The Battle of Khyber

Adopted from the book : "Story of the Holy Ka’aba And its People" by : "S.M.R. Shabbar"

The Jews of Madina ever since their treachery during the battle of Khandaq, were always on the look out for some mischief to hurt Islam. This mischief mongering increased so much so that they were banished from the city to live outside Madina. They had extensive lands and had built strong fortresses where most of the jewish community lived. The fort of Khyber was a strong fort built of stone with an iron gate. It was the strong hold of the jews who invaded muslim lands and villages around the area. They killed muslims and looted their property. Warnings were given to the Jews of Khyber to stop their mischievous deeds but they did not bother even to acknowledge their misdeeds.

The Holy Prophet proceeded to stop this problem for the muslims. Muslim forces encamped outside this fort. It was in the month of Muharram in the 7th year of Hijra. On the First day Abubakr led the muslim forces to fight the jews. The Jews came out of the fort. A furious battle was fought, muslims could not break the jews onslaught and retreated back to their camp. The Next day Omar Ibne Khattab took the flag and tried to defeat the jewish forces without success. That night the Prophet announced,” Tomorrow I will give the flag of Islam to a man who is brave and does not run away from the battlefield, he loves Allah and the Prophet of Allah and Allah and His Prophet love him.” The Next day, after morning prayers the Prophet called for Ali (AS) and gave the Flag in his hands. Ali (AS) holding the flag in his hand went towards the fort. Noticing that only one man was coming towards the fort the jews did not come out in the open field. Reaching the gates of the fort Ali fixed the pole on a hard stone slab. Noticing the fixing of the flag on a hard stone, a jew who was a learned scholar, asked from the top of the wall, " who are you? ”Ali replied, “I am Ali son of Abu Talib.” Hearing the name the learned scholar turned towards his people and told them, “I have read in the sacred bothat a man of this name will defeat you." In accordance with the convention of the Arabs, Ali announced his challenge and demanded the bravest of them to come out and fight him in single combat.

Merhub, one of the brave and skilled warriors came out and was killed by Ali (AS) in one blow.
His brother Anter came out and he was also killed in a single blow of Ali’s SwZulfiqar. Once these brothers were killed Ali went towards the iron gates and brought them down. Once the gates were open muslims entered the fort and soon the jews were defeated. This was a great victory for muslims, for the jews were a mischievous lot and had been giving a lot of trouble to muslims of Madina and those living around. Most of the jewish land came into the muslims hands. It was at this time that a Palm orchard called Fadak also came into the muslim hands. The Prophet of Islam took this orchard for himself and later gave it to his daughter Fatimah.

The battle of Khyber was a turning point in the defeat of the jews of the Province of Hejaz and victory for Islam.