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 which 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 the gate could not be moved by eighty persons.
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 Kanser; 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
1 Yanabi-al-Mowaddat (Bombay Edition, page 107).
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 food stuffs 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.
The Massacre of The Bani Khuzas.
By virtue of the Hudaibiya Treaty, the Bani Khuzaa had declared themselves in alliance with the Prophet. With all the tribes in and around Medina knowing the strength of the Muslims, the Holy Prophet might have hoped for a peaceful year to come, but it was not to be, because the Meccans had no intention of keeping to the
terms of the treaty. As the first year of the treaty drew to a close, the Meccan Quraish violated it in a most ruthless manner. At their direct instigation the tribe of Bani Bakr invaded the Bani Khuzaa, pillaged their territory and massacred them. Those who escaped the massacre fled to Medina and sought the Prophet’s help and a redress of their grievances. The Holy Prophet came to the conclusion that the time to put an end to this rule of iniquity and oppression that prevailed at Mecca was long overdue. To the people of Bani Khuzaa the Prophet made a promise that he would take up their cause as his very own.
He ordered an army of ten thousand to get ready to take the field against the Meccans. It was at this stage. that Abu Sufyan, the Governor of Mecca realising the gravity of the danger, came to Medina to seek the Prophet’s forgiveness. The Holy Prophet knew Abu Sufyan too well to waver in his determination, having lost all faith in the Meccans.
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 