ALI THE MIRACLE OF MOHAMMAD(S)
BY
YAQUB HASAN RIZVI
THE BATTLE OF KHANDAQ
The externed
Jews of Madina and its outskirts had now openly joined hands with Abu Sufian to
attack the Muslims again. While fleeing from Ohad, Abu Sufian had vowed to come
back to take revenge. Prominent leaders of Bani Nazeer like Hai Bin Akhtab,
Salam Bin Mushkam and Kinana Bin Alhaqiq came to Mecca, and met Abu Sufian who
was already
preparing for another war. With the help of Bani Guffan, Bani Asad and other
mighty clans from the neighbouring areas, they raised an army of four thousand
soldiers. The flag was decorated at Darun Nadva and given to Asma son of Talha
Bin Talha. The general command was with Abu Sufian. As the army was marching
towards Madina other tribes too joined them making an unformidable force of ten
thousand soldiers. Four men of Bani Khaza-a immediately rushed to Madina and
informed the Prophet (S.A.W) about the coming attack. The Prophet (S.A.W) could
collect only three thousand people in this short-period and came out of the
city to face them. He pitched his tents at the foot of Mount Sara.
The women and children were put in safer places inside the city.
When the
Muslims in the battlefield learned that Abu Sufian is coming with a force of
ten thousand soldiers they became panicky and wanted to leave the battlefield.
Many of them wanted to go home to protect their wives and children knowing
fully well that they are not in danger. The Prophet (S.A.W) unmoved by these
desertions ordered his men to dig trenches, and himself led the digging, and
within seven days completed the entire task. The army of Abu Sufian on seeing
the trenches were shocked. Because the idea of digging trenches was unheard of
in Arabia. Unable to attack the Muslims, he
ordered to lay a siege and wait.
The Muslims who
were over tired with digging of trenches in extremely cold weather and cold
wind blowing and without proper food, shelter and sleep had to stand in the
open to face the showers of arrows from the enemies. Then the fear of attack at
any moment by ten thousand well-equipped and much superior soldiers loomed
large on their heads. A whole month passed in this atmosphere making the
Muslims more demoralized. On that they got the news from Madina that Bani
Quraiza (a Jewish tribe) with whom the Muslims had a peace pact had joined the
forces of Abu Sufian. This endangered the lives of the families of the Muslims,
who were left behind with no male to look after them.
The Prophet
(S.A.W) in the mid of the night came to his people and asked as to who can go
to the enemies and bring some news of their movements. But none came forward.
The Prophet (S.A.W) then asked Abu Bakr directly to get some news of the
enemies, but Abu Bakr excusing himself refused. The Prophet (S.A.W) then asked
Umar to do the needful but he too refused. The Prophet (S.A.W) then asked
Hozaifah who immediately went. [Tafseer Durrul Mansur Vol 5 page 185]. Suddenly
Amr Ibne Abdawood along with Akrama son of Abu Jahal, Abdulla Ibne Abu
Mogheera, Zarrar Ibne Khattab, Nofil Ibne Abdulla with two others crossed the
trenches and stood before the Muslims challenging them.
Amr Ibne
Abdawood was so famous for his bravery, valour and courage that his strength
was compared to the strength of one thousand people. The terror of his
personality had so frightened some of the Muslims that according to Quran,
"Their hearts were petrified and were beating so violently that they were
thinking of running away." They were so shocked and stunned by his
presence that they became motionless as if birds were sitting on their heads.
>From the entire Muslim army Ali (A.S.) was the only person to accept their
challenge. But the Prophet (S.A.W) did not allow Ali (A.S.) to have a bout with
Amr and ordered him to go back to his position, reminding Ali (A.S.) that he
was Amr Ibne Abdawood. Amr again repeated his challenge and again it was only
Ali (A.S.) to answer his challenge. The Prophet (S.A.W) again ordered Ali
(A.S.) back to his position. When Amr challenged the Muslims for the third time
and again no Muslim went forward to accept the challenge, Ali (A.S.) came out
from his position to face him. The Prophet (S.A.W) again reminded Ali (A.S.)
that he is Amr Ibne Abdawood. Ali (A.S.) in reply said, "Yes I know he is
Amr Ibne Abdawood." The Prophet (S.A.W) then granting permission to fight
Amr tied a turban on Ali (A.S.)’s head (Ali (A.S.) generally went to fight
bareheaded) and gave the famous sword Zulfiqar. As Ali (A.S.) proceeded towards
Amr the Prophet (S.A.W) raised his hands and prayed, "O Allah you took
away Obaida Bin Harris from me on the day of Badr, Hamza on the day of Ohad,
and now it is Ali (A.S.), my brother and my uncle’s son who is left with me.
Protect him O Lord as I have given him under your protection. O Allah don’t
leave me alone as You are The Best Protector." Then pointing his finger
towards Ali (A.S.) he said, "Here goes the embodiment of faith to face the
infidel." Some of the Muslims were so sure of Ali (A.S.)’s death that they
came down some distance near Ali (A.S.) to have a last view. Ali (A.S.) walked
upto Amr and stood in front of him.
Amr : Who are you?
Ali (A.S.)
: I am Ali.
Amr : Who’s son?
Ali (A.S.) :
Grandson of Abde Munaf, son of Abu Talib.
Amr : Nephew, you better go back and send some of
your uncles who are stronger than you. I don’t want to shed your blood as your
father was my friend.
Ali (A.S.)
: But By Allah I will not be sorry to
shed your blood. Therefore I request you to embrace Islam.
Amr : This is not possible.
Ali (A.S.)
: Then go away from here.
Amr : I will not be able to bear the taunts of
the ladies of Quraish.
Ali (A.S.)
: Then fight with me.
Amr laughed and
said, "I never expected anyone under the sky who would challenge me."
Then getting
down from his horse, as Ali (A.S.) was on foot, he cut the legs of his horse in
anger and attacked Ali (A.S.) with a quick blow of his sword. Ali (A.S.) took
the blow on his shield, but it was so severe that he got a cut on his forehead.
Then Ali (A.S.)’s attack was so instant and so quick that his sword cut Amr’s
shoulders and went right down. Amr fell dead and Ali (A.S.) cried Allah-o-Akbar
(God is Greatest). Then severing his head Ali (A.S.) brought it before the
Prophet (S.A.W) and laid it on his feet. The Prophet (S.A.W) received Ali
(A.S.) with joy and said, "Ali (A.S.)’s one stroke at Khandaq is superior
to the devotional prayers of both the worlds."
Abu Bakr and
Umar were so happy to see Amr killed that both of them rushed to receive Ali
(A.S.) and kissed his forehead. Ali (A.S.) then returned to finish the
remaining members of Amr’s gang, but by then they had fled and were crossing
the trenches. Ali (A.S.) caught them and finished them.
Shah Abdul Haq
Muhaddis Dehlavi writing on the fight of Ali (A.S.) at Khandaq has quoted a
tradition of the Prophet (S.A.W), "Ali (A.S.)’s fight at Khandaq is equal
to the sacrifices my entire nation will do till the Day of Judgement."
The death of
Amr shocked the enemies and shattered their hopes of wiping out the Muslims.
They were now a miserable lot not knowing what to do. Then suddenly the weather
changed and a fierce cold wind started blowing from the sea. For three days and
nights nobody could hold their shelters nor light a fire. Abu Sufian was so
disgusted with the whole atmosphere that he raised the siege and went away.
Seeing the Quraish retreating the members of Bani Guftan too went away. When
Amr’s sister came to the battlefield to see her brother’s corpse she was
surprised to see that Ali (A.S.) had not removed a single thing from Amr’s body
(it was a custom among Arabs to take away all the belongings of the deceased
including the clothes) praising Ali (A.S.) she said, "Whoever has killed
my brother belongs to a noble family." Then she composed a verse in praise
of Ali (A.S.) which says, "If anyone other than Ali had killed my brother
I would have wept my whole life over the infamy. But now I will not cry."
In all the
three wars of Badr, Ohad and Khandaq, Ali (A.S.) alone had killed seventy
persons, all of whom were either the heads of some clan or a famous warrior of
Arabia.
After returning
from the battlefield the Prophet (S.A.W) sent some three thousand men under the
command of Ali (A.S.) to punish the tribe of Bani Quraiza who had broken the
pledge with the Muslims and had supported Abu Sufian, just when the Muslims
were besieged by him. Ali (A.S.) went straight to their fort and fixed his flag
on their gate. An observer from their fort who recognized Ali (A.S.) cried,
"The killer of Amr Ibne Abdawood has come", another voice answered,
"He has not killed Amr but broken our backs" and some were cursing
the Prophet (S.A.W). Ali (A.S.) in answer to their curses and cries said,
"By Allah either will I conquer your fort or die and meet my uncle
Hamza." The Jews then came out of the fort to fight with Ali (A.S.) and
his men. Ali (A.S.) fought and killed all their leaders. The Prophet (S.A.W)
ordered to kill Hai Ibne Akhtab also who had instigated the Jews not to leave
Madina. When Ali (A.S.) went near Hai he said, "I am happy to be killed by
a noble man like you." Ali (A.S.) replied,"Yes only noble people kill
bad men and bad men harass noble people."
The fate of the
Jewish tribes of Bani Nazeer and Bani Quraiza had dampened the hopes of the
Jewish tribes of Khaiber who were nursing the idea of regaining the hold of
Madina. Finding themselves unable to achieve this goal they instigated Bani
Saad to Fadak near Khaiber to challenge the Muslims. The Prophet (S.A.W) on
getting the news sent Ali (A.S.) with a hundred people to probe the situation.
Ali (A.S.) travelled only during the night and hiding himself during the day
reached a homage a place between Fadak and Khaiber. There he met an emissary of
Bani Saad who was going to deliver some message to the Jews of Khaiber. On
questioning, he confessed that he was going to inform them that two hundred men
were ready with their arms to attack the Muslims. Ali (A.S.) immediately rushed
to finish those people but they had received the news of Ali (A.S.)’s coming
and had fled, leaving behind fifty camels and two thousand goats. Ali (A.S.)
brought them and presented them to the Prophet (S.A.W).
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