Hijrat to the Prophet’s Death In Medina also ‘Ali was...

Hijrat to the Prophet’s Death In Medina also ‘Ali was constantly in the company of the prophet in private and in public. The Prophet gave Fatima, his beloved daughter from Khadijah, to ‘Ali as his wife in the 2nd year of the Hijrah. When the Prophet was creating bonds of brotherhood among the Muslims of Medina and the Muslims who had migrated to Medina, he selected ‘Ali as his own brother.

He said, “O ‘Ali, you are my brother in this world as well as the hereafter.” ‘Ali was present in all the wars in which the Prophet participated, except the battle of Tabuk when he was ordered to stay in Medina in place of the Prophet. He did not retreat in any battle nor did he turn his face away from any enemy. He never disobeyed the Prophet, so that the Prophet said, “‘Ali is never separated from the Truth nor the Truth from ‘Ali.” The courage of ‘Ali was proverbial.

In all the wars in which he participated during the lifetime of the Prophet, and also afterward, he never displayed fear or anxiety. Although in many battles such as those of Uhud, Hunayn, Khaybar and Khandaq the aides to the Prophet and the Muslim army trembled in fear or dispersed and fled, he never turned his back to the enemy. Never did a warrior or soldier engage ‘Ali in battle and come out of it alive. Yet, with full chivalry he would never slay a weak enemy nor pursue those who fled.

He would not engage in surprise attacks or in turning streams of water upon the enemy. In the Battle of Khandaq, the Muslims had dug a ditch around their encampment. A very brave and famous Arab warrior, ‘Amr bin Ubayd, jumped over the ditch with his horse and challenged the Muslims for combat with him. His courage and bravery was so well-known that no one among the Muslims dared to answer his challenge. The only person who readily agreed to face ‘Amr was ‘Ali bin Abi Talib.

When ‘Ali was going to face ‘Amr, the Prophet said, “Today the total faith iman) is going to face the total disbelief (kufr).” ‘Ali defeated ‘Amr, and all other brave warriors of the enemy retreated. In the Battle of Khaybar, the Muslim army attacked the fortresses of the Jews for many days but was not successful. Finally the Prophet declared that, “Tomorrow I will give the flag (i.e., the command) to one who will be steadfast in his position and not retreat until Allah blesses him with victory.