Chapter Ten: The Superb Resistance in the Battle of Hunayn

Encyclopedia of Imam Ali (AS), written by Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri, abridged by Mahdi Gholamali, translated by Zaid Alsalami and Safyullah Khan, edited by Hamid Reza Salarkia and published by NORPUB.

36. الإرشاد :

36. Al-Irshad:

أقبَلَ رَجُلٌ مِن هَوازِنَ عَلى جَمَلٍ لَهُ أحمَرَ ،

“A man from the tribe of Hawazin came in front of the people on a red camel,

بِيَدِهِ رايَةٌ سَوداءُ في رَأسِ رُمحٍ طَويلٍ أمامَ القَومِ ،

carrying in his hand a black banner fixed on a long spear.

إذا أدرَكَ ظَفَرا مِنَ المُسلِمينَ

Whenever he gained a victory over the Muslim fighters,

أكَبَّ عَلَيهِم ،

he would pursue them,

وإذا فاتَهُ النّاسُ رَفَعَهُ لِمَن وَراءَهُ مِنَ المُشرِكينَ

and if the people escaped him, he would raise it [i.e. the spear] for the polytheists behind him,

فَاتَّبَعوهُ ،

and they would follow him.

وهُوَ يَرتَجِزُ ويَقولُ :

He was chanting:

 أنَا أبو جَروَلٍ لا بَراحَ   

I am Abu Jarwal, no doubt about it,

حَتّى نُبيحَ القَومَ أو نُباحَ

We either destroy the people or are destroyed.

 فَصَمَدَ لَهُ أميرُ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام ،

The Commander of the Faithful (AS) directed himself towards him.

فَضَرَبَ عَجُزَ بَعيرِهِ فَصَرَعَهُ ،

He struck the hind of his camel and brought it down.

ثُمَّ ضَرَبَهُ فَقَطَرَهُ ، ثُمَّ قالَ :

 Then he struck him and overcame him. He then recited:

 قَد عَلِمَ القَومُ لَدَى الصَّباحِ            

Now the people know with whom the morrow belonged,

أنّي فِي الهَيجاءِ ذو نَصاحٍ

In the heat of the battle I am the one who brings disgrace [to others].

 فَكانَت هَزيمَةُ المُشرِكينَ بِقَتلِ أبي جَروَلٍ لَعَنَهُ اللّهُ .

The polytheists were defeated after Abu Jarwal was killed, may Allah curse him.”

الإرشاد : ج1 ص142 .

Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 142.

37. الإرشاد :

37. Al-Irshad:

لَمّا قَتَلَ أميرُ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام أبا جَروَلٍ

“When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) killed Abu Jarwal,

وخُذِلَ القَومُ لِقَتلِهِ ،

and so the people were defeated,

وَضَعَ المُسلِمونَ سُيوفَهُم فيهِم ،

the Muslims began to ply them with their swords,

وأميرُ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام يَقدُمُهُم

led by the Commander of the Faithful (AS)

حَتّى قَتَلَ أربَعينَ رَجُلاً مِنَ القَومِ ،

who killed forty of them.

ثُمَّ كانَتِ الهَزيمَةُ وَالأَسرُ حينَئِذٍ .

Thus was the defeat and the capturing of prisoners brought about at that time.”

الإرشاد : ج1 ص144 .

Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 144.