Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

182 'Ali ibn Abi Tab in Mahh
'Ali (&) said: "0 Messenger of Allah, shall I fight them until they
become like us?" He said: "Advance cautiously until you reach their
open space, then invite them to Islam and tell them of their duties
before Allah. By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you,
that would be better for you than having red camels."458
He set out until Allah (%) granted him conquest of Khaybar.
One of the examples of his heroism there was that their king Marhab
came out to him, saying:
Khaybar knows that I am Marhab
A fully armed warrior, a tried and tested hero
When war comes, spreading its flames.
'Ali said:
I am the one whose mother named him Haydarah,
like a lion of the jungle, fnghtji~l to behold.
I return their attack with one more fierce.
He struck the head of Marhab and killed him, then victory
came at his hands.459
We learn a number of things from 'Ali's attitude during the
campaign of Khaybar, such as:
1. The great virtue of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&), as the
Prophet (@J testified to his love when he said: "He loves Allah
and His Messenger (g), and Allah and His Messenger (g)
love him." Ibn Hajar said hat what was meant was that 'Ali's
love for Allah and His Messenger (s) was perfect love;
otherwise every Muslim shares the general meaning of this
attribute with 'Ali (&). This hadith also refers to the words of
Allah: (Say [0 Muhammad] to mankind: If you [really] love
Allah, then follow me [i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow
the Qur'an and the Sunnah], Allah will love you and forgive