( 101 )
to follow Amr. ( 3 ) And after be confined the new danger
he managed to remove it completely . .
While mounting his horse
Amr went around the area
of Sal'a
facing the Muslims and challenging them: "Is there
any dueler?" He repeated this call but there was no response
on the part of the companions. This compelled Ali to leave
his place where he was deterring the pagan forces from
following Amr by crossing the Moat. Responding to Amr's
challenge
he left that place temporarily to be defended by
the few who were with him.
He neared Amr and asked him to face him in a duel.
Amr arrogantly replied: "Why
son of my brother (Amr
was a friend of Abu Talib
father of Ali)? By God
I
would not like to kill you." Ali replied: "But
by God
I
would love to kill you." A short but extremely violent duel
between the two heroes took place. Ali killed Amr immediately and Amr's companions ran away
trying to re-cross
the moat from the Islamic side to the pagan side.
Ali exclaimed: "Allahu Akbar
" (God is Great) and so
did the Muslims. The death of Amr was the end of the new
danger. Those who were with him ran away
trying to save
their skin; but most of them were killed before they could
cross to the other side .
Ali made a great contribution in the defense of Islam
at this battle during which the danger against the new Faith
reached its peak.
At this battle the Muslims faced a greater danger than
ever before. The elements of the Islamic defense were the
same three elements which played their roles during the two
battles of Badr and Ohod: The firmness of the Messenger
and his ideal leadership: the heroism of Ali; and the determination of the Islamic army .
A fourth element was added at this battle: The role of
Salman Al-Farisi (the Persian) who counseled the Prophet
to dig the moat around Medina .
The role of the Islamic army during the Battle of Ohod
was smaller than its role during the Battle of Badr. And it
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