Battle of the Camel in Fath al-Bari: Talha, Zubayr and Ammar

In Ibn Hajar’s Fath al- Bari, a commentary on Sahih al- Bukhari, in volume thirteen, page fifty-eight.

Ibn Abi Shaybah also related, with an authentic chain of transmission, from Zayd ibn Wahb, who said: Talha and al-Zubayr set out and arrived in Basra, where they seized Ali’s governor there, Ibn Hanif, and Ali set out and arrived at Dhu Qar.

These, brothers, are the actual events of the Battle of the Camel.

Anyone who tells you it happened by chance— No, no, no.

Talha and al- Zubayr headed for Basra, according to an authentic chain, as Ibn Hajar says.

They took it by force, with the sword.

They seized Ali’s governor. They saw him.

And by what right are you even a governor?

You—you, what are you doing in Basra? By what authority are you governor of Basra?

They seized him as they seize criminals.

They seized Ali’s governor there, Ibn Hanif.

This shows you that Talha and al- Zubayr had not pledged allegiance to Ali ibn Abi Talib in the first place, and if they did pledge allegiance, then…

then they did so under duress, as the reports establish.

And even if they pledged allegiance willingly, they were the people entitled to decide such matters, and they deposed him, seized his governor, and expelled him.

They arrived in Basra and seized Ali's governor, Ibn Hanif.

His name was Uthman ibn Hanif. Then Ali set out to reclaim his governorship.

The governorship of Basra. Those who tell you the war happened by chance— No, my dear.

The Battle of the Camel didn't happen by chance.

Talha and al- Zubayr fought with swords, took Basra, and seized it outright from Ali's rule.

They deposed him, the Companions deposed him.

Talha and al- Zubayr deposed him. They seized his governor in Basra.

Would they have continued besieging and reclaiming the provinces?

Ali set out and then encamped at Dhu Qar.

He sent Abdullah ibn Abbas to Kufa, but they were slow to respond.

He sent Ammar to them, and they came out to meet him.

He climbed the pulpit, and Hasan was at its top.

And he stood up so they would urge them on.

Ali came to Iraq and set up camp at Dhu Qar.

Then he sent Ammar, and also sent al-Ashtar.

He sent Abdullah ibn Abbas to rally the people of Kufa.

Ammar urged the people on and addressed them, calling them to go out and fight whom?

Look, look, look, look, look, look, look.

Look at what he says. Ammar climbed the pulpit and urged the people to go out and fight Aisha.

So it was Ammar's mission, which Ali had assigned to him.

He incited people to fight Aisha. Ammar stood on the pulpit and urged the people.

These are Ibn Hajar's words. Listen. He urged the people. He tells you, “No.”

A war just happened by chance. What do you mean, by chance?

What do you mean, by chance? By whose chance, while people were asleep?

Come on, man. Whose chance? Things don't happen by chance. Don't lie.

Don't lie. Don't lie.

Ammar stood on the pulpit and urged the people to go out and fight Aisha.

Verbatim. Verbatim. Why are you concealing this, people of the Sunnah, Abbasids, may God preserve you?

Why are you concealing it? Why do you say no?

Ali didn't mean to. Ammar didn't mean to fight.

What do you mean, he didn't mean to, when on the pulpit he urged people to fight Aisha?

What do you mean, he didn't mean to?

Admit it. Admit it. It's okay, just say yes.

Ammar was inciting people to fight Aisha, that's all.

That's the end of it. It's fine, just say it.

These books. The books are shouting. They're telling us this.

Why are you ashamed, then? Why are you ashamed of Ammar and Ali's stance?

Or aren't you the ones who say Ammar and Ali were in the right?

And Ammar is killed by the rebellious faction.

And Ali goes wherever the truth goes. Fine, just say we incite people to fight Aisha.

Why the dissimulation, then? Why are you hiding behind—behind masks?

No. Leave us alone. And… why?

Why, exactly? Why don’t you come out and say, “Yes”?

Ammar and Ali incited people to fight Aisha.

Why? Why are you ashamed? Because sin troubles your conscience, and you hate for people to find out about it.

You’re ashamed to state what you actually believe.

You’re ashamed to state your creed. Your creed is to fight the Mother of the Believers, Aisha.

Unless you disavow this entire group. Otherwise, you’re an accomplice of Ammar and this group, who incited people to fight the Mother of the Believers, to terrorize her, and to… and to… and to intimidate her.

In… in the Battle of the Camel. You support them, and the sin will fall on you if you go out in front of ordinary Muslims and deceive them.

You… you… you’re an accomplice of the killers who frightened and terrorized the Mother of the Believers.