Marhab

Marḥab was the chieftain of the fortress of al-Nāʿim, the largest of Khaybar's strongholds, and was famed throughout the region as a ferocious warrior. After ten days of failed Muslim assaults on al-Nāʿim, and after the Prophet ﷺ handed the banner to ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Marḥab felt bold enough to come out of the fortress and challenge the Muslims to a duel. He first killed ʿĀmir ibn al-Akwaʿ, who had answered his challenge. ʿAlī himself then took up the duel, though as commander he would not ordinarily do so, and killed Marḥab. The death of their chieftain was the first great loss of Khaybar and a heavy demoralization for its defenders.