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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMX'IL IBN KATH~R 27
charge of the polytheists' banner, he said, 'We have a greater right to their
allegiance than they do!' He then took the banner away from 'Ali h. Abn Talib
and gave it to Mus'ab h. Wmayr. When Mus.'ab was kiied, he awarded the
banner again to 'Ali h. Abn Talih."
Ibn Ishaq stated, "And 'Ali h. Abn Talib and Muslim warriors fought the
enemy ."
Ihn I.IishZm stated, "Maslama b. 'Alqama d-Mitzini related to me, 'When the
fighting grew fierce at the battle of Uhud, the Messenger of God (SAAS) sat
beneath the standard of the angr and sent a message to 'Ali, saying, "Bring the
banner forward!" 'Ali went forward, shouting, "I am Abn alQsm!" Abn Sa'd
b. Abn Talha, he being the standard bearer of the polytheists, called hack, "Will
you accept single combat, Abii al-Qasm?" LLYes," he replied. So they both went
forth between the opposing sides and exchanged two blows. Then 'Ali struck
him down, but left without killing hi off.
"'Some of the men asked hi, "Why didn't you finish him off?" He replied,
"He exposed his private parts to me and I had pity on him because of our ties
of kinship. And I knew that God had condemned him to death."'"
'Ali himself, may God be pleased with hi, did this at the battle of Siffin.
When Busr h. Abn Artat came up to kill him, he exposed himself to him and
Busr withdrew from him.
'Amr b. al-'As acted similarly when 'Ali came over to kill hi
in one of the
battles at Siffin; he exposed himself and 'Ali withdrew. On this subject al-H&th
b. al-Nadr spoke the following verses:
"Is there at every battle a knight not yet expired,
with his private parts visible amidst the dust?
Because of this 'Ah holds back his spearhead, and
Mu'swiya secretly scoffs at this!"
Ynnus related, from Ibn Ishaq, that Talha h. Abn Talha al-'Ahdari, standard
bearer of the polytheists that day, made a challenge for single combat, but
the men held back from him. Then d-Zubayr b. al-'Awwam went out to
him and leapt up on to his camel with him. He then burled him down from it
on to the ground and killed him with his sword. The Messenger of God
(SAAS) praised him, saying, "Every prophet has his disciple, and my disciple is
al-Zubayr."
He then said, "If he had not gone out to fight him, I would have done so
myself, having seen how everyone held hack!"
Ibn Ishaq stated, "Sa'd b. Abii Waqqas killed Abn Sa'd b. Abii Talha.
"(-
Asim - b. Thxbit b. Abii al-Aql* fought and killed Nafi' b. Abn Talha and
his brother al-Hallas with arrows. One went to their mother Sulzfa and laid his
head in her lap. She asked, 'Who was it shot you, son?' He replied, 'As be shot
me, I heard a man say, "Take that; I'm Ibn Abn al-Aql&!"' She then swore that
if God gave her 'Asi's head, she would drink wine from it."