Sayyiduna Buraydah al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encamped in the area near Khaybar, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the banner to Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). Some Muslims went with him, and they encountered the people of Khaybar. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger also love him." The next day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) summoned Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who was suffering from sore eyes. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) applied his blessed saliva to his eyes and gave him the banner, and he sent the people with him. Those people encountered the people of Khaybar, and Marhab was reciting this rajaz in front of them, saying: "Khaybar knows that I am Marhab, fully armed, a seasoned warrior; at times I thrust (with spear or sword) and at times I strike. When the lions come, they are restless (to attack)." The narrator says: The two of them fought. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) struck him on his head, until his sword cut through it and reached his teeth. The people of the army also heard the sound of Sayyiduna Ali's (may Allah be pleased with him) blow, and the last of those going with Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had not even arrived when the town was conquered for them.
Ahmad and al-Bazzar recorded it. Its chain contains Maymun Abu Abdullah, whom Ibn Hibban declared thiqah (trustworthy) while a group declared him da'if (weak). The rest of its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).