When he was close to Khaybar...

When he was close to Khaybar, he prayed Allah saying, “O Allah the Lord of the heavens and what they have shaded, the Lord of the earths and what they have born, the Lord of Devils and what they have misled, and the Lord of winds and what the have scattered, we ask You for the best of this village, the best of its people, and the best of what there is in it, and we seek Your protection from its evil, the evil of its people, and the evil of what there is in it.” Then he ordered the army saying, “Move forward in the name of Allah the High!” He made Abu Bakr a leader over the army.

When Abu Bakr approached the fort, he faced a shower of missiles and he went back with the army disappointedly. On the next day, the Prophet entrusted the leadership of the army to Umar bin al-Khattab who did like his friend Abu Bakr did, and went back disappointedly while the fort of the Jews remained untouchable. When the army was unable to break into the forts, the Prophet (a.s.) announced that he would appoint a leader that Allah would grant victory to Muslims at his hand.

He said, “I will give the banner tomorrow to a man who loves Allah and His messenger and whom Allah and His messenger love. He shall not go back until Allah will make him prevail.” [1]…