Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 39644 — The Battle of Khaybar

Iyas bin Salamah narrates: My father informed me that on the day of Khaybar my uncle fought a duel with Marhab the Jew. Marhab said: "Khaybar (the land) knows that I am Marhab, fully armed, a seasoned hero. When wars come on, they blaze." To this my uncle replied with this verse: "Indeed Khaybar (the land) knows me, that I am Amir, fully armed, a brave one who risks his life." Then the two began exchanging blows. Marhab's sword came down into the shield of Sayyiduna Amir (may Allah be pleased with him), (because of which) Sayyiduna Amir's sword struck his own shin and cut his vein, and his death came from it. Sayyiduna Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I met some of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and they said: "Amir's deeds have gone to waste; he killed himself." Sayyiduna Salamah said: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) weeping and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), have Amir's deeds gone to waste?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who said this?" I said: "Some people from among your Companions." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever said this has spoken falsely. Rather, he has a double reward." When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set out for Khaybar, Sayyiduna Amir was reciting rajaz verses to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and among those Companions was he (peace and blessings be upon him) too. Sayyiduna Amir was driving the riding camels and saying: "By Allah! Had Allah not guided us, we would neither have given charity nor prayed. Indeed, those who have transgressed against us, when they intend a trial, we refuse. We cannot do without Your favour, so if we meet (the enemy), keep our feet firm, and send down tranquillity upon us." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Who is this?" Someone said: "It is Amir, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May your Lord forgive you." The narrator said: Never did he (peace and blessings be upon him) seek forgiveness specifically for any man but that he was martyred. When Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this, he said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), why did you not let us benefit longer from Amir?" Then Sayyiduna Amir stood up (in the battlefield in response to the challenge) and was martyred. 6. Sayyiduna Salamah said: Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Today I shall give this banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger," or he said, "whom Allah and His Messenger love." Salamah said: So I brought Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), leading him, while he had an eye ailment. The narrator said: He (peace and blessings be upon him) put his blessed saliva into his eye, then he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him the banner. Marhab came out waving his sword up and down and saying: "Indeed (the people of) Khaybar know me, that I am Marhab, fully armed, an experienced brave one. When wars advance, I blaze." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said in reply: "I am the one whose mother named him Haydar (lion). Like the lion of the forests, most terrifying in appearance, I repay the enemy in full measure with their own measure." Then Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) split Marhab's head (in two) with the sword. And this victory was gained at the hand of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).