THE CONQUEST OF KHAIBAR 6A.H. (628 A. D.)

Khaibar is situated about a hundred mites to the north east of Medina, and means literally a fortified place. The Jews of Khaibar constituted a serious threat to the Muslims: The Jews, who had lost their fights against the Holy Prophet, had slowly and imperceptibly collected in the vicinity of this fort, and had begun to incite their brethren to wage war against the Muslims. The valley surrounding Khaibar was considered as one of the most fertile of the desert oasis, and the various Jewish tribes whose territory it was most jealously guarded its great gardens of date palms. The Jews of Khaibar were considered the bravest warriors, and they posed a most powerful challenge to the supremacy of Islam.

Sorties of The Jews

The valley of Khaibar was studded with fortresses stron­gly situated on rocky hillocks, which numbered about ten, and some of which such as Al-Qumas, Al-Qatieba, Al-Watih and Sulalim were deemed impregnable. Outside help was now impossible. The Jews, counting upon their numbers - far greater than those of the comparatively small horde of the enemy - upon their valor as welt as upon their strongholds, resolved to resist. But when besieged in any of their citadels, they could not resist very long and eventually evacuated it after one or two sorties. Thus all the inferior fortresses, with which the Muslims had begun their attacks, fell one after the other into their hands.

The Citadel of Khaibar

At last the Jews rallied round their chief, the king of their nation, named Kinana, son of Al Rab and grandson of Abut Haqiq. He lived in a strongly fortified citadel of Khaibar named Al-Qamus, built on a steep rock which was considered impregnable, having high and frowning walls; it was well defended by bulwarks closely guarded by brave soldiers as it also contained his treasures. As soon as the Prophet happened to glance at the fortification, he first of all offered prayers to the all-powerful Lord, praying for successful delivery of the citadel into the hands of the Muslims; and as long as he remained encamped before it, he daily offered prayers on a great stony rock named Mansela, and every day he made seven circuits around it. In later times a mosque was erected at this spot in memory of the Prophet’s worshipping place, and it became an object of veneration to the pious Muslims.

The Siege of The Citadel

The siege of Al-Qamus was an extremely difficult task for the Muslims, who had never before forced their way into such a stronghold. It lasted for some time and tried the skill and patience of the Muslims, who had fallen short of provisions, and the country all around was laid waste by the Jews during the period - about a month - when they were engaged in storming the minor fortresses. The Jews had destroyed even the date palms round their citadel to starve the enemy; and, having resolved to fight desperately, they had posted themselves in front of the citadel The besiegers attempted to force their approach, but every attack was repulsed. The Prophet, who was during these days suffering badly from a headache, handed over his Standard to Abubekr b. Abu Qohafa directing him to lead the assault, but the latter was strongly re­pulsed by the Jews and forced to retreat. Next the Prophet sent his men headed by Omar b. Al-Khattab, carrying his Standard, but the result was no better than a forced retreat. The Prophet, having thus been disappointed by the failure of his prominent companions, exclaimed, “Tomorrow I shall hand over my Flag to one who loves God and His Prophet, and who is the beloved of the Lord and His Prophet, and who is a fearless charger who’ never turns his back upon a foe; at his hands the Lord will give victory”. Every one of the Prophet’s Companions was anxious to be signalized on the morrow as the “beloved of God and His Prophet.” They passed the night in great anxiety as to which one would prove to be the blessed one. No one thought of Ali, the cousin and the vicegerent of the Prophet, the hero of all previous wars, because he was suffering badly from sore eyes and could not see anything. The longed for morning dawned, but the Prophet appeared not to take notice of any particular individual. When he broke the silence he asked for Ali, and all of them with one voice answered, that he was at a considerable distance at the time and was also badly suffering from sore eyes, and that he was utterly unable to look around. The Prophet commanded them to bring Ali to him. Selma b. Aku fetched Ali. The Prophet taking Ali’s head into his lap, applied the saliva of his mouth to his eyes. Instantaneously his eyes became so clear as if he had never suffered from the disease. It is said that throughout his life, he never had any trouble with his eyes again.

The Prophet confided his Sacred Banner into the bands of Ali, armed him with his sword the Zulfiqar, and thus designated him the man whom God and His Prophet loved. He directed him to lead the assault and to fight till the Jews acknowledged submission. Ali, clad in a scarlet vest over which was buckled a cuirass of steel, issued forth with his followers and scrambling up the great stony rock in front of the fortress planted the Standard over its top, and resolved never to recede until the citadel was taken.

The Jews sallied forth to drive down the assailants. A Jewish monk asked Ali his name, which he gave out as Ali b. Abi Talib or Haidar. The monk, hearing the name, warned his men that the assailant would not withdraw without capturing the citadel. However, Harith, a Jewish champion, who had vigorously repulsed the previous attacks, stepped forward and slew several of his Muslim antagonists. Perceiving this, Ali himself advanced and slew Harith, in a hand-to-hand fight. The brother of Harith was a man of gigantic stature and huge form. He was unequalled in valor among the Jews. To revenge the death of his brother, he came out, covered from his neck to the waist with a double coat of mail, having on his head a helmet for protection from the stroke of a scimitar. He had a huge gird on both his sides and bran­dished a big spear with triple forked sharp pointed heads. Stepping forward from the Jewish lines, he challenged his adversaries to a single combat. “I am Marhab”, he cried, “as all Khaibar knoweth, the greatest warrior in the world. None among the Muslims could dare come forward to confront him. Ali himself advanced from the Muslim line in response to his vainglorious challenge saying, “I am he whom his mother named Haidar, a lion of the wilderness; I weigh my foes in a gigantic balance (i.e. I make short work of my enemies.)” Ali’s words were not meaningless. Ali knew, through inspiration that Marhab had lately dreamt of a rugged lion tearing him to pieces; so he reminded Marhab of the dream. The words had their effect; as when the two combatants accosted each other, Ali measured him with the eye and found him wavering. As they closed, Marhab made a thrust at Ali with his three-pronged lance, which All dexterously warded off, and before he could recover himself, Ali dealt him a blow with his irresistible scimitar, the Zulfiqar, which divided his buckler, passed through his head in two, through the helmet, right down to his chest or down to his saddle, as some traditions say, severing him in twain. He fell lifeless to the ground and the winner announced his victory by his usual shout, “Allah-o-Akbar,” i.e. Great is the All Powerful Lord. And everyone knew that Ali was victo­rious.

Ali’s superhuman feats of prowess

The Muslims now rushed forward in a body and there was a melee. Seven of the Jews’ most distinguished war­riors viz. Marhab, Antar, Rabi, Dzajij, Daud, Morra and Yasir, having fallen by Ali’s sword, the Jews retreated into the citadel with the Muslims hotly in pursuit. In the heat of the battle, a Jew dealt a blow on Ali’s arm knocking his shield that fell to the ground and another Jew ran away with it. Ali being enraged, performed superhuman feats of prowess, he jumped over a trench, approached the iron gate of the fortress, wrenched it off its hinges and used it as a buckler for the remainder of the battle.

Abu Rafe, one of those who stormed the fort with Ali, testified that, after the war, he examined the gate and tried with seven other persons to turn it over but the at­tempt failed. The citadel was captured and the victory was decisive. The Jews lost ninety-three men, while on the Muslim side, only nineteen were killed throughout the campaign.

According to Suyuti in Tarikhul-Khulafa, Ali held the gate in one hand, making his companions stand on the flat gate, went on placing them across the ditch by a move­ment of his hand. Suyuti adds that later eighty persons could not move the gate.

Ali’s services appreciated.

After capturing the citadel Ali came back victorious to his Camp, the Prophet, seeing him coming, came out of his tent with open arms to receive him. Warmly em­bracing Ali, the Prophet kissed his brow and declared that his services to the Divine cause were appreciated by the Almighty Judge as well as by himself and added.

¹“Ali, had I not been afraid that the Muslims would start regarding you as Christians regard Christ, I would have said things about you which would have made the Muslims venerate you and to consider the dust of your feet as something worth venerating; but it will suffice to say that you are from me and I am from you; you will inherit me and I will Inherit you; you are to me what Aaron was unto Moses; you ‘will fight for my causes, you will be nearest to me on the day of judgment; you will be next to me on the fountain of Kauser; enmity against you is enmity against me; a war against you is a war against me; your friendship is my friendship ;to be at peace with you is to be at peace with me; your flesh Is my flesh; your blood is my blood; who will obey you will obey me; truth is on your tongue, in your heart and in your mind. You have as much faith in God as I have. You are a door to me. As per the order of God, I give you these tidings that your friends will be rewarded in Heaven and your enemies are doomed for Hell”.

Ali shed tears of joy at this intelligence. The Apostle revived their faith by the example of Ali on whom he bestowed the surname of the “Lion of God”. Gibbon, D. & F. of Roman Empire Vol. V. p. 365.

Surrender of the Jews

After the defeat, the fortress surrendered on condition that the inhabitants were free to leave the country after giving up their whole property to the conqueror, each one taking a camel load of foodstuffs with him. Concealment of the valuables was to be deemed an in­fraction of the conditions, and the violator was liable to capital punishment. People preferring to live in the country might occupy and reside in the houses possessed by them and might also cultivate the land they occupied; but no immoveable property was to be owned by them, they being treated as tenants bound to cede half of their products to the conqueror, who could put them to exile at his will and pleasure.

1. Yanabi-al-Mowaddat (Bombay Edition, page 107).