পৃষ্ঠা 21: প্রথম অধ্যায়: দূরবর্তী আলামতসমূহ যা ইতিমধ্যে প্রকাশ পেয়ে অতিক্রান্ত হয়েছে

Aisha; the most resourceful and shrewd of people was Talhah; the most formidable and steadfast of people was al-Zubayr; and the wealthiest of people was Ya'la ibn Umayyah.

So they set out toward Basra and halted near one of the waters belonging to Banu 'Amir, whereupon the dogs began barking. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "What water is this?" They replied: "Al-Haw'ab" (with an unpointed ha' carrying a fathah, a sukun on the waw followed by a hamzah, and then a ba', on the morphological weight of 'Kawkab'. The author of al-Qamus stated: 'A place in Basra.' Al-Damiri stated: 'A river near Basra'). She said: "I think I have no choice but to turn back." Al-Zubayr said to her: "Rather, you should proceed, so that the Muslims may see you and Allah may reconcile between them."

She said: "I think I have no choice but to turn back, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'How will it be for one of you when the dogs of al-Haw'ab bark at her?!'" It was narrated by Ahmad, Abu Ya'la, al-Bazzar, al-Hakim, al-Bayhaqi, and Abu Nu'aym from Qays, who said: "When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reached part of the settlements of Banu 'Amir, the dogs barked at her." And he mentioned the hadith.

They subsequently arrived in Basra, and the people were astonished and inquired about the purpose of their march. They stated that they had set out in wrath for 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and in repentance for their failure to support him. They seized the governor appointed over it by 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibn al-Ahnaf. Meanwhile, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) advanced upon hearing of their departure from Medina, accompanied by nine hundred riders, and encamped at Dhu Qar. Word reached him that the people of Basra had rallied around Talhah and al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them), which weighed heavily upon his companions. Thereupon, he said: "By the One besides Whom there is no deity, you shall certainly overcome the people of Basra, and Talhah and al-Zubayr shall certainly be slain." He dispatched his son al-Hasan and 'Ammar (may Allah be pleased with them) to the people of Kufa to mobilize them. Both entered the mosque and ascended the pulpit; al-Hasan stood upon the upper part of the pulpit while 'Ammar stood beneath him. 'Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke, saying: "The Commander of the Faithful has sent us to you to summon you to mobilize. Indeed, our mother has traveled to Basra. By Allah, I say this to you, and by Allah, she is truly the wife of your Prophet in this world and the Hereafter, but Allah has tested us to see whether we obey Him or her."

Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Commander of the Faithful says: 'I adjure by Allah every man who respects a right due to Allah that he mobilize. If I am wronged, let him assist me; and if I am unjust, let him exact justice from me. By Allah, Talhah and al-Zubayr were the very first to pledge allegiance to me, yet they subsequently breached it, whereas I have neither appropriated wealth for myself nor altered any ruling.'"

Consequently, twelve thousand men marched forth to join him. When he arrived, Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah and Ibn