Hashim bin Utbah al-Mirqal — Imam Ali’s banner-bearer killed at Siffin on the same side as Ammar bin Yasir
Hashim bin Utbah al-Mirqal was not a random fighter.
He was a brave early Muslim commander.
He was the nephew of Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas.
Some Sunni scholars counted him among those who had companionship, while others were more cautious and counted him as a senior early Muslim born in the Prophet’s time.
But one thing is clear in Sunni sources:
He stood with Imam Ali a.s.
He carried Imam Ali’s banner at Siffin.
And he was killed there by Muawiya’s side.
Core narration 1: Hashim bin Utbah’s identity
Arabic:
هاشم بن عتبة بن أبي وقاص الزهري، ويعرف بالمرقال.
English:
“Hashim bin Utbah bin Abi Waqqas al-Zuhri, known as al-Mirqal.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, biography of Hashim bin Utbah.
Status:
Sunni biographical report.
Comment:
Hashim was from Banu Zuhrah and was the nephew of Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas.
Core narration 2: Ibn Hibban counted him as having companionship
Arabic:
هاشم بن عتبة بن أبي وقاص، ابن أخي سعد، له صحبة، قتل يوم صفين.
English:
“Hashim bin Utbah bin Abi Waqqas, the nephew of Sa‘d, had companionship; he was killed on the day of Siffin.”
Reference:
Ibn Hibban, al-Thiqat, biography of Hashim bin Utbah.
Status:
Sunni rijal / biographical report.
Comment:
This is important.
At minimum, Hashim was a senior early Muslim commander.
And Ibn Hibban explicitly said:
له صحبة
“He had companionship.”
Core narration 3: Hashim was a hero of early Islam
Arabic:
أسلم هاشم بن عتبة يوم الفتح، يعرف بالمرقال، وكان من الفضلاء الخيار، وكان من الأبطال البهم، فقئت عينه يوم اليرموك... فشهد القادسية، وأبلى فيها بلاء حسنا... وهو الذي افتتح جلولاء.
English:
“Hashim bin Utbah accepted Islam on the day of the Conquest of Makkah and was known as al-Mirqal. He was from the virtuous and excellent men, and from the great heroes. His eye was struck at Yarmuk... He witnessed Qadisiyyah and performed excellently there... and he was the one who conquered Jalula.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab; also preserved in later biographical works.
Status:
Sunni biographical / historical report.
Comment:
This was not an unknown man.
Sunni sources describe him as virtuous, brave, and one of the heroes of the early conquests.
Core narration 4: Hashim stood with Imam Ali at Jamal and Siffin
Arabic:
ثم شهد هاشم مع علي الجمل، وشهد صفين، وأبلى فيها بلاء حسنا مذكورا، وبيده كانت راية علي على الرجالة يوم صفين، ويومئذ قتل.
English:
“Then Hashim witnessed Jamal with Ali, and witnessed Siffin, and he performed there with well-known excellence. In his hand was the banner of Ali over the infantry on the day of Siffin, and on that day he was killed.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab; also preserved in Ibn Hajar’s al-Isabah-style biographical material.
Status:
Sunni historical / biographical report.
Comment:
This is the main proof.
Hashim was not just present at Siffin.
He carried Imam Ali’s banner over the infantry.
And he was killed that day.
Core narration 5: Al-Dhahabi confirms he was one of Imam Ali’s commanders
Arabic:
من أمراء علي يوم صفين... وكان معه راية الإمام علي يوم صفين، فقتل يومئذ، وكان موصوفا بالشجاعة والإقدام.
English:
“He was one of Ali’s commanders on the day of Siffin... With him was the banner of Imam Ali on the day of Siffin, and he was killed that day. He was described as brave and bold.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’, biography of Hashim bin Utbah.
Status:
Sunni biographical report.
Comment:
Al-Dhahabi’s wording is direct:
من أمراء علي يوم صفين
“He was one of Ali’s commanders at Siffin.”
And:
معه راية الإمام علي
“With him was the banner of Imam Ali.”
So Hashim’s side was clear.
He was with Imam Ali a.s.
Core narration 6: Hashim and Ammar were both killed at Siffin
Arabic:
وأخرج يعقوب بن سفيان، من طريق الزهري، قال: قتل عمار بن ياسر، وهاشم بن عتبة يوم صفين.
English:
“Ya‘qub bin Sufyan narrated through al-Zuhri, who said: Ammar bin Yasir and Hashim bin Utbah were killed on the day of Siffin.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, biography of Hashim bin Utbah.
Status:
Sunni biographical / historical report.
Comment:
This connects Hashim directly with Ammar bin Yasir.
Ammar and Hashim were killed in the same battle.
Both were on Imam Ali’s side.
And the Prophet ﷺ had already said about Ammar:
تقتل عمارا الفئة الباغية
“The rebellious group will kill Ammar.”
Core narration 7: Hashim and Ammar were together in the fighting
Arabic:
شهدنا صفين مع علي... قال: ورأيت هاشم بن عتبة وعمار بن ياسر يقول له يا هاشم:
أعور يبغي أهله محلا
قد عالج الحياة حتى ملا
لا بد أن يفل أو يفلا
قال: ثم أخذوا في واد من أودية صفين، فما رجعا حتى قتلا.
English:
“We witnessed Siffin with Ali... He said: I saw Hashim bin Utbah and Ammar bin Yasir, and Ammar was saying to him: O Hashim:
A one-eyed man seeks a place for his people,
He has struggled with life until he has become tired,
He must either break the enemy or be broken.
Then they went into one of the valleys of Siffin, and neither of them returned until they were killed.”
Reference:
Ibn al-Sakan route cited in Ibn Hajar’s al-Isabah.
Status:
Historical report.
Comment:
This report places Hashim and Ammar together in Imam Ali’s army.
Neither returned until they were killed.
Core narration 8: Hashim kept fighting even after severe injury
Arabic:
وقطعت رجله يومئذ، فجعل يقاتل من دنا منه، وهو بارك ويقول:
الفحل يحمي شوله معقولا
وقاتل حتى قتل.
English:
“His leg was cut that day, so he kept fighting whoever came near him while he was kneeling, saying:
The stallion protects its herd even while tied.
And he fought until he was killed.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab.
Status:
Sunni historical / biographical report.
Comment:
This shows the bravery of Hashim al-Mirqal.
Even after being severely wounded, he continued fighting under Imam Ali’s banner until he was killed.
Core narration 9: Abu al-Tufayl praised him
Arabic:
وفيه يقول أبو الطفيل عامر بن واثلة:
يا هاشم الخير جزيت الجنة
قاتلت في الله عدو السنة
English:
“About him Abu al-Tufayl ‘Amir bin Wathilah said:
O Hashim of goodness, may you be rewarded with Paradise,
You fought for Allah against the enemy of the Sunnah.”
Reference:
Ibn Abd al-Barr, al-Isti‘ab.
Status:
Historical poetry.
Comment:
This poetry is powerful because it frames Hashim’s fight as fighting for Allah against the enemy of the Sunnah.
Now connect the dots.
Ammar bin Yasir was with Imam Ali a.s at Siffin.
Hashim bin Utbah was with Imam Ali a.s at Siffin.
Hashim carried Imam Ali’s banner.
Hashim and Ammar were killed in the same battle.
And the Prophet ﷺ said about Ammar:
Arabic:
تقتل عمارا الفئة الباغية.
English:
“The rebellious group will kill Ammar.”
Reference:
Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim.
So who was the rebellious group?
The side that killed Ammar.
And who killed Ammar?
Muawiya’s side.
Ibn Hajar said:
Arabic:
ودل حديث: تقتل عمارا الفئة الباغية على أن عليا كان المصيب في تلك الحرب لأن أصحاب معاوية قتلوه.
English:
“The hadith ‘The rebellious group will kill Ammar’ proves that Ali was correct in that war, because the supporters of Muawiya killed him.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari.
Ibn Kathir said:
Arabic:
وبان بذلك أن عليا محق وأن معاوية باغ.
English:
“By that it became clear that Ali was upon truth and Muawiya was rebellious.”
Reference:
Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, events of Siffin.
So do not pretend Siffin was morally equal.
Do not erase the banner of Imam Ali a.s.
Do not erase Ammar’s blood.
Do not erase Hashim al-Mirqal.
Hashim bin Utbah al-Mirqal was a brave commander.
He carried Imam Ali’s banner.
He fought beside Ammar.
He was killed at Siffin.
And the Prophet had already told the Ummah that Ammar’s killer group would be the rebellious group.
Qur’an says:
Arabic:
وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا، فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ.
English:
“And if two groups of believers fight, then make peace between them. But if one of them rebels against the other, then fight the one that rebels until it returns to the command of Allah.”
Reference:
Qur’an 49:9
Hashim bin Utbah’s martyrdom matters because he stood under Imam Ali’s banner in the same battle where Ammar exposed the rebellious side.
Imam Hasan a.s’s treaty stopped future bloodshed.
It did not cancel the words of the Prophet.
It did not turn the rebellious group into the righteous side.
It did not erase the blood of Ammar.
And it did not erase the martyrdom of Hashim al-Mirqal.
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