Conquest of Khaibar
There is a long narration in Sahih Muslim regarding the Battle of Khaibar, which took place in Muharram and Safar 7 AH. Hazrat Salama (ra) bin Akwa narrates, “When we reached Khaibar, their chief Marhab came out wielding his sword as he said, ‘Khaibar knows very well that I am Marhab and when battles come blazing forth, I am an armed, brave and an experienced warrior,’” meaning that he would display his bravery in such circumstances.
The narrator continues, “My uncle Amir went forth to combat him whilst saying, ‘Khaibar knows that I am Amir, the armed, brave, and one who puts himself in the face of danger.’”
The narrator further says, “Both traded blows; Marhab’s sword struck Amir’s shield. Amir tried to attack him from below the shield but he struck himself with his own sword which severed an artery as a result of which he was martyred.”
Salama (ra) continues, “When I left from there, I heard some companions of the Holy Prophet (sa) saying that Amir’s deeds went in vain as he had killed himself.”
He then further narrates:
“I went to the Holy Prophet (sa) and was crying. I asked him, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, have Amir’s deeds been wasted?’ The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, ‘Who has said this?’ I replied, ‘Some of your companions have said this.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Whoever said this is incorrect. In fact, he [Amir] has earned a double reward.’ Then the Holy Prophet (sa) sent me to Hazrat Ali (ra), who, at the time, was experiencing an ailment of the eyes. The Holy Prophet (sa) then said, ‘I will give this flag to he who loves Allah and His Messenger (sa), or he whom Allah and His Messenger (sa) love.’”
The narrator continues to say, “I went to Hazrat Ali (ra) and brought him with me as he had some discomfort in his eyes (due to some ailment as a result of which they were swollen). Therefore, I took him along with me until we reached the Holy Prophet (sa). He placed some of his saliva on Hazrat Ali’s (ra) eyes as a result of which his pain was alleviated and then the Holy Prophet (sa) gave him the flag. Thereafter, Marhab came forward and said, ‘Khaibar knows that I am Marhab, and when battle rages forth, I am armed, brave and experienced.’
Hazrat Ali (ra) responded by saying,
أَنَا الَّذِي سَمَّتْنِي أُمِّي حَيْدَرَهْ كَلَيْثِ غَابَاتٍ كَرِيْهِ الْمَنْظَرَهْ اُوفِيْهِمُ بِالصَّاعِ كَيْلَ السَّنْدَرَهْ
‘My mother named me “Haidar”; the one who resembles a ferocious lion that roams the jungle. I shall give a Sandarah in exchange for a sa‘.’”
This is an Arabic idiom, which has the Urdu equivalents as:
سير كے مقابلے ميں سوا سير
This means to return someone’s attack with one that is fiercer. The literal meaning of sandarah is something in large scale, whilst one sa‘ only comprises of three seir [unit of measurement], thus a sandarah is greater.
The narrator continues, “After saying this, Hazrat Ali (ra) struck Marhab on his head and killed him. Thus, Khaibar was conquered at the hands of Hazrat Ali (ra).”
This narration is from Sahih Muslim.
(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 837) (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Jihad wa al-Siyar, Bab Ghazwah dhi Qirad wa Ghairiha, Hadith 4678, Urdu Tarjamah Sahih Muslim, Vol. 9, p. 240 with endnote, Noor Foundation)