The arbitration after Siffin

التحكيم بعد صفين

37 AH

After the copies of the Qur'an were raised, the document of arbitration was written between Ali and Mu'awiya: Abdallah ibn Qays and Amr ibn al-As (may God be pleased with him) were to judge between the community, and the decision would run until Ramadan ¹. A man from one side of the mosque cried: «No judgement but God's»; then men came forward one after another calling for arbitration, and Ali replied to them that judgement belongs to God ². The volume's index points to the meeting of the two arbiters at Dumat al-Jandal ³. The people of Syria chose Amr ibn al-As, while al-Ash'ath and those with him insisted on Abu Musa despite Ali's objection that he was not trustworthy. The document stipulated that the two arbiters should give life to what the Qur'an gives life to and cause to die what it causes to die, and not follow their desires; the term was set until Ramadan. It was concluded a few days before the end of Safar in the year thirty-seven. Urwa ibn Udhayna was the first to utter «No judgement but God's». The death toll was disputed: Yahya ibn Ma'in reported one hundred and ten thousand from both sides, over one hundred and ten days; al-Haytham ibn Adi, al-Sharqi ibn al-Qatami and Abu Mikhnaf reported seventy thousand, among them twenty-five men of Badr; al-Mas'udi favoured a higher figure still ⁴

Overview

After the lifting of the Qur'ans, the document of arbitration was written between Ali and Mu'awiya. It provided that Abd Allah ibn Qays and Amr ibn al-As should judge between the community, and that the judgement should be given by Ramadan. ¹

"No judgement but God's"

al-Tabari relates that a man from the side of the mosque said: "No judgement but God's." Then men followed, calling for arbitration. Ali replied that judgement belongs to God. ²

What al-Mas'udi adds

The people of Syria chose Amr ibn al-As. al-Ash'ath and those with him insisted on Abu Musa, despite Ali's objection and his saying that Abu Musa was not trustworthy. The document stated that the two arbiters should revive what the Qur'an revives and cause to die what it causes to die, and should not follow their own desires. Its drafting took place a few days before the end of Safar 37 AH. ⁵

al-Mas'udi mentions that the first to speak the words "No judgement but God's" was Urwa ibn Udhayna. ⁵

The number of dead

The reports differ over the number killed. Yahya ibn Ma'in reported one hundred and ten thousand from both sides, over a hundred and ten days. al-Haytham ibn Adi, al-Sharqi ibn al-Qatami and Abu Mikhnaf reported seventy thousand, among them twenty-five men who had fought at Badr. al-Mas'udi preferred a higher figure. ⁵

The indexes point to the meeting of the two arbiters at Dumat al-Jandal. See the meeting of the arbiters at Dumat al-Jandal. ³

Opinions on the question

First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference

al-Sallabi, from a Sunni standpoint, holds that the arbitration concerned qisas, not the caliphate, that Ali's bay'a was never dissolved, and that the stories of deception attributed to Abu Musa and Amr are not established.

More opinions (1)

Academic viewSecondary opinion

The academic view of the arbitration is not yet set out from this volume; to be added from an academic source.

Sources

Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.5 p.54

Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.5 p.73

Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.5 p.627

Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi , p. 682-685

Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi , p.682-685

Asma al-Matalib fi Sirat Amir al-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib, vol. 2