'Ali told them that this was the devil. When his son al-Hasan reminded him that the man was Nafii', the client of the Companion himself and participated in jihad, 'Ali silenced him and told him that war is deceptive, (al-harbu khud'ah)!51. This information shows that early Ibadhi authorities believed that 'Ali b. Abi Talib was not in the right in fighting against the people of al-Nahr, and that his attitude was based on worldly desires and not on religious grounds as was the case with the people of al-Nahr52.

Thus was the view of the Ibadhis regarding the early political changes, as they understood them. To them, the Muhakkimah were the only party struggling to resume the just Islamic Imamate as it was during the time of Abu Bakr, 'Umar, the first six years of 'Uthman's rule and the early years of 'Ali before he accepted the arbitration. The military struggle of this party ended in the massacre of the people of al-Nahr by 'Ali b. Abi Talib and his forces (37 H/658 A.D.), and the people of al-Nakhilah by the joint forces of both Mu'awiyah and al-Hasan b. 'Ali.53

After this stage 'Umayyad rule became established and made its aim to prevent any sort of opposition. So the sympathisers of the Muhakkimah party, or 'al- Muslimun', or 'Jama'at al-Muslimin' as they were called in the early Ibadhi literature, were obliged to hide their faith and to carry out their activities in secret54. Among the survivors of the battle of al-Nahrawan were 'Urwah b. 'Udayyah and his brother Abu Bilal Mirdas.55 They continued their activities in Basrah, being known for their devotion to their religious duties, and were among the leading men of 'Jama'at al-Muslimin' in Basrah. It appears that Abu Bilal was a leading man of Basrah, for he was one of three men who commented on the first sermon of Ziyad b. Abih in the mosque of Basrah when the latter was appointed governor of Basrah, Khurasan and Sijistan by Mu'awiyah.56 It is also reported that Abu Bilal and Jabir b. Zaid were in a close touch during this period and he used to spend a considerable time with Jabir b. Zaid. It is reported that they together visited 'A'ishah and reproached her for her stand at the battle of the Camel.57 during this period Jabir's leadership of the Muhakkimah party was established. He was a learned pious man from al-Azd, the same tribe as 'Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi, the last elected leader of the party. On the whole, the activities of Jabir were intellectual, so that he was able to propagate and preserve the teaching of Islam in a way which did not arouse the suspicion of the 'Umayyad authorities. His position as an outstanding mufti in Basrah provided him with useful cover and enabled him to establish widespread contacts with leading persons in different parts of the Islamic countries. 58

The policy of Jabir was to use all means to ensure the security of his movement and safety for his followers. He even went to the extent of ordering the