It has nothing to do with you to claim vengeance for his blood...

It has nothing to do with you to claim vengeance for his blood, since he belonged to the Banu Umayyah tribe and you are of the Taym tribe. Furthermore, was it not you who issued the verdict of his death yesterday and cried out: 'Kill this stupid, Jewish fellow, since he has turned away from Islam!' How is it then, that today you have risen up to avenge his blood? 'A'ishah! Fear God and return home.

Do not tear away your veil of chastity!" This was a brief account of 'Ali's letter to the commanders of 'A'ishah's army, Talhah and az-Zubayr, written from az-Zawiyah, near Basra. They read this moving, logical letter but left it unanswered. Some historians write: 'A'ishah wrote the following answer to 'Ali: "O son of Abu Talib. We are beyond protest and reproach and we will never obey you!

Do whatever you can, and spare no effort against us!" 75 It is stated in the history of Ibn A'tham al-Kufi that Talhah and az-Zubayr gave no written answer to 'Ali's letter but sent a verbal answer as follows: "O 'Ali! You have chosen a very hard way and consider it incumbent upon you to proceed on it. Nothing will satisfy you but in making us obedient to your command. But we shall never obey you 'Ali!

Proceed on your way and do your utmost against us!" Anyhow Imam 'Ali, gained no result from his letter by which he wished to advise the commanders of 'A'ishah's army to adopt a way for the establishment of peace, and received no pacific answer. Therefore he departed with his army until he entered the city of Basra.

Dear readers, so far, the way the two opposing forces were formed, and their movements towards Basra and their entry into that city have been narrated from various history books and reliable sources.

We leave the matter here, and return to the first event of the battle of al-Jamal, and narrate previous happenings for the second time on the basis of the descriptions given by Abu Mikhnaf, a well- known historian who is well-informed about the reports and conditions of Iraq, so as to confirm and clarify the previous accounts. A letter of Talhah and az-Zubayr to the governor of Basra Governor of Basra! Evacuate for us as quickly as possible the Governor's house in Basra!

The well-known historian, Abu Mikhnaf76 writes in his famous book "History of the battle of al-Jamal" Talhah, az-Zubayr and 'A'ishah hastened towards Basra until they reached Hafr Abu Musa near Basra. From there they wrote a letter to the governor of Basra, 'Uthman ibn Hunayf, as follows: " 'Uthman!