| Banu Najiyah Revolt | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of First Fitna | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Rashidun Caliphate | Kharijites of Banu Najiyah Abd al-Qays [2] Christian rebels [3] Non Arab and Kurdish rebels [4] | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Ali Ibn Abi Talib Ziyad ibn Khasafah (WIA) Al-Hilu ibn Auf Al-Azdi † [5] Ma'qil bin Qays Khalid bin Ma‘dan Yazid bin al Mughafil | Al-Khirrit bin Rashid al Naji † [6] | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
Battle of al Madhr: Battle of Ramhormoz: Battle of the Persian Gulf: 2,000 Kufan troops 2,000 Basran troops | Battle of al Madhr: Battle of Ramhormoz: Battle of the Persian Gulf: Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
Battle of al Madhr: 2 troops killed Battle of Ramhormoz: Unknown Battle of the Persian Gulf: Unknown 1 Muslim civilan killed [8] | Battle of al Madhr: 5 troops killed Battle of Ramhormoz: 70 troops from Banu Najiyah killed [9] Contents
Battle of the Persian Gulf: 170 troops killed [11] 500 captured [12] | ||||||||
The Banu Najiyah Revolt was a Kharijite uprising against the Caliphate of Ali by Al-Khirrit bin Rashid. Khirrit mounted supported from various factions who had refused to pay the Sadaqah and were opposed to Ali during the turmoil of the First Fitna. Khirrit also managed to gain support from Christians and fought against Ali's troops in the coasts of the Persian Gulf, ultimately being defeated by the forces of Ali. [13] [14]
During the period of 658-659, Al Khirrit bin Rashid, who had participated on the side of Ali during the Battle of the Camel and Battle of Siffin, declared his opposition to Ali. He came to Ali with 30 horsemen and stated "By God, 'Ali, I will not obey your orders nor pray behind you, and tomorrow I shall separate from you." Ali asked Khirrit to discuss the authoritative precedents of the Qur'an with him. Abdallah bin Fuqaym requested Khirrit to not to separate from Ali after reaching his residence, Khirrit replied that he would make a decision after his discussion of the Qur'an with Ali. Mudrik bin al-Rayyan told Abdallah that if Khirrit decided to defect from the Caliph, he too would from Khirrit. Abdallah bin Fuqaym informed Ali of the situation. Abdallah queried Ali of imprisoning Khirrit, however Ali refused to imprison Khirrit before he manifested any opposition to him. [15] [16]
Ziyad bin Khasafah approached the Caliph and stated that the small defection was not the problem but rather the chances of them defecting large numbers of people loyal to Ali was the issue and proposed to pursue them to bring them back. Ali ordered Ziyad to pursue as far as Dayr Abi Musa. Ziyad stationed at Dayr Abi Musa with 120 - 130 troops. A Muslim horsemen who had passed from Kufa while visiting Niffah, was interrogated by the Kharijites about his opinion on Ali, upon his good remarks, the Kharijites killed him. The action provoked reaction from Ali who cursed them for their actions and asked to remain in their positions for tax collection. Ali wrote a letter to Ziyad where he mentioned that he previously ordered Ziyad to station at Dayr Abi Musa because he was unaware of the direction in which the Kharijtes had moved, however they had now headed towards Niffar and had killed a Muslim from Southern Iraq. He asked Ziyad to pursue them to come back to him but on their refusal to do so he asked Ziyad to fight them and to ask help from God against them. [17] [18]
Following the orders of Ali, Ziyad came to Niffar and marched towards Jarjarāyā. Hearing that Khirrit's army moved towards al-Madhr, they marched towards al-Madhr and confront Khirrit's army who were fresh while Ziyad's army were exhausted. Khirrit accused them of supporting the evildoers instead of God, the Prophet and the Sunnah, however Ziyad replied that he stood with God and the Prophet above all worldly matters. Khirrit proposed for a private argument for avoiding an argument publicly, both leaders dismounted and agreed for a private argument. After agreeing to meet privately, Ziyad ibn Khasafah and his men halted near a water source and dismounted to eat and rest. Ziyad noticed that his troops scattered and had alerted them of a sudden attack, urging them to be remount in case of a sudden attack. Once regrouped he addressed his men estimating that their numbers were nearly equal to the those of Al-Khirrit's forces and that the conflict would lead to a battle. He instructed them to remain prepared and to mount their horses if he calls them. Ziyad advanced to negotiate with Khirrit whereas one of the followers of Khirrit criticised the delay suggesting that the army of Ziyad had been allowed to rest, which can provide advantage to them. [19]
Ziyad queried Khirrit of his rebellion against Ali. Khirrit replied that he disapproved of Ali's leadership and chose to support those who called for consultation (shura). Ziyad rebuked him stating that none could surpass Ali in knowledge, piety, closeness to the Prophet. When Ziyad asked for justice over the killing of the Muslim horsemen by Khirrit's forces, Khirrit defied him. The negotiations fell off and both sides prepared for battle, a fierce battle ensued with losses and injuries on both sides. Two of Ziyad's men including the standard bearer Suwayd and the Abna warrior, Wafid bin Bakr were killed whereas 5 men of the Khirrit's army fell. As the night descended, the fighting ceased leaving both Ziyad and Khirrit wounded. Khirrit's army withdrew to Ahvaz, Ziyad's army pursued them up to Basra where they came to acknowledge that Khirrit's troops were stationed at Ahvaz. 200 supporters had joined the army of Khirrit from Kufa. Ziyad informed Ali about the confrontation and upon learning about the arrival of Khirrit's army to Ahvaz, Ali sent Ma'qil bin Qays with 2000 men to Kufa including Yazid bin al Mughaffal al Azdi. Ali praised Ziyad bin Khasafah for his actions. The army of Banu Najiyah had remained encamped near in a part near Ahwaz where a number of local non Arabs (uluj), bandits and a group of Bedouins positioned themselves against Ali. [20]
Al-Khirrit raided Kufa and killed a group of people of the city and plundered the city. Khirrit then reached Oman and killed Al-Hilu ibn Auf Al-Azdi, Ali's governor of Oman. [21] [22]
Khirrit's army began to move upwards towards the hills of Ramhormoz aiming for a fortified castle, the local residents informed Ma'qil about their movements. Both armies met near the hill, Ma'qil formed a line and placed Yazid bin al Mughaffal over his right wing and Minjab bin Rashid, one of the Basran troops at his left. Khirrit too formed a line with Bedouins in his right wing and the locals, non arabs who wanted to avoid Kharaj and Kurds in the left wing. Ma'qil encouraged his troops for the war against the non Arabs and Kurds. Shortly after the battle took placed where 70 men of Banu Najiyah and 300 non Arabs and Kurds were killed. Al-Khirrit fled to the shores of the sea where there was a significant number of his tribe members and continued his opposition to Ali. Khirrit was forced to flee to Bahrain where he continued his opposition to Ali. [23] Ma'qil had written a letter to Ali about the incident, in return Ali praised him and asked him to expel or kill Khirrit. [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]
Khirrit established himself near the sea where he continued to oppose Ali and gathered support from Bani Abd al-Qais and their allies from rest of the Arabs. His tribe did not pay taxes during the year of Siffin and had a due payment of two years. Ma'qil marched against them with an army of Kufans and Basrans. Upon hearing about Ma'qil's march, Khirrit approached his allies and ensured his Khwarij ideological allignment with them. Many of them were Christians who had previously converted to Islam but during the rise of dissension during the First Fitna, they reverted to Christianity suggesting a negative opinion of Islam. Khirrit intimidated them by stating the Ali had no tolerance for conversions and would behead them. [29] [30]
Khirrit continued to gather support from the region and many men joined him. The army sent by Ali against Banu Najiyah arrived and found them to be divided into three groups, one group was Christian who held that no religion was better than Christianity, another group were previously Christians but now were Muslims and the other group were Christians who joined Islam but later reverted back to Christianity. [31] The commander of Ali's army ordered to kill the men and capture the dependents. The dependents were captured and brought to Ali and were sold to Masqalah bin Hubayrah who himself went back to Mu'awiya. [32]
Ma'qil raised a flag and declared that whoever comes to the flag has security except for the men of Ma'qil then prepared for the battle by placing Yazid al Mughaffal in his right wing and al Minjab bin Rashid in his left wing. Khirrit's army consisted of Muslims and Christians of his tribe who refused to pay Sadaqah. Yazid charged at Khirrit's forces and fought firecly however returned back to his position, Minjab too charged and fought firecly but Khirrit's forces held firm and Minjab withdrew to his position. Ma'qil ordered both wings to attack with him on Khirrit's forces. Khirrit's men held for a while however Al-Numan bin Suhban al Rasibi of Banu Jarm, spied on Al-Khirrit and stabbed him, dismounting him. Numan dismounted and exchanged blows with Khirrit and killed Khirrit. 170 men of Khirrit's army was killed and a large number of his troops when and were captured by Ma'qil along with women and children. The Muslims who offered allegiance and Christians who accepted Islam were released. A Christian named Al-Rumahis bin Mansar was killed after his rejection to accept Islam. Ma'qil then gathered the captured and took two years of the due Sadaqah payment and took the Christians as captive with him. [33] [34]
Masqalah bin Hubayrah al-Shaybani, governor for Ali of Ardashirkhurrah agreed to buy the 500 prisoners of the war after an offer by Ma'qil for selling them for a million dirhams. Masqalah agreed to give a first installment immediately and to pay the rest likewise until the full payment is accomplished. Masqalah set free the prisoners without informing Ali. Ali wrote a letter to Masqalah criticising him of the act and urged to pay the remaining 500000 dirhams and asked to pay it to his messenger or to visit him. He visited Ali who gave him few days, after which he paid 200000 dirhams. Unable to pay the remaining amount, Masqalah absconded to Muawiya. [35] Ali demolished the house of Masqalah in retaliation. [36] Masqalah sent a messenger named Hulwan to Nu‘aym bin Hubayrah who was a Shia and a sincere adviser of Ali with a letter stating that Mu'awiya had promised Numan some position and honor and urged Numan to come to him. Malik bin Ka‘b al-Arhabi seized Hulam and brought him to Ali who cut off his hand and he later died. Numan wrote a letter of Masqalah criticising his absconding of Ali. The tribe of Hulam, men of Banu Taghlib blamed Masqalah to be the reason of his death and asked him to either bring him to life or to pay for his death, Masqalah agreed to pay for his death. [37]
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