determined

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to march against the people of the Levant.

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When Mu'awiyah

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(may Allah be pleased with him) learned of the advance of

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'Ali Ibn Abi Talib

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(may Allah be pleased with him) from Kufa

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at the head of fifty thousand warriors,

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he prepared

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likewise to march forth.

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The military contingents of the Levant were mobilized,

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and they gathered;

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banners and standards were raised,

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and they marched with around

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forty thousand warriors

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toward the Euphrates in the region of

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Siffin.

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They seized control of the water source in that area,

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so as to compel

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'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)

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and his men to withdraw

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back to Iraq without engaging in battle.

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'Ali Ibn Abi Talib

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(may Allah be pleased with him) arrived with his army

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at the plain of Siffin,

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only to find Mu'awiyah's army already positioned there,

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controlling the water.

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Thereupon,

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he commanded one of his generals to attack

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the positions along the water

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and liberate it from the hands of

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the Levantine army.

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When Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw

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that, he said:

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"Leave them be, for water

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is not to be withheld."

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The two armies drew up their ranks,

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and the two battle lines met in a spectacle

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most solemn and distressing,

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bringing tears to the eyes

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and breaking the heart.

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For you would see

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that whenever this side proclaimed the Takbir,

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the other proclaimed the Takbir;

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and whenever the latter proclaimed the Tahlil,

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These people also raised their voices with praise;

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two great parties of the believers

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were clashing with swords,

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each side believing itself

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to be in the right—

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so the one who exercised ijtihad correctly

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receives two rewards,

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while the one who erred receives the reward of his striving.

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And the decree of Allah

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came to pass: the fighting

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erupted, swords crossed,

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souls departed,

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and many of Allah's creation

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were slain;

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and there is no power nor might

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except with Allah, the Most High,

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the Supreme.

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Amid these tumultuous events,

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there emerged from the army of 'Ali,

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may Allah be pleased with him,

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a man of foremost faith,

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an early pioneer in Islam

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whose flesh and blood

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were infused with belief;

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a man who was the very benchmark

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of justice in those conflicts,

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about whom the Prophet,

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peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"The transgressing group shall kill you."

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Yes,

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it was 'Ammar ibn Yasir,

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may Allah be pleased with him.

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He stepped forward between

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the battle ranks,

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though he was an elderly man, calling out to

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his companions:

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"Whoever wishes to be embraced by

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the maidens of Paradise,

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let him advance between the two ranks,

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seeking Allah's reward!

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By the One in Whose hand is my soul,

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even if they strike us back so hard that they drive us

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all the way to the date-palms of Hajar,

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I would still know with certainty that we are on the truth

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and that they are in error!"

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Then he called for some milk,

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drank from it, and said:

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"Paradise has been brought near,

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and the maidens of Paradise are wed!

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Today we shall meet our beloved ones,

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Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his Companions!

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For indeed, the Prophet, peace be upon him,

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pledged to me

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that my last provision in

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this worldly life would be a draught of

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milk."

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So he charged forward and fought a hero's

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fight until he was martyred,

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may Allah be pleased with him.

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The army of the Levant was shaken

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once word spread of the slaying of

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'Ammar ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased with him,

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and their ranks fell into disarray.

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'Amr ibn al-'As entered

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upon Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with

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them both, in deep distress,

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uttering the words of returning to Allah.

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Mu'awiyah asked him, "What is the matter with you?"

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'Amr replied,

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"'Ammar has been killed!"

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Mu'awiyah said to him,

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"'Ammar has been killed—so what of it?"

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'Amr said:

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"I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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say:

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'The transgressing group will kill him.'"

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Mu'awiyah said to him:

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"Did we kill him?

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It was only 'Ali

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00:09:42,419 --> 00:09:44,419
and his companions who killed him, when they brought

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00:09:44,419 --> 00:09:46,419
him out and thrust him

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00:09:46,419 --> 00:09:49,090
right before our swords!"

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The tide of battle turned decisively

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00:09:51,090 --> 00:09:53,090
in favor of the army of Kufa,

283
00:09:53,090 --> 00:09:55,090
led by 'Ali ibn Abi Talib,

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may Allah be pleased with him,

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00:09:57,190 --> 00:09:59,190
and the army of the Levant retreated

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00:09:59,190 --> 00:10:01,190
under the command of Mu'awiyah,

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00:10:01,190 --> 00:10:03,190
may Allah be pleased with him,

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until they sought refuge upon a mountain.

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00:10:06,190 --> 00:10:08,190
At that point, the men of

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00:10:08,190 --> 00:10:10,190
Mu'awiyah raised copies of the Qur'an on their spears

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and called for arbitration

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by the Book of Allah.

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This was to be done by each

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side appointing an arbitrator to represent it;

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the two arbitrators would then meet

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and agree upon what serves

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the best interests of the Muslims.

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'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him,

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accepted their proposal

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00:10:28,190 --> 00:10:30,190
and said: "Yes,

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between us and you is the Book of Allah,

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and I have more right to it than you."

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Both armies agreed to arbitration

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and to end the fighting.

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00:10:40,379 --> 00:10:42,379
Mu'awiyah chose 'Amr ibn al-'As,

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00:10:42,379 --> 00:10:44,379
may Allah be pleased with them both,

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00:10:44,379 --> 00:10:46,379
as the arbitrator representing his side;

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00:10:46,379 --> 00:10:48,379
and 'Ali chose 'Abdullah

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00:10:48,379 --> 00:10:50,379
ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both,

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00:10:50,379 --> 00:10:52,379
as the arbitrator representing his side.

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00:10:52,379 --> 00:10:54,379
However, the reciters among 'Ali's forces

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said, "We will accept none

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other than Abu Musa al-Ash'ari,

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may Allah be pleased with him."

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Now Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

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had withdrawn from the civil strife,

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00:11:04,379 --> 00:11:06,379
so 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote to him

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instructing him to join him

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00:11:08,379 --> 00:11:10,440
at Siffin.

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An agreement was reached between the two armies

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that the two arbitrators—

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'Amr ibn al-'As

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00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,440
and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari,

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00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,440
may Allah be pleased with them both—

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00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,440
would meet in Ramadan of that year

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00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:24,440
in the village of Adhruh,

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near Dawmat al-Jandal.

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00:11:26,570 --> 00:11:28,570
'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, returned

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00:11:28,570 --> 00:11:30,570
with his army to Kufa,

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00:11:30,570 --> 00:11:32,570
while Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, returned

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with his army to the Levant.

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And each leader strictly

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00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,600
instructed his men

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that no wounded person was to be dispatched,

335
00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,600
no fleeing warrior was to be killed,

336
00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:44,600
no slain soldier was to be despoiled,

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00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:46,600
and none among them took any spoils of war

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from that battle.

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The two arbitrators convened

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at the appointed time and place,

341
00:11:53,529 --> 00:11:55,529
and the arbitration was attended by

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00:11:55,529 --> 00:11:57,529
Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan

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00:11:57,529 --> 00:11:59,529
and 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both.

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However, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib,

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00:12:01,529 --> 00:12:03,529
may Allah be pleased with him, was unable to attend

346
00:12:03,529 --> 00:12:05,529
because he was occupied

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with the uprisings of the Kharijites

348
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at that time.

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'Amr said to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari,

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may Allah be pleased with them both,

351
00:12:13,759 --> 00:12:15,759
after their deliberations:

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"What is your view concerning this matter?"

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00:12:17,759 --> 00:12:19,759
meaning the caliphate.

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00:12:19,759 --> 00:12:21,759
Abu Musa replied:

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00:12:21,759 --> 00:12:23,759
"I believe it belongs to those prominent men with whom

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00:12:23,759 --> 00:12:25,759
the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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00:12:25,759 --> 00:12:27,759
was well pleased when he passed away,"

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meaning by this

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'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him.

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00:12:31,759 --> 00:12:33,850
'Amr said:

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00:12:33,850 --> 00:12:35,850
"Then where do you place myself and Mu'awiyah?"

362
00:12:35,850 --> 00:12:37,850
Abu Musa replied:

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00:12:37,850 --> 00:12:39,850
"If he seeks your help,

364
00:12:39,850 --> 00:12:41,850
you can offer assistance;

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00:12:41,850 --> 00:12:43,850
and if he has no need of you,

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Allah's decree has always been independent

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of you both."

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Thus the arbitration concluded on this note,

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00:12:49,850 --> 00:12:51,850
and a fateful chapter of history

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00:12:51,850 --> 00:12:53,850
was brought to a close—

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the event known as the Battle of Siffin.

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00:12:55,850 --> 00:12:58,590
It is essential to point out here

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that it is our duty

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to maintain the best opinion

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00:13:02,590 --> 00:13:04,590
of the noble Companions on both sides,

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00:13:04,590 --> 00:13:06,590
to refrain from delving into the disputes

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00:13:06,590 --> 00:13:08,590
that broke out between them,

378
00:13:08,590 --> 00:13:10,590
and to interpret their conflict charitably:

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00:13:10,590 --> 00:13:12,590
they were diligent scholars exercising ijtihad based on their best interpretation,

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00:13:12,590 --> 00:13:14,590
intending thereby

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00:13:14,590 --> 00:13:16,590
neither disobedience nor pure worldly ambition;

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00:13:16,590 --> 00:13:18,590
rather, each side genuinely believed

383
00:13:18,590 --> 00:13:20,590
that it was upon the truth

384
00:13:20,590 --> 00:13:22,590
and that its opponents had transgressed,

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making it an obligation to fight them

386
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in compliance with the divine command.

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00:13:27,590 --> 00:13:29,590
In concluding this painful chapter,

388
00:13:29,590 --> 00:13:31,590
we recount

389
00:13:31,590 --> 00:13:33,590
this gladsome dream

390
00:13:33,590 --> 00:13:35,590
related by

391
00:13:35,590 --> 00:13:37,590
Abu Maysarah, 'Amr ibn Shurahbil,

392
00:13:37,590 --> 00:13:39,590
who was among the most distinguished

393
00:13:39,590 --> 00:13:41,590
companions of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud,

394
00:13:41,590 --> 00:13:43,590
may Allah be pleased with him.

395
00:13:43,590 --> 00:13:45,590
He said: "I saw in

396
00:13:45,590 --> 00:13:47,590
a dream as though I had entered

397
00:13:47,590 --> 00:13:49,590
Paradise, and behold, there were

398
00:13:49,590 --> 00:13:51,590
pitched pavilions.

399
00:13:51,590 --> 00:13:53,590
So I asked, "Whose are these?"

400
00:13:53,590 --> 00:13:55,590
They replied, "They belong to Dhu al-Kala'

401
00:13:55,590 --> 00:13:57,590
and his companions."

402
00:13:57,590 --> 00:13:59,590
And he was among those killed alongside

403
00:13:59,590 --> 00:14:01,590
Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him.

404
00:14:01,590 --> 00:14:03,590
So I asked, "Then where is

405
00:14:03,590 --> 00:14:05,590
'Ammar?" They answered,

406
00:14:05,590 --> 00:14:07,649
"Ahead of you."

407
00:14:07,649 --> 00:14:09,649
I said, "Even though they killed

408
00:14:09,649 --> 00:14:11,649
one another?"

409
00:14:11,649 --> 00:14:13,649
They replied, "Indeed,

410
00:14:13,649 --> 00:14:15,649
they found Allah, Mighty and Majestic,

411
00:14:15,649 --> 00:14:18,320
all-embracing in forgiveness."

412
00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,320
May Allah be pleased with the Companions,

413
00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,320
all of them,

414
00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,320
and unite us with them in the Gardens

415
00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,320
of Eden on the Day of Judgment.

416
00:14:55,519 --> 00:14:57,519
'Ubadah,

417
00:14:57,519 --> 00:14:59,519
the two Sa'ds,

418
00:14:59,519 --> 00:15:01,519
and the two caliphs...