Abū ʿAbd Allāh Shuraḥbīl ibn Ḥasana رضي الله عنه
Shurahbil's father was a certain Abd Allah ibn Mutah ibn Amr, a member of the Arab tribe of Kindah. Shurahbil was named after his mother Hasana. Through his mother's later marriages, he was connected to the Qurayshi clans of Zuhra and Jumah of Makkah. Shurahbil was an early convert to Islam and is counted among the sahabah (companions) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was part of the second Muslim migration to Abyssinia from Makkah to escape the persecution of the pagan Quraysh.
Battles in Muhammad's lifetime and the Ridda wars
Shurahbil later took part in the raids against the pagan Arabs during the lifetime of Rasulullahﷺ. After Rasulullahﷺ demised in 632, many of the Arab tribes that had embraced Islam left the faith and defected from the embryonic Muslim state. The Ridda wars were subsequently launched throughout Arabia by Caliph Saiyidina Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.(r. 632–634) to subdue those tribes. During those wars, Shurahbil رضي الله عنه fought on the Muslim side as a deputy commander of Khalid ibn al-Walid رضي الله عنه in the campaign in Aqraba or Yamamah in the central N
Conquest of the Levant
After the Muslim victory in the Ridda wars, Shurahbilرضي الله عنه was appointed a commander of one of the four Muslim armies dispatched to conquer the Levant from the Byzantine Empire and its Arab Christian allies. Shurahbil’s army was 7,000 strong and its zone of operations corresponded to the territory of Palestine Secunda. There are scant details about Shurahbil's رضي الله عنه campaigns. According to the histories of Ibn Ishaq and al-Waqidi, Shurahbil رضي الله عنه was present during the siege of Bosra, led by Khalid ibn al-Walid رضي الله عنه in May 634. It was the first major Syrian city to be conquered by the Muslims.
Later, in July, Shurahbil رضي الله عنه served as a deputy of Amr ibn al-Asr رضي الله عنه in the decisive victory against the Byzantines at the Battle of Ajnaidin, which also saw significant Muslim losses, between Ramla and Bayt Jibrin. The Muslims apparently pursued the Byzantines northward and defeated them at the Battle of Fahl in December 634/January 635 where Shurahbil رضي الله عنه was also a deputy commander. According to 8th-century historian Sayf ibn Umar رضي الله عنه, Abu Ubaidah al-Jarrah رضي الله عنه left Shurahbil and ibn al-‘Asrرضي الله عنه in charge of Fahl (Pella) and they proceeded to besiege Baysan which ultimately surrendered after minor clashes over the course of several days.
Shurahbil رضي الله عنه likely played a commanding role in the Muslim capture of Gerasa (Jerash) and the Golan region between late 634 and early 635 as well. After the Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius was routed at the Battle of Yarmouk, Shurahbil رضي الله عنه was put in charge of the conquest of northern Palestine. Shurahbil رضي الله عنه achieved this with the exception of Caesarea, which was later captured by other Muslim generals after a siege of several years.
Demised
Shurahbil رضي الله عنه died in 639 in the Plague of Amwas in central Palestine along with another of the four main Muslim commanders, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه. According to 9th-century historian al-Baladhuri, he was aged 69 while 13th-century historian Ibn Al-Kathir wrote he died at age 67.
Conquest of Palestine
Next, the Muslim armies consolidated their conquest of the Levant as Shurahbil رضي الله عنه and Amr Ibn Al Asr رضي الله عنه went deeper into Palestine after the decisive Battle of Fahl. Bet Shean surrendered after a little resistance followed by the surrender of Tiberias in February 635. After receiving the position and strength of the Byzantine army in Palestine, Caliph Saiyidina Umar Al Khattab رضي الله عنه wrote detailed instructions to corps commanders in Palestine and ordered Yazid to capture the Mediterranean coast.
The corps of Amr Ibn Al Asr رضي الله عنه and Shurhabil رضي الله عنه accordingly marched against the strongest Byzantine garrison in Ajnadyn and defeated them in the 2nd Battle of Ajnadyn after which the two corps separated, with Amr Ibn Al Asr رضي الله عنه moving to capture Nablus, Amwas, Gaza, and Yubna in order to complete the conquest of all Palestine, while Shurahbil moved against the coastal towns of Acre and Tyre.
Yazid advanced from Damascus to capture the ports of Sidon, Arqa, Jabail, and Beirut. By 635 AD, Palestine, Jordan, and Southern Syria, with the exception of Jerusalem and Caesarea, were in Muslim hands. On the orders of Caliph Umar, Yazid next besieged Caesarea, which was lifted but resumed after the Battle of Yarmouk until the port fell in 640.
Death
Shurahbil رضي الله عنه died in 639 in the Plague of Amwas in central Palestine along with another of the four main Muslim commanders, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه . According to 9th-century historian al-Baladhuri, he was aged 69 while 13th-century historian Ibn al-Kathir wrote he died at age 67.
References
Bosworth 1997, p. 508.
Donner 1981, p. 114.
Donner 1981, p. 129.
Donner 1981, p. 130.
Donner 1981, p. 137.
Donner 1981, pp. 152–153.
Bibliography
Bosworth, C. E. (1997).
Bosworth, C. E.. ed. The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume IX:
San–Sze. Leiden: E. J. Brill. ISBN 90-04-10422-4.
Donner, Fred M. (1981). The
Early Islamic Conquests. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN
978-1-4008-4787-7.
