BATTLE OF KHYBER AND THE COMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL IMAM ALI (A.S.)

Khyber was a locality about 96 kilometers from Madinah. It consisted of 8-10 strong forts where the Jews lived and gave refuge to the enemies of Islam. In the year 7 A.H. the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) got the information about conspiracy being hatched by them in connivance with other enemies of Islam. He decided to tackle the problem. He(s.a.w.a.s.) led a force of about 1,400 and laid siege at Khyber which lasted for about a month. There were about 14,000 Jewish fighters protecting the fort of Qamoos. Some individual battles followed by a general assault but could not produce any tangible result because the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) did not command the attack and the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) was sick. (Tarikh Abul Fada v.1 page 187) Caliph Abu Bakr and Umar both tried to fight but returned unsuccessful. At last, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Tomorrow I will award the standard to a man, who loves Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and Allah and His Messenger loves him. He attacks forcefully and does not run away from the battlefield and he will not return until Allah grants victory at his hands.” The next day, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.)  called for Imam Ali (a.s.) but was told that he was suffering from an eye disease, but he was called anyway and the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) applied his sacred saliva on his eyes and he was immediately cured completely, and he was awarded the standard. Imam Ali (a.s.) led the Islamic forces to the fort, and when they reached near the fort, the battle was started by the Jews. One of their strong men Harris attacked and martyred two Muslims after which Imam Ali (a.s.) took on Harris and killed him. He was followed by one of the strongest men among Jews – Marhab. Marhab also met the same fate. His body was divided into two parts by the Zulfiqar of Imam Ali (a.s.). After this a general attack started and the Muslim Army fought with lot of courage under the leadership of Imam Ali (a.s.). Realizing that they were losing the battle, the Jews started to run towards the fort and closed the huge iron gate of the fort from inside. This was the gate which used to be opened and closed by 40 strong men. Imam Ali (a.s.) alone lifted and broke the gate in one strong jolt. He then used the same gate to make a bridge on a trench so that Islamic forces could enter the fort and capture it. The remaining frightful Jews cried of mercy and Imam Ali (a.s.) stopped the battle and declared peace for those who surrendered.

It is reported in another report that Marhab’s mother saw in her dream that a lion had killed her, hence she told him never fight a person whose names resembles a lion. Imam Ali (a.s.) went towards the fort with one of the companions named Abu Rafay, who narrates, “When we arrived at the top of the hill, Ali established the banner on the rocks! An old Jewish guard asked Imam Ali (a.s.), “Who are you?” Imam Ali (a.s.) replied, “I am the one who was named ‘Hyder’ by his mother, I am the lion of the valley, I am the great lion, the lion who attacks his prey by chasing it.” The old man turned to his people inside the fort and said, “You are destroyed!”

Jaffar bin Abu Talib also returned from Abyssinia on this auspicious occasion and the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “I don’t know what makes me happier today, my brother Ali conquering the fort of Khyber or my brother Jaffar returning from Abyssinia after 12 years!” At the time of sending Imam Ali (a.s.) against Marhab, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) used the word, “Fatah”. In Arabic, the word has many meanings but, in this case, it means to open, to conquer, and to begin. Imam Ali (a.s.) was victorious, he opened the closed gate of Khyber, and the conquest of Khyber turned out to be a long-lasting prosperity for the Ummah.

Before the conquest of Khyber, the economic conditions of the Muslims were vey bad. Imam Bukhari reported that Abdullah ibn Umar had said, “We were hungry at all times until the conquest of Khyber!” Aisha, the Prophet’s wife had also said, “It was not until the conquest of Khyber that I could eat dates to my heart’s content.” According to S. Margoliouth, “The conquest of Khyber conferred unlimited benefits upon Muslims e.g. immense quantity of gold and silver, the finest arsenal of weaponry, vast herds of horses, camels, cattle and rich arable lands with palm groves.”

                                Sources: A restatement of history of Islam and Muslims by Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy, Ziaraat.com