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Hadith 10816

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ قَالَ خَرَجَ مَرْحَبٌ الْيَهُودِيُّ مِنْ حِصْنِهِمْ قَدْ جَمَعَ سِلَاحَهُ يَرْتَجِزُ وَيَقُولُ قَدْ عَلِمَتْ خَيْبَرُ أَنِّي مَرْحَبُ شَاكِي السِّلَاحِ بَطَلٌ مُجَرَّبُ أَطْعَنُ أَحْيَانًا وَحِينًا أَضْرِبُ إِذَا اللُّيُوثُ أَقْبَلَتْ تَلَهَّبُ كَانَ حِمَايَ لَحْمِي لَا يُقْرَبُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ مَنْ مُبَارِزٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ لِهَذَا فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ أَنَا لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَأَنَا وَاللَّهِ الْمَوْتُورُ الثَّائِرُ قَتَلُوا أَخِي بِالْأَمْسِ قَالَ فَقُمْ إِلَيْهِ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنْهُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا دَنَا أَحَدُهُمَا مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ دَخَلَتْ بَيْنَهُمَا شَجَرَةٌ عُمْرِيَّةٌ مِنْ شَجَرِ الْعُشَرِ فَجَعَلَ أَحَدُهُمَا يَلُوذُ بِهَا مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ كُلَّمَا لَاذَ بِهَا مِنْهُ اقْتَطَعَ بِسَيْفِهِ مَا دُونَهُ حَتَّى بَرَزَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ وَصَارَتْ بَيْنَهُمَا كَالرَّجُلِ الْقَائِمِ مَا فِيهَا فَنَنٌ ثُمَّ حَمَلَ مَرْحَبٌ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ فَضَرَبَهُ فَاتَّقَى بِالدَّرَقَةِ فَوَقَعَ سَيْفُهُ فِيهَا فَعَضَّتْ بِهِ فَأَمْسَكَتْهُ وَضَرَبَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that Marhab, the Jew, came out of the fortress armed with weapons, reciting this rajaz (war poetry):

So Khaybar knows well that I am Marhab,
Armed with weapons, a tried and tested warrior.
Sometimes I thrust with the spear, sometimes I strike,
When wars flare up, I turn my attention to them.
My defense is for those who do not even dare to come near me.

And he was coming forward, issuing a challenge: "Is there anyone to face me?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who will go out to face him?" Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! I am ready to go out to face him. By Allah! I desire to take revenge on him, for yesterday he killed my brother." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then you go forth. O Allah! Help him against his opponent."

When the two of them came close to each other, a very old and large tree full of gum came between them. Each of them would take cover behind the tree to avoid the other’s attack. When one of them would be behind the tree, the other would strike with his sword and cut its branches, until they came face to face with each other. The tree stood between them as if a man were standing, and there was no branch left on it.

Then Marhab attacked Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) and struck with his sword. Sayyiduna Muhammad (may Allah be pleased with him) blocked the blow with his shield, and Marhab’s sword struck the shield and got stuck in it. Then Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) struck him and killed him.
Hadith Reference الفتح الربانی / أهم أحداث السنة السابعة للهجرة / 10816
Hadith Grading محدثین: صحیح
Hadith Takhrij «اسناده حسن أخرجه ابويعلي: 1861، والبيھقي: 9/ 131 ، (انظر مسند أحمد ترقيم الرسالة: 15134 ترقیم بيت الأفكار الدولية: 15201»
Brief Explanation
Benefits: … From this narration, it is understood that Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah radi Allahu anhu killed Marhab, whereas according to previous narrations, the one who killed him was Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu. For reconciliation and harmonization, various opinions have been presented. Ibn Athir said that according to most biographers, the one who killed Marhab was Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu, while Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah radi Allahu anhu killed Marhab, the Jew, at Khaybar.

The best way to reconcile these narrations is to say that Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah radi Allahu anhu cut Marhab’s legs, and Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu quickly killed him.