Al-Layth, in his report, said: “It rained so heavily that they collected it in dishes and vessels.” Ibn Luhayʿah added: “The containers would fill up and we would pour them out.”

We have already mentioned that ʿAbd Allah ibn Budayl broke the left flank in which Ḥabīb ibn Maslamah was posted until he drove it back to the center (1) (2). Muʿāwiyah therefore ordered the boldest fighters to support Ḥabīb in a counter-attack, and he sent word instructing him to charge and wheel (al-karrāh) against Ibn Budayl.

So Ḥabīb, together with the champions who were with him, charged the right wing of the Iraqis (dislodging them from their positions and exposing their commander until only about three hundred remained with him, while the rest of the Iraqi forces scattered). Of all the tribes, none now remained with ʿAlī except the people of Mecca (3) under the command of Sahl ibn Ḥunayf, while the tribe of Rabīʿah stood firm with ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him). The Syrians drew so close that their arrows were reaching him.

A client of Banū Umayyah advanced toward him; a client of ʿAlī stepped in his way, but the Umayyad killed him and pressed on toward ʿAlī, around whom stood his sons al-Ḥasan, al-Ḥusayn, and Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥanafiyyah. When he reached ʿAlī, the latter seized him by the hand, lifted him up, and hurled him to the ground, snapping his forearm and shoulder. Al-Ḥusayn and Muḥammad at once rushed in with their swords and killed him.

ʿAlī then said to his son al-Ḥasan, who was standing beside him, “What kept you from doing as they did?” He replied, “Commander of the Believers, they spared me the trouble.”

The Syrians now surged toward ʿAlī, yet the nearer they came the more he maintained his measured pace; he simply walked on composedly. His son al-Ḥasan said, “Father, if only you would move a little faster than this walk of yours” (4). He answered, “My son, your father has a fixed day he will not overstep, and no haste will hold it back nor slowness bring it sooner. By Allah, your father does not care whether he falls upon death or death [al-mawt] (itself) falls upon him.” (5)

ʿAlī then ordered al-Ashtar al-Nakhaʿī to pursue the fugitives and bring them back. Al-Ashtar set out swiftly (6) until he confronted the deserters from Iraq (7). He rebuked and scolded them, urging their tribes and brave men to return to the fight. Some detachments followed him (8), while others continued their flight. He persisted until a great number gathered around him, and he encountered no tribe [min al-shāmiyyīn] (of the Syrians) without scattering it, nor any party without driving it back (9).

At length he reached the commander of the right wing, ʿAbd Allah ibn Budayl, who had about three hundred men still holding their ground. They asked about the Commander of the Believers, and it was said (10), “He is alive and well.” They rallied around him, and he advanced with them until many of the troops returned—this was between the ʿAṣr prayer and sunset (11). Ibn Budayl wished to press forward against the Syrians, but al-Ashtar ordered him to stay where he was.