It is commonly claimed that all the companions of the prophet were reliable/trustworthy, or some hadith scholars say only some are and it is determined on an individual basis.
However in the 1st fitna (civil war) there was allegedly tens of thousands of companions fighting and killing each other.
Narrated by Abu Bakrah:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"When two Muslims fight each other with their swords, both the killer and the one who is killed will be in Hell."
The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah, this is understandable for the killer, but why the one who is killed?"
The Prophet replied, "Because he was eager to kill his companion."
Reference:
Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 87, Hadith 29 / Hadith 31 in some editions) - Sahih Muslim (Book 1, Hadith 113) - need to verify this.
So if they believe in the above hadith this means tens of thousands of companions are going to hell.... so how can they take hadith from them? Was one side right and one side wrong? Both wrong? Does God send reliable/trustworthy Muslims to hell? I dont recall a Traditional Muslim scholar saying many companions are in hell - how do they reconcile it?
So this seems to conflict with their methods.
1st fitna e.g. battle of the camel
Ali et al V Aisha et al
From chatgpt:
The **Battle of the Camel**, fought in 656 CE near Basra, was one of the pivotal battles of the **First Fitna** (the first Islamic civil war). The battle was between forces loyal to **Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib** and those led by **Aisha bint Abi Bakr**, supported by **Talha ibn Ubayd Allah** and **Zubair ibn al-Awwam**, two prominent companions of Prophet Muhammad. Here's a list of notable figures who participated on both sides:
### **Forces of Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib:**
1. **Ali ibn Abi Talib** – Fourth Caliph and cousin/son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (commander of the army).
2. **Hasan ibn Ali** – Son of Ali and grandson of Prophet Muhammad.
3. **Husayn ibn Ali** – Son of Ali and grandson of Prophet Muhammad.
4. **Ammar ibn Yasir** – Veteran companion of the Prophet and staunch supporter of Ali.
5. **Malik al-Ashtar** – Trusted general and close ally of Ali.
6. **Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr** – Son of Abu Bakr and loyal supporter of Ali.
7. **Qays ibn Sa'd ibn Ubadah** – Governor of Egypt under Ali and military commander.
---
### **Forces of Aisha, Talha, and Zubair:**
1. **Aisha bint Abi Bakr** – Widow of Prophet Muhammad and daughter of Abu Bakr (she played a key political role but did not fight physically).
2. **Talha ibn Ubayd Allah** – Prominent companion of the Prophet and early convert to Islam (killed in the battle).
3. **Zubair ibn al-Awwam** – Cousin of Prophet Muhammad and one of the ten promised Paradise (left the battlefield before the main clash but was later killed).
4. **Abdullah ibn al-Zubair** – Son of Zubair and grandson of Abu Bakr, fought bravely to protect Aisha.
5. **Marwan ibn al-Hakam** – Former Umayyad official, fought against Ali's forces, reportedly responsible for shooting Talha.
6. **Umm al-Qirfa's descendants** – Some tribal leaders from Quraysh and allied tribes.
---
### **Key Points to Remember:**
- **The battle was named after Aisha's camel**, which she rode during the confrontation, becoming the focal point around which the fiercest fighting took place.
- **Zubair ibn al-Awwam withdrew** from the battle after a conversation with Ali, recalling the Prophet's prophecy about Zubair fighting unjustly against Ali. However, he was later killed in an unrelated incident.
- **Talha ibn Ubayd Allah was mortally wounded**, reportedly by an arrow shot by Marwan ibn al-Hakam, despite being on the same side, due to political grudges.
The **Battle of the Camel** involved thousands of participants from various tribes and regions, but historical sources focus on key figures, particularly prominent companions of Prophet Muhammad and tribal leaders. Here's a more **exhaustive list** of notable participants, divided by their allegiances:
---
## **Forces of Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib** (The Caliphate Army)
- **Ali ibn Abi Talib** – Commander-in-chief, fourth Caliph.
- **Hasan ibn Ali** – Son of Ali, Prophet Muhammad's grandson.
- **Husayn ibn Ali** – Son of Ali, Prophet Muhammad's grandson.
- **Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah** – Son of Ali from Khawla bint Ja'far (not Fatimah's son).
- **Ammar ibn Yasir** – Senior companion, loyal supporter of Ali.
- **Malik al-Ashtar al-Nakha'i** – Fearless military commander, close to Ali.
- **Qays ibn Sa'd ibn Ubadah** – Chief of the Ansar, governor of Egypt under Ali.
- **Adiyy ibn Hatim al-Tai** – Famous for his generosity pre-Islam, supporter of Ali.
- **Ashtar ibn Qais al-Kindi** – Commander from Yemen.
- **Sahl ibn Hunayf** – Veteran companion, played a key role in Basra.
- **Ubaydullah ibn Abbas** – Ali's cousin, fought bravely in the battle.
- **Abdullah ibn Ja'far al-Tayyar** – Nephew of Ali, son of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.
- **Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr** – Son of Abu Bakr, staunch supporter of Ali.
- **Hujr ibn Adi al-Kindi** – Loyal follower of Ali, known for piety.
- **Sa'sa'ah ibn Suhan** – Orator and supporter from Bahrain.
- **Abdullah ibn Abbas** – Cousin of the Prophet and Ali, renowned scholar.
- **Abu Ayyub al-Ansari** – Veteran of many battles, supporter of Ali.
---
## **Forces of Aisha, Talha, and Zubair (The Opposition Army)**
- **Aisha bint Abi Bakr** – Wife of the Prophet, political leader (did not fight physically).
- **Talha ibn Ubayd Allah** – Early convert, famous companion, mortally wounded in battle.
- **Zubair ibn al-Awwam** – Cousin of the Prophet, withdrew before main battle, later killed.
- **Abdullah ibn al-Zubair** – Son of Zubair, fierce fighter protecting his mother Aisha.
- **Marwan ibn al-Hakam** – Influential Umayyad, reportedly responsible for Talha's death.
- **Hakim ibn Jabalah al-Abdi** – Tribal leader opposing Ali, killed in battle.
- **Abdullah ibn Amir** – Former governor of Basra under Uthman, funded the army.
- **Umm al-Qirfa's descendants** – Notable tribal elements from Quraysh supporting Aisha.
- **Yazid ibn Harith** – Commanded troops from Basra.
- **Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays** – Initially neutral, later leaned toward Ali's camp.
- **Abdullah ibn Zama'a** – Early Meccan Muslim, supporter of Aisha's side.
- **Amr ibn al-As** (allegedly involved in political maneuvering, though not present in battle).
---
## **Neutral or Non-Combatant Figures:**
- **Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas** – Refused to participate, maintained neutrality.
- **Abdullah ibn Umar** – Refused to fight, stayed neutral.
- **Muhammad ibn Maslamah** – Also remained neutral.
- **Abu Musa al-Ash'ari** – Advised against fighting, promoted peace.
---
### **Key Tribal Affiliations:**
- **Banu Hashim:** Largely supported Ali.
- **Banu Umayyah:** Split, with Marwan leading factions against Ali.
- **Banu Taym and Banu Asad:** Supported Aisha and Talha.
- **Ansar of Medina:** Mostly supported Ali, though divided.
- **Basran Tribes (Abd al-Qays, Banu Bakr):** Many supported Aisha, while some defected to Ali.
---
### **Casualties:**
The battle was extremely bloody, with estimates of **over 10,000 casualties** from both sides. The fighting was intense, particularly around the camel of Aisha, which became the rallying point until Ali ordered it to be brought down to end the bloodshed.
---