Battle of the Camel
| Battle of the Camel | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the First Fitna | |||||||
Ali (the fourth caliph) and Aisha at the Battle of the Camel | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Ali ibn Abi Talib Hasan ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah Ammar ibn Yasir Malik al-Ashtar Abd Allah ibn Abbas Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr Qays ibn Sa'd Khuzaima ibn Thabit Adi ibn Hatim Sa'id ibn Qays al-Hamdani Abu Qatada al-Ansari Abu Ayyub al-Ansari Jabir ibn Abd Allah Zayd ibn Suhan † Jundab al-Azdi |
Aisha bint Abi Bakr Zubayr ibn al-Awwam X Talha ibn Ubayd Allah † Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr Marwan ibn al-Hakam Muhammad ibn Talha † Abd Allah ibn Amir Utba ibn Abi Sufyan Al-Walid ibn Uqba Abd Allah ibn Amir al-Hadhrami Yahya ibn al-Hakam (WIA) Sa'id ibn Uthman Aban ibn Uthman Zufar ibn al-Harith al-Kilabi | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| ~10,000 | ~10,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| >400 – 500 | >2,500 | ||||||
The Battle of the Camel, also known as The Battle of Basra (Arabic: معركة الجمل, romanized: Maʿrakat al-Jamal) took place outside of Basra, Iraq, in 36 AH (656 CE). The battle was fought between the largely Kufan forces of the fourth Rashidun caliph Ali (r. 656–661) and the rebelling Uthmaniyya led by Aisha, Talha and Zubayr. Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, while Aisha was a widow of Muhammad, and Talha and Zubayr were both early converts to Islam and prominent companions. Ali emerged victorious from the battle, Talha and Zubayr were both killed, and Aisha was sent back to Hejaz afterward. The triumvirate had revolted against Ali to avenge the assassination of the third Rashidun caliph Uthman (r. 644–656), although Aisha and Talha are both known to have actively opposed him. The three also called for the removal of Ali from the caliphal office and for a Qurayshite council (shura) with Talha and Zubayr to appoint his successor.