Rasulullah SAW Dispatches Khalid bin
Walid RA to Yemen.
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| Khalid Ibn Walid RA |
Baraa bin Aazib RA
narrates that he was among the group that Rasulullah SAW dispatched
to Yemen under the leadership of Khalid bin Walid RA to invite the
people of Yemen to Islam They stayed there for six months but no one
was prepared to accept Islam. Thereafter, Rasulullah SAW & sent
Saidina Ali RA "and with instructions to relieve Khalid bin
Walid RA and to send him back with his men except those who preferred
to remain behind with Saidina Ali RA..Baraa bin Aazib RA narrates
that he was one of those who remained behind with Saidina Ali RA.
When Saidina Ali and the Muslims drew close to the people of Yemen,
they also marched forward to meet the Muslims. Saidina Ali RA then
stepped forward and led the Muslims in solah.
Thereafter, he formed the Muslims into
a single row, stepped forward in front of the Muslims and read out
the letter that Rasulullah SAW had written. In response to this,
the entire Hamdaan tribe accepted Islam. Saidina Ali RA then wrote
to Rasulullah SAW to inform him that the Hamdaan tribe had
accepted Islam. When Rasulullah SAW
read the letter, he fell into Sajdah and then lifted his head and
prayed, "Peace be to the Hamdaan! Peace be to the Hamdaan!".
Rasulullah SAW, Dispatches Khalid
bin Walid RA to Najran.
Ibn Is'haq RA narrates
that Rasulullah SAW once dispatched Khalid binWalid RA to Najran
with instructions to invite the Banu Harith bin Ka'b to Islam for
three days before engaging them in battle. Rasulullah SAW told him
that if the people accept Islam, he should accept it from them,
otherwise he
should commence battle
proceedings. Khalid bin Walid RA left Madinah and when he arrived in
Najran, he sent riders in every direction to meet the people and
invite them to Islam saying, "0 people! Acept Islam and remain
in peace." Consequently, all the people accepted Islam and
entered the Deen they had been invited towards.
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| The Sword of Khalid ibn Walid RA |
Khalid bin Walid RA
stayed with the people to teach them Islam, the Qur'an and the Sunnah
of Rasulullah SAW according to the directives that Rasulullah SAW had
given to him in the event that the people accepted Islam without
fighting. Khalid bin Walid RA wrote the following letter to
Rasulullah SAW:
The Letter Khalid bin Walid RA to
Rasulullah SAW.
In the name of Allah
the Most Kind, the Most Merciful.
To Muhammad the Nabi and
Rasul of Allah
From Khaalid bin Waleed
May peace be to you, 0
Rasulullah SAW and the mercy and blessings of Allah SWT . Before
you, I praise Allah SWT besides Whom there is none worthy of
worship. 0! Rasul of Allah - may Allah SWT shower His special mercies
on you - you sent me to the Banu Haarith bin Ka'b tribe with
instructions to invite them to Islam for three days without engaging
them in battle. Your instructions were that I accept from them their
conversion to Islam, after which I should teach them the injunctions
of Islam, the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Allaah's Nabi.
Had they not accepted
Islam,
I was to engage in battle
with them. When I arrived, I invited them to Islam for three days
according to the instructions of Rasulullah SAW and sent riders
among them saying, '0 Banu Haarith! Accept Islam and live in peace."
They all accepted Islam without a fight and I am presently among them
instructing them with that which Allah SWT has instructed and
forbidding them from that which had forbidden them. I shall be
teaching them the injunctions of Islam and the Sunnah of Rasulullah
SAW until the Rasulullah SAW writes back to me (with fresh
instructions). May peace be to you, 0 Rasulullah SAW and the mercy
and blessings of Allah. Rasulullah SAW sent the following reply to
Khaalid bin Walid RA :
'The Letter that Rasulullah SAW sent
in reply to Khalid bin Walid RA!
In the name of Allah
SWT the Most Kind, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad the Nabi and
Rasul of Allah SWT.
To Khalid bin Walid May
peace be to you.
Before you, I praise
Allah SWT besides Whom there is none worthy of worship. Your letter
sent with your messenger has reached me with the news that the Banu
Haarith bin Ka'b tribe had surrendered without a fight and that they
accepted the Islam that you invited them towards. Your letter also
informed me (about the excellent news) that they all testify that
there is none worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is
Allah's servant and Rasul, Allah has guided them by His guidance.
You should give them glad tidings (of Jannah) and warn them (against
Jahannam). Return (to Madinah) together with a delegation from them.
May peace be to you as well as the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Khalid bin Walid RA Returns to Rasulullah SAW with a Delegation of
the Banu Haarith.
(After receiving the
letter from Rasulullah SAW, Khalid bin Walid RA returned to
Rasulullah SAW, accompanied by a delegation from the Banu Harith
bin Ka'b tribe. When Rasulullah SAW saw them arriving (in Madinah),
he said, "Who are these people who resemble the people of
India?" Someone said, "They are the Banu Haarith bin Ka'b
tribe." When they arrived in the presence of Rasulullah SAW they
greeted him and said, "We testify that you are Allah's Rasul and
that there is none worthy of worship but Allah." Rasulullah
said, "I also testify that there is none. worthy of worship but
Allah and that I am Allah's Rasul." Addressing them further,
Rasulullah SAW asked, "Are you the people who came forward
(accepted Islam) when you were admonished?" They all remained
silent without offering a reply. Rasulullah SAW repeated the question
a second and third time and still no one replied. When Rasulullah SAW
repeated the question the fourth time,Yazid bin Abdil Madaan RA said,
"Yes, 0 Rasulullah ,It was us who came forward when we were
admonished." He repeated the reply four times.
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Thereafter Rasulullah SAW
said, "If Khalid had not written to me with the news that you
had accepted Islam without a fight, I would have cast your heads
beneath your feet." Yazid bin Abdil Madaan RA said, "By
Allah! (When we accepted Islam) We neither praised you nor Khalid."
"Who then did you praise?" asked Rasulullah SAW .The reply
was, "We' praised Allah Who used you to guide us, 0
Rasulullah", And Rasulullah SAW said, "You are quite
right." Thereafter, Rasulullah SAW asked them, "How were
you able to defeat your enemies during the Period of Ignorance?"
They said, "We were unable to defeat our enemies." "Why
not!" Rasulullah exclaimed, "You were certainly victorious
over those whom you fought." They said, "0 Rasulullah SAW!
We would defeat our enemies because we remained united without
breaking into factions and never oppressed anyone." Rasulullah
SAW ! said, "You have spoken the truth." Rasulullah SAW
then appointed Qais bin Husayn RA as their leader.
- Bayhaqi. Bukhari has also narrated it in brief a s mentioned in Al Bidaaya wan Nihaaya (Vo1.105 Q.5).
Khalid
bin Walid RA Writes to the People of Persia.
Hadhrat
Abu Waa'il RA narrated that Khalid bin Walid RA, wrote the following
letter to the Persian people, inviting them to Islam.
In
the name of Allah The Most Kind The Most Merciful
From
Khalid bin Walid
To
Rustay, Mahraan and the Persian leadership.
Peace
be on those who follow the guidance.
We
invite you to accept Islam. should you refuse, you may pay the
by
hand as subjects. If you refuse even this, then I have people
with
me who love to be killed while fighting in the path of Allah SWT more
than
you Persians love wine.
Peace
be on those who follow the guidance.
Khalid
bin Walid RA Writes to the People of Madaa'in
Sha'bi
RA narrates that Banu Buqayla read to him the letter that Khalid bin
Walid RA wrote to the people of Madaa'in. It read:
In
the name of Allah The Most Kind The Most Merciful
From
Khaalid bin Waleed
To the
Persian leadership.
Peace
be on those who follow the guidance.
All
praises belong to Allah SWT Who has fragmented your unity,
taken
awayyour kingdom and weakened your plans. Take note that
whoever
performs our solah, faces our Qibla and eats what we slaughter,
he
is a Muslim who shall enjoy the privileges we have and also bear the
responsibilities
we bear. After this I wish to add that when this letter reaches you,
you
should send securities to me (to ratify our peace agreement) and you
may rest
assured that I shall give you. your protection.
Othewise, I swear by.
The
Being besides Whom there is no other deity that I shall dispatch
against you people
who
love death as you love life. When the Persians in the Madaa'in
district read this letter,
they
were taken aback.
This occurred in the
year 12 A.H.
Khalid
bin Walid RA Writes to Hurmuz.
Imaam
Sha'bi RA says(') that Khalid bin Walid RA wrote a letter to Hurmuz
before he left with Uzaadhiba the father of Ziyaadhiba, who was from
Yamamah. In those days, Hurmuz was'in charge of defending the Persian
borders. The letter read:
Accept
Islaam and you would remain safe. Otherwise you
may
subject yourself and your people to our protection and
accept
to pay the Jizyah. If not, you have none but
yourself
to blame for I shall march
the
people who love death as much as you people love life.
Another
narration(') states that when Khalid bin Walid RA conquered one of
the two regions of Iraq's fertile plains, he summoned a person from
the people of Heera. With this person he sent a letter to the
Persians who were scattered in different group; in Madaa'in and
taking support from each other after the death of (their leader)
Ardsher. However, they had appointed Bahman Jaadhway as their leader
stationed in a place called Buharseer where he commanded the army's
frontline. With Bahman Jaadhway was Uzaadhiba and several other
generals.
Khalid
bin Walid RA summoned another person from Salooba and sent two
letters with the two envoys. One letter was addressed to the senior
leadership while the other was addressed to the regular commanders.
The one envoy was therefore from Heera while the other was a Nabti
(from the non-Arab settlers
of Iraq). When Hadhrat Khaalid %,Gw asked the envoy from Heera whht
his name was, the man said that it was Murra (meaning 'bitter').
Khalid bin Walid RA said to him, "Take this letter to the
Persians. Perhaps Allah SWT shall make their lives bitter or they
shall accept Islam and turn in repentance (to Allah)."
Khalid
bin Walid RA then asked the Nabti envoy what his name was. When the
man said that it was Hizqeel (derived from a word similar to one that
means 'to destroy'), Khalid bin Walid RA told him to deliver the
letter and then prayed, "0 Allah! Destroy them." Ibn Jareer
says that the two letters contained the following:
In
the name of Allaah The Most Kind The Most Merciful
From
Khaalid bin Waleed
To the
Persian royal family
All
praises belong to Allah Who has thrown your establishment in mayhem,
Who
has weakened your plans and fragmented your unity.
It
would have been worse for you if He had not done this.
Enter
our Deen and we shall leave you and your land and pass
by
you' to proceed to other people. Otherwise
(if
you do not willingly enter the Deen) you will
still
be subject to our authority and forced to suffer defeat at the hands
of
people who love death like you love life.
In
the name of Allaah The Most Kind The Most Merciful
From
Khaalid bin Waleed
To the
Persian leaders
Accept
Islam and you may live in peace. If not, you may submit to my
protection
and pay the Jizya. Otherwise I shall march to you with
people
who love death more than you people love to drink wine."
KHĀLID IBN AL-WALĪD RA(ARABIC: خالد بن الوليد; 592–642) ALSO KNOWN AS SAYF ALLĀH AL-MASLŪL (THE DRAWN SWORD OF GOD), WAS A COMPANION OF THE ISLAMIC PROPHET MUHAMMAD. HE IS NOTED FOR HIS MILITARY TACTICS AND PROWESS, COMMANDING THE FORCES OF MEDINA UNDER MUHAMMAD AND THE FORCES OF HIS IMMEDIATE SUCCESSORS OF THE RASHIDUN CALIPHATE; ABU BAKR AND UMAR IBN KHATTAB. IT WAS UNDER HIS MILITARY LEADERSHIP THAT ARABIA, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, WAS UNITED UNDER A SINGLE POLITICAL ENTITY, THE CALIPHATE. HE WAS VICTORIOUS IN OVER A HUNDRED BATTLES, AGAINST THE FORCES OF THE BYZANTINE-ROMAN EMPIRE, SASSANID-PERSIAN EMPIRE, AND THEIR ALLIES, IN ADDITION TO OTHER ARAB TRIBES. HIS STRATEGIC ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE THE CONQUEST OF ARABIA, PERSIAN MESOPOTAMIA AND ROMAN SYRIA WITHIN SEVERAL YEARS FROM 632 TO 636. HE IS ALSO REMEMBERED FOR HIS DECISIVE VICTORIES AT YAMAMAH, ULLAIS, AND FIRAZ, AND HIS TACTICAL SUCCESSES AT WALAJA AND YARMOUK.
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| The Battle of Yarmuok |
He
captured the Sassanid Arab client Kingdom of Al-Hirah, and defeated
the Sassanid Persian forces during his conquest of Iraq
(Mesopotamia). He was later transferred to the western front to
capture Roman Syria and the Byzantine Arab client state of
the Ghassanids. Even though Umar later relieved him of high
command, he nevertheless remained the effective leader of the forces
arrayed against the Byzantines during the early stages of the
Byzantine–Arab Wars.Under his command, Damascus was
captured in 634 and the key Arab victory against the Byzantine forces
was achieved at the Battle of Yarmouk (636), which led to the
conquest of the Bilad al-Sham(Levant). In 638, at the zenith of his
career, he was dismissed from military services.
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| The Muslim Warrior of All Time |
EARLY LIFE:
Khalid
RA was born around c. 592 in Mecca to Walid ibn al-Mughira, the
chief of the Banu Makhzum, a clan of the Arab tribe of Quraysh.
He was Umar's cousin. His father was known in Mecca by the title of
Al-Waheed- the One. The three leading clans of
Quraysh at that time were, Banu Hashim, Banu Abd-al-dar,
and Banu Makhzum. The Banu Makhzum was responsible for the matters of
war. Soon after his birth, and in accordance with the traditions of
the Quraysh, Khalid RA was sent to a Bedouin tribe in the
desert, where a foster mother would nurse him and bring him up in the
clear, dry and unpolluted air of the desert. At the age of five or
six, he returned to his parents in Mecca. Khalid RA during his
childhood also had a mild attack of smallpox which he survived, but
it left some pockmarks on his left cheek.
Khalid
RA and Saidina Umar RA the second Caliph, were cousins and had very
close facial resemblance. Khalid and Umar were both verytall,
Khalid had a well-built body with broad shoulders. He had a beard
which appeared full and thick on his face. He was also one of
the champion wrestlers of his time. As a member of the tribe of
Makhzum, who had specialized in warfare, and were amongst the best
horsemen in Arabia, Khalid, as a child, learned to ride and use
weapons like the spear, the lance, the bow, and
the sword. Lance is said to be his favorite among the weapons.
In youth he was admired as a renowned warrior and wrestler among the
Quraysh.
KHALID IBN WALID DURING THE ERA OF RASULULLAH SAW (610–632)
NOT MUCH IS KNOWN ABOUT KHALID IBN WALID DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PREACHING OF RASULULLAH SAW. HIS FATHER WAS KNOWN FOR HIS HOSTILITY AGAINST RASULULLAH SAW. FOLLOWING THE HIJRAH OF RASULULLAH SAW FROM MAKKAH TO MADINAH, MANY BATTLES WERE FOUGHT BETWEEN THE NEW MUSLIM COMMUNITY AT MADINAH AND THE CONFEDERACY OF THE QURAYSH. KHALID DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE BATTLE OF BADR—THE FIRST BATTLE FOUGHT BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND QURAYSHITES—BUT HIS BROTHER WALID IBN WALID WAS CAUGHT AND MADE A PRISONER. KHALID AND HIS ELDER BROTHER HASHAM IBN WALID WENT TO MADINAH TO RANSOM WALID, BUT SOON AFTER HE WAS RANSOMED, WALID, AMIDST THE JOURNEY BACK TO MAKKAH, ESCAPED AND WENT BACK TO RASULULLAH SAW AND CONVERTED TO ISLAM. KHALID'S LEADERSHIP WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN TURNING THE TABLES AND ENSURING A MAKKAN VICTORY DURING THE BATTLE OF UHUD (625). IN 627 AD HE WAS A PART OF QURAYSH'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE MUSLIMS, RESULTING IN THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCH, KHALID'S LAST BATTLE AGAINST MUSLIMS.
Conversion to Islam
A
peace agreement of ten years was concluded between the Muslims and
Quraysh of Makkah at the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in 628. It
has been recorded that Rasulullah SAW told Khalid's brother, Walid
bin Walid, that: "A man like Khalid, can't keep
himself away from Islam for long".Walid wrote
letters to Khalid persuading him to convert. Khalid, who was not
unduly drawn towards the idols of the Kaaba, decided to convert
to Islam and is said to have shared this matter with his childhood
friend Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl who opposed him. Khalid was
threatened by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb with dire consequences,
but was restrained by Ikrimah who is reported to have said: "Steady,
O Abu Sufyan! Your anger may well lead me also to join Muhammad.
Khalid is free to follow whatever religion he chooses". In
May 629, Khalid set out for Madinah. On the way he met 'Amr ibn
al-'As and Uthman ibn Talha, who were also going to Madinah to
convert to Islam. They arrived at Madinah on 31 May 629 and went to
the house of Rasulullah SAW. Khalid was received by his elder brother
Walid bin Walid and was first among the three men to enter Islam.
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| Illustration of Kalid ibn Walid RA , leading in prayer beore the battle of Yarmouk woth the Persian. |
Military Campaigns during era of Rasulullah SAW
Main
article: Battle of Mu'tah
Three
months after Khalid's arrival at Madinah, Rasulullah SAW sent an
envoy to the Ghassanid ruler of Syria, a vassal
of Byzantine empire, with a letter inviting him to convert
to Islam. While passing through Mu'tah, this envoy was
intercepted and killed by a local Ghassanid chieftain by the name
of Shurahbil ibn Amr. Traditionally, diplomatic envoys held
immunity from attack, and the news of this act enraged Madinah.
An
expedition was immediately prepared to take punitive action against
the Ghassanids. Rasulullah SAW appointed Zaid ibn Harithah RA
as the commander of the force. In the event of Zaid's death, the
command was to be taken over by Ja`far ibn Abī Tālib RA, and
if Jafar were to be killed, the command would be in the hands of `Abd
Allah ibn Rawahah RA. In the event that all three were killed, the
men of the expedition were to select a commander from amongst
themselves.
All
three named commanders were slain during the battle, and Khalid RA
was selected as the commander. He was able to maintain his heavily
outnumbered army of 3,000 men against a massive army of 200,000 of
the Byzantine Empire and Ghassanid Arabs in what would be known as
the Battle of Mu'tah. Khalid RA assumed command of the Muslim
army at the crucial moment, and turned what would have been a bloody
slaughter into a strategic retreat and saved the Muslim army from
total annihilation.
During
nightfall, Khalid RA sent some columns behind the main army, and the
next morning prior to the battle they were instructed to join the
Muslim army in small bands, one after the other, giving an impression
of a fresh reinforcement, thus lowering the opponent's morale. Khalid
RA somehow stabilized the battle lines for that day, and during the
night his men retreated back to Arabia. Believing a trap was waiting
for them, the Byzantine troops did not pursue. Khalid RA is
said to have fought valiantly at the Battle of Mu'tah and to have
broken nine swords during the battle. After the Battle of Mu'tah,
Khalid RA was given the title Sword of Allah for
bringing back his army to fight another day.
Later military campaigns
Main
articles: Conquest of Mecca, Battle of Hunayn, Siege
of Ta'if, and Battle of Tabouk
A
year later, in 630 AD, the Muslims advanced from Madinah to conquer
Makkah. In the Conquest of Makkah Khalid RA commanded one
of the four Muslims armies that entered Makkah from four different
routes, and routed the Qurayshi cavalry. Later that year, he
participated in the Battle of Hunayn and the Siege of
Ta'if.
He
was part of the Tabuk campaign under the command of
Rasulullah SAW , and from there he was sent to Daumat-ul-Jandal where
he fought and captured the Arab Prince of Daumat-ul-Jandal,
forcing Daumat-ul-Jandal to submit.
In
631 A.D he participated in the farewell hajj of Rasulullah
SAW. During which is said to have collected few hairs of Muhammad, as
a holy relic, that would help him winning the battles.
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| Khalid ibn Al Walid "The Sword of Allah |
Military campaigns as commander
Main
articles: Expedition of Khalid ibn al-Walid
RA(Nakhla), Expedition of Khalid ibn al-Walid RA (Banu
Jadhimah), and Expedition of Khalid ibn al-Walid RA (Dumatul
Jandal)
On
January 630 AD, 8AH, 9th month, of the Islamic Calendar. Khalid
ibn al-Walid RA was sent to destroy the Idol Goddess al-Uzza,
worshipped by polytheists, he did this successfully, and 1 woman was
also killed, who Rasulullah SAW claimed was the real al-Uzza.
Khalid
ibn al-Walid RA was also sent to invite the Banu Jadhimah tribe to
Islam. They accepted the invitation, but Khalid took all of them
prisoners and executed a portion of the tribe anyway (before he was
stopped), due to past enmity.
Rasulullah
SAW also sent Khalid on an expedition to Dumatul Jandal, to
attack the Christian Prince who lived in a castle there. This took
place in March 631 AD, 9AH,11th month of the Islamic Calendar. In
this campaign, Khaled took the Prince hostage and threatened to kill
him until the door of the castle was opened. Rasulullah SAW then
later ransomed him in exchange for 2000 camels, 800 sheep, 400
armours and 400 lances, as well as a requirement to pay Jizyah.
In
April 631 AD, Rasulullah SAW sent Khalid on an 2nd expedition
to Dumatul Jandal to destroy the pagan Idol, Wadd.
Khalid RA destroyed the statue as well as the shrine and killed those
who resisted.
Death::
Although
it is believed that relations between Umar RA and Khalid RA, cousins,
were always something short of cordial, both of them apparently
harboured no ill-will towards each other. Upon his death, he
bequeathed his property to Umar and made him the executor of his will
and estate.
Within
less than four years of his dismissal, Khalid died and was buried in
642 in Emesa, where he lived since his dismissal from military
services. His tomb is now part of a mosque called Khalid
ibn al-Walid Mosque. Khalid's tombstone depicts a list of
over 50 victorious battles that he commanded without defeat (not
including small battles).It is said that he had wanted to die as
a martyr in the field of battle, and was apparently
disappointed when he knew that he would die in bed.Khalid RA
expressed the pain of this sadness through one last, anguished
sentence:
I've
fought in so many battles seeking martyrdom that there is no spot in
my body left without a scar or a wound made by a spear or sword. And
yet here I am, dying on my bed like an old camel. May the eyes of the
cowards never rest.
—Khalid
ibn Walid
The
wife of Khalid, upon feeling such a pain of her husband told Khalid
RA: "You were given the title of 'Saif-ullah' meaning, 'The
Sword of Allah' and, the sword of Allah is not meant to be broken and
hence, it is not your destiny to be a 'martyr' but to die like a
conqueror."
