Hadrat Ali assured all the people accompanying him that he would try his best to avoid blood-shed and to set the things right peacefully.
On reaching Dhi Oar, a place near Basrah, Hadrat Ali, with his characteristic aversion to blood-shed sent his cousin ‘Abdullah bin Abbas and Qa’qa bin Amr to negotiate peacefully with Hadrat ‘Aisha, Talha, and Zubai who were preparing to face Hadrat Ali with a big army. The messengers of Hadrat Ali assured Hadrat ‘Aisha, Talha, and Zubair that Hadrat Ali would avenge the assassins of Hadrat Uthman as soon as peace was established in the state.
Hearing this they were satisfied and there were hopes for a peaceful settlement. But in the army of Ali there were Abdullah bin Saba and his henchmen to whom peace was fatal.
At the possibility of peaceful settlement they were much disturbed.
They met in a secret council and whispered to each other that Ali was prepared to avenge the death of Hadrat Uthman .
They were determined to make the peaceful settlement a total failure.
They sent their agents to Basrah to incite the Muslims population by saying that if Ali entered Basrah he would enslave all the inhabitants and would kill all the youths.
The Basrites, therefore, must check and fight him back. Hadrat Ali hoping for a peaceful settlement, marched towards Basrah to talk personally with Hadrat Talha and Zubair .
The two armies were facing each other.
Hadrat Ali gave an address to Basrites in which he said, “I am but your brother……..I will avenge Uthman’s assassins,” Hadrat Talha, Zubair and Basrites were fully satisfied with what Hadrat Ali told them.
Ali also returned to his camp very satisfied. He gave strict orders to his men not to fight in any case, and prayed all the night to Allah. But Ibn Saba and his henchmen had planned otherwise.
In the darkness of night they made a sudden attack on Hadrat ‘Aisha’s army.
Hadrat Talha and Zubair were startled by the sudden attack and said that Ali could not desist from shedding Muslim blood and he has ordered a night attack.
On the other hand Hadrat Ali was shocked when he was told by Sabaites that Talha and Zubair had taken them by surprise.
He also remarked in the same way that they did not stop from taking the blood of Muslims.
According to Tabari the following Sabaites were the leaders behind this plan: Ashtar Nakh’i Ibn Sauda, Khalid bin Muljam, Alba bin Haitham and Shuraib bin Aufa. Ibn Saba was the ring leader.
