Mouood Mouood English Edition
The Battle of Khandaq
During the ten years, in which the Prophet was living in Medina, the Muslims received much harm from the idolaters of Mecca. The enemy did not let them rest in peace of mind as they had to endure many troubles and difficulties, because they were involved in more than seventy wars big or small at all times.
In the fifth year of Hijrah an army of ten thousand warriors set out towards Medina. The commander of this strong army was Abu-Sufyan, who had grudge against Muhammad. He had a family feud with him. Prophet, after consultation with his companions, was determined on digging a ditch around Medina to hold back the enemy.
Amr ibn Abd-Widd, whose heroic fame was trumpeted throughout Arabia, in concert with four other fighters, leaped on the hither side of the moat by horse. Amr, exclaiming in a bad state of anger, challenged loudly.
The Muslims were too much frightened when this fearless hero appeared in the field. Nobody was ready to fight him. Amr said: “Where is that paradise you desire to go to and take pleasure forever? I am seeking after a man, who can manage me”.
There was no any answer except by ‘Ali (as), who proclaimed his readiness. “Be seated ‘Ali, he is Amr”. The Prophet said and turned his face towards his companions saying: “Who is ready to get us rid of this wicked man”.
As often as Amr challenged, ‘Ali (as) was in readiness to face him. At last he obtained permission from the Prophet and was as happy to fight the enemy as a prisoner getting released from jail.
‘Ali (as), at the age of 25, faced the robust hero of Arabia, who was an old hand in fighting. He was awkwardly despised by Amr. But Amr did not know that this young fellow might be more courageous than him.
Amr, at first, was sympathetic for ‘Ali, who had come to meet death at the beginning of his life as he thought. He said to him: “You are too young to combat me. Who are you?” “I am ‘Ali ibn Abu-Talib.” He replied.
As soon as Amr heard this name he became a little shocked and with disappointment said: “Your father was my close friend and I dislike shedding blood of a young man like you. It would be better if one of your uncles came to the field”.
‘Ali (as) said: “Leave off the silly talks. I regard it as a duty to kill you for the sake of Allah.” He added: “As I know, you grant one of the three requests of your opposite combatant in the battlefield. Now you grant one of my three wishes. Firstly leave off idolatry and come to be a Muslim.”
Amr replied: “I will never believe in Muhammad. What is the next request?”
‘Ali (as) said: “Change your mind and desist from fighting or come down from your horse because I am on foot.”
Amr said: “It will be disgraceful for my family if the people say that Amr is frightened by an inexperienced young man.” He dismounted and rushed towards ‘Ali (as) with a drawn sword. ‘Ali (as) covered his head with a shield. The stroke was so strong that the shield was torn and his blessed head got a little hurt.
‘Ali (as) struck Amr’s thigh and the illustrious hero fell down on the ground.
When the battlefield was cleared of dusts, the Muslims became so delighted when they saw ‘Ali (as) sitting on the chest of Amr and was going to cut off his head from the body.
Amr, at his last gasp, made his will that his valuable cloths and weapons not to be taken up.
‘Ali acceded to his request and said: “It is too easy for me to forget it.”
Then those four men who had escorted Amr ran away to pass over the ditch. One of them, when trying to escape, fell down into the ditch. The Muslims began to stone him but he bade defiance to a man to fight him.
‘Ali (as) came into the ditch and killed him with one stroke of his sword.
Some Sunni historians6 mentioned that the Prophet had said: “The value of ‘Ali’s stroke, before God, on the day of the ditch is more than the obedience of the two world’s creatures (the angels and the human beings).”
Amr, who was the only hope of the idolaters of Quraysh, was unexpectedly killed and consequently they were seized with deep fright. Abu-Sufyan was surprised how to help the situation. At the same time a bad storm arose and he decided to go back to Mecca. He delivered a short speech and following the whole army left the place.
This battle was also called the battle of al-Ahzab (the parties) because many groups of the Jews and the nomads of about Mecca and Medina had taken part in this war.
The Battle of Khaybar
Although the Jews had signed previously a defensive contract to guard Medina against dangers, they, as always, had broken their promises and used to send arms to Mecca secretly. They were regularly in treaty with the idolaters; therefore the Muslims could not find peace of mind. Muhammad (S) decided to bring them down to their knees and eventually declared the war against them in the year 7 A.H.
The Jews were afraid of the Islam’s progress because they were blinded by prejudice and it also was contrary to their great interests.
There was a habitable and fortified place at a distance of 86 Km from Medina named Khaybar. The Jews cultivated the lands around the forts.
The Muslims, headed by the Prophet, got at Khaybar and encamped opposite to the forts. When the Jews knew the matter they ran away into the forts to prepare for the war.
There was a fortified castle, named Qamus, where all the Jews gathered into it.
The Muslims were kept on waiting for three weeks to open the fort but they succeeded in nothing.
Abu-Bakr and ‘Umar started their fight but they were defeated7 by the Jews.
At-Tabari, a Sunni historian, had recorded that when ‘Umar came back from the field he frightened the Muslims of the bravery of Marhab the commander of the Jews.
The Prophet said: “Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man, who loves God and His messenger and God and His messenger love him too.”8
On the next day the Prophet sought after ‘Ali (as), who was suffering from a sore-eye. The Prophet prayed Allah so that Imam ‘Ali’s eyes might be recovered. Imam ‘Ali became well immediately. At last the banner was given to him and he set out for the war.
Marhab was the bravest of all the fighters among the Jews. He was well-known for his valor. ‘Ali (as) paced towards the forts and, suddenly the big gate of Qamus was opened and a few combatants came out.
Harith, the brother of Marhab, suddenly cried a terrific cry that the companions of ‘Ali (as) went back a little, but ‘Ali (as) stood against him. They fought each other and finally Harith was killed by ‘Ali’s sword.
Now ‘Ali (as) faced Marhab. And as it was at those days Marhab began to recite some epic verses.
He said: “As long as Khaybar remembers that I am an experienced man in the war and those, who encounter me, will be stained by their own blood.”
‘Ali (as), in reply to him, said: “I am a man, whose name is Haydar (that is to say: a lion that attacks repeatedly and will never escape from the hunting- ground).”
Marhab turned about with his horse to run away because he had heard his Jewish rabbi saying that he would be killed by a man named Haydar.
But he came back towards ‘Ali (as) talking with himself: “There are many “Haydars” in the world. It is not certain that this is the very one.”
Anyhow he was furious because of his brother’s death and he wanted to revenge upon ‘Ali (as) but ‘Ali (as) killed him by a sudden push. The Jews fled away into the fort and closed the door from inside. At last ‘Ali went towards the door and pulled at it by all of his might and threw it aside.
