Amr b. al-’Aas strips for his life
- Anonymous
- Mar 5
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 15
Amr b. al-’Aas is a highly respected individual for the opponents of the Shia. The conqueror of Egypt and later Mu’awiya’s right hand man during the civil war between him and ‘Ali (AS) is widely praised and considered a hero, particularly in Egypt where he is considered a national hero for many Egyptian Muslims.
In this article we shall briefly cover one of Amr b. al-Aas’ most unique military tactics, namely stripping for his life when confronted by a superior opponent.
The Shi'a sources
We read in Waq'iat Siffin, pg. 406 - 407:
The people of Iraq attacked, and the people of Sham met them in battle, fighting fiercely. Amr b. al-As charged into the fray, declaring:
"Fasten my armor tightly so it does not come loose. After Tulayh and al-Zubayr, stand firm together. A day for Hamdan, and a day for al-Sadaf, and in Tamim, a pride that does not waver. I strike with my sword until they retreat, walking with the gait of a proud, unyielding steed. The same goes for Himyar, unless they turn away, and the Rabī‘ah warriors have seen a stormy day."
Then Ali AS confronted him, saying: "Even the women with tilted coiffures, with slender waists and delicate fingers, know well that I, with the sharp edge of my sword, am fierce. I defend and strike first among the warriors, with a blade that has no defects or dullness." Then he struck him down, and Amr shielded himself with his leg, exposing his nakedness. Ali AS turned his face away and let him be. Amr was carried away from the battlefield, wounded.
The people said, “The man has escaped, O Commander of the Faithful.” Ali AS replied, “Do you know who he is?” They said, “No.” He said, “It was Amr b. al-As. He confronted me in this state, so I turned my face away from him.” ‘Amr returned to Mu‘awiya, who asked him, “What happened, Amr?” He replied, “Ali confronted me and threw me down.” Mu‘awiya said, “Thank God—for your life and your nakedness! By Allah, had you recognized him, you wouldn’t have charged at him.”
Then it further continues in pg. 423 - 424:
Then they met at Siffin and fought fiercely, nearly annihilating one another. ‘Amr b. al-‘As passed by al-Harith b. Nasr al-Jushami, who was an enemy of ‘Amr and would often speak of war. So al-Harith recited:
‘Amr will not cease mentioning war for all time—until he faces ‘Alī. He who lays his sword upon his shoulder, who sees the warriors as nothing but dust. Oh, if only ‘Amr could face him amidst the battlefield, where the swords have become dull. Where the bravest warriors call out for combat, when one who is worthy stands ready.
Amidst blades like dried palm fronds, he calls out to the challengers: ‘Come to me!’ Then, O ‘Amr, you would be relieved of boasting, and would finally meet a true Hashimi youth. So face him—if you seek eternal honor, or choose death—for either way, ‘Ali awaits.
When ‘Amr heard this poetry, he said, “By Allah, if I knew I would die a thousand deaths, I would have dueled ‘Ali the very first time I met him.” Then, when he faced ‘Ali in combat, ‘Ali struck him down. But ‘Amr exposed his private parts to shield himself, so ‘Ali turned away and left him.
Upon seeing ‘Amr’s state, ‘Ali recited: “My strike is the strike of heroes in battle, like a valiant youth playing in the arena. Where is the true combat, in the thick of dust, when the warriors’ eyes turn red in fury? With the sword amidst the army’s turmoil, where patience leads to the ultimate praise.”
Further corroboration can be found in Muruj al-Dhahab Vol 2 pg. 429:
وقيل في بعض الروايات : أن معاوية أقسم على عمرو لما أشار عليه بالبراز إلى أن يبرز إلى علي فلم يجد عمرو من ذلك بدا فبرز ، فلما التقيا عرفه علي وشال السيف ليضربه به فكشف عمرو عن عورته ، وقال : مكره أخوك لأبطل ، فحول على وجهه ، وقال : قبحت ، ورجع عمرو إلى مصافه.
And in some narrations, it is said that Mu'awiya insisted on Amr with an oath when Amr suggested a duel, compelling him to face Ali. Amr had no choice but to step forward. When they met, Ali recognized him and raised his sword to strike him. But Amr exposed his private parts and said, “Your brother is forced, not a coward.” Ali turned his face away and said, “How disgraceful!” Then he withdrew, and Amr returned to his ranks.
The Sunni sources
This humorous incident can also be found in Sunni sources. We read in Abu Hanifa al-Dinawari’s Akhbar al-Tiwal pg. 232 - 233:
ثم نادى: يا أبا الحسن، اخرج إلي، أنا عمرو بن العاص. فخرج إليه علي، فطاعنا، فلم يصنعا شيئًا، فانتضى علي سيفه، فحمل عليه، فلما أراد أن يجلله بنفسه عن فرسه، ورفع إحدى رجليه، فبدت عورته، فصرف علي وجهه وتركه. وانصرف عمرو إلى معاوية، فقال له معاوية: احمد الله وسوداء إستك يا عمرو.
Then he called out: “O Abu al-Hasan, come out to me! I am ‘Amr ibn al-‘As.” So ‘Ali (AS) went out to him. They dueled, but neither was able to gain the upper hand. Then ‘Ali (AS) drew his sword and charged at ‘Amr. When ‘Ali (AS) was about to strike him down, ‘Amr threw himself off his horse, lifted one of his legs, and exposed his private parts. ‘Ali (AS) then turned his face away and left him. ‘Amr then returned to Mu‘awiyah, who said to him: “Praise Allah… and your black backside, O ‘Amr!”
We further read in Manaqib al-Khawarezmi, pg. 235:
وقال الوليد: إن لم تصدقوني فاسألوا الشيخ عمرو ب. العاص ليخبركم عن شجاعته وصولته، وكان هذا توبيخاً له حين خرج للحرب وقال لإبنيه عبد الله ومحمد: شداً على شكتي لا تنكشف ابعد عمرو والزبير نأتلف أم بعد عثمان نبالي من تلف يوم لهمدان ويوم للصدف وفي تميم نخوة لا تنحرف نضربها بالسيف حتى تنصرف، فحمل عليه أمير المؤمنين علي (ع) وعمرو لا يشعر، فطعنه وصرعه وبدت عورته، فصرف علي (ع) وجهه فانسل عنه عمرو، فقيل لعلي في ذلك، فقال: إنه ب. العاص تلقاني بعورته فصرفت وجهي عنه.
Al-Walid said: "If you do not believe me, then ask Shaykh Amr b. al-As, and he will tell you about his bravery and valor." This was a rebuke from him to Amr when Amr b. al-As went out to battle and said to his sons, Abd Allah and Muhammad:
Hold firm to your armor, do not retreat,
After Amr and al-Zubayr, we shall unite.
Shall we, after Uthman, fear who perishes?
A day for Hamdan, and a day for Sadaf.
And in Tamim is a pride that does not waver,
We strike it with the sword until it turns away.
Then, the Commander of the Faithful, Ali AS, charged at him while Amr was unaware. He struck him down, and as Amr fell, his private parts became exposed. Ali AS turned his face away, allowing Amr to escape. When asked about this, Ali AS said: "He is the son of al-As. He confronted me with his nakedness, so I turned my face away from him."
We read in Ibn Kathir’s al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Vol 10, pg. 518 - 519:
وَذَكَرُوا أَنَّ عَلِيًّا حَمَلَ عَلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ يَوْمًا فَضَرَبَهُ بِالرُّمْحِ، فَأَلْقَاهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَبَدَتْ سَوْءَتُهُ فَرَجَعَ عَلِيٌّ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ: مَالَكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَجَعَتْ عَنْهُ؟ فَقَالَ: أَتُدْرُونَ مَنْ هُوَ؟ قَالُوا: لَا. قَالَ: هُوَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ، وَإِنَّهُ تَلَقَّانِي بِسَوْءَتِهِ فَذَكَّرَنِي بِالرَّحِمِ فَرَجَعْتُ عَنْهُ. فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ عَمْرٌو إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ لَهُ: احْمَدِ اللَّهَ، وَاحْمَدِ اسْتَكَ
And they mentioned that one day ‘Ali charged at ‘Amr b. al-Aas and struck him with a spear, throwing him to the ground. ‘Amr’s private parts became exposed, so Ali turned away from him. His companions asked him, “O Commander of the Faithful, why did you turn away from him?” He replied, “Do you know who he is?” They said, “No.” He said, “He is ‘Amr b. al-’Aas. He exposed himself to me, and it reminded me of our kinship, so I turned away from him.” When ‘Amr returned to Mu'awiya, he said to him, “Praise Allah—and praise your backside.”
Ibn ‘Abd Rabbah reports in al-'Iqd al-Farid, Vol. 4, pg. 97:
المدائني قال: ... وذكرت مشاهدك بصفين، فوالله ما ثقلت علينا يومئذ وطأتك ولقد كشفتَ فيها عورتك
Al-Mada'ini said: ... Ibn Abbas has said [to 'Amr b. al-'Aas]: "You mentioned your actions at Siffin. By Allah, your presence was not burdensome upon us that day, but you did indeed expose your nakedness in it."
Conclusion
In conclusion, we leave our audiences with this final quote from Ibn Kathir, explaining where ‘Amr learned this amazing military tactic of stripping for his life.
We read in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Vol. 5, pg. 368:
Ibn Hisham narrated: "Mus'ab b. Alqamah al-Mazini told me: 'During the intense fighting on the day of Uhud, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) sat beneath the banner of the Ansar. He then instructed Ali to advance with the standard. Ali stepped forward declaring, “I am Abu al-Qasm.”
Abu Sa'd b. Abi Talha, who was holding the banner of the disbelievers, called out to him, 'Do you have any need, O Abu al-Qasim, in this conflict?’ ‘Ali responded, 'Yes.' They both approached each other and exchanged blows twice. Ali struck him, knocking him down. However, he refrained from finishing him off. When questioned by some companions why he did not do so, Ali replied, 'He approached me in a state of nudity, and mercy overcame me. I realized it was Allah who had already taken his life.'
Ali acted similarly during the Battle of Siffin when confronted by Busr b. Abi Artat, who exposed his private parts, prompting ‘Ali to spare him. Likewise, ‘Amr b. al-Aas did the same when faced with an attack during some days of Siffin; he too exposed his private parts, leading Ali to refrain from attacking him. In reflection of these events, Al-Harith b. Al-Nadr remarked:
"In every day, a knight without reproach appears,
His private parts shining clear amidst the tumult.
Ali, with noble restraint, withdraws his teeth,
While Muawiyah laughs at his predicament in private."
Thus it would seem that when ‘Ali (AS) attacked ‘Amr b. al-’Aas, ‘Amr’s life flashed before his eyes and he recalled what Abu Sa’ad b. Talha did at Uhud, and thus he was given hope in the face of imminent death, and frantically stripped for his life. While this shameless quick thinking saved him from ‘Ali’s sword, it certainly did not save him from the shame, and it will not save him from Allah.
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