BATTLE OF SIFFIN
Mu'awiya (the Muslim Governor of Damascus)
attempted to take the Caliphate from 'Ali
(Muhammad's son-in-law and the 4th "orthodox" Caliph). This started the first
civil war in Islam. 'Ali won the Battle of Siffin (657 A.D.) but eventually lost
when he was compelled, by Mu'awiyah, to submit his claim to the Caliphate
to arbitration.
Further reading:
The Caliphate:
Its Rise, Decline, and Fall, Chapter 37
Muslim Movements and Schisms
Go Back to Main Index