Jābir al-Juʿfī narrated:

On the authority of Abū Jaʿfar al-Bāqir, Zayd ibn Ḥasan (1) and others they said: ʿAlī marched [toward Syria] with 150,000 men from Iraq, while Muʿāwiyah advanced with roughly the same number from Syria.

Others report that ʿAlī set out with 100,000—or slightly more—and Muʿāwiyah with 130,000. Ibn Dayzil (2) records this version in his book.

A group of Syrians vowed never to retreat; they tied themselves in place with their turbans. They stood in five ranks (3) with six further ranks behind them, and the Iraqis likewise formed eleven ranks. Both armies arrayed themselves in this fashion on the first day of Ṣafar, a Wednesday.

The battle commander for the Iraqis that day was al-Ashtar al-Nakhaʿī, and Ḥabīb ibn Maslama (4) led the Syrians. Fierce fighting erupted, but at day’s end they withdrew, each side having given as good as it received.

The next morning, Thursday, Hāshim ibn ʿUtbah commanded the Iraqis (5) and Abū al-Aʿwar al-Sulamī led the Syrians. They clashed violently—cavalry against cavalry, infantry against infantry—yet pulled back at sunset, both sides still evenly matched.

On the third day, Friday, ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir emerged from the Iraqi ranks, and ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ came out to meet him from the Syrians (6). Heavy fighting followed. ʿAmmār charged ʿAmr and drove him from his position. Ziyād ibn al-Naḍr al-Ḥārithī, then commanding the cavalry, engaged a horseman in single combat; when they drew near they recognized one another as maternal half-brothers, so each returned to his own side. By late afternoon the armies disengaged, neither having gained advantage.

On the fourth day—Saturday—Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī, known as Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah (7), advanced with a large force. From the Syrian side ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar confronted him with many men. Fighting was intense. ʿUbayd Allāh stepped forward and called for Ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah to duel, and he accepted (8). As they approached one another, ʿAlī asked, “Who are the duelists?” They answered, “Your son Muḥammad and ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar.” It is said that ʿAlī spurred his mount, ordered his son to stand down, and advanced toward ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (9). He said, “Come out to me.” ʿUbayd Allāh replied, “I have no wish to fight you.” ʿAlī insisted, “Indeed you will,” but he answered, “No!” So ʿAlī turned back, and the forces remained apart for the rest of that day.

Then, on the fifth day—Sunday—ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās came forth for the Iraqis, while from the Syrians al-Walīd ibn