Summary:
It is narrated in a Hadith that Imam Jafar e Sadiq-asws said: ‘The people of the valley of Al-Yaabas gathered together twelve thousand horsemen, and they made a pact, and committed themselves, and agreed upon that no man would oppose any man, and no one would abandon anyone, nor would a man flee from his companion until all of them die upon one oath of killing Prophet Muhammad-saww and (his-saww right hand) Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws. Several Muslim groups were sent against them by Rasool-Allah-saww but they came back fleeing from those strong enemies of Islam. Finally, Rasool-Allah-saww sent Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws who defeated them and returned to Rasool Allah with the captives and war booty.
Allah-azwj Revealed the Holy Verses Al-Adiyaat (100:1-4) specifically related to the actions of the horses of the army led by Amir ul-Momineen-asws.
الآيات وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً فَالْمُورِياتِ قَدْحاً فَالْمُغِيراتِ صُبْحاً فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً
The Verses – (Surah) Al-Adiyaat: (I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1] And (by) the striking sparks [100:2] And (by) the morning raiders [100:3] So they raise the dust by it [100:4] And they cleave through the gathered (army) [100:5].
عن مقاتل وَ قِيلَ نَزَلَتِ السُّورَةُ لَمَّا بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ ص عَلِيّاً إِلَى ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ فَأَوْقَعَ بِهِمْ وَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَ أَنْ بَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِرَاراً غَيْرَهُ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ فَرَجَعَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص
From Maqatil – ‘And it is said the Chapter was Revealed when the Prophet-saww sent Ali-asws to Zat Al-Salasil and occurred with them, and that is after he-saww had repeatedly sent others from the companions to them. Every one of them returned to Rasool-Allah-saww.
وَ هُوَ الْمَرْوِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي حَدِيثٍ طَوِيلٍ قَالَ وَ سُمِّيَتْ هَذِهِ الْغَزْوَةُ ذَاتَ السَّلَاسِلِ لِأَنَّهُ أَسَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَ قَتَلَ وَ سَبَى وَ شَدَّ أُسَارَاهُمْ فِي الْحِبَالِ مُكَتَّفِينَ كَأَنَّهُمْ فِي السَّلَاسِلِ وَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتِ السُّورَةُ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِلَى النَّاسِ فَصَلَّى بِهِمُ الْغَدَاةَ وَ قَرَأَ فِيهَا وَ الْعادِياتِ
And it is reported from Abu Abdullah-asws in a lengthy Hadeeth, he-asws said: ‘And this military expedition has been named as the military expedition of Zat Al-Salasil because there were captives from them, and killed and exiled, and their captors had pulled in the horses merely as if they were in chains. And when the Chapter was Revealed, Rasool-Allah-saww came out to the people and prayed the morning Salat with them, and recited in it (Surah) Al-Adiyaat.
فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ قَالَ أَصْحَابُهُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةُ لَمْ نَعْرِفْهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص نَعَمْ إِنَّ عَلِيّاً قَدْ ظَفِرَ بِأَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ بَشَّرَنِي بِذَلِكَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ فَقَدِمَ عَلِيٌّ ع بَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ بِالْأُسَارَى وَ الْغَنَائِمِ.
When he-saww was free from his-saww Salat, his-saww companions said, ‘This Chapter, we do not recognise it’. Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘Yes, Ali-asws has just been victorious against the enemies of Allah-azwj, and Jibraeel-as gave me-saww the glad tidings with that during this night’. Ali-asws arrived after a few days with the captives and the war booty’’.[1]
Background and Introduction:
تفسير القمي وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً فَالْمُورِياتِ قَدْحاً فَالْمُغِيراتِ صُبْحاً- حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي قَوْلِهِ وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً قَالَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةُ نَزَلَتْ فِي أَهْلِ وَادِي يَابِسٍ
Tafseer Qummi – (I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1] And (by) the striking sparks [100:2] And (by) the morning raiders [100:3]. It is narrated to us by Ja’far Bin Ahmad, from Ubeyd Bin Musa, from Al-hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from his father, from Abu Baseer,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws regarding His-azwj Words: (I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1], he-asws said: ‘This Surah was Revealed regarding the people of the valley of Al-Yaabas’.
قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا كَانَ حَالُهُمْ وَ قِصَّتُهُمْ
He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘And what was their state and their story?’
قَالَ إِنَّ أَهْلَ وَادِي يَابِسٍ اجْتَمَعُوا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ فَارِسٍ وَ تَعَاقَدُوا وَ تَعَاهَدُوا وَ تَوَاثَقُوا أَنْ لَا يَتَخَلَّفَ رَجُلٌ عَنْ رَجُلٍ وَ لَا يَخْذُلَ أَحَدٌ أَحَداً وَ لَا يَفِرَّ رَجُلٌ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِ حَتَّى يَمُوتُوا كُلُّهُمْ عَلَى خُلُقٍ وَاحِدٍ وَ يَقْتُلُوا مُحَمَّداً ص وَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع
He-asws said: ‘The people of the valley of Al-Yaabas gathered together twelve thousand horsemen, and they made a pact, and committed themselves, and agreed upon that no man would oppose any man, and no one would abandon anyone, nor would a man flee from his companion until all of them die upon one oath of killing the Muhammad-saww and Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws.
فَنَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ص فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِقِصَّتِهِمْ وَ مَا تَعَاقَدُوا عَلَيْهِ وَ تَوَافَقُوا وَ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ
Jibraeel-as descended unto the Rasool-Allah-saww, and informed him-saww of their story and what they had committed themselves to and agreed upon, and He-azwj has Commanded that he-saww should send Abu Bakr to them among four thousand horsemen from the Emigrants and the Helpers.
فَصَعِدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ أَهْلَ وَادِي الْيَابِسِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفاً قَدِ اسْتَعَدُّوا وَ تَعَاهَدُوا وَ تَعَاقَدُوا أَنْ لَا يَغْدِرَ رَجُلٌ بِصَاحِبِهِ وَ لَا يَفِرَّ عَنْهُ وَ لَا يَخْذُلَهُ حَتَّى يَقْتُلُونِي وَ أَخِي عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ
Rasool-Allah-saww ascended the Pulpit, praised Allah-azwj and Extolled Him-azwj, then said: ‘O group of Emigrants and Helpers! Jibraeel-as has informed me-saww that the people of the Valley of Al-Yaabas have twelve thousand horsemen who have prepared themselves, and committed themselves, and contracted that no man from among them would betray his companion, nor flee from him, nor abandon him until they have killed me-saww and my-saww brother Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws.
وَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُسَيِّرَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ فَخُذُوا فِي أَمْرِكُمْ وَ اسْتَعِدُّوا لِعَدُوِّكُمْ وَ انْهَضُوا إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَتِهِ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
And He-azwj has Commanded me-saww that I-saww should send against them Abu Bakr among four thousand horsemen. Therefore take (provisions) for your journey and prepare against your enemy, and rise against them in the Name of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Blessings on the day of Monday, if Allah-azwj so Desires’.
فَأَخَذَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عُدَّتَهُمْ وَ تَهَيَّئُوا وَ أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَبَا بَكْرٍ بِأَمْرِهِ وَ كَانَ فِيمَا أَمَرَهُ بِهِ أَنْ إِذَا رَآهُمْ أَنْ يَعْرِضَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْإِسْلَامَ فَإِنْ تَابَعُوا وَ إِلَّا وَاقَعَهُمْ فَقَتَلَ مُقَاتِلِيهِمْ وَ سَبَى ذَرَارِيَّهُمْ وَ اسْتَبَاحَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَ خَرَّبَ ضِيَاعَهُمْ وَ دِيَارَهُمْ
The Muslims counted themselves and made their preparations, and Rasool-Allah-saww ordered Abu Bakr with the instructions. Regarding what he-saww ordered was: ‘When you see them, present Al-Islam to them. So if they pledge their allegiances to you (fine) or else stop them. Then fight against their fighters and captivate them, and capture their wealth, and ruin their dwellings’.
فَمَضَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَ مَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ فِي أَحْسَنِ عُدَّةٍ وَ أَحْسَنِ هَيْئَةٍ يَسِيرُ بِهِمْ سَيْراً رَفِيقاً حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى أَهْلِ وَادِي الْيَابِسِ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ الْقَوْمَ نُزُولُ الْقَوْمِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ نَزَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَ أَصْحَابُهُ قَرِيباً مِنْهُمْ
Abu Bakr went, and with him were the Emigrants and the Helpers with a goodly preparation, and good physical built. He travelled with them until they ended up to the people of the valley of Al-Yaabas. When the people looked at them, they encamped against them, and Abu Bakr and his companions encamped near to them.
خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ وَادِي الْيَابِسِ مِائَتَا رَجُلٍ مُدَجَّجِينَ بِالسِّلَاحِ فَلَمَّا صَادَفُوهُمْ قَالُوا لَهُمْ مَنْ أَنْتُمْ وَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَقْبَلْتُمْ وَ أَيْنَ تُرِيدُونَ لِيَخْرُجْ إِلَيْنَا صَاحِبُكُمْ حَتَّى نُكَلِّمَهُ
A hundred men from the people of the valley of Al-Yaabas came out to them, heavily armed. When they encountered them, they said to them, ‘Who are you? And where do you come from? Send out to us your companion until we speak to him’.
فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص قَالُوا مَا أَقْدَمَكَ عَلَيْنَا قَالَ أَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنْ أَعْرِضَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ وَ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا فِيمَا دَخَلَ فِيهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَ لَكُمْ مَا لَهُمْ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ وَ إِلَّا فَالْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكُمْ
Abu Bakr went out to them among a number of his Muslim companions. He said to them, ‘I am Abu Bakr, a companion of the Rasool-Allah-saww’. They said, ‘What made you come to us?’ He said, ‘Rasool-Allah-saww ordered me to present Al-Islam to you. So if you were to enter into what the Muslims have entered into, for you will be what is for them, and against you will be what is against them, or else there will be a war between us and you’.
قَالُوا لَهُ أَمَا وَ اللَّاتِ وَ الْعُزَّى لَوْ لَا رَحِمٌ مَاسَّةٌ وَ قَرَابَةٌ قَرِيبَةٌ لَقَتَلْنَاكَ وَ جَمِيعَ أَصْحَابِكَ قَتْلَةً تَكُونُ حَدِيثاً لِمَنْ يَكُونُ بَعْدَكُمْ فَارْجِعْ أَنْتَ وَ مَنْ مَعَكَ وَ ارْتَجُوا الْعَافِيَةَ فَإِنَّا إِنَّمَا نُرِيدُ صَاحِبَكُمْ بِعَيْنِهِ وَ أَخَاهُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ
They said, ‘By Al-Laat and Al-Uzza (two idols), were you not a close relative (of ours) we would have killed you, and all the ones who are with you so that you would become a narration for the ones who would come after you. Therefore return, you and those who are with you, in good health, for we only want your master-saww and his-saww brother Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws’.
فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِأَصْحَابِهِ يَا قَوْمِ الْقَوْمُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْكُمْ أَضْعَافاً وَ أَعَدُّ مِنْكُمْ وَ قَدْ نَأَتْ دَارُكُمْ عَنْ إِخْوَانِكُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَارْجِعُوا نُعْلِمْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص بِحَالِ الْقَوْمِ
Abu Bakr said to his companions, ‘O people! These people are much more numerous than you, and better prepared than you, and you are remote from your homes and from your Muslim brothers, so let us return and let Rasool-Allah-saww know of the situation of these people’.
فَقَالُوا لَهُ جَمِيعاً خَالَفْتَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ مَا أَمَرَكَ بِهِ فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ وَاقِعِ الْقَوْمَ وَ لَا تُخَالِفْ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ الشَّاهِدُ يَرَى مَا لَا يَرَى الْغَائِبُ
But they said to him unanimously, ‘You have opposed – O Abu Bakr – the words of the Rasool-Allah-saww and what he-saww had ordered you with. So fear Allah-azwj and stop these people, and do not oppose the Rasool-Allah-saww’. He said, ‘I know what you do not know, and the witness sees what the absentee cannot’.
فَانْصَرَفَ وَ انْصَرَفَ النَّاسُ أَجْمَعُونَ فَأُخْبِرَ النَّبِيُّ ص بِمَقَالَةِ الْقَوْمِ لَهُ وَ مَا رَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ ص يَا بَا بَكْرٍ خَالَفْتَ أَمْرِي وَ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ مَا أَمَرْتُكَ بِهِ وَ كُنْتَ لِي وَ اللَّهِ عَاصِياً فِيمَا أَمَرْتُكَ
He left, and all the people left with him. They informed the Prophet-saww of the conversation with those people, and what Abu Bakr replied to them. So Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘O Abu Bakr! You have opposed my-saww order, and did not do what I-saww commanded you to, and by Allah-azwj, you have been disobedient regarding what I-azwj ordered you for’.
فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِنِّي أَمَرْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَنْ يَسِيرَ إِلَى أَهْلِ وَادِي الْيَابِسِ وَ أَنْ يَعْرِضَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْإِسْلَامَ وَ يَدْعُوَهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنْ أَجَابُوا وَ إِلَّا وَاقَعَهُمْ
The Prophet-saww ascended the Pulpit, and he-saww praised Allah-azwj and Extolled Him-azwj, then said: ‘O group of Muslims! I-saww ordered Abu Bakr that he should travel to the people of the valley of Al-Yaabas, and he should present Al-Islam to them, and call them towards Allah-azwj. If they respond to him (fine) or else stop them.
فَإِنَّهُ سَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ خَرَجَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَيْهِ مِائَتَا رَجُلٍ فَإِذَا سَمِعَ كَلَامَهُمْ وَ مَا اسْتَقْبَلُوهُ بِهِ انْتَفَخَ صَدْرُهُ وَ دَخَلَهُ الرُّعْبُ مِنْهُمْ وَ تَرَكَ قَوْلِي وَ لَمْ يُطِعْ أَمْرِي
And he travelled to them, and a hundred of their men came out to him. But when he heard their speech, and what they would be facing him with, he was filled with fear and cowardice, and he was in awe of them, and he ignored my-saww words, and did not obey my-saww command.
وَ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ ع أَمَرَنِي عَنِ اللَّهِ أَنْ أَبْعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ عُمَرَ مَكَانَهُ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ فَسِرْ يَا عُمَرُ عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ لَا تَعْمَلْ كَمَا عَمِلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَخُوكَ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَ عَصَانِي وَ أَمَرَهُ بِمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ
And Jibraeel-as has come from the Presence of Allah-azwj that I-saww should send Umar in his place among his companions among four thousand horsemen. Therefore go, O Umar, in the Name of Allah-azwj, and do not act as your brother Abu Bakr had acted, for he has disobeyed Allah-azwj and disobeyed me, and I-saww hereby order you with what I-saww had ordered Abu Bakr with’.
فَخَرَجَ عُمَرُ وَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَ الْأَنْصَارُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ يَقْتَصِدُ بِهِمْ فِي سَيْرِهِمْ حَتَّى شَارَفَ الْقَوْمَ وَ كَانَ قَرِيباً مِنْهُمْ حَيْثُ يَرَاهُمْ وَ يَرَوْنَهُ وَ خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِائَتَا رَجُلٍ فَقَالُوا لَهُ وَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ مِثْلَ مَقَالَتِهِمْ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ
Umar went out with the Emigrants and the Helpers who were with Abu Bakr, journeying along the same path until he came to the people and was close enough to them so he could see them and they could see him. A Hundred men came out to him and said to him and his companions similar to what they had said to Abu Bakr.
فَانْصَرَفَ وَ انْصَرَفَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ وَ كَادَ أَنْ يَطِيرَ قَلْبُهُ مِمَّا رَأَى مِنْ عُدَّةِ الْقَوْمِ وَ جَمْعِهِمْ وَ رَجَعَ يَهْرُبُ مِنْهُمْ فَنَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع فَأَخْبَرَ مُحَمَّداً بِمَا صَنَعَ عُمَرُ وَ أَنَّهُ قَدِ انْصَرَفَ وَ انْصَرَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ
He left, and the people left with him. His heart had almost flown out of him when he saw their huge numbers and what (weaponry) they had with them, and he returned fleeing from them. Jibraeel-as descended and informed the Rasool-Allah-saww of what Umar had done, and that he had left, and the Muslims had left with him.
فَصَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ ص الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَ أَخْبَرَهُمْ بِمَا صَنَعَ عُمَرُ وَ مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ وَ أَنَّهُ قَدِ انْصَرَفَ وَ انْصَرَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ مُخَالِفاً لِأَمْرِي عَاصِياً لِقَوْلِي فَقَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَقَالَةِ مَا أَخْبَرَهُ بِهِ صَاحِبُهُ
The Prophet-saww ascended the Pulpit. He Praised Allah-azwj and Extolled Him-azwj, and informed them of what Umar had done, and what happened from it. He-azwj said: ‘He has left, and the Muslims have left with him in opposition to my-saww orders, having disobeyed my-saww words. He-saww went to them and they informed him of what they had informed his companion’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا عُمَرُ عَصَيْتَ اللَّهَ فِي عَرْشِهِ وَ عَصَيْتَنِي وَ خَالَفْتَ قَوْلِي وَ عَمِلْتَ بِرَأْيِكَ
Then he-saww said: ‘O Umar! You have disobeyed Allah-azwj in His-azwj Throne and disobeyed me-saww, and opposed my-saww words, and acted by your opinion.
لَأَقْبَحَ اللَّهُ رَأْيَكَ وَ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ ع قَدْ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَبْعَثَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فِي هَؤُلَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْتَحُ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ
Indeed, your opinion is ugly (in the Presence of) Allah-azwj, and that Jibraeel-as has informed me-saww that Allah-azwj will Grant victory to him-asws and to his-asws companion.
فَدَعَا عَلِيّاً وَ أَوْصَاهُ بِمَا أَوْصَى بِهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ أَصْحَابَهُ الْأَرْبَعَةَ آلَافٍ وَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَيَفْتَحُ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ
He-saww called Ali-asws and advised him-asws with what he-saww had advised Abu Bakr and Umar and their companions of four thousand with, and informed him-asws that Allah-azwj will be Granting victory to him-asws and his-asws companions’.
فَخَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ وَ مَعَهُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَ الْأَنْصَارُ فَسَارَ بِهِمْ سَيْراً غَيْرَ سَيْرِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ أَعْنَفَ بِهِمْ فِي السَّيْرِ حَتَّى خَافُوا أَنْ يَنْقَطِعُوا مِنَ التَّعَبِ وَ تَحْفَى دَوَابُّهُمْ
Ali-asws went out, and with him-asws were the Emigrants and the Helpers. He-asws travelled with them by a route other than the one taken by Abu Bakr and Umar, and that was a way, which was more difficult to travel upon, to the extent that they feared cessation (of their campaign) from the fatigue and the tiredness of their animals.
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ لَا تَخَافُوا فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَدْ أَمَرَنِي بِأَمْرٍ وَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَيَفْتَحُ عَلَيَّ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّكُمْ عَلَى خَيْرٍ وَ إِلَى خَيْرٍ
He-asws said to them: ‘Do not fear, for Rasool-Allah-saww has ordered me-asws with a matter, and informed me-asws that Allah-azwj will Grant us victory by my-asws hand to you, therefore receive glad tidings, for you are upon good and towards good’.
فَطَابَتْ نُفُوسُهُمْ وَ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَ سَارُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ السَّيْرِ [وَ] التَّعَبِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانُوا قَرِيباً مِنْهُمْ حَيْثُ يَرَوْنَهُ وَ يَرَاهُمْ أَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ أَنْ يَنْزِلُوا
Their hearts and their souls felt better, and they travelled upon that road until they were close enough to them so that they could see him-asws and he-asws could see them. He-asws commanded his-asws companions to encamp.
وَ سَمِعَ أَهْلُ وَادِي الْيَابِسِ بِمَقْدَمِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ أَصْحَابِهِ فَخَرَجُوا إِلَيْهِ مِنْهُمْ مِائَتَا رَجُلٍ شَاكِينَ بِالسِّلَاحِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ عَلِيٌّ ع خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ مَنْ أَنْتُمْ وَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتُمْ وَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَقْبَلْتُمْ وَ أَيْنَ تُرِيدُونَ
The people of the valley of Al-Yaabas heard the approach of Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws and his‑asws companions, so a hundred of their men went to them heavily armed. When Ali-asws saw them, he-asws went out to them among a number of his-asws companions. They said to him-asws, ‘Who are you-asws? And where do you-asws come from? And what do you-asws want?’
قَالَ أَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ابْنُ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ أَخُوهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ إِلَيْكُمْ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ لَكُمْ مَا لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَ شَرٍّ
He-asws said: ‘I-asws am Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws, the cousin of the Rasool-Allah-saww and his-saww brother-asws, and his-saww messenger to you all. I-asws hereby call you to the testimony of ‘There is no god except Allah-azwj, and that Muhammad-saww is His-azwj Rasool-saww. If you were to express belief, for you will be what is for the Muslims, and against you would be what is against them, from the good and evil’.
فَقَالُوا لَهُ إِيَّاكَ أَرَدْنَا وَ أَنْتَ طَلَبْتَنَا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا مَقَالَتَكَ فَاسْتَعِدَّ لِلْحَرْبِ الْعَوَانِ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّا قَاتِلِيكَ وَ قَاتِلِي أَصْحَابِكَ وَ الْمَوْعُودُ فِيمَا بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكَ غَداً ضَحْوَةً وَ قَدْ أَعْذَرْنَا فِيمَا بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكَ
But they said to him-asws, ‘You-asws are the one we want, and you-asws are seeking us? We have heard your-asws speech, and what you-asws are presenting to us. This is not compatible to us. Therefore, be careful and prepare for a severe battle, and know that I shall kill you-asws and your-asws companions. And the promised battle starts tomorrow between us and you-asws, and we have excused ourselves between us and you-asws’.
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ عَلِيٌّ ع وَيْلَكُمْ تُهَدِّدُونِّي بِكَثْرَتِكُمْ وَ جَمْعِكُمْ فَأَنَا أَسْتَعِينُ بِاللَّهِ وَ مَلَائِكَتِهِ وَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
Ali-asws said to them: ‘Woe be unto you! You are threatening me-asws with your huge numbers and your unity, and I-asws am being Supported by Allah-azwj, and the Angels-as, and the Muslims against you, and there is no Power or Mighty except with Allah-azwj, the Exalted, the Magnificent’.
فَانْصَرَفُوا إِلَى مَرَاكِزِهِمْ وَ انْصَرَفَ عَلِيٌّ ع إِلَى مَرْكَزِهِ فَلَمَّا جَنَّهُ اللَّيْلُ أَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ أَنْ يُحْسِنُوا إِلَى دَوَابِّهِمْ وَ يُقْضِمُوا وَ يُسْرِجُوا فَلَمَّا انْشَقَّ عَمُودُ الصُّبْحِ صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ بِغَلَسٍ ثُمَّ غَارَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِأَصْحَابِهِ
They returned to their positions, and Ali-asws returned to his-asws position. So ,when the night had passed, he-asws ordered his-asws companions that they should relieve their animals, water them, shake their dust, and saddle them. When the dawn broke, he-asws prayed (leading Salat) with the people, then attacked them with his-asws companions.
فَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا حَتَّى وَطِئَتْهُمُ الْخَيْلُ فَمَا أَدْرَكَ آخِرُ أَصْحَابِهِ حَتَّى قَتَلَ مُقَاتِلِيهِمْ وَ سَبَى ذَرَارِيَّهُمْ وَ اسْتَبَاحَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَ خَرَّبَ دِيَارَهُمْ وَ أَقْبَلَ بِالْأُسَارَى وَ الْأَمْوَالِ مَعَهُ
They did not even know about it until the horses trod upon them. The last of their companions were not even aware that his companion had been killed. And he-asws captivated their people, and captured their wealth, and ruined their dwellings, and went with the prisoners of war and the wealth with him-asws.
وَ نَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ فَأَخْبَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ ع وَ جَمَاعَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَ أَخْبَرَ النَّاسَ بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ أَعْلَمَهُمْ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُصَبْ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا رَجُلَانِ
And Jibraeel-as descended and informed Rasool-Allah-saww of the victory Allah-azwj had Granted to Ali-asws and the group of the Muslims. So, Rasool-Allah-saww ascended the Pulpit, praised Allah-azwj and Extolled Him-azwj, and informed the people of the victory Granted by Allah-azwj to the Muslims, and he-saww let them know that none had been killed from them except for two men.
وَ نَزَلَ فَخَرَجَ يَسْتَقْبِلُ عَلِيّاً فِي جَمِيعِ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ حَتَّى لَقِيَهُ عَلَى أَمْيَالٍ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ عَلِيٌّ مُقْبِلًا نَزَلَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ وَ نَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ ص حَتَّى الْتَزَمَهُ وَ قَبَّلَ مَا بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ
And he-saww went out to welcome Ali-asws along with all the people of Al-Medina from the Muslims until he-saww met with him-asws at three miles from Al-Medina. So, when Ali-asws saw him-saww, he-asws descended from his-asws horse, and the Prophet-saww descended until he-saww embraced him-asws, and kissed him-asws between his-asws eyes.
فَنَزَلَ جَمَاعَةُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ ع حَيْثُ نَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ أَقْبَلَ بِالْغَنِيمَةِ وَ الْأُسَارَى وَ مَا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ وَادِي الْيَابِسِ
The group of the Muslims descended to Ali-asws where the Rasool-Allah-saww had descended, and turned towards the war booty and the prisoners, and what sustenance Allah-azwj has Provided them with from the people of the valley of Al-Yaabas’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ع مَا غَنِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِثْلَهَا قَطُّ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ خيبرا [مِنْ خَيْبَرَ] فَإِنَّهَا مِثْلُ خَيْبَرَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً يَعْنِي بِالْعَادِيَاتِ الْخَيْلَ تَعْدُو بِالرِّجَالِ وَ الضَّبْحُ ضَبْحُهَا فِي أَعِنَّتِهَا وَ لُجُمِهَا فَالْمُورِياتِ قَدْحاً فَالْمُغِيراتِ صُبْحاً فَقَدْ أَخْبَرَكَ أَنَّهَا غَارَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ صُبْحاً
Then Ja’far-asws Bin Muhammad-asws said: ‘The Muslims had never achieved such war booty at all except from Khayber, for it was just like the gains from Khayber. So Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Revealed with regards to that (whole incident): (I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1] – Meaning the running of the horses running with the men, and their cries in their reins and in restraining them. And (by) the striking sparks [100:2] And (by) the morning raiders [100:3]. Allah-azwj has Told you that they raided them in the morning’.
قُلْتُ قَوْلُهُ فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعاً قَالَ يَعْنِي الْخَيْلَ يَأْثَرْنَ بِالْوَادِي نَقْعاً فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً
I asked, ‘(What about) His-azwj Words: So they raise the dust by it [100:4]?’ He-asws said: ‘It Means the horses raising dust in the valley, And they cleave through the gathered (army) [100:5]’.
قُلْتُ قَوْلُهُ إِنَّ الْإِنْسانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ قَالَ لَكَفُورٌ
I asked, ‘(What about) His-azwj Words: Surely the human being is ungrateful to his Lord [100:6]?’ He-asws said: ‘Committing Kufr’.
وَ إِنَّهُ عَلى ذلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ قَالَ يَعْنِيهِمَا جَمِيعاً قَدْ شَهِدَا جَمِيعاً وَادِيَ الْيَابِسِ وَ كَانَا لِحُبِّ الْحَيَاةِ حَرِيصَيْنِ
And for): And he is a witness upon that [100:7]?’ He-asws said: ‘Meaning both of them together (Abu Bakr and Umar). They had both witnesses the valley of Al-Yaabas, and they were both greedy for the life’.
قُلْتُ قَوْلُهُ أَ فَلا يَعْلَمُ إِذا بُعْثِرَ ما فِي الْقُبُورِ وَ حُصِّلَ ما فِي الصُّدُورِ إِنَّ رَبَّهُمْ بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَخَبِيرٌ
I asked, ‘His-azwj Words: Does he not know when whatever is in the graves is Resurrected [100:9] And whatever is in the chests is Made apparent [100:10] Surely their Lord, on the Day would be Informed of them? [100:11]?’
قَالَ نَزَلَتِ الْآيَتَانِ فِيهِمَا خَاصَّةً كَانَا يُضْمِرَانِ ضَمِيرَ السَّوْءِ وَ يَعْمَلَانِ بِهِ فَأَخْبَرَ اللَّهُ خَبَرَهُمَا وَ فِعَالَهُمَا
He-asws said: ‘The two Verses were Revealed regarding both of them (Abu Bakr and Umar) in particular. The two of them were concealing evil consciences and were acting in accordance with it. So Allah-azwj has Informed the news of these two, and the actions of these two.
فَهَذِهِ قِصَّةُ أَهْلِ وَادِي الْيَابِسِ وَ تَفْسِيرُ الْعَادِيَاتِ
So this is the story of the people of the valley of Al-Yaabas and the interpretation of (the Surah) Al-Adiyaat’’.[2]
الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي قَالَ شَيْخُ الطَّائِفَةِ قُرِئَ عَلَى أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ شِبْلٍ وَ أَنَا أَسْمَعُ حَدَّثَنَا ظَفَرُ بْنُ حُمْدُونِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الْأَحْمَرِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ وَ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ الْعِجْلِيِّ قَالا حَدَّثَنَا الْحَلَبِيُّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً قَالَ وَجَّهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَرَجَعَ مُنْهَزِماً يُجَبِّنُ أَصْحَابَهُ وَ يُجَبِّنُونَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص قَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ أَنْتَ صَاحِبُ الْقَوْمِ فَتَهَيَّأْ أَنْتَ وَ مَنْ تُرِيدُ مِنْ فُرْسَانِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ وَ سِرِ اللَّيْلَ وَ لَا يُفَارِقْكَ الْعَيْنُ
(The book) ‘Al-Amaali’ of the sheykh Al-Tusi – ‘Sheykh Al-Taifa said, ‘It was read out to Abu Al-Qasim Bin Shibl and I was listening, ‘It is narrated to us by Zafar Bin Humdum Bin Ahmad, from Ibrahim Bin Is’haq Al-Ahmary, from Muhammad Bin Sabit, and Abu Al-Magra Al-Ijaly who both said, ‘It narrated to us by Al-Halby who said,
‘I asked Abu Abdullah-asws about the Words of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic: ‘(I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1]. He-asws said: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww diverted Umar Bin Al-Khattab among a battalion, and he returned defeated accusing his companions of being cowards and his companions accused him of being a coward. When he ended up to the Prophet-saww said to Ali-asws: ‘You-asws are the master of the people, so prepare, you-asws and the ones you-asws want from the horsemen from the Emigrants and the Helpers, and travel at night and the spy should not separate from you-asws’.
قَالَ فَانْتَهَى عَلِيٌّ إِلَى مَا أَمَرَهُ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَسَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا كَانَ عِنْدَ وَجْهِ الصُّبْحِ أَغَارَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ ص وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً إِلَى آخِرِهَا.
He-asws said: ‘So, Ali-asws ended up to what Rasool-Allah-saww had instructed him-asws with and he-asws travelled towards them. When it was during face of the morning (early), he-asws attacked upon them. Allah-azwj Revealed unto His-azwj Prophet-saww: ‘(I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1] – up to the end of it’’.[3]
شا، الإرشاد ثم كان غزاة السلسلة و ذلك أن أعرابيا جاء عند النبي ص فجثا بين يديه و قال له جئتك لأنصح لك قال و ما نصيحتك قال قوم من العرب قد اجتمعوا بوادي الرمل و عملوا على أن يبيتوك بالمدينة و وصفهم له
(The book) ‘Al-Irshad’ – Then it was the military expedition of Zat Al-Salasil, and that is that a Bedouin came to the presence of the Prophet-saww and kneeled in front of him-saww and said to him-saww, ‘I have come to you-saww to advise you-saww’. He-saww said: ‘And what is your advice?’ He said, ‘A group of people from the Arabs have gathered in a valley of sand and they are working to attack you-saww at night in Al-Medina’, and he described them to him-saww.
فأمر النبي ص أن ينادي ب الصلاة جامعة فاجتمع المسلمون و صعد المنبر فحمد الله و أثنى عليه ثم قال أيها الناس إن هذا عدو الله و عدوكم قد عمل على أن يبيتكم فمن له فقام جماعة من أهل الصفة فقالوا نحن نخرج إليهم فول علينا من شئت
The Prophet-saww ordered that there be a call for the congregational Salat. So, the Muslims gathered and he-saww ascended the pulpit and praised Allah-azwj and extolled upon Him-azwj, then said: ‘O you people! These enemies of Allah-azwj and your enemies have worked upon attacking you at night, so who is for it?’ A group from the people of the platform (destitute emigrants) stood up and said, ‘We will go out to them, so make a commander upon us whoever you-saww so like to’.
فأقرع بينهم فخرجت القرعة على ثمانين رجلا منهم و من غيرهم فاستدعى أبا بكر فقال له خذ اللواء و امض إلى بني سليم فإنهم قريب من الحرة فمضى و معه القوم حتى قارب أرضهم و كانت كثيرة الحجارة و الشجر و هم ببطن الوادي و المنحدر إليه صعب فلما صار أبو بكر إلى الوادي و أراد الانحدار خرجوا إليه فهزموه و قتلوا من المسلمين جمعا كثيرا فانهزم أبو بكر من القوم
Lots were drawn between the people and the lots came out upon eighty men from them and from others. He-saww summoned Abu Bakr and said to him: ‘Take the flag and go to the clan of Suleym as they are nearby from Al-Hira’. He went and with him was the group until he was near their land, and it was of a lot of stones and trees, and they were in the middle of the valley, and the slope towards it was difficult. When Abu Bakr came to the valley and wanted to go down, they came out to him and defeated him and they killed a large group from the Muslims, and Abu Bakr was defeated from the people.
فلما ورد على النبي ص عقد لعمر بن الخطاب و بعثه إليهم فكمنوا له تحت الحجارة و الشجر فلما ذهب ليهبط خرجوا إليه فهزموه فساء رسول الله ص ذلك فقال له عمرو بن العاص ابعثني يا رسول الله إليهم فإن الحرب خدعة فلعلي أخدعهم فأنفذه مع جماعة و وصاه فلما صار إلى الوادي خرجوا إليه فهزموه و قتلوا من أصحابه جماعة
When he returned to the Prophet-saww, he-saww tied (the flag) to Umar Bin Al-Khattab and sent him to them. They lied in wait for him beneath the rocks and the trees. When he went to descend, they came out to him and defeated him. Rasool-Allah-saww was saddened at that. Amro Bin Al-Aas said to him-saww, ‘Send me to them, O Rasool-Allah-saww, for the war is a deception, and it is upon me to deceive them’. So, he-saww dispatched him with a group and advised him. When he came to the valley, they came out to him and defeated him, and they killed a group from his companions.
و مكث رسول الله ص أياما يدعو عليهم ثم دعا أمير المؤمنين ع فعقد له ثم قال أرسلته كرارا غير فرار ثم رفع يديه إلى السماء و قال اللهم إن كنت تعلم أني رسولك فاحفظني فيه و افعل به و افعل فدعا له ما شاء الله
And Rasool-Allah-saww remained for days supplicated against them, then he-saww called Amir Al-Momineen-asws and tied (the flag) to him-asws, then said: ‘I-saww am sending an attacker, not a fleer’. Then he-saww raised his-saww hands towards the sky and said: ‘O Allah-azwj! You-azwj Know that I-saww am Your-azwj Rasool-saww, so Preserve me-saww in it, and Deal with him-asws and Do so’. He-saww supplicated for him-asws what Allah-azwj so Desired.
و خرج علي بن أبي طالب ع و خرج رسول الله ص لتشييعه و بلغ معه إلى مسجد الأحزاب و علي على فرس أشقر مهلوب عليه بردان يمانيان و في يده قناة خطية فشيعه رسول الله ص و دعا له و أنفذ معه فيمن أنفذ أبا بكر و عمر و عمرو بن العاص
And Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws went out and Rasool-Allah-saww came out to escort him-asws and reached with him-asws to the Masjid Al-Ahzaab, and Ali-asws was upon a blonde sheared horse, upon him-asws were two Yemeni cloaks, and in his-asws hand was lined spear. Rasool-Allah-saww escorted him-asws and supplicated for him-asws, and he-saww sent with him-asws among the ones he-saww had sent with Abu Bakr and Umar and Amro Bin Al-Aas.
فسار بهم ع نحو العراق متنكبا للطريق حتى ظنوا أنه يريد بهم غير ذلك الوجه ثم انحدر بهم على محجة غامضة فسار بهم حتى استقبل الوادي من فمه و كان يسير الليل و يكمن النهار فلما قرب من الوادي أمر أصحابه أن يعكموا الخيل و وقفهم مكانا و قال لا تبرحوا و انتبذ أمامهم فأقام ناحية منهم
He-asws travelled with them in the direction of Al-Iraq, concealing to the (intended) road until they thought he-asws wanted with them other than that direction. Then he-asws went down with them upon a mysterious target and travelled with them until he-asws face the valley from its entrance; and he-asws used to travel at night and conceal by the day. When he-asws was near the valley, he-asws ordered his-asws companions that they pack up their horses and pause them in a place, and said: ‘Do not move’, and he-asws went in front of them and stood near from them.
فلما رأى عمرو بن العاص ما صنع لم يشك أن الفتح يكون له فقال لأبي بكر أنا أعلم بهذه البلاد من علي و فيها ما هو أشد علينا من بني سليم و هي الضباع و الذئاب فإن خرجت علينا خفت أن تقطعنا فكلمه يخل عنا نعلو الوادي
When Amro Bin Al-Aas saw what he-asws had done he had no doubt that the victory would happen to be for him, so he said to Abu Bakr, ‘I am more knowing with this city than Ali-asws is, and therein is what is more difficult upon us than the clan of Suleym, and it is the hyenas and the wolves. So, if they come out to us, I fear that they will tear us apart. Speak to him-asws to vacate us from the high valley’.
قال فانطلق أبو بكر فكلمه فأطال فلم يجبه أمير المؤمنين ع حرفا واحدا فرجع إليهم فقال لا و الله ما أجابني حرفا واحدا فقال عمرو بن العاص لعمر بن الخطاب أنت أقوى عليه فانطلق عمر فخاطبه فصنع به مثل ما صنع بأبي بكر فرجع إليهم فأخبرهم أنه لم يجبه
He said, ‘Abu Bakr went and spoke to him-asws, and persisted, but Amir Al-Momineen-asws did not answer him even one letter. He returned to them and said, ‘By Allah-azwj, he-asws did not answer me even one letter’. Amro Bin Al-Aas said to Umar Bin Al-Khattab, ‘You are stronger upon it’. Umar went and he-asws did with him similar to what he-asws had done with Abu Bakr. He returned to them and informed them that he-asws did not answer him.
فقال عمرو بن العاص إنه لا ينبغي لنا أن نضيع أنفسنا انطلقوا بنا نعلو الوادي فقال له المسلمون و الله ما نفعل أمرنا رسول الله أن نسمع لعلي و نطيع فنترك أمره و نطيع لك و نسمع فلم يزالوا كذلك حتى أحس أمير المؤمنين ع بالفجر فكبس القوم و هم غارون فأمكنه الله تعالى منهم
Amro Bin Al-Aas said, ‘It is not befitting for us that we waste ourselves. Let us go to the high valley’. The Muslims said to him, ‘By Allah-azwj, we will not do it. Rasool-Allah-saww ordered us to listen to Ali-asws and obey, so we would not neglect his-saww orders and be obedient to you (instead) and listen’. They did not cease to be like that until Amir Al-Momineen-asws sensed the dawn, and he-asws attacked the people while they were heedless, and Allah-azwj the Exalted Enabled him-asws from them. (Hadith continues below)
Crying of Amir ul-Momineen-asws out of Happiness:
فنزلت على النبي ص وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً إلى آخرها فَبَشَّرَ النَّبِيُّ ص أَصْحَابَهُ بِالْفَتْحِ وَ أَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلُوا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَاسْتَقْبَلُوهُ وَ النَّبِيُّ ص يَقْدُمُهُمْ فَقَامُوا لَهُ صَفَّيْنِ فَلَمَّا بَصُرَ بِالنَّبِيِّ ص تَرَجَّلَ عَنْ فَرَسِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ص ارْكَبْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ عَنْكَ رَاضِيَانِ
It was Revealed unto the Prophet-saww (Surah): ‘(I Swear) by the running (steeds) [100:1] – up to its end. The Prophet-saww gave the glad tidings to his-saww companions with the victory and instructed them that they should welcome Amir Al-Momineen-asws. So, they welcomed him‑asws and the Prophet-saww was in front of them, and they established two rows for him-asws. When he-asws sighted the Prophet-saww, he-asws got down from his-asws horse, and the Prophet‑saww said to him-asws: ‘Ride, for Allah-azwj and His-azwj Rasool-saww are pleased from you‑asws’.
فَبَكَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَرَحاً فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ص يَا عَلِيُّ لَوْ لَا أَنَّنِي أُشْفِقُ أَنْ تَقُولَ فِيكَ طَوَائِفُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَا قَالَتِ النَّصَارَى فِي الْمَسِيحِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ لَقُلْتُ فِيكَ الْيَوْمَ مَقَالًا لَا تَمُرُّ بِمَلَإٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا أَخَذُوا التُّرَابَ مِنْ تَحْتِ قَدَمَيْكَ.
Amir Al-Momineen-asws wept out of happiness, so the Prophet-saww said to him-asws: ‘O Ali-asws! Had I-saww not feared that a sect from my-saww community would say regarding you-asws what the Christians say regarding the Messiah Isa-as Bin Maryam-as, I-saww would have said regarding you-asws today such words (that) you-asws would not have passed by any group from the people except they would have taken the dust from under your-asws feet (as Blessing)’’.[4]
APPENDIX: Additional Ahadith on Battle of Zat Al-Salasil
نَوَادِرُ الرَّاوَنْدِيِّ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص بَعَثَ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ ع ثَلَاثِينَ فَرَساً فِي غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ وَ قَالَ أَتْلُو عَلَيْكَ آيَةً فِي نَفَقَةِ الْخَيْلِ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهارِ سِرًّا وَ عَلانِيَةً هِيَ النَّفَقَةُ عَلَى الْخَيْلِ سِرّاً وَ عَلَانِيَةً.
(The book) ‘Nawadir’ of Al-Rawandy, by his chain,
‘From Ja’far-asws Bin Muhammad-asws, from his-asws father-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww sent thirty horsemen with Ali-asws in the military expedition of Zat Al-Salasil and said: ‘I-saww recite a Verse to you-asws regarding spending on the horses: Those who are spending their wealth by the night and the day, secretly and openly, [2:274], it is the spending upon the horses secretly and openly’’.[5]
Other Ahadith describing the Battle of Zat Al-Salasil:
تفسير فرات بن إبراهيم الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ وَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْفَزَارِيُّ مُعَنْعَناً عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ الْغِفَارِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَ غَيْرِهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص قَدْ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الصُّفَّةِ فَبَعَثَ مِنْهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ رَجُلًا وَ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ إِلَى بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ وَ وَلَّى عَلَيْهِمْ وَ انْهَزَمُوا مَرَّةً بَعْدَ مَرَّةٍ
Tafseer Furaat Bin Ibrahim – Al-Husayn Bin Saeed and Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al-Fazari transmitting from Abu Zarr Al-Ghafary-ra and others that the Prophet-saww had drawn lots between the people of the platform (destitute emigrants) and sent eight men from them and from others to the clan of Suleym, and made a commander to be upon them, and they were defeated time after time.
فَلَبِثَ بِذَلِكَ أَيَّاماً يَدْعُو عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِلَالًا فَقَالَ لَهُ ايتِنِي بِبُرْدِيَ النَّجْرَانِيِّ وَ قَنَاتِيَ الْخَطِّيَّةِ فَأَتَاهُ بِهِمَا فَدَعَا عَلِيّاً وَ بَعَثَهُ فِي جَيْشٍ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ قَالَ لَقَدْ وَجَّهْتُهُ كَرَّاراً غَيْرَ فَرَّارٍ قَالَ فَسَرَّحَ عَلِيّاً قَالَ وَ خَرَجَ مَعَهُ النَّبِيُّ ص يُشَيِّعُهُ فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ عِنْدَ مَسْجِدِ الْأَحْزَابِ وَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَى فَرَسٍ أَشْقَرَ وَ هُوَ يُوصِيهِ
He-saww remained with that for days supplicating against them, then he-saww called Bilal and said to him, ‘Bring to me-saww my Najranite cloak and my-saww lined spear’. He came to him-saww with the two, and he-saww called Ali-asws and sent him-asws among an army to them and said: ‘I-saww am diverting him-asws as an attacker not a fleer’, then sent Ali-asws. And the Prophet-saww went out with him-asws escorting him-asws, and it is as if I-ra am looking at them by the Masjid Al-Ahzaab, and Ali-asws is upon his-asws blonde horse, and he-saww is advising him-asws.
ثُمَّ وَدَّعَهُ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ انْصَرَفَ قَالَ وَ سَارَ عَلِيٌّ فِيمَنْ مَعَهُ مُتَوَجِّهاً نَحْوَ الْعِرَاقِ وَ ظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ بِهِمْ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ الْوَجْهِ حَتَّى أَتَى فَمَ الْوَادِي ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَسِيرُ اللَّيْلَ وَ يَكْمُنُ النَّهَارَ فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ أَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ فَعَكَمُوا الْخَيْلَ وَ أَوْقَفَهُمْ وَ قَالَ لَا تَبْرَحُوا وَ انْتَبَذَ أَمَامَهُمْ
Then the Prophet-saww bade him-asws farewell and left, And Ali-asws travelled among the ones with him-asws heading towards Iraq, and they thought that he-asws intended with them other than that direction until he-asws came to the entrance of the cave, then went on to travel at night and concealing at daytime. When he-asws was near from the people, he-asws ordered his‑asws companions and they unmuzzled the horses and stopped them and he-asws said: ‘Do not move’, and he-asws went in front of them.
فَرَامَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ الْخِلَافَ وَ أَبَى بَعْضٌ حَتَّى إِذَا طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ أَغَارَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَلِيٌّ فَمَنَحَهُ اللَّهُ أَكْتَافَهُمْ وَ أَظْهَرَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ
Some of his-asws companions craved and the others disagreed until when the dawn emerged Ali-asws attacked upon them, and Allah-azwj Granted him-asws their shoulders and Caused him-asws to prevail upon them.
فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص الْآيَةَ وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ص لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ صَبَّحَ وَ اللَّهِ جَمْعَ الْقَوْمِ ثُمَّ صَلَّى بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَرَأَ وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً
Allah-azwj Revealed unto His-azwj Prophet-saww the Verse: (I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1]. The Prophet-saww came out for Salat Al-Fajr and he-saww was saying: ‘Morning, by Allah-azwj, gather the people!’ Then he-saww prayed Salat with the Muslims and he-saww recited: (I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1].
قَالَ فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ مِائَةً وَ عِشْرِينَ رَجُلًا وَ كَانَ رَئِيسُ الْقَوْمِ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ بِشْرٍ وَ سَبَى مِنْهُ مِائَةً وَ عِشْرِينَ نَاهِداً.
He said, ‘One hundred and twenty men were killed from them, and the chief of the people was Al-Haris Bin Bishr, and one hundred and twenty girls were captured from it’’.[6]
تفسير فرات بن إبراهيم عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُمَرَ الزُّهْرِيُ مُعَنْعَناً عَنْ سَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا أَجْمَعُ مَا كُنَّا حَوْلَ النَّبِيِّ ص مَا خَلَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع إِذْ أَقْبَلَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ بَدَوِيٌّ فَتَخَطَّى صُفُوفَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ حَتَّى جَثَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَ أُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
Tafseer Furaat Bin Ibrahim Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Umar Al-Zuhry transmitting from Salman Al-Farsi-ra having said: ‘While we were gathered and were around the Prophet-saww apart from Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws when a Bedouin of the valleys came and making way in the rows of the Emigrants and the Helpers until he knelt in front of Rasool-Allah-saww and he said, ‘The greetings be upon you-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww, may my father and my mother be sacrificed for you-saww O Rasool-Allah-saww!’
فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامُ مَنْ أَنْتَ يَا أَعْرَابِيُّ قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي لُجَيْمٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص مَا وَرَاكَ بِمَا جَاءَ لُجَيْمٌ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ خَلَّفْتُ خَثْعَمَ وَ قَدْ تَهَيَّئُوا وَ عَبَّئُوا كَتَائِبَهُمْ وَ خَلَّفْتُ الرَّايَاتِ تَخْفِقُ فَوْقَ رُءُوسِهِمْ يَقْدُمُهُمُ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ مَكِيدَةَ الْخَثْعَمِيُّ فِي خَمْسِمِائَةٍ مِنْ رِجَالِ خَثْعَمَ يَتَأَلَّوْنَ بِاللَّاتِ وَ الْعُزَّى أَنْ لَا يَرْجِعُوا حَتَّى يَرِدُوا الْمَدِينَةَ فَيَقْتُلُوكَ وَ مَنْ مَعَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
The Prophet-saww said: ‘Upon you be the greetings, who are you, O Bedouin?’ He said, ‘A man from the clan of Lujeym, O Rasool-Allah-saww!’ The Prophet-saww said: ‘What is behind you with what (you have come, O brother of)?’ He said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! I left them and Khas’am had prepared and mobilised their battalions, and I left behind the flags were fluttering above their heads, led by Al-Haris Bin Makayda Al-Khas’ami among five hundred from the men of Khas’am, ululating with Al-Laat and Al-Uzza (two idols) that they will not be returning until they reach Al-Medina and they kill you-saww and the ones with you-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww!’
قَالَ فَدَمَعَتْ عَيْنَا النَّبِيِّ ص حَتَّى أَبْكَى جَمِيعَ أَصْحَابِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ النَّاسِ سَمِعْتُمْ مَقَالَةَ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ قَالُوا كُلٌّ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَمَنْ مِنْكُمْ يَخْرُجُ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَطَئُونَا فِي دِيَارِنَا وَ حَرِيمِنَا لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يَفْتَحُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ وَ أَضْمَنُ لَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْجَنَّةَ
He said, ‘The eyes of the Prophet-saww filled up with tears until the entirety of his-saww companions cried. Then he-saww said: ‘O community of people! You heard the words of the Bedouin?’ They said, ‘Yes, we heard, O Rasool-Allah-saww!’ He-saww said: ‘So, who from you will go out to these people before they tread upon us in our homes and our sanctuaries, perhaps Allah-azwj will Grant victory upon his hands, and I-saww guarantee the Paradise for him upon Allah-azwj’.
قَالَ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا قَالَ أَحَدٌ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ص عَلَى قَدَمَيْهِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ مَعَاشِرَ أَصْحَابِي هَلْ سَمِعْتُمْ مَقَالَةَ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ قَالُوا كُلٌّ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَمَنْ مِنْكُمْ يَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَطَئُونَا فِي دِيَارِنَا وَ حَرِيمِنَا لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ وَ أَضْمَنُ لَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ قَصْراً فِي الْجَنَّةِ
He said, ‘By Allah-azwj, no one said, ‘I will, O Rasool-Allah-saww!’ So the Prophet-saww stood upon his feed and he-saww said: ‘Community of my-saww companions! Did you hear the words of the Bedouin?’ They said, ‘All of us have heard it, Rasool-Allah-saww!’ He-saww said: ‘So, who from you will go out to them before they tread upon us in our homes and our sanctuaries, perhaps Allah-azwj will Grant victory upon his hands, and I-saww guarantee upon Allah-azwj for twelve castles to be for him in the Paradise’.
قَالَ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا قَالَ أَحَدٌ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَبَيْنَمَا النَّبِيُّ ص وَاقِفٌ إِذْ أَقْبَلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص وَاقِفاً وَ دُمُوعُهُ تَنْحَدِرُ كَأَنَّهَا جُمَانٌ انْقَطَعَ سِلْكُهُ عَلَى خَدَّيْهِ لَمْ يَتَمَالَكْ أَنْ رَمَى بِنَفْسِهِ عَنْ بَعِيرِهِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ يَسْعَى نَحْوَ النَّبِيِّ ص يَمْسَحُ بِرِدَائِهِ الدُّمُوعَ عَنْ وَجْهِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ مَا الَّذِي أَبْكَاكَ لَا أَبْكَى اللَّهُ عَيْنَيْكَ يَا حَبِيبَ اللَّهِ هَلْ نَزَلَ فِي أُمَّتِكَ شَيْءٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ
He said, ‘By Allah-azwj, no one said, ‘I will, O Rasool-Allah-saww!’ While the Prophet-saww was paused when Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws came. When he-asws looked at the Prophet-saww standing and his-saww tears rolling down as if they were pearls travelling upon his-saww cheeks, he-asws could not control himself-asws and threw himself-asws from his-asws camel to the ground, then came sprinting towards the Prophet-saww wiping the tears with his-asws robe from the face of Rasool-Allah-saww and he-asws said: ‘What is that which makes you-saww cry? May Allah-azwj not Make you-saww cry, O Beloved of Allah-azwj, has anything been Revealed regarding your-saww community, from the sky?’
قَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ مَا نَزَلَ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا خَيْرٌ وَ لَكِنْ هَذَا الْأَعْرَابِيُّ حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ رِجَالِ خَثْعَمَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَدْ عَبَّئُوا كَتَائِبَهُمْ وَ خَفَقَتِ الرَّايَاتُ فَوْقَ رُءُوسِهِمْ يُكَذِّبُونَ قَوْلِي وَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ رَبِّي يَقْدُمُهُمُ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ مَكِيدَةَ الْخَثْعَمِيُّ فِي خَمْسِمِائَةٍ مِنْ رِجَالِ خَثْعَمَ يَتَأَلَّوْنَ بِاللَّاتِ وَ الْعُزَّى لَا يَرْجِعُونَ حَتَّى يَرِدُوا الْمَدِينَةَ فَيَقْتُلُونِي وَ مَنْ مَعِي وَ إِنِّي قُلْتُ لِأَصْحَابِي مَنْ مِنْكُمْ يَخْرُجُ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَطَئُونَا فِي دِيَارِنَا وَ حَرِيمِنَا لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ وَ أَضْمَنُ لَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ قَصْراً فِي الْجَنَّةِ
He-saww said: ‘O Ali-asws! Nothing has been Revealed regarding them except good, but this Bedouin narrated to me-saww about the men of Khas’am that they have mobilised their battalions and unfurled their flags above their heads belying my-saww words and they are claiming they do not recognise my-saww Lord-azwj.
Al-Haris Bin Makeyda Al-Khas’amy is leading them among five hundred from the men of Khas’am, ululating with Al-Laat and Al-Uzza (two idols) they will not be returning until they arrive at Al-Medina and they (want to) kill me-asws and the ones with me-saww, and I-saww said to my-saww companions: ‘Who from you will go out to these people from before they tread upon us in our homes and our sanctuaries, perhaps Allah-azwj will Grant victory upon his hands, and I-saww guarantee for him upon Allah-azwj twelve castles in the Paradise’.
فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَ أُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صِفْ لِي هَذِهِ الْقُصُورَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَا عَلِيُّ بِنَاءُ هَذِهِ الْقُصُورِ لَبِنَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَ لَبِنَةٌ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ مِلَاطُهَا الْمِسْكُ الْأَذْفَرُ وَ الْعَنْبَرُ حَصْبَاؤُهَا الدُّرُّ وَ الْيَاقُوتُ تُرَابُهَا الزَّعْفَرَانُ كُثُبُهَا الْكَافُورُ فِي صَحْنِ كُلِّ قَصْرٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقُصُورِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَنْهَارٍ نَهَرٌ مِنْ عَسَلٍ وَ نَهَرٌ مِنْ خَمْرٍ وَ نَهَرٌ مِنْ لَبَنٍ وَ نَهَرٌ مِنْ مَاءٍ
Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws said: ‘May my-asws father-as and my-asws mother-as be sacrificed for you-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww! Describe these castles to me-asws’. Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘O Ali-asws! The construction of these castles are bricks of gold and bricks of silver, its mortar is of the yellow musk and the amber, its pebbles are the gems and the rubies, its soil is saffron, its dunes are of camphor, in the courtyard of every castle from these castles are four rivers – a river of honey, and a river of wine, and a river of milk and a river of water.
مَحْفُوفٍ بِالْأَشْجَارِ وَ الْمَرْجَانِ عَلَى حَافَتَيْ كُلِّ نَهَرٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَنْهَارِ خَيْمَةٌ مِنْ دُرَّةٍ بيْضَاءَ لَا قَطْعَ فِيهَا وَ لَا فَصْلَ قَالَ لَهَا كُونِي فَكَانَتْ يُرَى بَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا وَ ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا فِي كُلِّ خَيْمَةٍ سَرِيرٌ مُفَصَّصٌ بِالْيَاقُوتِ الْأَحْمَرِ قَوَائِمُهَا مِنَ الزَّبَرْجَدِ الْأَخْضَرِ عَلَى كُلِّ سَرِيرٍ حَوْرَاءُ مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَوْرَاءَ سَبْعُونَ حُلَّةً خَضْرَاءَ وَ سَبْعُونَ حُلَّةً صَفْرَاءَ وَ يُرَى مُخُّ سَاقِهَا خَلْفَ عَظْمِهَا وَ جِلْدِهَا وَ حُلِيِّهَا وَ حُلَلِهَا كَمَا تُرَى الْخَمْرَةُ الصَّافِيَةُ فِي الزُّجَاجَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ
It is fraught with the trees and coral, upon the banks of each river from these rivers is a tent of white gems, there is neither any cut in it nor gap. He-azwj Said to it: “Be!” And it came into being. It’s interior cane be seen from its outside and its outside from its inside, in each tent is a bed lobed with red rubies, its legs are from green emeralds, upon each bed is a Hourie from the Maiden Houries, upon each Hourie are seventy green garment and seventy yellow ornaments, and the marrow of her legs cane been seen from behind her bones and her skin, and her garments and her ornaments are as you tend to see the clear wine in the glass.
مُكَلَّلَةً بِالْجَوَاهِرِ لِكُلِّ حَوْرَاءَ سَبْعُونَ ذُؤَابَةً كُلُّ ذُؤَابَةٍ بِيَدِ وَصِيفٍ وَ بِيَدِ كُلِّ وَصِيفٍ مِجْمَرٌ يُبَخِّرُ تِلْكَ الذُّؤَابَةَ يَفُوحُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمِجْمَرِ بُخَارٌ لَا يَفُوحُ بِنَارٍ وَ لَكِنْ بِقُدْرَةِ الْجَبَّارِ
She is crowned with jewels, for each Hourie are seventy plaits, each plait plaited by the hand of a servant, and in the hand of every attendant is an incense burner steaming that plait, there comes out an aroma from that incense burner a steaming having no fire for it, but by the Power of the Subduer’.
قَالَ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فِدَاكَ أُمِّي وَ أَبِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَا لَهُمْ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص يَا عَلِيُّ هَذَا لَكَ وَ أَنْتَ لَهُ انْجُدْ إِلَى الْقَوْمِ فَجَهَّزَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فِي خَمْسِينَ وَ مِائَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ وَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ
He said, ‘Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws said: ‘May my-asws mother-as and my-asws father-as be (sacrificed) for you-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww, I-asws am for them’. The Prophet-saww said: ‘O Ali-asws! This is for you and you-asws are for it. Go to the people!’ And Rasool-Allah-saww equipped him-asws among one hundred and fifty men from the Helpers and the Emigrants.
فَقَامَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَ قَالَ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَ أُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تُجَهِّزُ ابْنَ عَمِّي فِي خَمْسِينَ وَ مِائَةِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ إِلَى خَمْسِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ وَ فِيهِمُ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ مَكِيدَةَ يُعَدُّ بِخَمْسِمِائَةِ فَارِسٍ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص أَمِطْ عَنِّي يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ لَوْ كَانُوا عَلَى عَدَدِ الثَّرَى وَ عَلِيٌّ وَحْدَهُ لَأَعْطَى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ النَّصْرَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَنَا بِسَبْيِهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
Ibn Abbas stood up and said, ‘May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you-saww, O Rasool-Allah-saww! You-saww equipping my cousin-asws among one hundred and fifty men from the Arabs to five hundred men, and among them is Al-Haris Bin Makeysa prepared with five hundred horsemen?’ The Prophet-saww said: ‘Away from me-saww, O Ibn Abbas! By the One-azwj Who Sent me-saww with the Truth! If there were upon the number of the soil (grains of sand) and Ali-asws was alone, Allah-azwj would Grant victory to Ali-asws until he-asws comes to us with all of them as captives’.
فَجَهَّزَهُ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ اذْهَبْ يَا حَبِيبِي حِفْظُ اللَّهِ مِنْ تَحْتِكَ وَ مِنْ فَوْقِكَ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِكَ اللَّهُ خَلِيفَتِي عَلَيْكَ فَسَارَ عَلِيٌّ ع بِمَنْ مَعَهُ حَتَّى نَزَلُوا بِوَادٍ خَلْفَ الْمَدِينَةِ بِثَلَاثَةِ أَمْيَالٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ وَادِي ذِي خُشُبٍ
The Prophet-saww equipped him-asws and he-saww said: ‘Go, O my-saww beloved, may Allah-azwj Protect from under you-asws, and from above you-asws, and from your-asws right, and from your-asws left. Allah-azwj is my-saww Caliph upon you-asws’. So, Ali-asws travelled with the ones with him-asws until they descended by a valley behind Al-Medina by three miles, called ‘the valley with wood’.
قَالَ فَوَرَدُوا الْوَادِيَ لَيْلًا فَضَلُّوا الطَّرِيقَ قَالَ فَرَفَعَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع رَأْسَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ يَا هَادِيَ كُلِّ ضَالٍّ وَ يَا مُفَرِّجَ كُلِّ مَغْمُومٍ لَا تُقَوِّ عَلَيْنَا ظَالِماً وَ لَا تُظْفِرْ بِنَا عَدُوَّنَا وَ اعهدنا [اهْدِنَا] إِلَى سَبِيلِ الرَّشَادِ قَالَ فَإِذَا الْخَيْلُ يُقْدَحُ بِحَوَافِرِهَا مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ النَّارُ حَتَّى عَرَفُوا الطَّرِيقَ فَسَلَكُوهُ
He said, ‘They came to the valley at night and they lost the way, so Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws raised his-asws head towards the sky and he-asws said: ‘O Guide of every lost one! And O Reliever of every distressed! Do not Let the unjust be stronger upon us, nor Let our enemies win against us. Guide us to the right way’. He said, ‘So, there were the horses throwing out sparks from stones of finer with their hooves until they recognised the way and they travelled it.
فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ الْعادِياتِ ضَبْحاً يَعْنِي الْخَيْلَ فَالْمُورِياتِ قَدْحاً قَالَ قَدَحَتِ الْخَيْلُ بِحَوَافِرِهَا مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ النَّارَ فَالْمُغِيراتِ صُبْحاً قَالَ صَبَّحَهُمْ عَلِيٌّ مَعَ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ وَ كَانَ لَا يَسْبِقُهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَى الْأَذَانِ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ الْأَذَانَ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ رَاعِي فِي رُءُوسِ هَذِهِ الْجِبَالِ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ
Allah-azwj Revealed unto His-azwj Prophet Muhammad-saww: (I Swear) by the running (steeds) snorting [100:1] – meaning the horses, And (by) the striking sparks [100:2] – The horses (struck) the stone with their hooves to (produce) sparks: And (by) the morning raiders [100:3]. In the morning Ali-asws woke them up with the emergence of the day, and not one preceded him-asws to the (proclamation of) Azan. When the Polytheists heard the Azan they said to each other, ‘There happens to be a shepherd in the top of this mountain mentioning Allah-azwj.
فَلَمَّا أَنْ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ الرَّاعِي مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السَّاحِرِ الْكَذَّابِ وَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع لَا يُقَاتِلُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ وَ تَنْزِلَ مَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَارِ قَالَ فَلَمَّا أَنْ دَخَلَ النَّهَارُ الْتَفَتَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيٌّ ع إِلَى صَاحِبِ رَايَةِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَقَالَ لَهُ ارْفَعْهَا
When he-asws said: ‘I-asws testify that Muhammad-saww is Rasool-saww of Allah-azwj’, they said to each other, ‘It is befitting that the shepherd happens to be from the companions of the sorcerer, the liar’, and Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws did not tend to fight until the sun emerged and the Angels of the day had descended. When the day entered, Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws turned towards the bearer of the flag of the Prophet-saww and said to him: ‘Raise it!’
فَلَمَّا أَنْ رَفَعَهَا وَ رَآهَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ عَرَفُوهَا وَ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ هَذَا عَدُوُّكُمُ الَّذِي جِئْتُمْ تَطْلُبُونَهُ هَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَ أَصْحَابُهُ قَالَ فَخَرَجَ غُلَامٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنْ أَشَدِّهِمْ بَأْساً وَ أَكْفَرِهِمْ كُفْراً فَنَادَى أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ يَا أَصْحَابَ السَّاحِرِ الْكَذَّابِ أَيُّكُمْ مُحَمَّدٌ فَلْيَبْرُزْ إِلَيَّ
When he raised it and the Polytheists recognised it and they said to each other, ‘This is your enemy who has come to you is this Muhammad-saww and his-saww companions you are seeking. A slave from the Polytheist came out, being their severest of evil and their most disbelieving in disbelief, and called out to the companions of the Prophet-saww, ‘O companions of the sorcerer, the liar! Which one of you is Muhammad-saww? Let him come out for duel to me’.
فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ أَنْتَ السَّاحِرُ الْكَذَّابُ مُحَمَّدٌ جَاءَ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ عِنْدِ الْحَقِّ قَالَ لَهُ مَنْ أَنْتَ قَالَ أَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَخُو رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ ابْنُ عَمِّهِ وَ زَوْجُ ابْنَتِهِ قَالَ لَكَ هَذِهِ الْمَنْزِلَةُ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَأَنْتَ وَ مُحَمَّدٌ شَرَعٌ وَاحِدٌ مَا كُنْتُ أُبَالِي لَقِيتُكَ أَوْ لَقِيتُ مُحَمَّداً
Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws came out and he-asws said: ‘May your mother be bereft of you, you are the sorcerer, the liar! Muhammad-saww has come with the Truth from the Presence of the Truth (Allah-azwj)’. He said to him-asws, ‘Who are you-asws?’ He-asws said: ‘I-asws am Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws, brother-asws of Rasool-Allah-saww and his-saww cousin and husband of his-saww daughter-asws’. For you-asws is this status from Muhammad-saww?’ Ali-asws said to him: ‘Yes’. He said, ‘Then you-asws and Muhammad-asws are one. I do not mind if I meet you-asws (in battle) or meet Muhammad-saww’.
ثُمَّ شَدَّ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ
| لَاقَيْتَ [لَيْثاً] يَا عَلِيُّ ضَيْغَماً | قرم [قَرْماً] كريم [كَرِيماً] فِي الْوَغَى [مُشَرِّماً] | |
| لَيْثٌ شَدِيدٌ مِنْ رِجَالِ خَثْعَمَا | يَنْصُرُ دِيناً مُعْلَماً وَ مُحْكَماً |
Then he intensified against Ali-asws and he said (a poem), ‘You-asws have met a roaring lion, O Ali-asws, gnawing, benevolent in the roaring, a severe lion from the men of Khaysam, helping a religion, a teacher and wise’.
فَأَجَابَهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ
| لَاقَيْتَ قِرْناً حَدَثاً وَ ضَيْغَماً | لَيْثاً شَدِيداً فِي الْوَغَى غَشَمْشَماً | |
| أَنَا عَلِيٌّ سَأُبِيرُ خَثْعَمَا | بِكُلِّ خَطِّيٍّ يُرِي النَّقْعَ دَماً | |
| وَ كُلِّ صَارِمٍ ضَرُوبٍ قِمَماً[ | وَ كُلِّ صَارِمٍ يُثْبِتُ الضَّرْبَ فَيَنْعَمَا] |
Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws answered him, and he-asws said (a poem): ‘You have met a new generation and a roaring lion, severe in the roar, I-asws am Ali-asws and I-asws shall cross over Khas’am with each of my-asws step will be seen the scourge of blood, and every steadfast one will be struck, and every strike will be (on) top’ (head).
ثُمَّ حَمَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ فَاخْتَلَفَ بَيْنَهُمَا ضَرْبَتَانِ فَضَرَبَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع ضَرْبَةً فَقَتَلَهُ وَ عَجَّلَ اللَّهُ بِرُوحِهِ إِلَى النَّارِ ثُمَّ نَادَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع هَلْ مِنْ مُبَارِزٍ فَبَرَزَ أَخٌ لِلْمَقْتُولِ وَ حَمَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ فَضَرَبَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع ضَرْبَةً فَقَتَلَهُ وَ عَجَّلَ اللَّهُ بِرُوحِهِ إِلَى النَّارِ
Then each one of them attacked upon his counterpart, and two strikes were exchanged between them. Then Ali-asws struck him with a strike and killed him, and Allah-azwj Hastened his soul to the Fire. Then Amir Al-Momineen-asws called out: ‘Is there anyone for duel?’ A brother of the killed one duelled and each one of them attacked upon his counterpart. Amir Al-Momineen-asws struck him a strike and killed him, and Allah-azwj Hastened his soul to the Fire.
ثُمَّ نَادَى عَلِيٌّ ع هَلْ مِنْ مُبَارِزٍ فَبَرَزَ لَهُ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ مَكِيدَةَ وَ كَانَ صَاحِبَ الْجَمْعِ وَ هُوَ يُعَدُّ بِخَمْسِمِائَةِ فَارِسٍ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ إِنَّ الْإِنْسانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ قَالَ كَفَوْرٌ وَ إِنَّهُ عَلى ذلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ قَالَ شَهِيدٌ عَلَيْهِ بِالْكُفْرِ وَ إِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع يَعْنِي بِاتِّبَاعِهِ مُحَمَّداً
Then Ali-asws called out: ‘Is there anyone for duel?’ Al-Haris Bin Makeyda duelled to him-asws, and he was the commander of the forces and he was prepared with five hundred horsemen and he was the one regarding whom Allah-azwj Revealed: Surely, the human being is ungrateful to his Lord [100:6], he said, ‘Kufr’, And he is a witness upon that [100:7], he said, ‘Testifying upon it with the Kufr’. And he is strong for the love of the good [100:8], Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws said: ‘It means in his-asws following Muhammad-saww’.
فَلَمَّا بَرَزَ الْحَارِثُ حَمَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ فَضَرَبَهُ عَلِيٌّ ضَرْبَةً فَقَتَلَهُ وَ عَجَّلَ اللَّهُ بِرُوحِهِ إِلَى النَّارِ ثُمَّ نَادَى عَلِيٌّ ع هَلْ مِنْ مُبَارِزٍ فَبَرَزَ إِلَيْهِ ابْنُ عَمِّهِ يُقَالُ لَهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْفَتَّاكِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ
| أَنَا عَمْرٌو وَ أَبِي الْفَتَّاكُ | وَ [بيدي] نَصْلُ سَيْفٍ [بِيَدِي] هَتَّاكٌ | |
| أَقْطَعُ بِهِ الرُّءُوسَ لِمَنْ أَرَى كَذَاكَ |
When Al-Haris duelled, each one of them attacked upon his counterpart. Ali-asws struck him a strike and killed him, and Allah-azwj Hastened his soul to the Fire. Then Ali-asws called out: ‘Is there anyone for duel?’ A cousin of his – called Amro Bin Al-Futtak duelled to him-asws and he said (a poem), ‘I am Amro and my father is Al-Futtak, and in my hand is my blade, my sword, I will cut with it the heard of the ones I see like that’.
فَأَجَابَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ
| هاكها [فَهَاكَهَا] مُتْرَعَةً دِهَاقَا | كَأْسٌ دِهَاقٌ مُزِجَتْ زُعَاقَا | |
| أَبِي امْرُؤٌ إِذَا مَا لَاقَا | أَقُدُّ الهام [هَاماً] وَ أَجُدُّ سَاقَا |
Amir Al-Momineen-asws answered him and he-asws said (a poem): ‘Here, behold the thundering one, a cup of chalice blowing a tear, my-asws father-as is a man when you have not met him-as (in battle), I-asws lead the inspiration and find a leg’.
ثُمَّ حَمَلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ فَضَرَبَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع ضَرْبَةً فَقَتَلَهُ وَ عَجَّلَ اللَّهُ بِرُوحِهِ إِلَى النَّارِ ثُمَّ نَادَى عَلِيٌّ ع هَلْ مِنْ مُبَارِزٍ فَلَمْ يَبْرُزْ إِلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ فَشَدَّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى تَوَسَّطَ جَمْعَهُمْ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعاً
Then each one of them attacked upon his counterpart, and Ali-asws struck him a strike and killed him, and Allah-azwj Hastened his soul to the Fire. Then Ali-asws called out: ‘Is there anyone for duel?’ But no one came out for duel to him-asws. Amir Al-Momineen-asws intensified upon them until he cleaved their forces and for that are the Words of Allah-azwj: And they cleave through the gathered (army) [100:5].
فَقَتَلَ عَلِيٌّ ع مُقَاتِلِيهِمْ وَ سَبَى ذَرَارِيَّهُمْ وَ أَخَذَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَ أَقْبَلَ بِسَبْيِهِمْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ ص فَخَرَجَ وَ جَمِيعَ أَصْحَابِهِ حَتَّى اسْتَقْبَلَ علي [عَلِيّاً] ع عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَمْيَالٍ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَ أَقْبَلَ النَّبِيُّ ص يَمْسَحُ الْغُبَارَ عَنْ وَجْهِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع بِرِدَائِهِ وَ يُقَبِّلُ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ وَ يَبْكِي وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ يَا عَلِيُّ الَّذِي شَدَّ بِكَ أَزْرِي وَ قَوَّى بِكَ ظَهْرِي
Ali-asws fought their fighters and captured their offspring and took their wealth and came with their captives to Rasool-Allah-saww. That reached the Prophet-saww. He-saww and the entirety of his-saww companions until he-saww welcomed Ali-asws upon three miles from Al-Medina, and the Prophet-saww came and wiped off the dust from the face of Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws with his-saww cloak and kissed between his-asws eyes and cried and he-saww said: ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj O Ali-asws, the One-azwj Who Strengthened my-saww back by you-asws.
يَا عَلِيُّ إِنَّنِي سَأَلْتُ اللَّهَ فِيكَ كَمَا سَأَلَ أَخِي مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَ سَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُشْرِكَ هَارُونَ فِي أَمْرِهِ وَ قَدْ سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي أَنْ يَشُدَّ بِكَ أَزْرِي ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ مَعَاشِرَ أَصْحَابِي لَا تَلُومُونِي فِي حُبِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَإِنَّمَا حُبِّي عَلِيّاً مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُحِبَّ عَلِيّاً وَ أُدْنِيهِ
O Ali-asws! I asked Allah-azwj regarding you-asws just as my-saww brother Musa-as Bin Imran-as asked to participate Haroun-as in his-as matter, and I-saww had asked my-saww Lord-azwj to Strengthen my-saww back by you-asws’. Then he-saww turned towards his-saww companions and he-saww said: ‘Community of my-saww companions! Do not blame me-saww regarding my-saww love for Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws, for rather my-saww love for Ali-asws is from the Commands of Allah-azwj, and Allah-azwj Commanded me-asws to love Ali-asws and draw him-asws near.
يَا عَلِيُّ مَنْ أَحَبَّكَ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنِي وَ مَنْ أَحَبَّنِي فَقَدْ أَحَبَّ اللَّهَ وَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ اللَّهَ أَحَبَّهُ اللَّهُ وَ حَقِيقٌ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُسْكِنَ مُحِبِّيهِ الْجَنَّةَ
O Ali-asws! One who loves you-asws so he has loved me-saww, and one who loves me-saww so he has loved Allah-azwj, and the one who loves Allah-azwj, Allah-azwj would Love him and has a right upon Allah-azwj that He-azwj Settles the ones who love Him-azwj into the Paradise.
يَا عَلِيُّ مَنْ أَبْغَضَكَ فَقَدْ أَبْغَضَنِي وَ مَنْ أَبْغَضَنِي فَقَدْ أَبْغَضَ اللَّهَ وَ مَنْ أَبْغَضَ اللَّهَ أَبْغَضَهُ وَ لَعَنَهُ وَ حَقِيقٌ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يَقِفَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَوْقِفَ الْبَغْضَاءِ وَ لَا يَقْبَلَ مِنْهُ صَرْفاً وَ لَا عَدْلًا.
O Ali-asws! One who hates you-asws, so he has hated me-saww, and one who hates me-saww so he has hated Allah-azwj, and one who hates Allah-azwj, I-saww will hate him and curse him, and there would be a right upon Allah-azwj that He-azwj Pauses him on the Day of Qiyamah among the pausing of the haters, and neither Accept from him any exchange nor ransom’’.[7]
الخرائج و الجرائح رُوِيَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص لَمَّا بَعَثَ سَرِيَّةَ ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ وَ عَقَدَ الرَّايَةَ وَ سَارَ بِهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى إِذَا صَارَ بِهَا بِقُرْبِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اتَّصَلَ خَبَرُهُمْ فَتَحَرَّزُوا وَ لَمْ يَصِلِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ
(The book) ‘Al-Kharaij Wa Al-Jaraih’ – It is reported that when the Prophet-saww sent a battalion of Zat Al-Salasil and tied the flag, and Abu Bakr travelled with it until when he came with it near the Polytheists, their news arrived. So, they protected themselves and the Muslims could not arrive to them.
فَأَخَذَ الرَّايَةَ عُمَرُ وَ خَرَجَ مَعَ السَّرِيَّةِ فَاتَّصَلَ بِهِمْ خَبَرُهُمْ فَتَحَرَّزُوا وَ لَمْ يَصِلِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَخَذَ الرَّايَةَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ فَخَرَجَ فِي السَّرِيَّةِ فَانْهَزَمُوا فَأَخَذَ الرَّايَةَ لِعَلِيٍّ وَ ضَمَّ إِلَيْهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ وَ مَنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ فِي تِلْكَ السَّرِيَّةِ
So, Umar took the flag and went out with the battalion, but their news arrived to them and they protected themselves and the Muslims could not arrive to them. So, Amro Bin Al-Aas took the flag and went out among the battalion and they were defeated. So he took the flag and there assembled to him-asws, Abu Bakr and Umar and Amro Bin Al-Aas and the ones who were with him in that battalion.
وَ كَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ قَدْ أَقَامُوا رُقَبَاءَ عَلَى جِبَالِهِمْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى كُلِّ عَسْكَرٍ يَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ عَلَى الْجَادَّةِ فَيَأْخُذُونَ حِذْرَهُمْ وَ اسْتِعْدَادَهُمْ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ ع تَرَكَ الْجَادَّةَ وَ أَخَذَ بِالسَّرِيَّةِ فِي الْأَوْدِيَةِ بَيْنَ الْجِبَالِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ وَ قَدْ فَعَلَ عَلِيٌّ ذَلِكَ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ سَيَظْفَرُ بِهِمْ فَحَسَدَهُ
And the Polytheists had made their corporals to stand upon their mountains looking at every soldier coming out to them from Al-Medina at the pathway. They were taking their precaution and their preparedness. When Ali-asws came out, he-asws ignored the pathway and took with the battalion in the valleys between the mountains. When Amro Bin Al-Aas saw and Ali-asws had done that he knew that he-asws would be victorious with them, he envied him-asws.
فَقَالَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ وُجُوهِ السَّرِيَّةِ إِنَّ عَلِيّاً رَجُلٌ غِرٌّ لَا خِبْرَةَ لَهُ بِهَذِهِ الْمَسَالِكِ وَ نَحْنُ أَعْرَفُ بِهَا مِنْهُ وَ هَذَا الطَّرِيقُ الَّذِي تَوَجَّهَ فِيهِ كَثِيرُ السِّبَاعِ وَ سَيَلْقَى النَّاسُ مِنْ مَعَرَّتِهَا أَشَدَّ مَا يُحَاذِرُونَهُ مِنَ الْعَدُوِّ فَسَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ عَنْهُ إِلَى الْجَادَّةِ
He said to Abu Bakr and Umar and the faces of the battalion, ‘Surely, Ali-asws is an inexperienced man. There is no good for him-asws with this path, and we are more knowing with it than he-asws is, and this is the road which he-asws is heading in is with a lot of lions, and the people will be facing from its bareness what they are being cautious from the enemy, so ask him-asws to return from it to the pathway’.
فَعَرَّفُوا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع ذَلِكَ قَالَ مَنْ كَانَ طَائِعاً لِلَّهِ وَ لِرَسُولِهِ مِنْكُمْ فَلْيَتَّبِعْنِي وَ مَنْ أَرَادَ الْخِلَافَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ فَلْيَنْصَرِفْ عَنِّي فَسَكَتُوا وَ سَارُوا مَعَهُ فَكَانَ يَسِيرُ بِهِمْ بَيْنَ الْجِبَالِ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَ يَكْمُنُ فِي الْأَوْدِيَةِ بِالنَّهَارِ وَ صَارَتِ السِّبَاعُ الَّتِي فِيهَا كَالسَّنَانِيرِ إِلَى أَنْ كَبَسَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَ هُمْ غَارُّونَ آمِنُونَ وَقْتَ الصُّبْحِ
Amir Al-Momineen-asws realised that. He-asws said: ‘One from you who was obedient to Allah-azwj and to His-azwj Rasool-asws, then let him follow me, and the one who wants the opposition to Allah-azwj and His-azwj Rasool-saww, then let him leave from me-asws’. So, they were silent and travelled with him-asws. He-asws travelled with them between the mountains during the night and concealed in the valleys by the day; and the lions who were in it became like the cats until he-asws raided the Polytheists, and they were surprised, feeling safe in the time of the morning.
فَظَفِرَ بِالرِّجَالِ وَ الذَّرَارِيِّ وَ الْأَمْوَالِ فَحَازَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ وَ شَدَّ الرِّجَالَ فِي الْحِبَالِ كَالسَّلَاسِلِ فَلِذَلِكَ سُمِّيَتْ غَزَاةَ ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ
He-asws won with the men and the offspring and the wealth, and he-asws won all of that, and the men were tied in the ropes like the chains, therefore due to that the military expedition was names at military expedition of Zat Al-Salasil (chains).
فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ الصَّبِيحَةُ الَّتِي أَغَارَ فِيهَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ وَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى هُنَاكَ خَمْسُ مَرَاحِلَ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ص فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ الْفَجْرَ وَ قَرَأَ وَ الْعادِياتِ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الْأُولَى وَ قَالَ هَذِهِ سُورَةٌ أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ يُخْبِرُنِي فِيهَا بِإِغَارَةِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ
When it was the morning during which Amir Al-Momineen-asws attacked upon the enemy, and from Al-Medina to over there were five stages, The Prophet-saww came out and prayed Salat Al-Fajr with the people and recited (Surah) ‘(I Swear) by the running (steeds) [100:1] in the first Cycle, and he-saww said: ‘This is a Chapter Allah-azwj has Revealed unto me-saww during this time Informing me-saww during it with the attacked of Ali-asws upon the enemies.
وَ جَعَلَ حَسَدَهُ لِعَلِيٍّ حَسَداً لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْإِنْسانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ وَ الْكَنُودُ الْحَسُودُ وَ هُوَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ هَاهُنَا إِذْ هُوَ كَانَ يُحِبُّ الْخَيْرَ وَ هُوَ الْحَيَاةُ حِينَ أَظْهَرَ الْخَوْفَ مِنَ السِّبَاعِ ثُمَّ هَدَّدَهُ اللَّهُ.
And the ones who envied him-asws went on to envy Ali-asws, so He-azwj Said: Surely the human being is ungrateful to his Lord [100:6], and ‘Al-Kunoud’ is the envying one, and he is Amro Bin Al-Aas over here, when he used to love the goodness, and it is the life when he manifested the fear from the lions, then Allah-azwj Threatened him’’.[8]
[1] Bihar ul Anwaar, vol. 21.
[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 25 H 2
[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 25 H 3
[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 25 H 5
[5] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 25 H 1
[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 25 H 8
[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 25 H 9
[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 21, The book of our Prophet-saww, P 3 Ch 25 H 4