Al-Wāqidī also related—through Ibrāhīm ibn Jaʿfar ibn Maḥmūd ibn Muḥammad ibn Maslamah, from his father—that ʿAlī charged at Marhab, cut him down at one of the gates, and forced the gate on the other side; the fortress had two gates.

Al-Wāqidī added: It is likewise said that Muḥammad ibn Maslamah struck Marhab’s legs and severed them. Marhab cried, “Finish me off, Muḥammad!” He replied, “Taste death as my brother Maḥmūd tasted it,” and walked on. ʿAlī then passed by, struck off Marhab’s head, and took his spoils. They brought their dispute over the spoils before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who awarded them to Muḥammad. Among the family of Muḥammad ibn Maslamah a written document was kept, the meaning of which was unknown until a Jew from Taymāʾ read it; it said, “This is Marhab’s sword—whoever tastes it will perish.”

Al-Wāqidī further reported: Muḥammad ibn al-Faḍl ibn ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Rāfiʿ told me, from his father, from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh, that Marhab came forward—he was tall and powerfully built. When he emerged the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do you think he is five cubits tall?” Marhab kept calling for single combat, so ʿAlī advanced against him and struck him several times, yet nothing happened until ʿAlī struck his legs. Marhab collapsed, whereupon ʿAlī finished him off and took his weapons.

Ibn Isḥāq said: After Marhab his brother Yāsir came out; al-Zubayr met him and killed him.

Ibn Luhayʿah narrated—from Abū al-Aswad, from ʿUrwah—and Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah also transmitted it, with the wording that follows: They then entered one of their impregnable strongholds called al-Qamūṣ, and the Prophet ﷺ laid siege to it for almost twenty nights.

The land was unhealthy and fiercely hot, and the Muslims endured extreme hardship. They came upon some donkeys belonging to the Jews, whereupon