وقعة صفين

The battle of Siffin took place in 37 AH between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. ¹

al-Tabari reports that Ali addressed his companions before the fighting and urged them to hold the line firm and guard the banners. ¹

In the course of the fighting, Amr ibn al-As suggested to Mu'awiya that the Qur'ans be raised. The people of Syria raised them on their spears and called for the Book of God, and many people of Iraq answered that call. ²

The index of the volume mentions the "night of al-Harir" and the report of Hashim ibn Utba al-Mirqal (may God be pleased with him). ³

al-Mas'udi relates that the dead numbered seventy thousand, of them forty-five thousand from Syria and twenty-five thousand from Iraq. He says that the stay there lasted a hundred and ten days, and that the engagements were seventy. Twenty-five of the Companions were killed with Ali, among them Ammar ibn Yasir. ⁴

The figures come from al-Mas'udi's account, and checking them needs an additional source.