Chapter Vi: Ali The Heroic Defender Of Islam
منذ 3 سنوات
626
The winter of 624 A. D. saw the invasion of Medina by a strong force of Meccans led by Abu Jahl (an uncle of the Prophet) consisting of an army of 1000 strong with 700 camels and 100 horses.
Receiving information about this force, the Prophet decided to meet the enemy outside Medina. He set out
Three of the infidel warriors, Utba, the father-in-law of Abu Sufyan, his brother Shaiba, and Al-Walid came out of the ranks and arrogantly challenged the Muslims. Three Ansars of Medina stepped forward to meet this challenge. This greatly enraged the Meccans who refused to combat with the Ansars saying, "We have not come all this way to cross arms with the Medinites, against whom we bear no grudge. We challenge the people of Mecca who have the courage to defy us." Upon this Ali and Ubayd ah, cousins of the Prophet, and Hamza his uncle, responded to the challenge. In the words of Col. Bodley, "At the taunt of the Quriashite, Ali dashed out of the Muslim ranks glitering in breast-plate and helmet. He was soon followed by Ubaydah bin al-Harith, a paternal cousin of Muhammad and Hamza who wore an ostrich feather in his cuirass. The three companions were thus closely related to Muhammad and fulfilled the Quraish for Hashimite blood!"
________________________
1 Tabari; Kamil; Ibn Athir; Ahmad Hanbal; Durr Manthur.
Though it was the first engagement of the youthful Ali, he showed surprising results and was praised by one and all. He killed no less than sixteen-though some historians give him credit for thirty-six--of the bravest and the most prominent of the Quraish army.
1 The Prophet reached Ohad in the morning of Saturday, the 7th of Shawwal, 3 A.H. (January or February 625 A.D.)
________________________
1 Ibn Athir, Ibn Hisham; Tabari
1 But their eagerness for spoil turned the tide of victory, which was already gained by Ali and his Muslim champions. The archers posted at the defile deserted their posts to join in the plunder, leaving the subaltern, Abdallah b. Jobeir, in spite of his protests, with only about ten men. Khalid, the Meccan commander of the cavalry, who behind the defile was awaiting a suitable chance to effect his charge, succeeded in dexterously emerging through and cutting down the small guard of the ten men, and charged furiously the rear of the Muslims. Mos'ab b. Omeir, a champion of Muhammad, who bore a great resemblance to him, fell dead. Ibn Soraqa proclaimed aloud that Muhammad was slain. The flying Meccans turned hack. Their banner, which was lying low on the ground, was picked up by a Meccan named Omra bint Alqama and then lifted high up by a slave named Sowab and the Meccans clustered around it. Most of the Muslims, including many of the Companions of the Prophet took to flight. 2
This sudden change of fortune checked the Muslims, who found themselves surrounded by the Meccans. ItSome were saying that Muhammad would not have been killed 1 had he been a true Prophet, 2 others were talking of seeking pardon of Abu Sufyan and taking refuge with him. (Sur. III-138 refers to these people thus: "And Muhammad is no more than an Apostle; already there have passed before him Apostles: what then
if he dies or is killed, will ye turn back on your heels? But he who turneth back on his heels will not harm God at all; surely God will reward the grateful." Sur.. 111-142 refers to them thus : "O ye who believe, if ye follow those who disbelieve, they will turn ye back upon your heels, and ye shall be turned back losers.")
3 Some of the Prophet's adherents, however, resolved not to survive him and they fought and perished in the struggle. Anas b. Nadzar, uncle to Anas b. Malik, having seen Omar b. Khattab and Talha b. Obeidallah sitting leisurely along with some others, asked them what they were doing. They said they had nothing to do since Muhammad was slain. Hearing these words Anas addressed them aloud thus: "My friends ! Though Muhammad be slain, certainly Muhammad's Lord liveth and dieth not : therefore value not your lives since the Prophet is dead, but fight for the cause for which he fought." Then he cried out, "O God! I am excused before Thee, and acquitted in Thy sight of what they say," and drawing his sword fought valiantly till he was killed. Sale p. 52, from Al-Beidzawi. The Angel Gabriel appeared to the Prophet with the verse which meant to inform him that
________________________
1 Tabari; Ibn Hisham.
2 Tarikh-al-Khamis.
3 Tabari-vol-iii, Ibn, Athir; Tarikh-a1-Khamis.
Ali, who was still defending bravely, ran to the Prophet who was all alone, and stood by his side. 1 The Prophet inquired why he did not flee with the others, to which he replied that he belonged to him and had no business with the others and that he being a believer would not like to turn a disbeliever or an infidel. Presently, one after the other two parties of the Quraish were sent to attack the Prophet. He asked Ali to defend him, and the gallant hero repulsed them with such intrepidity that he was praised 2 by Angels, whose voioe was heard saying : "Zulfiqar is the only effective sword and Ali the unique champion."
3 Ali received sixteen wounds, four of which were so serious that he was falling down from his horse, but on each of these occasions a beautiful youth took hold of him, lifted him up to his saddle and soothed him with these encouraging words : "Go on fighting, 0 hero! God and His Prophet appreciate thy services." This was none other than Gabriel the Evangel, who praised Ali to the Prophet for his zeal and ardent devotion to him at the time when all others had deserted him. The Prophet told Gabriel : "No wonder! Ali comes of me and I
________________________
1 Tabari ; Ibn Athir ; Madarij-al-Nabowat, Habib-ql-Siyar ; Rawdzat-al-Ahbab.
2 Habib-al-Siyar; Rawdzat-al-Ahbab.
3 Madarij-al-Nabowat; Ma'arij-al-Nabowat.
In the melee above referred to, Obba b. Khalf, a Meccan champion, rushed towards the Prophet aiming at him with his spear; but he was himiself killed with his own spear; the Prophet snatching it out of his hands and dealing him a blow, striking him dead. Another tradition 1 says that he had received a wound from the Prophet's own hand but died of the same wound on his return to Mecca. Soon after this, the Prophet was wounded by a stone from a sling aimed at him by Otba, brother of Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas, which strucck the Prophet on the mouth, cutting his lips and shatterring two of his front teeth. 2 He was wounded en the face also by an arrow, the iron head of which could not be extracted by himself, and he lay bleeding for some time on the ground. 3 Blessed the timely aid and friendly hand of Ali, who, repulsing the enemy, came back and finding the Prophet in this condition conveyed him to a place of safety, extracted the arrowhead, staunched his blood and tended him, aided by his wife Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet. No doubt Ali proved himself now, as before and as hereafter, the defender or right-hand of thee Prophet on all occasions of danger, in confirrnity with Good's Decree which the Prophet had seen inscribed in Heave n on the night of his Me'raj.
________________________
1 Al Bedzawi
2 Ibn Athir; Tarik-a1Khamis.
3 Tarikh Islam by Zakir Hosaini (vol. ii. page 1000).
On finding out that the Prophet was only wounded and not killed, the Muslims began to rally round him. The Meccans, having no courage to rout them, contented themselves with the honour of snatching back the victory from Muhammad; and left the field after mangling and mutilating the dead bodies of the Muslims. Halting at Rowha, 8 miles homeward from Ohad, Abu Sufyan felt uneasy at the utter fruitlessness of his campaign and began to contemplate a raid upon Medina. The Prophet, on the other hand, suspecting some treachery at the enemy's hasty retreat, resolved on immediate action and so pursued them next morning as far as Hamra-al-Asad, where he was informed that the Meccans receiving intelligence of his advance had already taken their road home.
The Meccans lost one hundred and three men in the battle; of these, twenty-one had fallen under the sword of Ali. Among the Muslims there were seventy martyrs. The bravest of the Muslims who fell dead in the battle, were Hamza b. Abd-al-Mottalib, Mos'ab b. Omeir, Sa'd b. Al-Rabi, Ammara b. Ziyad and Hantzala a son of Abu Amir, the Meccan champion, who was the first to come forward from the ranks of the Meccans with fifty archers to
Ali's mother, Fatima-binte-Asad, also loved Muhammad like a son from the time when, at the age of six, he entered her home. After the death of Abd-al-Mottalib, she had affectionately looked after him. At the time of her death in the year 4 A.H., the Holy Prophet had her covered with his own shirt, after her bath preparatory to her burial. He took part in the digging of her grave, and when it was ready, he first lay down in the grave and sanctified it, then he prayed for her. When the people asked him the reason for showing such favours to the deceased, the Holy Prophet replied, "After Abu Talib if ever I was grateful to any one, it was this pious soul who mothered me, nurtured me, brought me up and took me as her very own son."
The Jews were not idle after being expelled and formed a coalition with the other tribes who were banished from time to time. They left no stone unturned to annihilate their common enemy, the Prophet. They stirred up the
The Meccans, four thousand strong, having three hundred horses and fifteen hundred camels, were joined by six thousand of the allies from the Jews and the Bedouin tribes; and the three armies set out, ten thousand strong, under the command of Abu Sufyan in the month of Shawwal, 5 A.H. (Feb. 627 A.D.)
1 The Prophet received intelligence of the invasion before the approach of the enemy, but had little time to prepare for a confrontation. He resolved this time to defend himself at Medina, so he began preparations for a siege. The stone houses of the town were built so close to one another as to make a high strong and continuous wall for a long distance, excepting the north-west corner, where a wide open gap could afford the enemy an easy ingress. At this place, at the happy suggestion of Salman Farsi, who was familiar with the mode of defending cities in other countries, a trench, fifteen feet in width and fifteen feet in depth, was dug. The work was portioned out amongst the Muslims, the Prophet himself sharing it by carrying the excavated earth. In six days the trench was finished, deep and wide along almost the whole length of
________________________
1 Tabari, Ibn Athir, Rawdzat-al-Ahbab.
The enemy on beholding the trench was struck dumb with astonishment. This mode of defence was not known to the Arabs, and they were at a loss to understand how to overcome this obstacle; they therefore laid siege. Unable to come to close quarters for some time, they perseveringly directed their attacks with archery. Meanwhile, Abu Sufyan attempted to instigate the Jewish tribe of Qoraitza to break their pact of allegiance with Muhammad.
The Nadzirite Hoyay b. Akhtab, the most zealous promoter of opposition against Muhammad was sent to negotiate with Ka'b b. Asad, the prince of the Qoraitza Jews, and he succeeded in winning him over to the side of Abu Sufyan, disregarding the pact of neutrality with the Prophet. It was agreed that the Qoraitza would assist the Quraish after ten days' preparation, and would attack the rear of the Muslim army from the northwestern quarter of the town, which lay on the south-east of their fortress and was easily accessible to them.
Rumours of this reached the Prophet, who deputed two chief men of the Aws and the Khazraj, Sa'd b. Moazh and Sa'd b. Obada respectively, to ascertain the truth.
This news alarmed him. These apprehensions having been confirmed, it was necessary to guard against surprise or treachery. The north-western quarter of the town, which lay on the side of the Jewish stronghold, was the least capable of defence. To protect the families of his followers throughout the city, the Prophet could do nothing but to detach a considerable number of men from his force of three thousand, which was barely adequate for the long line of the entrenchment. To meet this emergency, he had to deploy two parties, one of three hundred men under Zaid bin Haritha, his freed man, and another of two hundred men under a chief of Medina, to patrol the streets and lanes of the town day and night.
Thus the strength of the force at the Defence was reduced to 2,500 men, as against the 10,000 of the enemy. The prolongation of the siege was still more troublesome to the Muslims, as the already inadequate number of men guarding 'the outposts of the entrenchment line got no relief; they were wearied with keeping a vigilant watch unceasingly day and night. Besides hunger, on account of having fallen short of provisions, they had to suffer very much from the heat of the sunny days and the chill of the cold nights in the open air.
More than a fortnight had thus elapsed, when at length a select party of the besiegers' horsemen found the narrowest and weakly guarded part of the Ditch. Amr b. Abd Wudd, Nawfal b. Abdallah and Dzarar b. Al-Khattab
In the battle of the 'Khandaq' (or the Ditch) when Muhammad had to meet the maximum strength of the forces of the heathens from Mecca and when everyone in the Muslim camp had refused to go against Amr, the challenging hero of the enemy, it was only Ali who, although a youth, readily offered to fight the giant warrior. When Ali stepped forward against the giant warrior the Apostle of God exclaimed: 'Goeth forth the whole of Faith against the whole of infidelity.'
1 The Muslims at the sight of Amr were awe-struck and paralysed. None of them ventured to come forward as his antagonist, as he was famous for his prowess and was reckoned among the Arabs as one equal to one thousand antagonists. None but Ali stood up, but the Prophet bade him wait. Again Amr roared for his opponent and again Ali was forthcoming, but the Prophet stopped him. At his third call, he tauntingly asked the Muslims whether none of them wished to enter Paradise as a martyr. Still no one was found to respond to the challenge except Ali, who impatiently stepped forward. The Prophet, now permitted Ali, and putting his own turban upon his head, his own coat of mail over his body, armed him with his own sword the Zulfigar and sent him to his adversary.
________________________
1 Rawdzat-al-Ahbab; Tarikh-al-Khamis; Rawdzat-al-Safa; Habibal-Siyar.
2 When the two (Amr and Ali) stood face to face, Amr said to Ali : "Nephew, (as he was a friend of Abu Talib, the father of Ali) by God, I do not like to put thee to death." Ali replied : "But by God, I am here to kill thee." Amr, enraged at this reply, immediately alighted and advanced towards Ali. Ali sprang forward and so started a duel which will always be remembered, for it decided the fate of the Meccans, as their morale was being destroyed by the death of Amr. It did not take Ali long to realize that Amr, in spite of his age was as agile as his reputation had made him out to be. The duel went on for some time, finally like a flash of lightning Ali darted forward and in one sweep of his scimitar struck off Amr's leg. Amr tottering on one leg, denounced the Holy Prophet and Ali and their family. Picking up the severed limb, he flung it at Ali with all his might. It was his last effort, and Ali was nearly stunned, but in a moment he had recovered and plunged his sword into Amr. At last the voice of Ali, sounding 'Allaho Akbar' (Great is the Lord) was heard, which in "icated victory. The Divine Decree which the Prophet saw inscribed in letters of Celestial
________________________
1 Sirat-al-Mohammediya; Hayat- 1-Haiwan.
2 Ibn Athir; Abul Fida.
1 Beholding the fate of their renowned champion, Amr's comrades in the enterprise rushed back to escape, spurred their horses and all gained the opposite side of the ditch except Nawfal, whose horse failed in the leap and fell into the ditch. Being overwhelmed with a shower, of stones by the Muslims, he cried out, "I would rather die by the sword than thus." Hearing this appeal Ali leaped into the ditch and dispatched him.
Contrary to the custom, Ali did not strip Amr of his armour or clothes. 2 When Amr's sister came to the corpse she was struck with admiration at the noble behaviour of her slain brother's adversary; and finding out who he was, she felt proud of her brother having met his fate at the hands of the person who was known as the Unique Champion of spotless character. She expressed herself thus : "Had his conqueror been other than the one who killed him, I would have wept over Amr all my life. But (I feel proud that) his antagonist was the Unique Spotless Champion."
3 The ever-victorious Ali, the 'Lion of God' was thus signalized in this Defence, as on previous occasions in the battles of Badr and Ohad. The Prophet declared that
________________________
1 Rawdzat-al-Ahbab; Izalatal Khifa, Tarikh-al-Khamis.
2 Tarikh-al-Khamis.
3 Madarijal Nabowat ; Hakim in his Mustadrak ; Firdows-alAkhbar; Rawdzat-al-Ahbab.
Nothing further was attempted by the enemy that day; but great preparations were made during the night, Khalid with a strong party of horsemen vainly attempting to clear the ditch. Next morning the Muslims found the whole force of the enemy marshalled against them along the line of entrenchment. They sought to gain the Muslim side of the Trench, but were repelled at every point. The Trench, fully served its purpose; it could not be crossed, and during the whole operation only five Muslims were killed. The enemy, notwithstanding their large numbers, were paralysed by the vigilance of the Muslim outposts. In their utter frustration they regarded the Trench as an unworthy subterfuge, being a foreign artifice with which no Arab was acquainted.
Meanwhile Abu Sufyan demanded of the Quraitza Jews the fulfilment of their engagement to join in a general attack on the following day; but the Jews doubted the Quraish and their allies and feared that if the struggle proved a failure, the besiegers might conveniently withdraw and leave them to their fate. They accordingly demanded hostages in security against such an event, and pleaded their Sabbath as a pretext for not fighting the following day. This attitude aroused, in turn, the suspicions of the Quraish that the Jews, for making their
Dispirited at the loss of their bravest General, Amr b. Abd Wudd, and wearied, as they were, after the two vigorous but unsuccessful attempts, the Quraish and their allies had no courage to attempt another general assault. Discord was also rife among them. The Bedouins had no forage for their camels and horses, which were dying daily in considerable numbers. Provisions were running short. Above all, the weather was intolerably troublesome to them. Night set in upon them cold and tempestuous. A storm of wind and rain blew dust in their faces, overturned their tents, extinguished their fires, overthrew their cooking vessels, and sent their horses astray. They exclaimed that it was all due to witchcraft and enchantment of Muhammad, who would be seen shortly falling upon them with his whole force, and they were greatly struck with terror.
The Prophet who was in earnest prayer for the last three days appealed to the Almighty for his help in these words: "O Lord ! Revealer of the Sacred Book, Who art swift in taking account : turn the confederate host ! Turn them to flight, 0 Lord, and make them quake." 'The
________________________
1 Tafsir Durr Manthur; Sirat Mohammediya; Sirat-al-Halabia Tarikh-al-Khamis; Rawdzat-al-Ahbab,
In the morning the Muslims discovered to their great joy the sudden disappearance of the enemy and found themselves unexpectedly relieved.
The Jewish tribe of Banu Quraitza had settled towards the eastern sector of Medina in a fortified stronghold. They had gone against the Medina Charter, which they had signed. They had entered into a secret treaty with Abu Sufyan and helped him against the Muslims in the battle of 'Khandaq'.
Soon after his return from the entrenchment, while laying aside his armour, the Prophet was washing his hands and face in the house of his beloved daughter Fatima, whom he used to visit before proceeding to his house on return from an expedition or excursion, the Angel Gabriel brought him a command to proceed immediately against the Quraitza Jews.
The Prophet instantly sent Ali with his Standard, and he himself with his army followed him and laid siege to the fortress of the Jews. The siege lasted twenty-five days, and Ali who was in command, reduced them 1..1 such a state that starvation stared them in the face. He then led the assault on their stronghold, capturing it so quickly that he was able to offer his afternoon prayers in the compound of the citadel.
The Jewish tribe of Banu Mustaleq had settled down in a neighbouring province of Medina. The Prophet having received intelligence of their activities, sent Boreida b. Al Hasib to ascertain the truth about their meditated raid on Medea.
Boreida confirmed the news upon his return, and the Prophet marched on them on the 2nd Shaban, 6 A. H. with Ali as his standard bearer. The Muslim army was able to advance far into their territory without any opposition, for Ali's reputation as a warrior had preceded him, striking terror into the hearts of the tribesmen who fled from the approaching army. All the warriors of the Banu Khuzza fled, leaving the Banu Mustaleq to face the army of the Holy Prophet on their own.
In the single combats that were fought, Ali crossed swords with Quttada the Jewish leader of the tribe and killed him. Another Jewish warrior, Malik, confronted Ali, and he too was quickly disposed ofl. After Malik, his son came out to avenge the death of his father, but met the same fate. This completely disheartened the Jews, and they laid down their arms and agreed to pay tribute.
The Holy Prophet desired to make a pilgrimage to the Kaaba. Ever since he migrated to Medina six years ago ire had always been a longing on his part to do so.
Hasty preparations were made, and the Prophet informed the people of Medina that this trip was meant only as a pilgrimage. Arrangements for the journey having been
Before approaching Mecca, the Prophet was informed that the Meccans hearing about his journey had despatched a cavalry of two hundred to prevent him from proceeding further. To advance was out of the question as the Prophet had not come to give them battle; so he diverted to the right towards Al Hudaibiya. Reaching Al Hudaibiya, on the verge of the sacred territory surrounding Mecca, his camel Al Qaswa stopped and knelt down as if refusing to go further. The Prophet took this sign as a Divine Omen that he should not proceed further; he ordered a halt and encamped there-. While the Prophet and his followers waited here, the Quraish continued to hold counsel around the Kaaba. Some were for driving Muhammad away by force, a few were for allowing him to perform the pilgrimage, but the majority wanted to prevent him from entering the Kaaba while still avoiding warfare. This led to a stalemate. Negotiations continued between the Prophet's representatives for some days without the deadlock being broken. The Quraish remained adamant, not agreeing to allow the Prophet to enter Mecca.
Finally a treaty was signed between the Meccan representative Suhail bin Amr and the Holy Prophet. The Prophet instructed Ali, his Vicegerent, to write down the treaty at his dictation, and it began thus : "In the name of God, the most Gracious and Merciful', Suheil objected to this, and said that it should begin as the Meccans used to do. Thus: "In Thy name, 0 God!" The Prophet agreed and asked Ali to write "Bismeka Allah Hoomma'. Next he dictated:
By the terms of the treaty it was agreed that the Muslims should return immediately to Medina but that they could perform the pilgrimage the following year. During the period the Meccans would evacuate the city for three days and camp outside its walls. The Muslims should come as pilgrims, unarmed, save for a sword each, which they could carry for self-defence. It was further agreed that there would be a ten-year truce between the Meccans and the Muslims, and that the Meccan caravans should be allowed to pass without hindrance through their territory. It was also agreed that any Meccan who escaped to Medina to accept Islam would be handed back to the Meccans.
For the time being warfare was avoided and peace returned. The Muslim pilgrims returned to Medina only to
________________________
1 Abul Fida
2 Habib al-Siyar; Tazkirat-al-Kiram
3 Rawdzat-al-Ahbab; Habib-Siyar; Ibn Athir
The valley of Khaibar was studded with fortresses strongly situated on rocky hillocks, which numbered about ten, and some of which such as Al-Qumas, Al-Qatieba, Al-Watih and Sulalim were deemed impregnable. Outside help was now impossible. The Jews, counting upon their numbers - far greater than those of the comparatively small horde of the enemy - upon their valour as well as upon their strongholds, resolved to resist. But when besieged in any of their citadels, they could not resist very long and eventually evacuated it after one or two sorties. Thus all the inferior fortresses, with which the Muslims had begun their attacks, fell one after the other into their hands.
The Prophet confided his Sacred Banner into the hands of Ali, armed him with his sword the Zulfiqar, and thus designated him the man whom God and His Prophet
The Jews sallied forth to drive down the assailants. Jewish monk asked Ali his name, which he gave out as Ali b. Abi Talib or Haidar. The monk, hearing the name, warned his men that the assailant would not withdraw without capturing the citadel. However, Harith, a Jewish champion, who had vigorously repulsed the previous attacks, stepped forward and slew several of his Muslim antagonists. Perceiving this, Ali himself advanced and slew Harith, in a hand to hand fight. The brother of Harith was a man of gigantic stature and huge form. He was unequalled in valour among the Jews. To revenge the death of his brother, he came out, covered from his neck to the waist with a double coat of mail, having on his head a helmet for protection from the stroke of a scimitar. He had a huge gird on both his sides and brandished a big spear with tripleforked sharp pointed heads. Stepping forward from the Jewish lines, he challenged his adversaries to a single combat. "I am Marhab", he cried, "as all Khaibar knoweth, the greatest warrior in the world. None among the Muslims could dare come forward to confront him. Ali himself advanced from the Muslim line in response to his vainglorious challenge saying, "I am he whom his mother named Haidar, a lion of the wilderness; I weigh my foes in a gigantic balance(i.e. I make short work of my enemies.)" Ali's words were not meaningless. Ali knew, through inspiration that Marhab had lately dreamt of a rugged
Abu Rafe, one of those who stormed the fort with Ali, testified that, after the war, he examined the gate and tried with seven other persons to turn it over but the attempt failed. The citadel was captured and the victory
According to Suyuti in Tarikhul-Khulafa, Ali held the gate in one hand, making his companions stand on the flat gate, went on placing them across the ditch by a movement of his hand. Suyuti adds that later the gate could not be moved by eighty persons.
After capturing the citadel Ali came back victorious to his Camp, the Prophet, seeing him coming, came out of his tent with open arms to receive him. Warmly embracing Ali, the Prophet kissed his brow and declared that his services to the Divine cause were appreciated by the Almighty Judge as well as by himself and added.
1 "Ali, had I not been afraid that the Muslims would start regarding you as Christians regard Christ, I would have said things about you which would have made the Muslims venerate you and to consider the dust of your feet as something worth venerating; but it will suffice to say that you are from me and I am from you; you will inherit me and I will inherit you; you are to me what Aaron was unto Moses; you will fight for my causes, you will be nearest to me on the day of judgment; you will be next to me on the fountain of Kauser; enmity against you is enmity against me; a war against you is a war against me; your friendship is my friendship; to be at peace with you is to be at peace with me; your flesh is my flesh; your blood is my blood; who will obey you will obey me; truth is on your tongue, in your
________________________heart and in your mind. You have as much faith ht God as I have. You are a door to me. As per the order of God, I give you these tidings that your friends will be rewarded in Heaven and your enemies are doomed for Hell".
Ali shed tears of joy at this intelligence. The Apostle revived their faith by the example of Ali on whom he bestowed the surname of the "Lion of God". Gibbon, D. & F. of Roman Empire Vol. V. p. 365.
After the defeat, the fortress surrendered on condition that the inhabitants were free to leave the country after giving up their whole property to the conqueror, each one taking a camel load of food stuffs with him. Concealment of the valuables was to be deemed an infraction of the conditions, and the violator was liable to capital punishment. People preferring to live in the country might occupy and reside in the houses possessed by them and might also cultivate the land they occupied; but no immoveable property was to be owned by them, they being treated as tenants bound to cede half of their products to the conqueror, who could put them to exile at his will and pleasure.
By virtue of the Hudaibiya Treaty, the Bani Khuzaa had declared themselves in alliance with the Prophet. With all the tribes in and around o Medina knowing the strength of the Muslims, the Holy Prophet might have hoped for a peaceful year to come, but it was not to be, because the Meccans had no intention of keeping to the
He ordered an army of ten thousand to get ready to take the field against the Meccans. It was at this stage that Abu Sufyan, the Governor of Mecca realising the gravity of the danger, came to Medina to seek the Prophet's forgiveness. The Holy Prophet knew Abu Sufyan too well to waver in his determination, having lost all faith in the Meccans.
On the 10th Ramazan, 8 A. H. or the 1st January 630 A. D. Muhammad took the road to Mecca with a fully equipped army of ten thousand strong, and marched in all haste towards the Holy City of Mecca. The Muslim army continued its unopposed march to Marr-uz-Zuhraan, within sight of Mecca. Here they were ordered to camp and to await developments, and they were permitted to light camp fires. Soon the heights were ablaze with a thousand fires, and the Meccans who had not received any tidings of the impending danger, were struck with terror at this sight.
Realising that Islam could no longer be prevented from spreading, Abu Sufyan sought to save his skin by a profession
Express orders were given to all Generals to practise forbearance, and under no circumstances make the first attack. The main body of the army advanced without molestation. Muhammad brought up the rearguard, clad in a scarlet vest, and riding on his favourite camel A 1-Qaswa. He proceeded slowly, his movements being impeded by the immense multitude which thronged around him. Arriving at Mount Hajun, where Ali had planted the Standard of the Faith, he had a tent pitched for himself. Here he alighted, put off his Scarlet garment, and assumed the black turban and the pilgrim's garb.
Not long after this, accompanied by Ali, he proceeded direct to the sanctuary of Kaaba, kissed the sacred stone, performed the seven circuits round the sanctuary, and offered his devout prayers.
The city was at his mercy, but history does not afford a similar example of the magnanimous generosity and forbearance which was displayed by Muhammad. "What can you expect at my hands?" He asked them. "Mercy", they replied. Tears came into the eyes of the Prophet when he heard them beg for mercy. "I will speak to you", he continued, "as Joseph spoke to his brethren. I will not reproach you today. God will forgive you, for He is merciful and loving. Go; ye are free!" can anything be
There were three hundred and sixty symbols around the Kaaba representing the pagan Arab Gods. The Prophet pointed to each with his staff whilst reciting the verse, "Truth has come and falsehood being perishable has vanished" and the symbols fell on their faces. Pictures of Abrahaml and Ishmael and of the angels in female form, which covered e walls of the Kaaba were obliterated. Hobal the Symbol treated as the greatest deity of Mecca, was fixed on a high position beyond reach. To destroy it, the Prophet desired Ali to mount on his shoulders. Ali hesitated for a moment. "Do as you are told" reiterated the voice of the Master. Ali then got up on the Holy Prophet's shoulders and completed the destruction. He threw down all the symbols, replica of the "Age of Ignorance", and then jumped down from the shoulders of his Master. Then the Prophet asked Ali, "how did you feel when you were mounting my shoulders?" To this Ali replied, "While there I found that my hand reached to a height as high as Heaven, and that I could remove whatever I wanted with ease." The Holy Prophet replied, "O Ali! I congratulate you on performing a Divine duty, and lucky am I indeed that I held the Divine burden on my shoulders." The Holy Prophet's order to Ali to mount on his shoulders was nothing but a Divine Revelation which signified that Ali was a partner in this Divinely ordained Command of the Lord.
The Bani Jazhima, who lived at a day's march from Mecca, had already embraced Islam, but none of them had turned up to pay respects to the Prophet at Mecca. The Prophet deputed Khalid with a small detachment to
The Prophet, grieved at receiving the sad news of the outrage, raised up his hands to Heaven and called God to witness that he was innocent of what Khalid had done. On his return, when Khalid was upbraided, he shifted the blame to Abd-al-Rahman, but the Prophet indignantly rejected the imputation.
Accordingly, the Holy Prophet sent Ali with a sum of money for distribution among the people to compensate for the bloodshed, and to restore to them what Khalid had wrested from them. The generous Ali executed the commission faithfully. Inquiring into the losses and sufferings of each individual, Ali paid as much compensation as they demanded. When all blood was atoned for and all the sufferers were satisfied, he distributed the remaining money among them, gladdening every heart by his bounty. The Prophet applauded this generosity, praised and thanked Ali. Khalid was rebuked and reproved.
The formidable Bedouin tribes, the Hawaazin, the Thakif and various others pastured their flocks on the territories bordering Mecca. Some of them possessed strongly fortified towns like Tayef, and were unwilling to render obedience to the Muslims without resistance. They formed a league with the intention of
The threatening information compelled the Prophet to cut short his stay in Mecca. He left Mecca with his ten thousand followers, who had come with him from Medina, and two thousand from Mecca who had volunteered to fight by his side. Ali as usual, held the Sacred Standard of the Prophet. In the dead of night the army reached the Hunain valley, which lies about midway between Mecca and Tayef. In order to reach the fertile valley of Tayef, they had to pass through a narrow defile called Hunain. This was the key point of the enemy's defence. It was a narrow and dismal place leaving little room for an army to pass through, except in single file, nor could camels and horses be manoeuvred within its narrow walls. Concealing themselves under the precipitous side of the rocky valley, the tribesmen, from the heights, showered avalanches of rocks and arrows on the Muslims, and prevented all attempts by the Muslim cavalry to organise a charge. Panic began to spread amongst the Muslim troops and defeat seemed very probable. All except the Holy Prophet, Ali, Abbas and a few others started to run and panic seized the whole army. According to Habib-us-Siyar and Rouzath-ul-Ahbab, Khalid Bin Walid was the first to leave the field. As they ran helter skelter, the Holy Prophet called out to them, "Where are you going ? The Apostle of the Lord is here! Return! Return! Where are you going? The Apostle of the Lord is here ! Return! Return!"
At this critical moment Ali rallied the disorganised forces around him inspiring them to fight with fresh valour. At the same time the Holy Prophet asked his uncle Abbas, who held his mule, to call aloud at the top of his voice:As a result of this victory, enormous booty fell into the hands of the Muslims. The battle of Hunain, is one of the most famous events in the history of Islam. It was notable for the strategy of Ali regrouping the Muslim army, turning defeat into victory. It also showed the clemency with which the prisoners were treated. Six hundred of the enemy were freed without having to pay ransom.
Mention of this battle has been made in the Holy Quran vide Sura IX-25 and 26.
25 "Already hath God helped you in many engagements,
26 ("Then God sent down His tranquillity upon His Apostle and upon the faithful and sent down hosts (troops of angels) invisible to you ; and chastised those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the ungodly."
After the battle of Hunain, Malik ibn Auf, fled to Tayef where he was given asylum. The people of Tayef were formidable warriors who worshipped an idol called Allat, and attributed all their success to him. It was the Prophet's desire to destroy this idol, and prove to the people of Tayef that only God was to be worshipped. Hence a force was sent to lay siege to Tayef.
The warriors of Tayef proved their mettle, and resolved to fight to a finish against the Muslim assaults, and they replied with counter assaults, until the casualties among the Muslims started piling up. When the Muslims laid waste their vineyards and date palms, they offered formidable resistance and refused to surrender.
Finally the Holy Prophet decided to send Ali to Tayef with an invitation oto the people to accept Islam. On his arrival in the territories bordering on Tayef, Ali began to
