First Fitna
| First Fitna | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Early Islamic civil wars | ||||||||
 Map of the Ali–Mu'awiya conflict phase of the First Fitna | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||
| Rashidun Caliphate |
Umayyad Syria Uthmaniyya | Kharijites | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
|
Ali X Hasan ibn Ali Ammar ibn Yasir † Malik al-Ashtar X |
Mu'awiya I Aisha (POW) Talha † Zubayr Amr ibn al-As |
Abd Allah ibn Wahb † Hurqus ibn Zuhayr  | ||||||
The First Fitna (Arabic: الفتنة الأولى) was the first major civil war in the history of Islam, fought between 656 and 661 CE. It began after the assassination of the third caliph, Uthman, and was centered on the rightful claim of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. Supporters of Ali saw him as the only legitimate leader of the Muslim community, while his opponents challenged his authority.
Background
Ali was chosen as caliph in 656 after Uthman’s death. His rule was immediately opposed by groups who had benefited under Uthman, especially members of the Umayyad family. Ali’s supporters emphasized his legitimacy as the first male to accept Islam and his role as the Prophet’s companion and son-in-law.
War
The war began with the Battle of the Camel in 656, where Ali’s forces defeated the army led by Aisha, Talha, and Zubayr near Basra. In 657, Ali fought against Mu'awiya at the Battle of Siffin. Although Ali’s army was stronger, arbitration was forced upon him, weakening his position. In 658, Ali fought the secessionist Kharijites at the Battle of Nahrawan and defeated them.
Death of Ali
In 661, Ali was assassinated in Kufa by a Kharijite dissident. The Umayyads, led by Mu'awiya, established their dynasty afterwards, although Ali’s supporters, later known as Shi‘a, continued to uphold his family as the rightful leaders of the Muslim community.
Legacy
The First Fitna was not only a political struggle but also a defining moment in Islamic history. For Ali’s followers, it proved his rightful claim and his martyrdom for justice. The conflict created the division between Sunni and Shia Islam, with Shi'as continuing to honor Ali as the first Imam and the true successor of the Prophet Muhammad.
References
- ↑ Wilferd Madelung, The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 155–160.
- ↑ Hugh Kennedy, The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates, Routledge, 2016, pp. 82–90.
- ↑ Jonathan A.C. Brown, The Early Islamic Empire, Oxford University Press, 2014, pp. 45–47.
- ↑ Farhad Daftary, A Short History of the Ismailis, Edinburgh University Press, 1998, pp. 12–15.
- ↑ Madelung, Succession to Muhammad, pp. 175–180.