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`Ali’s Courage in the Battle of Khandaq (The Ditch)

In this battle, Quraysh and its collaborators from the family of Kinanah, the inhabitants of Tihamah with ten thousands men as well as the tribe of Ghatafan from Najd rushed to help Quraysh putting Muslims in a corner. The Messenger of Allah who knew their decision beforehand, ordered Muslims to dig a ditch around the city of Medina. Following this act, the sworn enemies of Islam surrounded the city from every side.

In this connection, the Holy Qur’an states: “…When they came upon you from above you and from below you…” (33:10). To fight the enemy, the Messenger of Allah rose for defense with three thousand Muslims behind the ditch and within the city. Amid this, the Jews inside the city were allied with the atheists so as to defeat the Holy Prophet and Muslims. Hence, the enemy pressured the people of Medina from inside and outside, adding to their worries. The horse-riders of Quraysh, including `Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl and `Amr ibn `Abd-Wudd who, in their wishful thinking, dreamt of a quick victory stood in the front line, asking for a challenger and declared a hand to hand fighting. Among Muslims, the first man who responded him was `Ali, saying: O Messenger of Allah, I am prepared to fight him! The Messenger of Allah said, “He is `Amr,” and kept silent. Asking for a challenger for the second time, `Amr said: Where is the paradise you promise with martyrdom? Why don’t you come to the field to be


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وَفي غَزاةِ الخَنْدَقِ:

لَمَّا فَرِغَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنْ حَفْرِ الْخَنْدَقِ أَقْبَلَتْ قُرَيْشٌ وَأَتْباعُها مِنْ كِنانَةَ وَأَهْلِ تِهامَةَ فِي عَشَرَةِ آلافٍ وَأَقْبَلَتْ غَطَفانُ وَمَنْ يَتْبَعُها مِنْ أهْلِ نَجْدٍ فَنَزَلوا مِنْ فَوْقِ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُمْ.

كَمَا قَالَ تَعالَى: ﴿إِذْ جَاءُوكُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ.﴾ فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بالْمُسْلِمينَ وَهُمْ ثَلاثَةُ آلافٍ وَجَعَلوا الْخَنْدَقَ بَيْنَهُمْ. وَاتَّفَقَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ مَعَ اليَهودِ وَاشْتَدَّ الأَمْرُ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمينَ. وَرَكِبَ فَوارِسُ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْهُمْ عَمْرُو بْنُ عَبْدِ وُدٍّ وَعِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ أَبِي جَهْلٍ. فَقالَ عَمْرٌو: مَنْ يُبارِزُ؟ فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أنَا. فَقالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إنَّهُ عَمْرٌو. فَسَكَتَ. فَقالَ عَمْرٌو: هَلْ مِنْ مُبارِزٍ؟ أيْنَ جَنَّتُكُمُ الَّتِي تَزْعُمونَ أنَّهُ مَنْ قُتِلَ مِنْكُمْ دَخَلَهَا؟ أَفَلا يَبْرُزُ إلَيَّ رَجُلٌ؟ فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ: أنَا لَهُ يَا رَسولَ

 

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martyred and to go to paradise, is there no one to fight me? `Ali said: I will fight him. The Holy Prophet, at this time too due to an exigency and to prevent others from saying `Ali does not give others any chance and that he acts hastily, said: He is `Amr and kept silent.

On the third time when `Amr boldly cried out: Who is your fighter? Again `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah, I will fight him though he is `Amr! At this time, the Holy Prophet gave `Ali permission to fight, saying: Now Islam in its entirety is standing against atheism in its entirely implying that if `Ali achieves victory, Islam will be victorious and if `Amr overcomes, then there will be no name of Islam. Addressing `Amr after going to the battlefield, `Ali said: You have pledged that if a man of Quraysh calls you to two things, you will accept. `Amr said: It is so. `Ali said: I invite you first to God, His messenger and Islam. `Amr said: Forget it, I will never accept Islam! `Ali said: I am on foot, you better dismount your horse so as to fight hand to hand. `Amr who was feeling death, out of pity said: O son of my brother! I do not desire to kill you, for you are an honorable man and your father was an old friend of me! `Ali said: But by God, I desire to kill you. `Amr was disturbed by these words and dismounted his horse. `Ali threw him on the ground after an hour of hand to hand fighting `Ali killed him and his son too. Seeing this fatal scene, `Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl and other atheist took to their heels, leaving the battlefield. God returned their anger back to them, so the enemies found no benefit in continuing the fighting and thus were defeated.[182]

Seeing `Amr killed, `Umar ibn Khattab said to `Ali: He had a good coat of mail, why didn’t you take it off his body for there is no cuirass like it? `Ali said: It was not fair to leave him naked on the ground.[183]

`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud used to recite the verse “…and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting; and Allah is Strong Mighty” (33:25) about `Ali.[184]

Rabi`ah al-Sa`di reports: I went to Hudhayfah ibn Yaman, saying: Whenever I relate a Hadith on the excellence of `Ali, the people of Basrah reject us, saying: You are exaggerating and going to extremes about `Ali. Is there any Hadith which I can relate and the enemies cannot deny? Hudhayfah said: O Rabi`ah! Which merits of `Ali should


 

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اللهِ. فَقالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إنَّهُ عَمْرٌو. فَسَكَتَ.

فَنَادَى ثالِثَةً. فَقالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أنَا لَهُ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ. فَقالَ: إنَّهُ عَمْرٌو. فَقالَ: وَإنْ كَانَ. فَأَذِنَ لَهُ وَقالَ: خَرَجَ الإسْلامُ كُلُّهُ إلَى الشِّرْكِ كُلِّهِ. فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا عَمْرُو إنَّكَ قَدْ عَاهَدْتَ اللهَ تَعالَى أَلاَّ يَدْعُوَكَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ إلَى إحْدَى خِصْلَتَيْنِ إلا إخْتَرْتَها مِنْهُ. فَقالَ لَهُ: أَجَلْ. فَقالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: فَإنِّي أَدْعُوكَ إلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالإسْلامِ. فَقالَ: لاَ حَاجَةَ لِي بِذَلِكَ. فَقالَ: إنِّي أَدْعُوكَ إلَى النِّزَالِ. فَقالَ لَهُ: يَا ابْنَ أَخي، فَوَاللهِ إنِّي لاَ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْتُلَكَ وَأَنْتَ كَرِيمٌ وَأَبوكَ لِي نَديمٌ. فَقالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ: وَلَكِنِّي وَاللهِ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْتُلَكَ. فَحَمَى عَمْرٌو وَنَزَلَ عَنْ فَرَسِهِ ثُمَّ تَجَاوَلا ساعَةً. فَضَرَبَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَتَلَهُ وَقَتَلَ وَلَدَهُ أيْضاً. وَانْهَزَمَ عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ أَبِي جَهْلٍ وَباقِي المُشْرِكِينَ وَرَدَّهُمُ اللهُ بِغَيْظِهِمْ لَمْ يَنَالوا خَيْراً وَكَفَى اللهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْقِتالَ.

وَقالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الخَطَّابِ لِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: هَلاّ سَلَبْتَهُ دِرْعَهُ، فَمَا لأَحَدٍ دِرْعٌ مِثْلُهَا. فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إنِّي إسْتَحْيَيْتُ أَنْ أَكْشِفَ عَنْ سَوْءَةِ ابْنِ عَمِّي.

وَكَانَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ يَقْرَأُ: وَكَفَى اللهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْقِتَالَ بِعَلِيٍّ وَكَانَ اللهُ قَوِيَّاً عَزِيزاً.

قَالَ رَبِيعَةُ السَّعْدِيُّ: أَتَيْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنَ اليَمانِ فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ، إنَّا لَنُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ وَمَناقِبِهِ فَيَقُولُ لَنا أهْلُ البَصْرَةِ إنَّكُمْ لَتُفَرِّطونَ فِي عَلِيٍّ، فَهَلْ أَنْتَ مُحَدِّثُنِي فِيهِ بِحَدِيثٍ؟ فَقالَ حُذَيْفَةُ: يَا رَبِيعَةُ، وَما تَسْأَلُنِي عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ وُضِعَ

 

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I recount? By Lord in whose hand my life rests, if the deeds of the aides of Muhammad from the day he was ordained as prophet till the Day of Judgment are put on a pan of a scale and `Ali’s deeds are put on the other pan of scale, beyond doubt, `Ali’s deeds are heavier. Rabi`ah said: This is a Hadith for which one cannot sit or stand, implying that it is hard to accept and more hard to recount. Hudhayfah said: O fool! How can you say that this Hadith is hard to accept when the Messenger of Allah said the same thing on the day of the battle of the Ditch!

Then he added: Where were Abu-Bakr, `Umar, Hudhayfah, and all the companions of the Holy Prophet on the day when `Amr ibn `Abd-Wudd was yelling and challenging a fighter? All the crowds on that day were at a loss, creeping in a corner. It was only `Ali who responded to him, went to fight and killed him. By God in whose power my life is, the reward of `Ali’s deed on that day is more than the reward of the deeds of Muhammad’s companions till the Day of Judgment.[185]

Following the defeat of allies on the day of the battle of Ditch, the Messenger of Allah decided to suppress the Jews of Banu-Qurayzah who had allied with Quraysh, so gave `Ali the mission to inspect their situation from close with thirty men of Khazraj tribe, saying: O `Ali, see what state Banu-Qurayzah are in? Have they left their forts on not? Going on his mission, `Ali accompanied by his aides reached near the enemy’s position, seeing that they were stationed in their forts and had blocked entrances and exits, swearing at the Holy Prophet (s.a). `Ali immediately went to the Holy Prophet informing him of the situation and went directly to carry out his mission. Seeing `Ali, one of them said: The killer of `Amr has come and the others confirmed it. Hearing the name of `Ali, Banu-Qurayzah took to his heels, leaving his position. By advancing into the big fort, `Ali installed the standard of Islam. The running Jews were swearing at the Holy Prophet and speaking ill of him. The Messenger of Allah said: O the brothers of pigs and monkeys, where are you fleeing? When we confront our enemies, we will ruin their life and make the bright day dark for them. They said: O Abu-al-Qasim! You were not tyrant or foulmouthed. Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah turned back, ashamed and kept them under siege for twenty five nights. Since


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جَمِيعُ أَعْمالِ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ السَّلامُ فِي كَفَّةِ الْمِيزَانِ مُنْذُ بَعَثَ اللهُ مُحَمَّداً إلَى يَوْمِ القِيامَةِ وَوُضِعَ عَمَلُ عَلِيٍّ فِي الكَفَّةِ الأُخْرى لَرَجَحَ عَمَلُ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَلَى جَميعِ أعْمالِهِمْ. فَقالَ رَبيعَةُ: هَذَا الَّذِي لاَ يُقامُ لَهُ وَلا يُقْعَدُ.

فَقالَ حُذَيْفَةُ: يَا لُكَعُ، وَكَيْفَ لاَ يُحْمَلُ وَأَيْنَ كَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَحُذَيْفَةُ وَجَميعُ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ يَوْمَ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَبْدِ وُدٍّ، وَقَدْ دَعا إلَى البِرازِ فَأَحْجَمَ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ مَا خَلا عَلِيَّاً، فَإنَّهُ بَرَزَ إلَيْهِ فَقَتَلَهُ؟ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ حُذَيْفَةَ بِيَدِهِ، لَعَمَلُهُ ذَلِكَ اليَوْمِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْراً مِنْ عَمَلِ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ إلَى يَوْمِ القِيامَةِ.

وَلَمَّا إنْهَزَمَ الأَحْزابُ قَصَدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ وَأَنْفَذَ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي ثَلاثِينَ مِنَ الخَزْرَجِ وَقالَ: أُنْظُرْ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ هَلْ نَزَلوا حُصونَهُمْ؟ فَلَمَّا شَارَفَها سَمِعَ مِنْهُمْ الهَجْرَ. فَرَجِعَ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ. وَسارَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ حَتَّى دَنا مِنْ سُورِهِمْ، فَأَبْصَرَهُ شَخْصٌ فَنادَى: قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ قَاتِلُ عَمْرٍو. وَقالَ آخَرُ كَذَلِكَ فَانْهَزَمُوا. وَرَكَزَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ الرَّايَةَ فِي أَصْلِ الْحِصْنِ وَاسْتَقْبَلُوهُ يَسُبُّونَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. فَنَادَاهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: يَا إخْوَةَ القِرَدَةِ وَالْخَنازِيرِ، إنَّا إذَا نَزَلْنا بِسَـاحَةِ قَوْمٍ فَساءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ. فَقَالُوا: يَـا أَبَـا القَاسِمِ مَا كُنْتَ جَهُولاً وَلا سَبَّاباً. فَاسْتَحْيَى صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَرَجَعَ القَهْقَرَى، وَحَاصَرَهُمْ خَمْس

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they could not resist, they suggested to surrender and bowed to Sa`d ibn Mu`adh’s arbitration. The Messenger of Allah too accepted it. Sa`d ibn Mu`adh ruled their men to be killed, their women and children to be taken captive and their property to be divided among Muslims. At this time, the Holy Prophet (s.a) ordered the men of Banu-Qurayzah amounting to nine hundred to be put under watch in the houses of Banu’l-Najjar tribe. Then, he ordered the watchmen to bring them one by one near the ditch through the exit way of the neighborhood and ordered `Ali to behead them one after the other and to throw their bodies in the ditch. `Ali carried out the instructions, beheaded them all and threw them in the ditch.[186]

In the battle of Banu’l-Mustalaq in which `Ali was a pioneer, Muslims eventually gained the victory. In this battle, Malik and his son who were among the enemy leaders were killed by `Ali, and Juwayriyyah, the daughter of Harith ibn Abi-Dirar was taken captive and brought to the presence of the Messenger of Allah, who chose her for himself. After the battle, the father of Juwayriyyah came to the Holy Prophet, saying: O Messenger of Allah! My daughter must not be taken captive, for she is dignified and brought up in a respectable family! The Holy Prophet said: Go to your daughter and ask her if she wishes to be with us or she will be free to return with you. Harith hailed the Holy Prophet’s magnanimity and greatness, and conveyed the Holy Prophet’s message to his daughter but Juwayriyyah opted for God and His messenger, saying: God and His messenger are better than everyone and everything else! After this event, the Holy Prophet set her free, then married her and she became one the wives of the Messenger of Allah.[187]

In the battle of Hudaybiyah which led to peace treaty, the one who drew up and wrote the peace treaty between the Messenger of Allah and Suhayl ibn `Amr was `Ali. In this connection, two merits were added to his virtues no one shared with him.[188]

One of those two merits is that when the Messenger of Allah decided to perform minor Hajj of Hudaybiyah, he, along with a group of his companions, went to Juhfah to become Muhrim but there was no water in that area. So, the Messenger of Allah ordered Sa`d ibn Malik to take water skins and water-carrying camels to search for water. After a short time, Sa`d returned, saying: Since this region is


 

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وَعِشْرينَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى سَأَلُوهُ النُّزُولَ عَلَى حُكْمِ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعاذٍ. فَحَكَمَ سَعْدٌ بِقَتْلِ الرِّجَالِ وَسَبْيِ الذَّرارِي وَالنِّسَاءِ وَقِسْمَةِ الأَمْوالِ. فَأَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ بِإنْزالِ الرِّجالِ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ فِي بَعْضِ دُورِ بَنِي النَّجَّارِ وَكَانوا تِسْعَمِائَةٍ، وَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنْ بَعْضِ الدُّرُوبِ وَأَمَرَ بِإخْراجِهِمْ وَتَقَدَّمَ إلَى أمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِقَتْلِهِمْ فِي الْخَنْدَقِ فَفَعَلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَا أُمِرَ بِهِ.

وَفِي غَزاةِ بَنِي الْمُصْطَلَقِ كَانَ الفَتْحُ لَهُ. وَقَتَلَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَالِكاً وَابْنَهُ وَسَبَى جُوَيْرِيَّةَ بِنْتَ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ أَبِي ضِرارٍ فَاصْطَفَاها النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لِنَفْسِهِ. فَجَاءَ أَبُوها بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَقالَ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، إن ابْنَتِي لاَ تُسْبَى، إنَّها إمْرَأَةٌ كَريمَةٌ. قَالَ: إذْهَبْ وَخَيِّرْها. قَالَ: لَقَدْ أَحْسَنَتْ وَأَجْمَلَتْ فَاخْتارَتِ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ. فَأَعْتَقَها رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَجَعَلَها فِي جُمْلَةِ أَزْواجِهِ.

وَفي غَزاةِ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ: كَانَ أمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ هُوَ الَّذِي كَتَبَ بَيْنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَبَيْنَ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو حينَ طَلَبَ الصُّلْحَ عِنْدَما رَأى تَوَجُّهَ الأَمْرِ عَلَيْهِمْ. وَلَهُ فِي هَذِهِ الغَزاةِ فَضيلَتانِ: إحْداهُما: إنَّهُ لَمَّا خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إلَى غَزاةِ الحُدَيْبِيَةِ نَزَلَ الْجُحْفَةَ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ بِهَا مَاءً، فَبَعَثَ سَعْدَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ بِالرَّوَايا فَغَابَ قَريباً وَعَادَ وَقالَ: لَمْ أَقْدِرْ عَلَى الْمُضِيِّ خَوْفاً مِنَ القَوْمِ. فَبَعَثَ آخَـرَ فَفَعَلَ كَذَلِكَ. فَبَعَثَ عَـلِيَّاً عَلَيْـهِ

 

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under the enemy’s control, I fear to fetch water! The Holy Prophet assigned another person to fetch water. Like Sa`d, he too returned quickly and repeated what Sa`d had said. At this time, the Messenger of Allah ordered `Ali to do the work. After searching, `Ali found out that water was in a spot controlled by the enemy. Hence, without fearing the enemy, `Ali went to the same spot, filled the water skins, fastened them unto camels and brought them for the Holy Prophet (s.a) who praised his valuable deed and prayed for him.[189]

`Ali’s second merit is that when the peace treaty was being concluded, Suhayl ibn `Amr turned to the Holy Prophet, saying: O Muhammad, give back to us these slaves of ours who have joined you. The Holy Prophet was so annoyed with this request, that too, with bold tone that signs of anger could be seen in his face, for it is not right to entrust Muslims to atheists. Besides, his impolite tone implied domineering. Hence, the Holy Prophet said: O group of Quraysh! Stop your hostile attitude otherwise God will send to punish and behead you for the promotion of religion a person whose heart He has tried with faith. Those who were present said: O Messenger of Allah, who is he? The Holy Prophet said: The one who is mending my shoes in the room. To know the man with such a merit, people rushed to the room and found that it was `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[190]

At a time one of the pair of shoes of the Holy Prophet was torn and had to be mended, he called `Ali to mend it. Then while walking a short space in his odd shoe, he turned to his companions, saying: One of you will fight for the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an in the same way that he fights along with me for its revelation. Abu-Bakr said: Is it me? The Holy Prophet said: No. The companions kept silent, looking at one another, asking themselves whom the Holy Prophet meant. Breaking the silence and pointing to `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: He is the one who is presently mending my shoe, for he is the only person who stands against deviators and fight for the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an and those Sunnahs of me which will be abandoned. This is at a time when the book of Allah will be distorted and wrongdoers will interfere in religion. It is with `Ali’s fighting that God’s religion will gain a new life and he will cut their hands off religion.[191]


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السَّلامُ بِالرَّوايَا فَوَرَدَ وَاسْتَسْقَى وَجَاءَ بِهَا إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ، فَدَعا لَهُ بِخَيْرٍ.

وَالثَّانِيَةُ: أَقْبَلَ سُهَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو فَقالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ إنَّ أَرِقَّاءَنا لَحِقُوا بِكَ فَارْدُدْهُمْ عَلَيْنا. فَغَضِبَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ حَتَّى ظَهَرَ الْغَضَبُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَتَنْتَهُنَّ يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ أَوْ لَيَبْعَثُنَّ اللهُ عَلَيْكُمْ رَجُلاً إمْتَحَنَ اللهُ قَلْبَهُ بِالإيمَانِ يَضْرِبُ رِقابَكُمْ عَلَى الدِّينِ. فَقالَ بَعْضُ الحَاضِرينَ: مَنْ هُوَ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ: خَاصِفُ النَّعْلِ فِي الحُجْرَةِ. فَتَبادَروا إلَيْها لِيَعْرِفوا مَنْ هُوَ، فَإذَا هُوَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَكَانَ قَدِ إنْقَطَعَ شِسْعُ نَعْلِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَدَفَعَها إلَى عَلِيٍّ يُصْلِحُها. ثُمَّ مَشَى فِي نَعْلٍ وَاحِدٍ غُلْوَةَ سَهْمٍ. ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عَلَى أَصْحابِهِ فَقالَ: إنَّ بَيْنَكُمْ مَنْ يُقاتِلُ عَلَى التَّأْويلِ كَمَا قَاتَلْتُ عَلَى التَّنْزِيلِ. فَقالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: أنَا يَا رَسولَ اللهِ؟ فَقالَ: لاَ. فَقالَ عُمَرُ: فَأَنَا؟ فَقالَ: لاَ. فَأَمْسَكُوا وَنَظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ إلَى بَعْضٍ. فقَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: لَكِنَّهُ خَاصِفُ النَّعْلِ، وَأَوْمَأَ إلَى عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، فَإنَّهُ يُقاتِلُ عَلَى التَّأْوِيلِ إذَا تُرِكَتْ سُنَّتِي وَنُبِذَتْ وَحُرِّفَ كِتابُ اللهِ وَتَكَلَّمَ فِي الدِّينِ مَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ، فَيُقاتِلُهُمْ عَلَى إحْياءِ دِينِ اللهِ.

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In the battle of Khaybar, which took place in the seventh year A.H., it was `Ali who achieved victory for Islam. The Holy Prophet besieged for twenty and odd nights the Jews of Khaybar who had dug a huge ditch round their fort, taking sanctuary in it.

Eventually, one day the Jews opened the gate of the fort. Marhab and his aides came out of the fort, declaring their combat readiness. At this time, the Messenger of Allah called Abu-Bakr and gave the standard of Islam to him, placing a group of immigrants (Muhajir) under his command. Abu-Bakr who was facing defeat soon returned along with those accompanying him.

On the second day, the Messenger of Allah gave the standard of Islam to `Umar, appointing him the commander of the army. He went a few steps forward but not being able to advance and facing defeat, he too returned. Seeing the defeat of the two, the Holy Prophet said: Where is `Ali? Tell him to come to me. It was said he had sore eye. The Holy Prophet said for a second time: Tell `Ali to come here, for he is a man who loves God and His messenger and God and His messenger too love him. He has never abandoned the battlefield and has defeated his enemy with his successive attacks. He is the one who carries the banner of Islam and adds to its glory.

The companions rushed to `Ali conveying the Holy Prophet’s message. Unable to see before him, `Ali in compliance with the Holy Prophet’s order was brought to the Messenger of Allah who asked: What is the problem? `Ali said: I have sore eye and a bad headache. The Holy Prophet said: Sit down and put your head on my lap. Then, putting his saliva on the head and eyes of `Ali the Holy Prophet prayed for him. `Ali immediately opened his eyes and there was no sign of headache in him. Giving then the white banner to `Ali, the Holy Prophet said: By carrying this banner, victory will be yours, for Gabriel will accompany you and victory awaits you. You will cast such a horror in hearts that they will have no option other than surrender. In their book, Torah they have read that the one who will overcome them and will destroy their fort is a man by the name of Ilya. Once you get near to their fort, tell them: I am the son of Abu-Talib and my name is `Ali. This word is the sign of their humiliation. With Allah’s Grace, you will achieve victory soon. To carry out the Holy Prophet’s order, `Ali set out for the Jews’ fort. Wearing a cuirass, having

 

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وَفي غَزاةِ خَيْبَرَ:

وَكانَتْ فِي سَنَةِ سَبْعٍ مِنَ الهِجْرَةِ، كَانَ الفَتْحُ فِيهَا لأَمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. حَاصَرَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِضْعاً وَعِشْرينَ لَيْلَةً. فَفي بَعْضِ الأَيَّامِ فَتَحوا البَابَ وَكانوا قَدْ خَنْدَقُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ خَنْدَقاً وَخَرَجَ مَرْحَبُ بِأَصْحابِهِ يَتَعَرَّضُ لِلْحَرْبِ. فَدَعا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَأَعْطاهُ الرَّايَةَ فِي جَمْعٍ مِنَ المُهَاجِرِينَ فَانْهَزَمَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الغَدِ أَعْطاهَا عُمَرَ، فَسَارَ غَيْرَ بَعيدٍ ثُمَّ انْهَزَمَ. فَقالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إئْتُونِي بِعَلِيٍّ. فَقيلَ: إنَّهُ أرْمَدُ. فَقالَ لأُوتَيَنَّهُ تَرَوْنِي رَجُلاً يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيُحِبُّهُ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، كَرَّارٌ غَيْرُ فَرَّارٍ يَأْخُذُها بِحَقِّهَا. فَجاؤوا بِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُودُونَهُ إلَيْهِ. فَقالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ مَا تَشْتَكِي؟ قَالَ: رَمَداً مَا أُبْصِرُ مَعَهُ وَصُدَاعاً بِرَأْسِي. فَقالَ: إجْلِسْ وَضَعْ رَأْسَكَ عَلَى فَخِذِي. ثُمَّ تَفَلَ فِي يَدِهِ وَمَسَح بِهَا عَلَى عَيْنَيْهِ وَرَأْسِهِ وَدَعَا لَهُ، فَانْفَتَحَتْ عَيْناهُ وَسَكَنَ الصُّدَاعُ. وَأَعْطاهُ الرَّايَةَ وَكَانَتْ بَيْضاءَ وَقالَ: إمْضِ بِهَا، فَجَبْرَئيلُ مَعَكَ وَالنَّصْرُ أَمامَكَ، وَالرُّعْبُ مَبْثوثٌ فِي صُدُورِ القَوْمِ، وَاعْلَمْ يَا عَلِيُّ أَنَّهُمْ يَجِدونَ فِي كِتابِهِمْ أنَّ الَّذِي يُدَمِّرُ عَلَيْهِمْ رَجُلٌ اسْمُهُ إلْيا، فَإذا لَقِيتَهُمْ فَقُلْ: أنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ. فَإنَّهُمْ يُخْذَلونَ إنْ شَاءَ اللهُ. فَمَضـى عَـلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ حَتَّى أتَى الْحِصْـنَ، فَخَرَجَ مَرْحَبٌ وَعَلَيْهِ دِرْعٌ وَمَغْفَرَةٌ

 

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a helmet with a stone in it on his head and prepared for fighting, Marhab came out of the fort. After a short while and in a hand to hand fighting `Ali with a strike of a sword, cut his helmet into two, cleaving the stone and his head to his teeth. Marhab fell on the ground and went to the hell.[192]

A Jewish rabbi reports: When `Ali said: I am `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, a heavy horror fell on the hearts of the Jews and whoever accompanied Marhab escaped into the fort, closing its gate tightly. With the divine power, `Ali took off the gate of the fort, making it a bridge for the Muslims to cross it and to enter the fort. Muslims gained huge booties in this way.

When the Muslims gave up taking the booties, `Ali threw the gate a few meters away. The gate was so heavy that forty men helped one another to close it. It also required seventy men to take it off its place. At this time, a man asked `Ali: How did you take off a gate like this? `Ali said: The gate was not as heavy as the shield I wield in my hand. Then, he said: By God, I did not take it off with my physical power. Rather, it was a divine force which helped me to take it off and to place it as a bridge for Muslims to cross over.[193]

In the conquest of Mecca when God promised the Holy Prophet victory, stating: “When there comes the help of Allah and victory” (110:1), the banner of Islam was in `Ali’s hand.[194]

When entering Mecca, the Messenger of Allah took a pledge from the pride-taking army of Islam not to fight anyone unless they start to fight. Only a few people who had harassed the Holy Prophet had been made exceptions to this command. One of them was Huwayrith ibn Nufayl ibn Ka`b who harassed the Holy Prophet in Mecca and was punished and killed by `Ali on the order of the Holy Prophet.[195]

When the Messenger of Allah entered the sacred mosque, there were three hundred and sixty idols chained together with a rope. The Holy Prophet ordered `Ali to bring him a handful of small sands. `Ali too complied with the Holy Prophet’s order and prepared the small sands. Aiming at all the idols, the Messenger of Allah recited: “Say: the truth has come and the falsehood has vanished; surely falsehood is a vanishing thing” (17:81) and ordered all the idols to be toppled, thrown away from the mosque and be broken.[196]


 

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وَحَجَرٌ قَدْ ثَقَبَهُ مِثْلَ البَيْضَةِ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ، فَاخْتَلَفا بِضَرْبَتَيْنِ فَبَدَرَ بِهِ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِضَرْبَةٍ هاشِمِيَّةٍ فَقَدَّ الْحَجرَ وَالْمَغْفَرَ وَرَأْسَهُ حَتَّى وَقَعَ السَّيْفُ عَلَى أَضْراسِهِ وَخَرَّ صَريعاً.

وَقالَ حَبْرٌ مِنْهُمْ: لَمَّا قَالَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طالِبٍ خَامَرَهُمْ رُعْبٌ شَديدٌ وَانْهَزَمَ مَنْ كَانَ تَبِعَ مَرْحَباً وَأَغْلَقُوا بَابَ الحِصْنِ. فَعَالَجَهُ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَفَتَحَهُ وَأَخَذَ البابَ وَجَعَلَهُ جِسْراً عَلَى الْخَنْدَقِ حَتَّى عَبَرَ عَلَيْهِ المُسْلِمونَ فَظَفَروا بِالحِصْنِ وَأَخَذوا الغَنائِمَ. وَلَمَّا انْصَرَفُوا رَمَى بِهِ بِيُمْناهُ أَذْرُعاً، وَكَانَ يُغْلِقُهُ عِشْرونَ رَجُلاً. وَرَامَ الْمُسْلِمونَ حَمْلَ ذَلِكَ البَابِ فَلَمْ يَنْقُلْهُ إلاَّ سَبْعونَ رَجُلاً.

وَقالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: وَمَا قَلَعْتُ بَابَ خَيْبَرَ بِقُوَّةٍ جِسْمَانِيَّةٍ وَلَكِنْ بِقُوَّةٍ رَبَّانِيَّةٍ.

وَفي غَزاةِ الفَتْحِ:

الَّتِي وَعَدَ اللهُ تَعالَى نَبِيَّهُ بِنَصْرِهِ فَقالَ: ﴿إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَالْفَتْحُ﴾ كَانَتِ الرَّايَةُ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَكَانَ عَهِدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أنْ لاَ يُقَاتِلوا بِمَكَّةَ إلاَّ مَنْ قَاتَلَهَمْ سِوَى نَفَرٍ كَانُوا يُؤْذُونَهُ. فَقَتَلَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ الحَارِثَ بْنَ نُفَيْلِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ وَكَانَ يُؤْذِي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِمَكَّةَ. وَلَمَّا دَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مَكَّةَ، دَخَلَ المَسْجِدَ فَوَجَدَ فِيهِ ثَلاثَمِائَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ صَنَماً بَعْضُها مَشْدودٌ بِبَعْضٍ بِالرَّصَاصِ فَقالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ أَعْطِنِي كَفَّاً مِنَ الحَصَا فَنَاوَلَهُ كَفَّاً مِنَ الحَصَى فَرَماهَا بِهِ وَهُوَ يَقولُ: ﴿قُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقاً﴾ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ فِيهَا صَنَمٌ إلاَّ خَرَّ لِوَجْهِهِ وَأُخْرِجَتْ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ وَكُسِرَتْ.

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In the battle of Hunayn, the Messenger of Allah supported by ten thousand Muslims left Medina for Hunayn. At that time, Abu-Bakr self-admiringly said: We will never be defeated in this battle because of shortage in human force, but in the climax of conflict, they all fled save nine persons from Banu-Hashim and the tenth person was Ayman ibn Ummi-Ayman who was martyred and the verse “then you turned back retreating; Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His apostle and upon the believers” (9:25-26) was revealed about those who retreated. Believers in this verse include `Ali and those who remained steadfast with him.

At a time when `Ali was defending with his unsheathed sword in front of the Holy Prophet, `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib was on the right side, Fadl Ibn `Abbas on the left side, Abu-Sufyan ibn Harith holding the reins of his horse, Nawfal and Rabi`ah, the two sons of Harith, `Abdullah ibn Zubayr ibn `Abd al-Muttalib, `Utbah ibn Mu`it, two sons of Abi- Lahab had circled round the Messenger of Allah and were protecting him.[197]

The Messenger of Allah said to his uncle, `Abbas who had an audible voice to call with loud voice those who were fleeing and to remind them of the divine pledge they had with the Holy Prophet. Therefore, `Abbas cried loudly: O followers of the Messenger of Allah who expressed your allegiance with him under the tree, O companions of Surah Baqarah, where are you fleeing? Why have you forgotten the pledge you have given to God and His messenger? Come back and be steadfast! The people who had fled in the dark of the night leaving the Messenger of Allah alone among the enemy, by hearing his voice and considering that he was watching them flee and knew them, came down from the adjacent hills, while being encouraged gathered around the Holy Prophet and bravely broke the siege of the enemy.[198]

In the thick of the fight, a man from the tribe of Hawazin, names Abu-Jarwal, carrying a black banner with the intention to kill the Holy Prophet was killed by `Ali. With his killing the atheists took to their heels. While they were fleeing, `Ali killed forty others of them. Thereafter, the army of atheism was defeated and a number of them were taken captive by Muslims.[199]

 

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وَفي غَزاةِ حُنَيْنٍ:

إسْتَظْهَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِكَثْرَةِ الْجَمْعِ فَخَرَجَ فِي عَشَرَةِ آلافٍ مِنَ المُسْلِمينَ فَأَعْجَبَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الكَثْرَةُ وَقالَ: لَنْ نُغْلَبَ اليَوْمَ مِنْ قِلَّةِ فِعالِهِمْ. فَلَمَّا التَقَوْا إنْهَزَموا جَمِيعاً وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمينَ سِوَى تِسْعَةِ نَفَرٍ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَعَاشِرُهُمْ أيْمَنُ بْنُ أُمِّ أَيْمَنَ فَقُتِلَ وَبَقِيَتِ التِّسْعَةُ. فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعالَى ﴿ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُمْ مُدْبِرِينَ ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.﴾ يُرِيدُ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَمَنْ ثَبَتَ مَعَهُ. وَكَانَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قَائِماً بِالسَّيْفِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَالعَبَّاسُ عَنْ يَمينِهِ وَالفَضْلُ بْنُ العَبَّاسِ عَنْ يَسارِهِ، وَأَبو سُفْيانَ بْنُ الحَارِثِ مُمْسِكٌ بِسَرْجِهِ وَنَوْفَلُ وَرَبِيعَةُ ابْنا الحَارِثِ وَعَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِالمُطَّلِبِ وَعُتْبَةُ وَمُعَتَّبُ ابْنا أَبِي لَهَبٍ حَوْلَهُ. فَقالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لِلْعَبَّاسِ وَكَانَ جَهُورِيَّ الصَّوْتِ: نَادِ فِي النَّاسِ وَذَكِّرْهُمُ العَهْدَ. فَنادَى: يَا أَهْلَ بَيْعَةِ الشَّجَرَةِ! يَا أصْحَابَ سُورَةِ البَقَرَةِ! إلَى أَيْنَ تَفُرُّونَ؟ إذْكُروا العَهْدَ الَّذِي عَاهَدْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولَ اللهِ! وَالقَوْمُ قَدْ وَلَّوْا مُدْبِريِنَ وَكَانَتْ لَيْلَةً ظَلْماءَ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي الوَادِي وَالمُشْرِكُونَ قَدْ خَرَجُوا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ شِعابِ الوَادِي بِسُيُوفِهِمْ فَنَظَرَ إلَى النَّاسِ بِبَعْضِ وَجْهِهِ فَأَضاءَ كَأَنَّهُ القَمَرُ ثُمَّ نَادَى: أَيْنَ مَا عَاهَدْتُمُ اللهَ عَلَيْهِ؟ فَأَسْمَعَ أَوَّلَهُمْ وَآخِرَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْمَعْها رَجُلٌ إلاَّ رَمَى نَفْسَهُ إلَى الأرْضِ فَانْحَدَروا حَتَّى لَحِقُوا العَدُوَّ. وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ هَوازِنَ اسْمُهُ أَبُو جَزْوَلَ وَمَعَهُ رَايَةٌ سَوْداءُ فَقَتَلَهُ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَكَانَتْ هَزيمَةُ المُشْرِكينَ بِقَتْلِ أَبِي جَزْوَلَ. وَقَتَلَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَواتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَرْبَعينَ رَجُلاً فَكَمُلَتِ الْهَزِيمَةُ وَحَصَلَ الأَسْرُ.

 

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In the battle of Tabuk, God revealed to the Holy Prophet there was no need for fighting, and that the only duty of him and Muslims aimed at intimidating the enemy was to move towards Rome, as it was the time of gathering the fruits of palm trees, and people feared confrontation with the powerful enemy, most people refused to take part in the battle. The Messenger of Allah who had taken march towards Tabuk seriously, to carry out God’s order, departed with a group of believers toward Tabuk, appointing `Ali as his successor to protect Medina and to act as guardians of families, saying to him: The security of this city will not be guarded by anyone except you and me.

The Messenger of Allah knew that the Arabs residing around Mecca and those who had suffered life losses in the battles were looking for a chance to invade Mecca when the Holy Prophet was not in that city. It was due to this reason that he vigilantly endeavored to safeguard it. Now that the Holy Prophet was in the battle, he appointed `Ali to safeguard Medina which was feared to face chaos in the absence of the Messenger of Allah. Hearing this, the blind-hearted hypocrites and gossipmongers inside Medina were extremely worried and jealous of `Ali, for they knew that with the presence of `Ali no danger could threaten Medina and in this way their plot was foiled. Hence, they started the so-called cold war, spreading the rumor by saying: As the presence of `Ali in this battle is heavy for the prophet, he does not wish to take him with himself. Therefore, he leaves `Ali in Medina which means he does not honor `Ali, though they knew how much the Holy Prophet was interested in `Ali!

This kind of rumors was heavy for `Ali. So he immediately left Medina for meeting the Messenger of Allah. He informed the Holy Prophet of the rumors, saying: Hypocrites have this impression that appointing me as your successor in Medina is not aimed at honoring me but it is because you don’t like me to accompany you! Fondling `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: O my brother, go back to Medina, for Medina has no security without me and you. Your position to me is like that of Aaron to Moses except that there will come no prophet after me. In my absence, you will be caliph and successor for my kinsmen.[200]


 

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وَفي غَزاةِ تَبُوكٍ:

أَوْحَى اللهُ تَعالَى إلَى نَبِيِّهِ أنَّهُ لاَ يَحْتاجُ إلَى القِتالِ وَكَلَّفَهُ المَسِيرَ بِنَفْسِهِ وَاسْتِنْفَارَ النَّاسِ مَعَهُ. فَاسْتَنْفَرَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إلَى بِلادِ الرُّومِ وَقَدْ أَيْنَعَتْ ثِمارُهُمْ وَاشْتَدَّ الحَرُّ، فَأَبْطَأَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ عَنْ طاعَتِهِ حِرْصاً عَلَى الْمَعيشَةِ وَخَوْفاً مِنَ الحَرِّ وَلِقاءِ العَدُوِّ وَنَهَضَ بَعْضُهُمْ. وَاسْتَخْلَفَ أمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَعَلَى أهْلِهِ بِهَا وَحَريمِهِ. وَقالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إنَّ الْمَدِينَةَ لاَ تَصْلُحُ إلاَّ بِي أَوْ بِكَ، لأنَّهُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَلِمَ مَا عَلَيْهِ الأَعْرَابُ الَّذينَ حَوْلَ مَكَّةَ وَغَزاهُمْ وَسَفَكَ دِمَاءَهُمْ، فَأَشْفَقَ أنْ يَطَأُوا عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ عِنْدَ نَأْيِهِ عَنْها فَمَتَى لَمْ يُقِمْ فِيهَا مَنْ يُماثِلُهُ وَقَعَ الفَسَادُ فِيهَا. وَلَمَّا عَلِمَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ إسْتِخْلافَهُ لَهُ حَسَدُوهُ وَعَلِمُوا أنَّ الْمَدِينَةَ تَتَحَفَّظُ بِهِ وَيَنْقَطِعُ طَمَعُهُمْ وَطَمَعُ العَدُوِّ فِيهَا، وَغَبَطُوهُ عَلَى الدَّعَةِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهِ فَأَرْجَفُوا بِهِ وَقَالوا: إنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْتَخْلِفْهُ إِكْراماً لَهُ وَإجْلالاً، بَلْ إسْتِقْلالاً بِهِ وَاسْتِثْقالاً بِهِ، مَعَ عِلْمِهِمْ بِأَنَّهُ أَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إلَيْهِ. فَلَحِقَ بالنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقالَ: إنَّ الْمُنافِقِينَ زَعَمُوا أَنَّكَ خَلَّفْتَنِي إسْتِثْقالاً بِي. فَقالَ: إِرْجِعْ يَا أَخِي إلَى مَكَانِكَ، فَإنَّ الْمَدينَةَ لاَ تَصْلُحُ إلاَّ بِي أوْ بِكَ. فَأَنْتَ خَلِيفَتِي فِي أَهْلِي وَدَارِ هِجْرَتِي وَقَوْمِي. أَمَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إلاَّ أَنَّهُ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي؟

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When the Messenger of Allah returned to Medina from Tabuk, `Amr ibn Ma`dyakrib Zubaydi came to him. The Holy Prophet spoke to him about belief in God and His messenger, and he too along with his tribe accepted Islam. At this time the man’s eye fell on Ubay ibn Athath Khath`ami who had killed his father. Taking him by the neck, `Amr brought him to the Holy Prophet, saying: This is the killer of my father. Let me punish him with retribution. The Messenger of Allah said: Bloodshed in the time of ignorance has no value in Islam. `Amr who took pride in his belief and had the impression that the Holy Prophet would issue the order of retribution because of his belief, gave up Islam and became an apostate, for his demand had not been met.

The Messenger of Allah sent `Ali to the tribe of `Amr (Banu-Zubayd) to either arrest or kill him. As soon as the tribesmen saw `Ali with his special anger said to `Amr: O Bathur, what would you feel if this youth of Quraysh defeats you and you have to pay heavily for your act implying that you will be disgraced among your tribesmen. `Amr proudly said: It is in fighting that he will understand who I am and who he is! Saying this, `Amr asked for challenger, `Ali stood opposite him and made a loud cry. Hearing `Ali’s loud cry, `Amr left the scene and took to his heels! In the thick of the fight `Ali killed `Amr’s brother, his nephews, and took his wife and the women of Banu-Zubayd captives. After achieving victory at the end of fighting, `Ali returned to Medina, appointing Khalid ibn Sa`id over them to give amnesty to those who embrace Islam and to collect their alms. When peace prevailed, `Amr resorted to Khalid, embraced Islam once again and spoke to him about his wife and children, asking for their freedom. Khalid too freed `Amr’s wife and children. When taking the girls of Bani-Zubayd, `Ali chose one of those girls for himself but Khalid ibn Walid who was among the army of Islam, because of his rancor against `Ali, told Buraydah Aslami to rush to Medina to inform the Messenger of Allah before the arrival Islam’s army. Reaching the house of the Holy Prophet, Khalid saw `Umar and informed him of the affair to know his opinion. `Umar who was looking for such a chance confirmed his opinion and asked him to go to the Messenger of Allah as soon as possible, thinking that the Holy Prophet would get angry with `Ali’s act because of his daughter, Fatimah. Buraydah went to the presence of the Holy Prophet and

 

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وَلَمَّا رَجِعَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنْ تَبُوكٍ إلَى المَدِينَةِ وَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِيَكْرُبَ الزُّبَيْدِيُّ فَوَعَظَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَأَسْلَمَ هُوَ وَقَوْمُهُ. وَنَظَرَ إلَى ابْنِ عَثْعَثَ الخَثْعَمِيِّ فَأَخَذَ بِرَقَبَتِهِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهِ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقالَ: هَذَا قَتَلَ وَالِدِي. فَقالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: أَهْدَرَ الإسْلامُ مَا كَانَ فِي الجَاهِلِيَّةِ. فَارْتَدَّ عَمْرٌو فَأَنْفَذَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ إلَى بَنِي زُبَيْدٍ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ قَالوا لِعَمْرٍو: كَيْفَ أَنْتَ يَا أَبَا ثَوْرٍ إذَا لَقِيَكَ هَذَا الغُلامُ القُرَشِيُّ فَأَخَذَ مِنْكَ الإتَاوَةَ؟ فَقالَ: سَيَعْلَمُ أنّي إنْ لَقِينَي. وَخَرَجَ عَمْرٌو وَقالَ: مَنْ يُبَارِزُ؟ فَخَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَصَاحَ بِهِ فَانْهَزَمَ فَقَتَلَ أَخاهُ وَابْنَ أَخِيهِ وَأَخَذَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَسَبَى مِنْهُمْ نِسْوانٌ كَثيرَةٌ. وَانْصَرَفَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَخَلَّفَ عَلَى بَنِي زُبَيْدٍ خَالِدَ بْنَ سَعِيدٍ لِيَقْبِضَ صَدَقَاتِهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنَ مَنْ يَعُودُ إلَيْهِ مُسْلِماً. فَرَجِعَ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْديَكْرُبَ إلَى خَالِدٍ وَأَسْلَمَ وَكَلَّمَهُ فِي إمْرَأَتِهِ وَأَوْلادِهِ فَوَهَبَهُمْ لَهُ. وَكَانَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قَدِ إصْطَفَى مِنَ السَّبْيِ جَارِيَةً. فَبَعَثَ خَالِدُ بْنُ الوَليدِ بُرَيْدَةَ الأسْلَمِيَّ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قَبْلَ الجَيْشِ وَقالَ: أَعْلِمْهُ بِالإصْطِفَاءِ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ إلَى بَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لَقِيَهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الخَطَّابِ فَحَكَى لَهُ فَقالَ لَهُ: إمْضِ لِمَا جِئْتَ لَهُ، فَإنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ سَيَغْضَبُ لإبْنَتِهِ.

 

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read Khalid’s letter hoping that he will be angry with `Ali’s act. But contrary to his expectation, the Holy Prophet was angry with Khalid’s letter. Although Buraydah noticed how angry the Holy Prophet was in order to realize his objective, he corrected Khalid’s writing, saying: O Messenger of Allah, if you give permission to people to choose whomever they want and whatever property they wish, before the division of booties, there will be a chaos in the division of booties and no one can attain his right. Being angry with Khalid’s letter and Buraydah’s saying, the Messenger of Allah said: O Buraydah, woe to you! Has the dark veil of hypocrisy covered your eyes that you are saying this about `Ali? Whatever is permissible for me in booties is also permissible for `Ali. That is, in the same way that it is permissible for me to devote a female slave or other property to myself before division of booties, so is it for `Ali. Then, he added `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the best of people whom I will appoint as successor among my Ummah. Admonishing Buraydah with a short sentence, the Holy Prophet said: Beware not to be hostile to `Ali, for you will be hostile to God and God will be hostile to you. Being informed of `Ali’s supreme position, Buraydah regretted what he had said, repented and asked for forgiveness.[201]

In the battle of Salsalah, a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah saying: A group of Arabs in Wadi al-Raml are intent to invade Medina at night. Addressing his companions, the Messenger of Allah said: Are there enough people to defend? A group of the people of Suffah rose up, saying: O Messenger of Allah, we are prepared to fight them. Assign a commander for us. Another group said the same. The Messenger of Allah decided to draw lots which fell upon eighty persons. The Messenger of Allah assigned Abu-Bakr as their commander, telling them to move towards the tribe of Banu-Salim (the invaders) in the heart of Wadi al-Raml. It was not long before Abu-Bakr returned to Medina, defeated and with casualties. Then, he assigned `Umar as their commander, gave the banner of Islam to him and sent them to Wadi al-Raml. This time too, `Umar returned to Medina while being defeated. These successive defeats saddened the Holy Prophet. `Amr ibn al-`As expressing his readiness said: O Messenger of Allah, give this mission to me. The Holy Prophet accepted his request assigning him as the commander of the army but it was not long before that he returned to Medina, defeated while


 

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فَدَخَلَ بُرَيْدَةُ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِكِتابِ خَالِدِ بْنِ الوَلِيدِ فَجَعَلَ بُرَيْدَةُ يَقْرَأُهُ وَوَجْهُ النَّبِيِّ يَتَغَيَّرُ. وَقالَ بُرَيْدَةُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ إنْ رَخَّصْتَ لِلنَّاسِ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا ذَهَبَ فِيهِمْ. فَقالَ لَهُ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: وَيْحَكَ يَا بُرَيْدَةُ، أَحْدَثْتَ نِفَاقاً. إنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طالِبٍ يَحِلُّ لَهُ مِنَ الْفَيْءِ مَا يَحِلُّ لِي. إنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طالِبٍ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَخَيْرُ مَنْ أُخَلِّفُهُ بَعْدي لِكَافَّةِ أُمَّتِي. يَا بُرَيْدَةُ إحْذَرْ أَنْ تُبْغِضَ عَلِيَّاً فَيُبْغِضُكَ اللهُ. فَاسْتَغْفَرَ بُرَيْدَةُ.

وَفي غَزاةِ السَّلْسَلَةِ:

جَاءَ أَعْرابِيٌّ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقالَ: إنَّ جَماعَةً مِنَ الْعَرَبِ قَدِ إجْتَمَعوا بِوادِي الرَّمْلِ عَلَى أنْ يُبَيِّتُوكَ بِالمَدِينَةِ. فَقالَ النَّبِيُّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لأَصْحابِهِ: مَنْ لِهَؤلاءِ؟ فَقَامَ جَماعَةٌ مِنْ أهْلِ الصُّفَّةِ وَقَالوا: نَحْنُ، فَوَلِّ عَلَيْنا مَنْ شِئْتَ. فَأَقْرَعَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَخَرَجَتِ القُرْعَةُ عَلَى ثَمانِينَ رَجُلاً مِنْهُمْ وَمِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ. فَأَمَرَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أنْ يَأْخُذَ اللِّواءَ وَيَمْضِي إلَى بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ وَهُمْ بِبَطْنِ الوَادِي فَهَزَمُوهُ وَقَتَلوا جَمْعاً كَثِيراً مِنَ المُسْلِمينَ وَانْهَزَمَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ. فَعَقَدَ لِعُمَرَ وَبَعَثَهُ فَهَزَمُوهُ، فَسَـاءَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ذَلِكَ. فَقالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ العَاصِ: إبْعَثْنِي يَـا رَسولَ اللهِ. فَأَنْفَذَهُ فَـهَزَمُوهُ وَقَتَلوا جَماعَةً مِنْ أَصْحابِهِ وَبَقِيَ النَّبِيُّ

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two persons were killed and a number of them were injured. Following the defeat of these people, being depressed and cursing the enemies, the Messenger of Allah called for `Ali, entrusted the commandership of the army to him, saw him off to the mosque of Ahzab, and prayed for his victory. As ordered by the Holy Prophet, Abu-Bakr, `Umar and `Amr ibn al-`As accompanied `Ali. Enjoying a special vision and knowing the military tactic, `Ali and the army moved forward at the nights and hid themselves at the days till they reached the headquarters of the invaders. Blocking the entrance and exit of the headquarters, they encircled the enemy. Given the plan and the speedy victory of Muslim, `Amr ibn al-`As spoke to Abu-Bakr and `Umar to dissuade `Ali from his skillful military act to deprive him of victory. This suggestion was accepted by Abu-Bakr. So he came to `Ali saying: This is the land of ferocious animals and it is harder for us to act than in the enemy’s headquarter. Therefore, we would better to transfer this camp further up to be safe from the enemy and ferocious animals. `Ali listened but gave no answer. Abu-Bakr went to `Umar and `Amr ibn al-`As informed them of the case. `Amr advised `Umar with the same words saying: You speak to `Ali; perhaps he will accept what you say. `Umar conveyed the same to `Ali but `Ali gave no answer and kept silent. Putting the army on alert, `Ali launched his heroic attack on the enemy at dawn, made them flee within a short space of time and achieved the victory. Concurrent with the victory of the army of Islam under the leadership of `Ali, Gabriel appeared to the Messenger of Allah, reciting to the Holy Prophet the Surah “I swear by the runners breathing pantingly” (100) as a sign of victory. Being informed of this victory through revelation, the Messenger of Allah rushed to welcome `Ali. Seeing the Holy Prophet, `Ali dismounted his horse and hugged him. The Holy Prophet who was extremely happy said: If I was not afraid a group of my followers to say about you what the Christians said about Jesus, the son of Mary, I would say something about you that anytime you pass by people they would take the dust under your feet as a blessing and rub it against their eyes. Now, mount your horse with the honor, for God and His Messenger are pleased with you. As `Ali, the great man of history, had an active presence in the battlefields on the order of God and His messenger, he went through trials by tolerating a lot of sufferings and calamities to be worthy of his position.

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صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أيَّاماً يَدْعو عَلَيْهِمْ. ثُمَّ دَعَا بِأمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَبَعَثَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَدَعا لَهُ وَخَرَجَ مَعَهُ مُشَيِّعاٍ إلَى مَسْجِدِ الأَحْزابِ وَأَنْفَذَ جَماعَةً مَعَهُ مِنْهُمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعَمْرُو بْنُ العَاصِ.

فَسَارَ اللَّيْلَ وَكَمِنَ النَّهارَ حَتَّى إسْتَقْبَلَ مِنْ فَمِهِ. فَلَمْ يَشُكَّ عَمْرُو بْنُ العَاصِ فِي الفَتْحِ لَهُ فَقالَ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ: إنَّ هَذِهِ أَرْضٌ ذاتُ ضِباعٍ وَذِئابٍ وَهِيَ أَشَدُّ عَلَيْنا مِنْ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ وَالمَصْلَحَةُ أنْ نَعْلُوَ الوَادِي. وَأرَادَ إفْسَادَ الحَالِ وَأَمَرَهُ بِأنْ يَقولَ ذَلِكَ لأمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. فَقالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِحَرْفٍ وَاحِدٍ. فَرَجِعَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَقالَ: وَاللهِ مَا أَجَابَنِي حَرْفاً واحِداً. فَقالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ العَاصِ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الخَطَّابِ: إمْضِ أَنْتَ إلَيْهِ فَخَاطِبْهُ. فَفَعَلَ فَلَمْ يُجِبْ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِشَيْءٍ. فَلَمَّا طَلَعَ الفَجْرُ كَبَسَ عَلَى القَوْمِ.

وَنَزَلَ جَبْرَئيلُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِالْحَلْفِ بِخَيْلِهِ فَقالَ: ﴿وَالْعَادِيَاتِ ضَبْحاً﴾. فَاسْتَبْشَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَنَزَلَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، وَقالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ: لَوْلا أنْ أُشْفِقَ أَنْ تَقُولَ فِيكَ طَوائِفُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَا قَالَتِ النَّصَارَى فِِي الْمَسِيحِ لَقُلْتُ فِيكَ اليَوْمَ مَقالاً لاَ تَمُرُّ بِمَلأٍ مِنْهُمْ إلاَّ أَخَذوا التُّرابَ مِنْ تَحْتِ قَدَمَيْكَ. إرْكَبْ فَإنَّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ عَنْكَ رَاضِيَانِ.

 

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Following the departure of the Holy Prophet, Imam `Ali spent most of his lifetime in wars.[202]

In the battle of camel, Talhah and Zubayr breached their homage to Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful.[203] Before people had pledged their allegiance to `Ali, `A’ishah in Medina repeatedly provoked people to kill `Uthman. She is said to be the only person who was severely opposing `Uthman’s behavior. She used to rally people to kill `Uthman. Her habitual phrase was: Kill Na`thal![204] May Allah kill him. These garments of the Messenger of Allah have not yet grown old; nevertheless, `Uthman has rotten the Prophet’s tradition. Following successive warnings, she left Medina for Mecca as a sign of protest. However, after the killing of `Uthman, she speedily decided to return to Medina to achieve her goal. On her way to Medina, she was told that following `Uthman’s killing, people pledged allegiance with `Ali. So she changed her route and went back to Mecca speaking of the unfair killing of `Uthman and saying: I will revenge myself on `Ali for the unfair killing of `Uthman![205]

Talhah and Zubayr left Medina and asked permission of Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, to go on Umrah. Knowing their true aim[206], Imam `Ali addressed them in this way: By God, you are not going on Umrah; rather, you are going on conspiracy.[207] At any rate, Talhah and Zubayr headed for Mecca. Having reached there, they met with `A’ishah and persuaded her to leave for Basrah for fighting against Imam `Ali.  Imam `Ali prepared himself to travel after them and he wrote a letter to `A’ishah and the other two, asking them to refrain from doing what God would not accept and to return to their allegiance to him. But they did not accept the Imam’s advice. At this time, `Ali raised his hands towards the heaven and cursed them, saying: O Lord! This is Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah who put his hand in my hand with his heart’s consent and pledged allegiance to me and then broke it. Take my revenge on him! O Lord! Zubayr ibn `Awwam broke his ties of relationship with me, took back his allegiance with me, showed blatant hostility to me and waged war against me while he knows he has been unjust to me. O Lord! Take his evil away from me as You consider proper.[208]

The two armies lined up and armed themselves. Wearing a shirt and cloak and having a black turban on his head, `Ali stood between the


 

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وَأمَّا بَعْدَ وَفاةِ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَإنَّهُ ابْتُلِيَ أَكْثَرَ عُمْرِهِ بِالْحُرُوبِ أيْضاً.

فَفِي وَقْعَةِ الْجَمَلِ نَكَثَ طَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ بَيْعَتَهُما لأمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. وَكَانَتْ عائِشَةُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ تُحَرِّضُ النَّاسَ عَلَى قَتْلِ عُثْمانَ وَتَقُولُ: أُقْتُلُوا نَعْثَلاً! قَتَلَ اللهُ نَعْثَلاً، فَلَقَدْ أَبْلَى سُنَّةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَهَذِهِ ثِيَابُهُ لَمْ تُبَلَّ. وَخَرَجَتْ إلَى مَكَّةَ وَقُتِلَ عُثْمانُ وَعَادَتْ إلَى بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ فَسَمِعَتْ بِقَتْلِهِ وَأنَّهُمْ بَايَعُوا عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. فَرَجِعَتْ وَقَالَتْ: لأَطْلُبَنَّ بِدَمِهِ.

وَخَرَجَ طَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَأَظْهَرا إرَادَةَ العُمْرَةِ وَاسْتَأْذَنا أمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. فَقالَ: وَاللهِ مَا تُرِيدانِ العُمْرَةَ بَلِ الغَدْرَةَ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلا مَكَّةَ إلَى عَائِشَةَ أَخْرَجَاهَا إلَى البَصْرَةِ.

وَتَرَحَّلَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِطَلَبِهِمْ وَكَتَبَ إلَيْهِمَا وَإلَى عَائِشَةَ بِالرُّجُوعِ عَمَّا يَكْرَهُهُ اللهُ تَعالَى وَالدُّخُولِ فِي مَا عَاهَدَاهُ بِهِ فَامْتَنَعُوا. فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ إلَى السَّمَاءِ وَقالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إنَّ طَلْحَةَ بْنَ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ أَعْطانِي صَفْقَةً بِيَمينِهِ طائِعاً ثُمَّ نَكَثَ بَيْعَتِي. اللَّهُمَّ فَعَاجِلْهُ وَلا تُمْهِلْهُ. وإنَّ الزُّبَيْرَ بْنَ العَوَّامِ قَطَعَ قَرابَتِي وَنَكَثَ عَهْدي وَظَاهَرَ عَدُوِّي وَنَصَبَ الْحَرْبَ لِي وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أنَّهُ ظالِمٌ. اللَّهُمَّ فَاكْفِنِيهِ كَيْفَ شِئْتَ وَأَنَّى شِئْتَ.

ثُمَّ تَصَــافُّوا وَتَقَـارَبُوا لابِسِي الأَسْلِحَةِ وَأمِيـرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بَيْنَ الصَّفَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ

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two armies, calling Zubayr with a loud voice. Hearing his name, Zubayr came to `Ali who said: What is the reason for your presence in this riot? Why are you drawing sword against me? Zubayr said: To avenge `Uthman’s blood! Imam `Ali said: You and your aides have killed `Uthman. Therefore take revenge on yourself. By the motto “there is no god but Him”, do you remember the day the Holy Prophet (s.a) said to you: Do you love `Ali and you said: Yes, indeed why should I not love him? He is my cousin. The Messenger of Allah said: It will not be long before you rebel against him while you are unjust and he is just. Zubayr said: I very well remember that! Then Imam `Ali said: For the sake of God, do you remember the day the Messenger of Allah and you while your hand was in his hand were coming from the house of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Auf, I rushed to welcome the Messenger of Allah and greeted him. He smiled at me and I smiled at him. You said: The son of Abu-Talib does not stop taking pride in himself! The Messenger of Allah said: Zubayr! Calm down. `Ali does not take pride in himself. It will not be long when you will rise against him while you are unjust and he is just.

Zubayr said: Yes, it was so. You reminded me of what I had forgotten! So it is not late to give up fighting you. I would not take part in this riot if I remembered it. Saying this, Zubayr went to `A’ishah. His son `Abdullah said: What has happened? Zubayr said: `Ali reminded me of what the Messenger of Allah had said about him and I had forgotten. So I do not consider fighting against him fair. `Abdullah said: This is not the whole story. You fear the sword of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib!

Getting angry with his son, Zubayr attacked the army. `Ali said: Give him a chance of maneuver, for he does not mean to fight rather he wishes to show his combat capability to his son. Zubayr went out of `Ali’s army with a courageous move. Addressing his son, Zubayr said: Did you see what I did? Does a timid person display such a pomp and power? I would not have done so if I had feared. He then went through the lines of his army and joined a group of Banu-Tamim tribe outside the city of Basrah. This act of Zubayr was heavy for `Amr ibn Jurmuz Mujashi`i, a member of the tribe who was aware of Basrah riot. So he killed Zubayr in sleep though Zubayr was his guest. Hence, Imam `Ali’s prayer about him was answered.[209]


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قَميصٌ وَرِداءٌ وَعَلَى رَأْسِهِ عِمامَةٌ سَوْداءُ. فَلَمَّا رَأى أنَّهُ لاَ بُدَّ مِنَ الحَرْبِ نَادَى بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ: أيْنَ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ العَوَّامِ فَلْيَخْرُجْ إلَيَّ؟ فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ وَدَنَا مِنْهُ. فَقالَ لَهُ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتَ؟ فَقالَ: الطَّلَبُ بِدَمِ عُثْمانَ. فَقالَ: أَنْتَ وَأَصْحَابُكَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُ فَيَجِبُ عَلَيْكَ أنْ تَقيدَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ. وَلَكِنْ أُنْشِدُكَ اللهَ الَّذِي لاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ هُوَ أمَا تَذْكُرُ يَوْماً قَالَ لَكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: يَا زُبَيْرُ أَتُحِبُّ عَلِيَّاً؟ فَقُلْتُ: وَما يَمْنَعُنِي مِنْ حُبِّهِ وَهُوَ ابْنُ خَالِي؟ فَقالَ لَكَ: أمَا إنَّكَ لَتَخْرُجُ عَلَيْهِ يَوْماً وَأَنْتَ ظَالِمٌ لَهُ. فَقالَ الزُّبَيْرُ: اللَّهُمَّ بَلَى. فَقَدْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ. فَقالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: فَأُنْشِدُكَ اللهَ أمَا تَذْكُرُ يَوْماً جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ وَأَنْتَ مَعَهُ وَهُوَ آخِذٌ بِيَدِكَ فَاسْتَقْبَلْتُهُ أنَا فَسَلَّمْتُ فَضَحِكَ فِي وَجْهِي وَضَحِكْتُ أنَا لَهُ فَقُلْتَ أَنْتَ: لاَ يَدَعُ ابْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ زَهْوَهُ أَبَداً. فَقالَ لَكَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: مَهْلاً يَا زُبَيْرُ، فَلَيْسَ بِهِ زَهْوٌ وَلَتَخْرُجَنَّ عَلَيْهِ يَوْماً وَأَنْتَ ظَالِمٌ لَهُ. فَقالَ الزُّبَيْرُ: اللَّهُمَّ بَلَى وَلَكِنّي أُنْسِيتُ، وَأمَّا إذْ ذَكَّرْتَنِي ذَلِكَ فَلأَنْصَرِفَنَّ عَنْكَ، وَلَوْ ذَكَرْتُ هَذَا لَمَا خَرَجْتُ عَلَيْكَ. ثُمَّ رَجِعَ إلَى عَائِشَةَ. فَقالَ لَهُ ابْنُهُ: مَا رَدَّ بِكَ؟ فَقالَ: أَذْكَرَنِي حَدِيثاً مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي حَقِّهِ كُنْتُ أُنْسِيتُهُ. فَقالَ لَهُ: بَلْ جَبُنْتَ وَخِفْتَ مِنْ سُيُوفِ ابْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ. فَرَجَعَ مُغْضِباً إلَى صَفِّ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لِلْقِتَالِ، فَقالَ أَمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أَفْرِجُوا لَهُ، فَإنَّهُ مُحْرَجٌ. فَدَخَلَ فِي الصَّفِّ وَخَرَجَ، وَقالَ لِوَلَدِهِ: رَأَيْتَ مَا صَنَعْتُ. لَوْ كُنْتُ خَائِفاً مَا فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ؟ ثُمَّ شَقَّ الصُّفُوفَ وَخَرَجَ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ وَنَزَلَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنْ بَنِي تَميمٍ، فَقَامَ إلَيْهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ جُرْمُوزٍ الْمُجَاشِعِيُّ فَقَتَلَهُ حينَ نَوْمِهِ، وَكَانَ فِي ضِيافَتِهِ. فَنَفِذَتْ فِيهِ دَعْوَةُ أمِير المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

 

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As for Talhah, the warmonger, when he was fighting, suddenly an arrow hit him in the leg and he died immediately. Then the fighting began with intensity.[210]

At this time a man by the name of `Abdullah who was one of the rioters of the battle of camel, parading between two armies said: Where is Abul Hasan? Standing in front of him, `Ali attacked on him and cut off his shoulder with one blow of sword. `Abdullah died immediately. Then another man blocked the way to `Ali, challenging him. With a slight attack and the blow `Ali struck on his face, half of the man’s head was cut off. He died too immediately. Thereafter, ibn Abi-Khalaf Khuza`i was prepared for fighting, saying: O `Ali, do you like to fight me? `Ali said: I do not reject it but woe to you! What comfort do you seek in death though you know who I am? He said: O son of Abu-Talib, put aside this pride of yours in battles and come closer to me to see who will kill who! `Ali directed his horse towards him. `Abdullah tried to strike a blow but `Ali repelled it with his special skill and cut off his right hand with the first blow of sword and cut off his head with the second blow. He too died immediately.

When the fighting intensified, `Ali ordered to hamstring the camel of `A’ishah and the camel fell down on the earth. In this bloody battle, started by `A’ishah, sixteen thousand seven hundred and ninety persons of her thirty thousand strong army were killed and out of `Ali’s twenty thousand strong army, only one thousand and seventy persons accompanying Imam `Ali were martyred.[211]

In this battle, a man by the name of Mikhraq ibn `Abd al-Rahman from Mu`awiyah’s army entered the battle, asking for a challenger. From `Ali’s army, a man by the name of Mu’ammal ibn `Ubayd Muradi responded and stood before him. The man from Syria martyred him. Then, a youth from the tribe of Azd fought him and he was martyred too. At this time `Ali stood before him as a disguised man and killed him. Another rider came to the battlefield but he was killed too. Fighting continued till the seventh man from the army of Mu`awiyah was killed. Seeing the killed persons, the army of Syria left the battlefield but `Ali remained in the battlefield unknown.

To boost the morale of his army, Mu`awiyah ordered his slave whose


 

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وَأمَّا طَلْحَةُ فَجَاءَهُ سَهْمٌ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ لِلْقِتالِ فَقَتَلَهُ. ثُمَّ إلْتَحَمَ القِتَالُ.

فَتَقَدَّمَ رَجُلٌ يُقالُ لَهُ عَبْدُ اللهِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْجَمَلِ فَجَالَ بَيْنَ الصُّفُوفِ وَقالَ: أيْنَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ؟ فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ وَضَرَبَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَأَسْقَطَ عَاتِقَهُ وَوَقَعَ قَتِيلاً. ثُمَّ خَرَجَ رَجُلٌ وَتَعَرَّضَ لِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ وَضَرَبَهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فَسَقَطَ نِصْفُ قُحْفِ رَأْسِهِ. ثُمَّ خَرَجَ ابْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ الخُزاعِيُّ وَقالَ: هَلْ لَكَ يَا عَلِيُّ فِي المُبارَزَةِ؟ فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ: مَا أَكْرَهُ ذَلِكَ وَلَكِنْ وَيْحَكَ يَا بْنَ أَبِي خَلَفٍ، مَا رَاحَتُكَ فِي القَتْلِ وَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَنْ أنَا؟ فَقالَ: ذَرْنِي يَا بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ مِنْ كِبَرِكَ وَادْنُ مِنّي لِتَرَى أيَّنَا يَقْتُلُ صَاحِبَهُ. فَثَنَّى عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عِنَانَ فَرَسِهِ إلَيْهِ فَبَدَرَهُ ابْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ بِضَرْبَةٍ فَأَخَذَها أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي الجُحْفَةِ ثُمَّ عَطَفَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَطَعَ يَمِينَهُ ثُمَّ ثَنَّى فَأَطارَ قُحْفَ رَأْسِهِ. وَاسْتَعَرَتِ الحَرْبُ حَتَّى عُقِرَ الجَمَلُ وَسَقَطَ. وَكَانَ عِدَّةُ مَنْ قُتِلَ مِنْ جُنْدِ الجَمَلِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ ألفاً وَسِتَّمِائَةٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَكانُوا ثَلاثينَ ألْفاً. وَمِنْ أصْحَابِ أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ ألَفاً وَسَبْعينَ رَجُلاً وَكَانوا عِشْرينَ ألْفاً.

وَفِي وَقْعَةِ صِفِّينَ خَرَجَ مِنْ عَسْكَرِ مُعاوِيَةَ المِخْرَاقُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَطَلَبَ البِرازَ، فَخَرَج إلَيْهِ مِنْ عَسْكَرِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ المُؤمَّلُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ المُرادِيُّ، فَقَتَلَهُ الشَّامِيُّ. فَخَرَجَ فَتًى مِنَ الأزْدِ، فَقَتَلَهُ الشَّامِيُّ فَتَنَكَّرَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَخَرَجَ، وَالشَّامِيُّ يَطْلُبُ البِرازَ فَقَتَلَهُ. ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فارِسٌ فَقَتَلَهُ وَهَكَذا حَتَّى قَتَلَ سَبْعَةً، فَأَحْجَمَ عَنْهُ النَّاسُ وَلَمْ يَعْرِفوهُ. فَقالَ

 

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name was Harb and unrivaled in bravery, to prepare himself for fighting against the lone rider of the battlefield and to kill him! The slave who had seen the killing of several men said to Mu`awiyah: Beyond doubt, he will kill me but you can opt for sending me to the battlefield to be killed or keeping me for harder days. Mu`awiyah accepted the slave’s suggestion and said: Stop for the moment. `Ali remained in the battlefield, waiting for a challenger. Finding that he had no challenger, `Ali returned to his army camp.[212]

Sometime later, another brave man of the army of Syria by the name of Kurayb ibn Sabbah entered the battlefield and asked for challenger. Mubarqa` Jawlani, one of `Ali’s aides went to fight him but he was martyred in this hand to hand fighting. Another struggler faced him but he was martyred too. This time, `Ali entered the battlefield for a hand to hand fighting saying: Spare your life and fear God. Kurayb said: Who are you? The answer was: I am `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Kurayb said: come closer. `Ali stood opposite him. Blows of sword were exchanged between them but it was not long before `Ali sent him to hell with a speedy blow of his sword. Another man from the army of Mu`awiyah replaced Kurayb but after a few moments, he was killed too. The third and fourth men came to the battlefield but they were killed by `Ali one after the other.

At this time, Amir al-Mu’minin sent a message to Mu`awiyah saying: Let us fight each other and put an end to the battle so no more Arabs are killed from the two sides. Mu`awiyah said: Forget about this request, for I will never fight you. At this time, `Urwah ibn Dawud, one the army leaders of Syria, who had a desire to fight `Ali entered the battlefield and proudly said: O `Ali! If Mu`awiyah is not willing to fight you I am prepared to fight you. He had hardly finished saying these words when `Ali struck a blow on him with his sword and killed him. With the coming of evening, the army of Syria left the battlefield.[213]

Being disguised, `Ali came to the battlefield the following day and asked for a challenger. To obtain an honor in the army of Syria, the tricky `Amr ibn al-`As accepted the challenge, for he did not know who the challenger was. Knowing him well and in order to keep him away from the army, `Ali speedily moved away from before him. `Amr chased him but soon found out that it was `Ali. So he decided


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مُعَاوِيَةُ لِعَبْدٍ لَهُ يُقالُ لَهُ حَرْباً وَكَانَ شُجاعاً: أُخْرُجْ إلَى هَذَا الفَارِسِ فَاكْفِنِي أمْرَهُ. فَقالَ أنَا أَعْلَمُ أنَّهُ سَيَقْتُلُنِي فَإنْ شِئْتَ خَرَجْتُ إلَيْهِ وَإنْ شِئْتَ فَاسْتَبْقِنِي لِغَيْرِهِ. فَقالَ لَهُ: لاَ تَخْرُجْ.

ثُمَّ رَجَعَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ إلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ إلَى عَسْكَرِهِ فَخَرَجَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أبْطالِ الشَّامِ اسْمُهُ كُرَيْبُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ يَطْلُبُ البِرازَ فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ المُبَرْقَعُ الجَوْلانِيُّ فَقَتَلَهُ الشَّامِيُّ. وَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ آخَرُ فَقَتَلَهُ أيْضاً. فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَقالَ لَهُ: إتَّقِ اللهَ وَاحْفَظْ نَفْسَكَ. قَالَ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: أنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طالِبٍ. قَالَ: ادْنُ مِنّي. فَمَشَى إلَيْهِ فَاخْتَلَفا بِضَرْبَتَيْنِ فَبَدَرَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَتَلَهُ. فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ آخَرُ فَقَتَلَهُ حَتَّى قَتَلَ أرْبَعَةً مِنَ الأبْطالِ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ هَلُمَّ إلَى مُبارَزَتِي وَلا تَقْتُلِ العَرَبَ بَيْنَنا. فَقالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لاَ حَاجَةَ لِي فِي ذَلِكَ.

فَخَرَجَ عُرْوَةُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ فَقالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ إنْ كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ قَدْ كَرِهَ مُبارَزَتَكَ فَهَلُمَّ إلَى مُبارَزَتِي. فَضَرَبَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَوَقَعَ قَتيلاً.

ثُمَّ جَاءَ اللَّيْلُ وَخَرَجَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَوْماً آخَرَ مُتَنَكِّراً وَطَلَبَ البِرازَ فَخَرَجَ إلَيْهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ العَاصِ وَهُوَ لاَ يَعْلَمُ أنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ. وَعَرَفَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَاطَّرَدَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ لِيُبْعِدَهُ عَنْ عَسْكَرِهِ فَتَبِعَهُ عَمْرٌو ثُمَّ عَرِفَهُ فَوَلّى رَاكِضاً فَلَحِقَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَطَعَنَهُ فَوَقَعَ الرُّمْحُ فِي فُضُولِ دِرْعِهِ فَسَقَطَ وَخَشِيَ أنْ يَقْتُلَهُ فَرَفَعَ رِجْلَيْهِ فَبَدَتْ سَوْءَتُهُ فَصَرَفَ

 

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to flee the scene but this time `Ali chased him, throwing a spear at him which hit his cuirass. `Amr fell off his horse and seeing himself in the claws of death, unveiled his private parts. So `Ali turned his face away from him. Taking the opportunity, `Amr rose up immediately and took to his heels. `Ali too returned to his army camp. `Amr who had escaped death, rejoicingly went back to Mu`awiyah finding him laughing. `Amr said: By God, if what happened to me had happened to you, you would have been struck with `Ali’s sword, your children would have been made orphans and your property would have been looted! Mu`awiyah said: What you are saying is right but your shameless act will remain in history forever.[214]

Busr ibn Arta’ah was one of the most evil men in the army of Mu`awiyah and he had a rancor against `Ali. He was impudent in committing sin and in disobeying God. Hearing that `Ali had challenged Mu`awiyah, Busr said: I will fight him. Coming to the battlefield, he stood opposite `Ali who attacked him immediately making Busr fall from his horse. Seeing himself in the claws of death, like `Amr ibn al-`As, Busr too raised his legs, unveiling his private parts. `Ali turned his face away from him. Taking the opportunity, Busr fled from the battlefield. Mu`awiyah who was closely watching this scene burst into laughter. Amid this, a brave youth of Kufah cried loudly: Shame on you O shameless people who instead of fighting in the battlefield unveil your private parts like what `Amr ibn As did.[215]

In Laylat al-Harir when the army men of Mu`awiyah were howling like dogs from the intensity of war, `Ali was present in the battlefield and every time he killed an army man of Mu`awiyah, he would loudly say: Allah is the Greatest. At that night the number of Takbir amounted to five hundred and twenty three. At that night six thousand men were killed till dawn.[216]

Following that historic night, `Ali’s companions saw victory of their army before their eyes. To conclude the affairs, Malik Ashtar together with `Ali’s army launched a lightning attack, chasing Mu`awiyah’s army and pushed them back to their army camp. Seeing this scene, `Amr ibn `As was sure that the war would end in favor of `Ali. For this reason, he went to Mu`awiyah to think of a solution,


 

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أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْهُ وَجْهَهُ وَانْصَرَفَ إلَى عَسْكَرِهِ. وَجاءَ عَمْرٌو إلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَضَحِكَ مِنْهُ. قَالَ: مِمَّ تَضْحَكُ؟ وَاللهِ لَوْ بَدا لِعَلِيٍّ مِنْ صَفْحَتِكَ مَا بَدا لَهُ مِنْ صَفْحَتِي إذاً لأَوْجَعَ قِذالَكَ وَأَيْتَمَ عِيالَكَ وَانْتَهَبَ مَالَكَ. فَقالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لَكِنْ حَصَلَتْ لَكَ فَضيحَةُ الأَبَدِ.

وَكَانَ بُسْرُ بْنُ أرْطَأَةَ مِنْ أصْحَابِ مُعَاوِيَة مِنْ شَرِّ النَّاسِ وَأَقْدَمِهِمْ عَلَى مَعاصِي اللهِ، لَمَّا سَمِعَ طَلَبَ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مُبارَزَةَ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ: أنَا أَخْرُجُ إلَيْهِ. فَخَرَجَ فَحَمَلَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْهِ فَسَقَطَ بُسْرٌ عَنْ فَرَسِهِ عَلَى قِفَاهُ وَرَفَعَ رِجْلَيْهِ فَانْكَشَفَتْ سَوْءَتُهُ فَرَجَعَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْهُ وَضَحِكَ مُعَاوِيَةُ وَصَاحَ فَتًى مِنْ أهْلِ الكُوفَةِ: وَيْلَكُمْ يَا أَهْلَ الشَّامِ! أمَا تَسْتَحُونَ؟ لَقَدْ عَلَّمَكُمُ ابْنُ العَاصِ كَشْفَ الأَسْتاهِ الحُرُوبَ.

وَفي لَيْلَةِ الهَريرِ بَاشَرَ الْحَرْبَ بِنَفْسِهِ خَاصَّةً وَكَانَ كُلَّما قَتَلَ قَتيلاً كَبَّرَ، فَعُدَّ تَكْبِيرُهُ فَبَلَغَ خَمْسَمِائَةٍ وَثَلاثاً وَعِشْرينَ تَكْبيرَةً وَعُدَّ قَتْلى الفَريقَيْنِ فِي صَبيحَةِ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ فَبَلَغَتْ سِتَّةً وَثلاثِينَ ألْفَ قَتيلٍ. وَاسْتَظْهَرَ حِينَئِذٍ أصْحَابُ أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَزَحَفَ مَالِكُ الأَشْتَرُ حَتَّى أَلْجَأَهُمْ إلَى مُعَسْكَرِهِـمْ. فَلَمَّـا رَأَى عَمْرُو بْنُ العَـاصِ الْحَـالَ قَالَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ:

 

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saying: We would better put up the books of Qur’an and invite them to arbitration! Praising this suggestion, Mu`awiyah immediately ordered the army to put up the books of Qur’an on the spears. The reciters of the Qur’an gave up fighting saying: We will not fight the Qur’an. We should give in to the verdict of the Qur’an. Being aware of `Amr’s trick, `Ali said: This trick belongs to `Amr, for they have never acted according to the Holy Qur’an. Nevertheless, the blind-hearted hypocrites who were among `Ali’s army and looking for a chance of sabotage, ignored `Ali’s advice, saying: We will not fight anymore. The Qur’an’s verdict should rule between us and this group. They also said: Tell Malik to stop fighting or we will submit you the people of Syria or we will kill you right here! `Ali sent one of his companions to inform the case to Malik who was then fighting and witnessing the victory. Malik too sent a message saying: It is not the right time for me to return, for I wish to bring the fighting to a conclusion. `Ali sent a message again saying: They will either kill me or surrender me to Mu`awiyah if you do not return. So Malik sorrowfully came back to `Ali, swearing at ignorant reciters but the die was cast and the war had not come to a conclusion.[217]

Saddened by this unexpected event, `Ali turned to the army of Syria, saying: Why have you put Books of Qur’an on the spears? They said: To invite you to the verdict of the Qur’an, to choose a man from among us and a man from among you to sit and exchange views on caliphate and make a decision on choosing a rightful caliph.

Being aware of this trick, `Ali informed his aides of the plot and the intention of the deviators of Syria under the guise of acting according to the Holy Qur’an. But this time too, they ignored `Ali, forcing him to accept arbitration.

Mu`awiyah appointed `Amr ibn `As as arbitrator who represented the people of Syria. Imam `Ali too appointed `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas but regretfully the people of Kufah rejected him. Imam `Ali said: Choose Abul Aswad Du’ali then! They said: No, we will choose Abu-Musa Ash`ari as our representative! Imam `Ali said: But this man is naïve and ignorant. Besides, he has no inclination towards us. They said: We do not accept anyone but Abu-Musa! So they chose him as their representative.


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نَرْفَعُ الْمَصَاحِفَ وَنَدْعُوهُمْ إلَى كِتابِ اللهِ تَعالَى. فَقالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَصَبْتَ. وَرَفَعُوهَا فَرَجَعَ القُرَّاءُ عَنِ القِتالِ.

فَقالَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إنَّها خَدِيعَةُ عَمْرِو بْنِ العَاصِ، لَيْسوا مِنْ رِجالِ القُرْآنِ. فَلَمْ يَقْبَلوا وَقَالوا: لاَ بُدَّ أنْ تَرُدَّ الأَشْتَرَ وإلاّ قَتَلْناكَ أَوْ سَلَّمْناكَ إِلَيْهِمْ. فَأَنْفَذَ يَطْلُبُ الأَشْتَرَ فَقالَ: قَدْ أَشْرَفْتُ عَلَى الفَتْحِ وَلَيْسَ وَقْتَ طَلَبِي. فَعَرَّفَهُ اخْتِلالَ أصْحابِهِ وَأنَّهُ إنْ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ قَتَلُوهُ أوْ سَلَّمُوهُ إلَى مُعَاوِيَة. فَرَجَعَ وَعَنَّفَ القُرَّاءَ وَضَرَبَ وَجْهَ دَوَابِّهِمْ فَلَمْ يَرْجِعوا. فَوَضَعَتِ الحَرْبُ أوْزارَهَا.

فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: لِماذَا رَفَعْتُمُ المَصَاحِفَ؟ فَقَالُوا: لِلدُّعاءِ إلَى العَمَلِ بِمَضْمُونِهَا وَأَنْ نُقيمَ حَكَماً وَتُقِيمُوا حَكَماً يَنْظُرانِ فِي هَذَا الأَمْرِ وَيُقِرَّانِ الحَقَّ مَقَرَّهُ. فَعَرَّفَهُمْ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَا اشْتَمَلَ طَلَبُهُمْ مِنَ الخِداعِ فَلَمْ يَسْمَعوا وَأَلْزَمُوهُ بِالتَّحْكيمِ. فَعَيَّنَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَمْرَو بْنَ العَاصِ وَعَيَّنَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ العَبَّاسِ فَلَمْ يُوافِقُوا. قَالَ: فَأَبُو الأسْوَدِ. فَأَبَوْا وَاخْتَارُوا أَبَا مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيَّ. فَقالَ: أَبُو مُوسَى مُسْتَضْعَفٌ وَهَواهُ مَعَ غَيْرِنا. فَقَالُوا: لاَ بُدَّ مِنْهُ. وَحَكَّمُوهُ فَخَدَعَ عَمْرُو بْنُ العَاصِ أَبَا مُوسَى وحَمَلَهُ عَلَى خَلْعِ

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`Amr ibn `As instigated another plot, suggesting to Abu-Musa: What has afflicted the people of Kufah and Syria come from `Ali and Mu`awiyah. We, the representatives of these people should now oust these two from caliphate and choose a trustworthy person as caliph. The ignorant Abu-Musa accepted this trick and praised his decision! Being sure of what Abu-Musa had said, `Amr ibn `As said: As you are a respectable old man and your knowledge of Islam is more, you oust `Ali first and then I will oust Mu`awiyah. Abu-Musa complied with what `Amr ibn al-`As suggested, saying: Now it is your turn to oust Mu`awiyah! `Amr ibn al-`As rose up and said: O people, you are witnessing that Abu-Musa ousted `Ali from caliphate and that is what I desire. But I establish Mu`awiyah in the seat of caliphate. The ignorant Abu-Musa found out that he had been tricked. Se he started swearing at him. `Amr too swore at Abu-Musa. They cursed each other but the die was cast.[218]

In this battle, Abul Yaqzan `Ammar ibn Yasir was martyred. He is the one about whom, the Messenger of Allah had said: `Ammar is the apple of my eye and he will be killed by a rebellious group.[219]

The killer of `Ammar is Abu-`Ariyah Muzani who cast down his spear with humiliation and ibn Juni Saksaki beheaded him. `Ammar was 94 years old then.[220]

Speaking about `Ammar’s merit, Abu-Sa`id Khidri reports: When Masjid al-Nabi was being built in Medina, we, the companions of the Messenger of Allah, would carry one mud brick each but `Ammar carried two mud bricks. Once messenger of Allah passed by him and removed the dust from his hand and face, saying to him: O `Ammar, like others carry one mud brick. `Ammar said: O Messenger of Allah! I am seeking nearness to Allah with it. Once again, he was faced with the Messenger of Allah who removed dust from his head and face, saying: A rebellious group will kill you, while you are inviting them to paradise and they are inviting you to fire.[221]

`Alqamah and Aswad report: To probe the presence of Abu-Ayyub Ansari alongside `Ali and his participation in the battles of camel and Siffin, we went to his house. After entering the house, we said: God Almighty blessed you when the Holy Prophet first entered your house upon arrival in Medina and in this connection you are privileged,


 

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أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ وَأنَّهُ يَخْلَعُ مُعَاوِيَة وَأَمَرَهُ بِالتَّقَدُّمِ حَيْثُ هُوَ أكْبَرُ سِنَّاً فَفَعَلَ أَبُو مُوسَى ذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا عَمْرُو قُمْ فَافْعَلْ كَذَلِكَ. فَقَامَ وَأَقَرَّها فِي مُعَاوِيَة فَشَتَمَهُ أَبُو مُوسَى وَتَلاعَنَا.

وَفِي هَذِهِ الحَرْبِ قَتَلَ أَبُو اليَقْظانِ عَمَّارَ بْنَ يَاسِرٍ. وَقَدْ قَالَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: عَمَّارٌ جِلْدَةُ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيَّ، تَقْتُلُهُ الفِئَةُ البَاغِيَةُ. قَتَلَهُ أَبُو عَادِيَةَ المُزَنِيُّ، طَعَنَهُ بِرُمْحٍ فَسَقَطَ وَاحْتَزَّ رَأْسَهُ ابْنُ جَوْنِيٍّ السَّكْسَكِيُّ، وَكَانَ لِعَمَّارٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ أرْبَعٌ وَتِسعُونَ سَنَةً.

قَالَ أَبُو سَعيدٍ الخِدْرِيُّ: كُنَّا نَعْمُرُ المَسْجِدَ فَنَحْمِلُ لِبْنَةً وَعَمَّارٌ لِبْنَتَيْنِ لِبْنَتَيْنِ فَرَآهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَجَعَلَ يَنْفُضُ التُّرابَ عَنْ رَأْسِ عَمَّارٍ وَيَقولُ: يَا عَمَّارُ ألا تَحْمِلُ كَما يَحْمِلُ أَصْحابُكَ؟ قَالَ: إنِّي أُريدُ الأَجْرَ مِنَ اللهِ تَعالَى. فَجَعَلَ يَنْفُضُ التُّرابَ عَنْهُ وَيَقُولُ: وَيْحَكَ، تَقْتُلُكَ الفِئَةُ البَاغِيَةُ؛ تَدْعُوهُمْ إلَى الجَنَّةِ وَيَدْعُونَكَ إلَى النَّارِ.

قَالَ عَلْقَمَةُ وَالأسْوَدُ: أتَيْنا أَبَا أَيُّوبٍ الأنْصَارِيَّ فَقُلْنا: يَا أَبَا أيُّوبٍ إنَّ اللهَ أَكْرَمَكَ بِنَبِيِّهِ إذْ

 

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for God revealed to his camel to stop at the door of your house and you had the honor to host the Messenger of Allah. Now, given this merit, what is the reason for your accompanying Imam `Ali? Abu-Ayyub said: I swear by God, we were sitting in this room and there was no one except the Messenger of Allah and Imam `Ali on the right side and me on the left side and Anas who was standing opposite `Ali. All of a sudden, someone knocked at the door. The Messenger of Allah said to me: Go and see who is behind the door. Anas answered the door, saying: It is `Ammar. The Messenger of Allah said: Open the door for that purified person. He opened the door. `Ammar entered the house and greeted the Messenger of Allah who welcomed him. Fondling him, the Holy Prophet said: In a not too distant future after my departure, there will be a great difference Among my Ummah in a way they will draw sword against each other. Follow the man sitting on my right side at that time even if all the people go one way and `Ali alone will go another way. Opt for the way of `Ali and leave others, for `Ali will never mislead you. O `Ammar, know that to obey `Ali is to obey me and to obey me is to obey God.