It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salamah bin Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that Marhab, the Jew, on the day of Khaybar, challenged my uncle (Sayyiduna ‘Amir) to single combat, saying:

“Qad ‘alimat Khaybaru anni Marhabun
Shaki as-silahi batalun mujarrabun
Idha al-hurubu aqbalat talahhabu”

Khaybar knows well that I am Marhab,
Armed, a warrior, and experienced.
When battles flare up, I turn towards them.

My uncle ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) came out to face him and said:

“Qad ‘alimat Khaybaru anni ‘Amirun
Shaki as-silahi batalun mughāmirun”

Khaybar knows well that I am ‘Amir,
Fully prepared, brave, and one who risks his life.

Both struck at each other once; Marhab’s sword hit ‘Amir’s shield, and ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) bent down and attacked him, but his own shield struck the large vein of his own leg, cutting the vein, and due to this he passed away. Salamah bin Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I met some people who said that ‘Amir’s deeds have been wasted, he has committed suicide. Hearing this, I came weeping to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Have ‘Amir’s deeds been wasted? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Who said this? I replied: Some of your companions, O Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever said this, said wrong; rather, for him there is double reward. (Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, says that) when ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) set out towards Khaybar, he would recite rajaz poetry along with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was also with them, and ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) was chanting as follows:

“By Allah! If it were not for Allah, we would not have been guided,
Nor would we have given charity, nor prayed.
Indeed, those who have transgressed against us,
When they intend mischief, we refuse it.
And we are not independent of Your bounty.
So make our feet firm if we meet (the enemy),
And send down tranquility upon us.”

Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Who is this? He said: O Messenger of Allah! I am ‘Amir. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: May your Lord forgive you. Sayyiduna Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) specifically prayed for someone’s forgiveness on such occasions, that person was certainly martyred. Sayyiduna ‘Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) heard the Prophet’s words and said: O Messenger of Allah! If only you had let us benefit from ‘Amir for a little longer; he advanced and attained martyrdom. Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Then the Prophet of Allah sent me to Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: Today I will give this flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him. His eyes were sore; I brought him along, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) applied his blessed saliva to his eyes, and they were cured at once. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) handed him the flag. Marhab, the Jew, came forward, brandishing his sword and reciting this rajaz:

“Faqad ‘alimat Khaybaru anni Marhabun
Shaki as-silahi batalun mujarrabun
Idha al-hurubu aqbalat talahhabu”

Khaybar knows well that I am Marhab,
I am armed, a warrior, and experienced.
When battles flare up, I turn towards them.

In response, Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Ana alladhi sammatni ummi Haydara
Kalaythi ghabatin karihi al-manzara
Ufiihim bis-sa’i kayla as-sandara”

I am the one whom my mother named Haydar (lion),
A lion of the forests, fierce in appearance,
I will repay them with the measure of the spear.

So he struck Marhab’s head with his sword and, by his hand, Khaybar was conquered.