Category Archives: Islam History B: the Umayyads

Mu’awiya’s Tricky Triumph, 659

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Ruth

Back at the negotiating table, Mu’awiya sent Amr, the conqueror of Egypt, to represent him. Ali could have sent an equally astute general, his cousin al-Ashtar, but the fighting men insisted on Abu Musa, who had been Ali’s appointed governor … Continue reading →

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The First Terrorists at Nahrawand

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Ruth

In a culture where it takes days to get anywhere and weeks to exchange messages, nothing happens fast unless it’s done with a knife. So once the battle had been set aside, with an agreement to find a negotiated path, … Continue reading →

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The Battle of Siffin, 657

Posted on June 5, 2021 by Ruth

At last, after refusing to resign and circulating insulting satire against Caliph/Imam Ali, Mu’awiya made a formal allegation that Ali had engineered the death of Caliph Uthman. Further, he challenged Ali’s position as Caliph at all. In his allegation, he … Continue reading →

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The Umayyad Challenge to Ali

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Ruth

After the Battle of the Camel, Ali settled matters in Basra, paying those who had fought for him out of the official treasury. With Basra secured, he rode north to Kufa and stayed there. To some extent, the future of … Continue reading →

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The Battle of the Camel, 656

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Ruth

Ali’s army from Medina, joined by several thousand men from Kufa, camped on a wide plain outside Basra in Iraq. Facing them on the plain was an equally large army from Mecca, joined by several thousand men from Basra. But … Continue reading →

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A’isha in Opposition, 656

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Ruth

The first challenge to Ali as Caliph or Imam came quickly. A’isha had gone to Mecca during the revolt against Uthman, and she was returning to Medina when she heard that Ali had been acclaimed as the next Caliph. A’isha … Continue reading →

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Ali: Caliph or Imam? 656

Posted on May 28, 2021 by Ruth

For some period of time, probably two days but perhaps more, the people of Medina processed what had just occurred. The rebels, and some of the citizens, went to Ali to insist that he should become Caliph next. The six-man … Continue reading →

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Revolt And Death of Uthman, 655-6

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Ruth

Another Umayyad cousin named Marwan was Uthman’s chief secretary, or probably Chief of Staff. As in the White House, access to the ruler goes through the Chief of Staff. Marwan could determine who got to talk to Uthman, and he … Continue reading →

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Protests Against Uthman, 654

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Ruth

Twenty years before this time, Abu Bakr had been Caliph and the first conquests in Mesopotamia and Syria had planted the first Arab Muslim towns. Approximately sixteen years before this time, the garrison cities of Kufa, Basra and Fustat had … Continue reading →

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The New Islamic Navy, 649

Posted on May 25, 2021 by Ruth

In 647, Governor Abdullah ibn Sa’ad led an army west toward Libya. In Amr’s original sweep through Egypt, he had occupied the Libyan coast, but North Africa stretched far into the west and it was still a Roman stronghold. Tunisia, … Continue reading →

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