this is ʿĀʾishah restraining Ṭalḥah; so for what reason are you fighting your kinsman ʿAlī?” Al-Zubayr turned back, whereupon Ibn Jurmuz met him and killed him.

Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Laylā, reported: On the Day of the Camel, while the two armies were already drawn up, al-Zubayr withdrew from facing ʿAlī. His son ʿAbd Allāh exclaimed, “Cowardice, cowardice!” Al-Zubayr replied, “People know I am no coward. But ʿAlī reminded me of something I once heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so I vowed not to fight him.” Then he recited:
Leaving affairs whose outcome I dread—
For Allah’s sake—that is better in this world and the next.

Wakīʿ narrated from ʿIṣām ibn Qudāmah—who is trustworthy—from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Which one of you will be the woman of the saddled camel? Around her many people will be killed, yet she herself will escape after coming so near (to peril).”

It is also said that the first man killed that day was Muslim al-Juhanī. ʿAlī had ordered him to carry a copy of the Quran and pass among the ranks, inviting them to the Book of Allah, and he was slain. Seventy hands of the Banū Ḍabbah were severed that day; whenever a man seized the bridle of the camel belonging to ʿĀʾishah, his hand was cut off, and another would take his place and chant war verses. This continued until someone shouted, “Hamstring the camel!” A man—whose name is disputed—did so. The camel and the howdah upon it were left looking like a porcupine bristling with arrows. The howdah had been reinforced with coats of mail, and inside sat the Mother of the Believers encouraging those around the camel. Whatever Allah willed came to pass, and what He did not will never happened.

Afterwards she—may Allah be pleased with her—regretted it, and ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—likewise regretted what had transpired.