| Ali's Eastern Campaigns | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Military career of Ali | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Rashidun Caliphate | Rebels of Zaranj Bandits of Sindh Jats | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Ali ibn Abi Talib Al-Harith ibn Murra al-Abdi Saghir ibn Zu'r Abd al-Rahman al-Ta’i † Rab’i bin al-Kahhas al-Anbari | Hasaka ibn Atab al-Habati † Imran ibn al-Fadl | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 5,000+ | 20,000 [5] | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | 1,000 killed | ||||||||
Ali's Eastern Campaigns were military expeditions sent by the fourth Rashidun caliph Ali to the eastern borders of the Caliphate in order to subjugate rebels and suppress bandits across the Indus Valley region in the midst of the First Fitna. The campaigns resulted in the victory of Ali's forces, and the Caliphate reasserting its authority over its eastern provinces.
According to Derryl N. MacLean, Hakim ibn Jabalah al Abd, a companion of Muhammad, had travelled to Makran in 649 to report to the Caliph about the region. He was amongst the first proto-Shi'ites (supporters of Ali) who died alongside other Jats during the Battle of the Camel. Hakim was a poet and a few couplets composed by him in praise of Ali can be found in the Chach Nama. During the reign of Caliph Ali, Jats had come under the influence of Islam. In 658, Harith ibn Murrah al-Abdi and Sayfi ibn Fil' al Shaybani attacked the bandits in Sindh. They were amongst the seven partisans of Ali who were executed in Damascus in 660 alongside Hujr ibn Adi.
In 654, Abd al-Rahman ibn Samrah who was the governor of Sistan during the reign of the third Rashidun caliph Uthman, led an army to suppress a revolt in the region of Zaranj in southern Afghanistan. The revolt was crushed with one column of the army conquering the regions of Kabul and Ghazni along the Hindu Kush while the other column moved towards northeastern Balochistan, conquering the area up to the ancient cities of the Dawar and Bolan. By 654, the entirety of Balochistan was under the control of the Rashidun Caliphate except the region of Qayqan. The conquest of Qayqan took place during Ali's reign. Ibn Samrah remained as the governor of Sistan until 656. During the turmoil of the First Fitna, the conquered regions revolted against the Rashidun Caliphate. [6]
Al-Harith ibn Murra al-Abdi volunteered for the Sindh campaign after Ali gave them the authorization to invade Sindh. Al-Harith ibn Murra al-Abdi raided the outskirts of Sindh and took captives. The Muslim Arab army emerged victorious and gained a lot of spoils. [7] During Ali's rule as caliph, two expeditions to Sindh took place, which were led by Saghir ibn Zu'r in 659 and Al-Harith ibn Murra al-Abdi in 660. [8]
During Ali's rule as caliph, a military expedition was launched towards the region of Qayqan which lay along the Bolan Pass. The Muslims advanced up to the Bolan Pass without any resistance. [9]
In 658, the army under Al-Harith ibn Murra al-Abdi met the inhabitants of Qayqan and fought them near the Qayqan pass which is present in modern-day Kalat. The Muslim Arab army emerged victorious [10] and killed 1000 people in one day. [11] Al-Harith ibn Murra al-Abdi was killed while making raids four years later during the rule of the first Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya I, despite his success in the first raid. [12] [13] [14] In 662, according to Chach Nama, the region of Qayqan was under the direct administrative control of the Chach Rai which was inhabited by the Jats and the Medes. The inhabitants put up a strong struggle against the Arab army and defeated them. The Chachnama mentions the people of Qayqan to have been overpowered. [15]
After the assassination of the third Rashidun caliph Uthman ibn Affan, the rebels in Zaranj under Hasaka ibn Atab al-Habati and Imran ibn al-Fadl revolted and expelled Uthman's governor of the region. Ali ibn Abi Talib, the next Rashidun caliph, sent Abd al-Rahman al-Ta’i who was killed by Hasaka. Ali then wrote to Abd Allah ibn Abbas to send 40,000 men to Sistan. Ibn Abbas sent Rab’i bin al-Kahhas al-Anbari with 4,000 troops to take control of Zaranj. When Rab'i reached the city, Imran and Hasaka fought fiercely with Rab'i where Hasaka was killed and Rab'i captured the city. [16]
During Ali's reign as caliph, a few naval raids were conducted on Thane, Bharuch and Debal. [17]