The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 3 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FID& ISMA'IL IBN KATH~R 253
Salama stated, "And so the Messenger of God (SAAS) called for 'Ali h. Aba
Tdib, may God be pleased with him, whose eyes were bothering him that day.
The Messenger of God (SAAS) spat in his eyes, then said, LTake the banner and
carry on with it until God grants you victory.'
"He went forth with it, travelling fast and with confidence, and we followed
directly after him. Eventually he planted the banner in a pile of rocks beneath a
fort. A Jew looked down from the fort and asked, 'And who are you?' He replied,
'I am 'Ali, son of Aba Talih!' The Jew then said, 'I swear by what was revealed
to Moses, you are victorious!' And he did not return until God granted victory
at his hands!"
Al-Bayhaqi stated that al-Hskim informed him, quoting al-Asamm, quoting
al-Wmidi, from Yiinus b. Bukayr, from al-Husayn b. Wzqid, who quoted 'Abd
Allah b. Burayda, as having said, "My father narrated to me as follows, 'At the
battle of Khaybar, Aba Bakr took the banner but returned without having been
given victory. Mahmnd b. Maslama was killed, and the army came back.
"'The Messenger of God (SAAS) then said, "Tomorrow I will certainly
award my banner to a man who loves God and His messenger and whom God
and His messenger love. He will not return until God grants him victory." We
slept well that night, confident that the next day there would be victory. The
Messenger of God (SAAS) performed the morning prayer and &led for the
banner. He arose and then not one among us with good standing with the
Messenger of God (SAAS) did not hope that he would be that man. I myself was
presumptuous enough to hold my own head high in expectation, because of my
standing with him. He called for 'Ali b. Aha Taib, whose eyes were bothering
him. He (the Messenger of God (SAAS) wiped them and then gave him the
banner. And victory was granted hi."'
(The narrator went on) "I heard 'Abd All& h. Burayda say, 'My father
related to me that he was a friend of Marhab.'"''
Yanus stated that Ibn Ishaq said, "The fust of the forts at Khaybar to he
defeated was that of Nacim. There M&mnd b. Maslama was killed; a millstone
was dropped from it upon him and it killed him."
Al-Bayhaqi narrated, from Yiinus b. Bukayr, from al-Musayyah b. Maslama
al-Azdi, (who said) that 'Abd All& h. Burayda related to hi, from his father
who said, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) might well be affected by a bad
headache and spend a day or two without going outside to the people. When he
made camp at Khaybar he suffered a severe headache and did not come out
to the men. Aba Bakr took up the banner of the Messenger of God (SAAS) and
then set out to battle where he fought fiercely. He then returned. Wmar next
took it, fought a battle even more fierce than the first and then he returned. The
Messenger of God (SAAS) was informed of this and he said, 'Tomorrow I shall
65. The reference is to a Jew who was champion of a fort at Khaybar. See the kadith reported
hereafter, pp.254 et seq.