Chapter 4: The Battle of the Camel and Siffin
The Battle of the Camel:
During the Battle of the Camel, Al-Hasan was positioned on the right flank, but he disliked the idea of fighting and advised his father not to engage in battle.
It is narrated that Al-Hasan ibn Ali said to Sulayman ibn Sard: I saw Ali ibn Abi Talib and when the fighting became severe, he drew close to me and said: O Al-Hasan, if only I had died twenty years before this.
The Battle of Siffin:
Al-Hasan ibn Ali also took part in the Battle of Siffin and he lived through these conflicts and observed first-hand how his father treated the people of Syria.
This later equipped Al-Hasan with the insight and wisdom that enabled him to achieve reconciliation and unite the Muslim Ummah.
The killing of Ammar ibn Yasir played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the Battle of Siffin.
This is because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to Ammar: You will be killed by the group that is in the wrong. (Muslim)
Ammar fought on Ali’s side and was killed by the forces of Mu’awiyah.
This deeply affected many companions and made them recognise that Ali ibn Abi Talib was upon the truth, just as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had foretold.
This also reassured Al-Hasan ibn Ali, strengthening his belief that his father was acting correctly.
Al-Hasan’s View Concerning the War Between Ali and Mu’awiyah:
It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said: While the Prophet was giving a sermon, Al-Hasan entered the Masjid.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: This son of mine is a sayyid, and perhaps through him Allah will reconcile two groups of Muslims. (Bukhari)
This Hadith is clear evidence from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that both parties, the people of Iraq (Ali’s army) and the people of Syria (Mu’awiyah’s army), were Muslims.
This Hadith directly refuted the claim of the Khawarij, who declared both sides to be disbelievers.
In this narration, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explicitly described them as Muslims and as members of his Ummah.
The Prophet foretold that although they would fight one another, both groups would remain believers and would not leave the fold of Islam.