Hadrat Ja’far al-Tayyar, the Owner of the Two Wings
Hadrat Ja’far al-Tayyar, the Owner of the Two Wings: In al-Madina al-Munawwara, the army of Islam was getting ready to advance towards the strongholds of the Jewish Khaibar.
The Jews of Khaibar were always plotting to put out the light of Islam. They were always encouraging the Arab tribes to invade Madina to destroy the new Muslim State.
So, our Master Muhammad [s] decided to uproot the danger of the Jews so that people would live in peace.
The Muslim forces reached the road that joined the tribes of Ghatfan and the strongholds of Khaibar to surprise the enemy there.
The number of the Muslim Army amounted to one thousand and four-hundred fighters. Two hundred horse riders were with them. The Muslim women took part in the battle, too.
The Muslims advanced towards the strongholds. At dawn, they surprised the Jews and besieged them completely.
Some Companions launched strong attacks against the Jews. But they were in vain because the Jews faced them with a lot of arrows. The Jews were sneering at our Master Muhammad [s] and his soldiers.
So, the Prophet [s] said: Tomorrow; I’ll give the banner to a man. The man loves Allah and his Apostle; Allah and His Apostle love him.
In the morning, some companions wished that the banner would be for them. But our Master Muhammad [s] asked Ali, Ja’far’s brother.
Ali shook the banner strongly and advanced towards the strongholds of the Jews. When Ali killed Marhab, the hero of the Jews, they felt fear. Quickly, the Muslims occupied the strongholds of Khaibar, one by one.
Our Master Muhammad [s] and the Muslims were filled with happiness. So, they thanked Allah for the victory over their enemies.
In the meantime, the immigrants of Habasha headed by Ja’far bin Abu Talib arrived. Our Master Muhammad’s happiness doubled. So, he said with a bright smile on his face: I don’t know which event is more cheerful – Ja’far’s coming or the Conquest of Khaibar!
Our Master Muhammad [s] embraced his cousin Ja’far and kissed his forehead and said: Certainly Ja’far and his friends have two immigrations – an immigration to Habasha and an immigration to al-Madina al-Munawwara.
The Battle of Mautah
Our Master Muhammad [s] had sent a messenger to the ruler of Busra, a town in Sham. But the messenger was captured and executed in the land of Mautah. This action was against the humanitarian morals.
The Prophet [s] felt sadness. So, he ordered the Muslims to get ready to make an attack to punish the killers.
In the month of Jamadil-Ula, the second year after the blessed immigration, three thousand fighters went to take part in the battle. The Prophet’s advice was lightening their way: I advise you to fear Allah. Invade in the Name of Allah. So, fight Allah’s enemy and your enemy. You’ll find lonely men in the cells. So, don’t fight them. Don’t kill a woman or a child. Don’t cut down a tree. Don’t demolish a building.
Our Master Muhammad [s] appointed Zaid bin Haritha leader to the Muslim Army. The Prophet said: If Zaid was martyred, the leader would be Ja’far bin Abu Talib. If Ja’far was martyred, the leader would be Abdulah bin Rawaha.
The news of the Muslims’ attack reached the Romans. So, they established an army. The army was composed of the Romans and the allied Arab tribes. The number of their forces was two hundred thousand soldiers. The armies gathered at the land of al-Balqaa.
The first clash took place between the two armies at the Village of Masharif near al-Balqaa. The mastery of the Romans appeared in the battle because they had a big army. Hercules, the Emperor of Rome, gave the general leadership to his brother Tyodor.
The Muslim Army, though few in number, chose the land of Mautah to be the theater for the war operations because the elevations of the land were suitable for the Muslims to protect themselves against the Roman Colossal Army.
Zaid bin Haritha got ready for the start of the battle. He strongly shook the banner of the Muslim Army and rushed towards the core of the enemy. His rushing made the Muslim forces start the battle with enthusiasm.
Strong fights took place. Spears tore Zaid’s body. So, he fell on to the ground dyeing it red.
Before the banner dropped from Zaid’s hand, Ja’far bin Abu Talib had rushed and caught it strongly. He began fighting severely. His voice became loud in the middle of the noise of the fights. He announced the good news about victory or martyrdom which each believer hoped.
Ja’far bin Abu Talib jumped off his horse to show his insistence on fighting. He was the first to do that in the history of Islam. He was like the mountain. He was facing the enemies hits. His firmness astonished them.
So, the enemies intensified their attacks against him. A sword hit his right hand. So, it flew in the wind.
Ja’far took the banner of Islam with his left hand and began fighting. Another sword hit his hand and cut it off. Ja’far pressed the banner to his bosom with his upper arm so that the fight would go on.
During those terrible moments, Ja’far was hit again. He fell over the ground and became a martyr.
Abdullah bin Rawaha, the third leader, rushed towards the banner to wave again in the sky of the battle.
The new leader fought bravely to stop the attacks of the Romans who were moving like waves.
Abdullah fell over the ground and became a martyr. So, Thabit bin al-Arqam took the banner and asked the Muslims to elect a new leader.
The Muslims elected Khalid bin al-Waleed.
Very quickly, the new leader decided to withdraw his forces. So, he did some tactic operations to cheat the enemy.
When it got dark, the Muslim Army withdrew with peace and disappeared in the core of the desert.
In the morning, the Romans were surprised to hear about the Muslims’ withdrawal. They were afraid to go further into the desert.
At the same time, the brave Muslims, though few in number, dismayed them.
So, the Romans preferred coming back to stay.
In Madina
Jibreel came down from the sky to tell our Master Muhammad [s] about the news of the battle. So, Allah’s Apostle went up the pulpit and addressed the Muslims: Zaid took the banner. He fought till he was killed and became a martyr. Then Ja’far took it and fought till he was killed and became a martyr. Then Abdullah took it and fought till he was killed and became a martyr.
Finally, our Master Muhammad [s] began condoling Asmaa, the great Martyr’s wife.
The Holy Prophet [s] came into Ja’far’s house. He found his children sitting. His wife had just finished doing her hair.
The Prophet [s] kissed Ja’far’s children and held them on his lap. He shed tears. Asmaa felt that something had happened to her husband. So, she asked the Prophet [s]: Allah’s Apostle, have you heard anything about Ja’far and his companions?
Yes, they’ve been martyred!
The Prophet [s] left the house. He asked his daughter Fatima al-Zahra to fix some food for them, for a disaster had befallen them.
The Owner of the two wings
When the soldiers of Islam came back to their homeland, they began telling their families about Ja’far’s heroic actions and those who were martyred.
One of them said: We’ve seen 90 wounds in Ja’far’s body.
Another said: I’ve seen him when his right hand had been cut off.
The third said: I’ve seen him when his left hand had been cut off. He had fallen over the ground and his wounds bled.
Our Master Muhammad [s] said: Jibreel has told me that Allah has granted Ja’far two wings to fly with in the Paradise.
That night, Ja’far’s children lay on their beds. They were looking at the sky full of stars. In the meantime, they imagined that their father was flying with his wings like angels.