After hearing the unfortunate news and the crimes committed...

After hearing the unfortunate news and the crimes committed by the pledge breakers in the city of Basra, the Commander of the Faithful left Medina and came to Dhi Qar and from there, he moved towards Basra along with an army that was prepared from Kufa and some other cities of Hijaz and Iraq.

When the news of the Commander of the Faithful’s departure reached Aisha, Ṭalha and Zubair, they removed their army, came out of Basra and the two armies met each other at a place called Qasr Ubaidullah ibn Ziyad.

As the historians have documented, the two parties stayed there for three days without a battle, and these three days were for the exchange of messages that Ali sent to Zubair in particular through Ibn Abbas, he said to Zubair: “You knew me well in Hijaz but you don’t know me now in Iraq? What matter has happened?” And he instructed Ibn Abbas not to meet with Ṭalha because he is like a cow whose horns are wrapped and tightened and will not submit to the truth.

When the two parties were ready for the battle, Ali invited Zubair and told him: “Woe to you, O Zubair!

What motivated you to come here?” He said: “Uthman’s blood” Ali said: “May Allah destroy each one of us who was having hands in the shedding of Uthman’s blood.” Then he continued his speech and said: “O Zubair, do you remember the day when you hugged me and the Messenger of Allah (PBUHH) saw that scene and said to you: “Do you love him?” You said in response: “How can I not love someone who is my brother and cousin?” At that time, the Messenger of Allah (PBUHH) said to you: “But know that in the future, you will be at war with him while you are oppressing him.” Zubair, who heard this, beseeched Allah for forgiveness and said: “Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaehi Rā’jiun”, meaning, “From Allah, we come and unto Him, we shall return”.

You have reminded me of something that I forgot. He [Zubair] said this and returned to his troops. Zubair said: “If you had reminded me of this story before, I would not have been with this army. I will not fight with you now” and he withdrew from the army and went outside Basra, where his grave is today, a place is known with his name “Zubair” and is part of Basra province. He was killed by Amr son of Jurmuz.