world to and deceived you…the women of Sham see your situation, and Allah will knock you down on your face being killed.”
Ubaydillah unsuccessfully returned to Mu’awiya and told him about his talk with Imam al-Hasan. Mu’awiya said: “, he is the son of his father!”[1]
On that day, Ubaydillah went out to the battlefield and fought with the front that showed spites toward Islam. He quickly met his death at the hand of a noble man from Hamadan. Imam al-Hasan (a.s) was pleased when Ubaydillah bin Umar was killed and he said; “Praise be to Allah for that!”[2] Ubaydillah met his end while he was an enemy to Allah and His Apostle. He rebelled against Islam and revolted against the Imam of Muslims.
The Inclusive War
Skirmishes between the two parties continued for a long time. No inclusive battle took place between them. Each party was tired of this long, useless state. There was no hope for making peace and unity. Rather, it made the discord and evil extend and spread. When Imam Ali knew that, he mobilized his companions and got ready for the general war. When Mu’awiya saw that, he did as the Imam had done. The two parties met each other. Imam al-Hasan (a.s) hurried to attack the people of Sham. When Imam Ali saw him, he became astonished and terrified, and said to those around him: “Save this boy for me! (Do not let him) end me, for I am stingy with these two (al-Hasan and al-Husayn) lest the progeny of Allah’s Apostle would cease (after killing them)!”[3]
The fire of the war flared up and its heat became intense. People were afraid; terror and death dominated them. The right wing of the Imam’s troops was defeated. The center of the troops became weak and the defeat appeared among them. Imam Ali summoned Sahl bin Hunayf and commanded him to go along with those with him to the right wing, and he did. However, the troops of Sham attacked them and made them retreat. They returned defeated to the left wing. The tribe of Mudhar was forced to leave the right wing, while the tribe of Rabee’a was steadfast there. One of them said: “O people of Rabee’a, you would have no excuse after today near the Arabs if Ameerul Mo’minin is struck while he is among you!”
The men of Rabee‘a allied with each other for death. They were steadfast in the battlefield. They were calm and they paid no attention to death. They
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[1] Bihar al-Anwar.
[2] Waqi‘at Siffin, p. 334.
[3] Muhammad ‘Abda, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 2, p. 212.