As several historians have described the night of horror in trustworthy books, after giving the above letter [of A’li to Moa’wiah], this humble, destitute, and incapable individual [i.e., the author], following their example, states that when A’li the Commander of the Faithful had indited the above recorded letter to Moa’wiah, who duly received it, he despaired of a conclusion of peace. Accordingly the next day the bold and valorous combatants of both parties were drawn out in lines, and ready for a battle. A’li the Commander of the Faithful having placed on his head the joy-boding turban of his prophetic lordship, mounted the charger of that prince, took up a position between the two [opposing] lines, haranguing them in a loud voice and eloquent language, as follows: ‘O ye men, whoever sells this day his life to God, as He says, “Verily Allah hath purchased,”* will often swear concerning this day, saying, “By that God, in whose grasp the life of A’li is, if I had not apprehended that the tenets of the religion and the rights of the Musalmâns would be destroyed by rebels, obstinate and unrighteous men, I would have remained sitting in my house, and would have preferred ease and comfort to strife and war.” Now it becomes necessary that we should lead these erring people to the straight road, and I shall invite them to accept the ordinances of the prince of apostles. Be aware that this is a remainder of the disappointment of Bedr, of Ohod, and of the time of [pre-Islamitic] ignorance, which has settled in the aggrieved heart of Moa’wiah, and of which he desires to be liberated this day; attack, therefore, the leaders of the unbelievers, because they have no religion.’ The notable Mohâjer, the Anssâr, and well-known inhabitants of the country, then said: ‘The small doubt existing in our minds was removed when A’mmâr Yâser was slain, and we learnt as a certainty that Moa’wiah B. Abu Sofiân is a rebel with all his adherents. To-day our intention to follow thee is more intense than ever, and we have girded our loins to do whatsoever thou wishest, persevering firmly in our obedience to thee.’ The Amir of the Faithful having applauded these sentiments, then advanced towards the opponents, followed by ten thousand cavalry, consisting of experienced warriors, from the Hejâz and from E’râq, with drawn swords. When they had come close to the lines of the antagonists, he said to his friends: ‘I shall assail these people; you must keep together, not separate from each other, and your attack must be [unanimous] like that of one man.’ Having said these words, he rushed at the enemies, his ten thousand men likewise attacking them and breaking the ranks of the rebels. They slew innumerable foes, and the legs of their horses were dyed with blood; they so paralyzed the forces of Syria that they became weak and could not move. Moa’wiah then turned to A’mru A´ass, and said: ‘O father of A’bdullah, we must take hold of the jugular vein of patience to-day that we may boast to-morrow.’ A’mru replied: ‘Thou speakest the truth, but to-day death is a reality and life a vanity. If the Lord A’li B. Abu Ttâleb makes another onslaught like this, none of us will remain alive.’ On that day Mâlek Ashtar prostrated many warriors, but also numerous men of the victorious army were killed by arrows, whereon Mâlek Ashtar, witnessing the scene, began to weep aloud. A’li the Commander of the Faithful then honoured him with his companionship, and asked: ‘May God the Most High preserve thy eyes from crying! what is the reason of thy distress?’ Mâlek replied: ‘I behold numbers who have attained the happiness of martyrdom in serving thy august person, but I have been excluded from that beatitude up to this time.’ Then Ali the Commander of the Faithful consoled and praised him.
On that day the two armies stormed like the Indian Ocean, and assailed each other like two mountains of steel; the firmament was obscured by dust; the kettledrums, trumpets, and brass fifes roared, bringing to the mind the verse, ‘Verily the shock of the last hour will be a terrible thing,* and the truth of the words, ‘It wanteth little that the heavens be rent,’* was revealed to the hearts of men. The chiefs of Islâm shouted the Takbyr into the faces of the enemy, and ‘Aid from Allah with a speedy victory.’*
The fire of the conflict having commenced to blaze, the lightning scimitars of the warriors caused showers of blood to rain as if from clouds, while their emerald poniards elicited vermilion-coloured water from the bodies of the enemies, defiling the countenance of the azure sky with red wine:
| Distich: | The arrow-points moving quick like thoughts Drew brooks of water from men’s eyes. |
A’li the Commander of the Faithful, placing his foot in the world-conquering stirrup, made an assault like storms and clouds, reciting the verse, ‘It wanteth little but that the unbelievers,’* to ward off the Evil-eye. Thus the conflict lasted till the cavalry alighted, placing their knees on the ground, attacking each other with their swords till they broke as well as their lances, and the banners were overturned; moreover, the dust raised became so blinding that the combatants were unable to see each other. On that day no one had a chance to recite the prescribed orisons; and although the poniard-darting sun had thrown a ray of consideration on the western regions, and had disappeared from the sight, the warriors and heroes of both sides continued to fight, grasping each other at last by the necks and ripping open entrails. During that night A’li the Commander of the Faithful looked several times to the sky, saying: ‘O God, hearts know Thee, feet are hastening to Thee, and hands are stretched forth imploring Thee to grant their requests. O Cherisher of mankind, judge thou between us and these people, because thou art the best of judges.’ It is said that after uttering this prayer he rushed in the darkness of the night at the enemies and was followed by his adherents.
There is a tradition that whenever the Amir of the Faithful had during that night prostrated an enemy with his Dhu-l-fiqâr, he shouted the Takbyr, and that one of his intimate companions, who attended on the heaven-aspiring stirrup, and kept an account, found that when the morning dawned the number of Takbyrs had reached five hundred and twenty-three. The author of the ‘Mostaqassa’ narrates that there is a tradition of Sa’yd Alsamnany in the ‘Moa’jjam Kabyr,’ according to which Moa’wiah said: ‘During the night of horror A’li had slain more than nine hundred combatants with his own hand. Having become despondent during that night, I determined to do one of two things, namely, either to request A’bdullah B. A’bbâs to obtain permission for me from A’li to depart to Mekkah and to sojourn in the sanctuary, or to betake myself to the Qaissar of Rûm [i.e., Byzantium], and going to some island of that country to dwell in peace. At last, however, I remembered two distichs recommending patience and endurance in hostilities and battles, w herefore I placed the foot of constancy under the skirt of patience, ready to endure whatever might take place.’—In the history of Aa’thum Kûfy it is recorded that the aged men of Syria uttered many lamentations and wailings during the night of horror, saying: ‘Fear God and have pity upon these men who are the remnant of so many thousands; spare women and children, and cease fighting.’ These words produced, however, no effect whatever, and the opponents continued to fight till the sun had risen high and numberless people on both sides had been killed. Aa’thum Kûfy states that certain trustworthy men had counted the number of persons slain in this war, and had found it to amount to six thousand. It is stated in the Menâhej Alsâlekyn that thirty-three thousand men perished in the night of horror, whereas in the Mostaqassa it is recorded that two thousand and seventy-one of the victorious army, and seven thousand men, or nearly so, of the adherents of the rebellion and opposition were slain.