Battle of the Camel

Overview

The Battle of the Camel, also known as the Battle of Basra took place in 656 CE outside of Basra in Iraq. It was fought between the partisans of the fourth Rashidun caliph Ali and the rebelling Uthmaniyya led by Aisha, Talha, and Zubayr. Ali's loyalists consisted predominantly of Kufan and Medinan troops, while his opponents consisted of a coalition of Meccan and Basran forces. Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, while Aisha was a widow of Muhammad; Talha and Zubayr were both early converts to Islam and prominent companions. Ali emerged victorious from the battle; Talha was killed in the engagement, while Zubayr left the field before the fighting began and was later assassinated. Aisha, riding a red camel after which the battle was named, was escorted back to Hejaz afterward. The triumvirate had revolted against Ali to avenge the assassination of the third Rashidun caliph Uthman, although Aisha and Talha are both known to have opposed him during his reign. The three also called for Ali's removal from the caliphal office and for a Qurayshite council, involving Talha and Zubayr, to appoint his successor.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of the Camel was the first major armed conflict between Muslims in the history of Islam, fought during the First Fitna between Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Rashidun caliph, and the Uthmaniyya coalition led by Aisha, Talha, and Zubayr outside Basra in 656 CE. The opposing coalition had rallied under the stated cause of avenging the assassination of the third caliph Uthman and demanded Ali's removal in favor of a Qurayshite succession council involving Talha and Zubayr — though both Aisha and Talha had themselves opposed Uthman during his reign. Ali's victory, achieved with predominantly Kufan and Medinan forces against a Meccan and Basran coalition, secured his hold on the caliphate and eliminated two prominent early companions as political rivals: Talha was killed in the fighting, and Zubayr, who withdrew before battle was joined, was subsequently assassinated. Aisha was escorted back to Hejaz following the defeat. With Uthmaniyya casualties recorded at approximately 2,500 against equal force sizes on both sides, the engagement demonstrated the scale of fracture within the early Muslim polity and set the trajectory of the First Fitna, in which questions of legitimate succession and culpability for Uthman's death would continue to divide the caliphate.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (30)