that they should be fought only if they initiate hostilities. Arbitration The accounts of the arbitration are highly tendentious. Nevertheless, after some months of preparation, or perhaps even a year after the initial agreement, it appears that the two arbitrators met together, first in Dumat al-Jandal, halfway between Iraq and Syria, and then in Udhruh, in southern Palestine. This is the understanding of Madelung, Veccia Vaglieri, Caetani, and Bahramian, while some others believe that the two arbitrators met only once. First meeting In Dumat al-Jandal, the proceedings lasted for (possibly three) weeks, likely extending to mid-April 658. The account of al-Tabari depicts Abu Musa as opposed to the caliphates of both Ali and Mu'awiya. As an early companion of Muhammad, it is similarly the understanding of Madelung that Abu Musa did not support the caliphate of Mu'awiya, a . With a strong preference for peace among Muslims, Abu Musa was likely willing to confirm Ali as the caliph, provided that he would reinstate Mu'awiya as the governor of Syria, perhaps because he was well-liked by his army, and on the condition that Mu'awiya would, in turn, recognize Ali as the caliph. Ideally, however, Abu Musa may have preferred a broad that included Ali and Abd-Allah ibn Umar. The latter was his son-in-law and also favorite for the caliphate. The similar account of Ibn Muzahim is that Abu Musa proposed removing Ali and installing the neutral Abd-Allah ibn Umar for the caliphate, even though Abd-Allah was probably uninterested in it. This attitude of Abu Musa is also evident in the account of al-Kufi and al-Tabari, who write that Mu'awiya sent al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba to assess the arbitrators' progress. He reportedly asked both what they thought of those who remained neutral in the conflict between Ali and Mu'awiya. Abu Musa answered that they were the best of mankind for they did not carry its burden, while Amr answered that they were the worst of mankind for neither they upheld a truth nor repudiated a falsehood. Perhaps as an opener for the peace negotiations, the two arbitrators first discussed the assassination of Uthman, most likely at the initiative of Amr. They reached the verdict that Uthman had been killed wrongfully and that Mu'awiya had the right to seek revenge, but could not agree on anything else, either because Amr blocked the choice of Ali for the caliphate or a fresh , or because