Part 37

The very day “Umar came to power, he was faced with a critical, not to mention urgent, situation that called for action. Along Abu Bakr's two-year caliphate, he continued what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had started. Muslim armies were sent both to Persia and Constantinople to invite people to embrace Islam, It is indeed imperative to point that that was Muslims' single goal in launching Jihad. Notwithstanding Muslims’ peaceful intentions, the Persian and the Byzantines met them with fierce hostility and their call to the Right Path was faced by decided contempt. While Abu Bakr was on his deathbed, the political arena was going through a critical juncture. The Emperor of Syria prepared a massive army to face Muslim troops and teach them a lesson. Abu Bakr therefore had to send the necessary succor to Syria. He commanded Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed to lead some troops and rush to their brethern's aid, leaving Al-Muthannah Ibn Harithah AshShibani in charge of the remaining troops in Iraq. Taking advantage of the situation, the Khosrau of Persia mobilised a huge army to deal Muslims a heavy blow and expel them from Iraq, which, for many years, had been under Persian control.

Feeling his troops were in impending jeopardy, Al-Muthannah had another man fill in for him and hurried to Madinah to seek the council of the Commander of the Faithful. In his last hours, Abu Bakr asked “Umar to call on people to join forces and head for Iraq to engage in Jihad.

*Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab Takes Over:

The first thing that ~Umar Ibn Al-Khattab did upon his becoming the Caliph was deposing Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed from the general command of the army. ‘Umar appointed Abu “Ubaydah Ibn Al-Jarraaah . Further, ~Umar ordered Abu ~Ubaydah to send back to Iraq all soldiers who had moved to Syria earlier, in order to join the armies headed by Sa*d Ibn Abi Waqqaas in his war against the Persians. Khalid himself would remain under Abu *Ubaydah's command in Syria. With the Muslim troops preparing to launch yet another battle against the Byzantines, Abu ~Ubaydah, confident of Allah's victory under the command of Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed, realized the risk he would be taking by disclosing the news of the change of the command. Driven by much laudable prudence and insights, Muslims' new leader kept the news of Khalid's deposition a secret to avoid even the slightest chance of disruption among the ranks of their troops. It is reported that twenty days after Damascus was conquered, Khalid learned the news of his deposition and asked Abu *Ubaydah: "May Allah have mercy on you! Why did you not inform us of the content of the message of the Commander of the Faithful when you received i?" Abu ~Ubaydah replied: "I hated to ruin your war strategem. I am not after worldly power, nor is it worldly gains that I seek. All that we have accomplished and gained is bound to come to an end or perish. We are brothers and it never harms a man to have his brother replace him in shouldering the responsibilities of religion as well as worldly affairs." Quite an exceptional man Abu “Ubaydah Ibn Al-Jarraaah was!

Appointing him as the leader of Muslims troops only unravels ~Umar's wisdom and insight.

The Battle of Al-Yarmook:

The next day after Abu ~ Ubaydah received the message of the Commander of the Faithful, Muslim troops, under the command of Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed, marched to Al-Yarmook. Fierce fighting broke out. The Byzantines fought adamantly, filled with bitter animosity towards the Arab desert-dwellers who turned their lives into a living hell. The Muslims, on the other hand, fought dauntlessly spurred by a genuine desire to achieve victory and uphold Islam. However, at a certain point, it was difficult to predict which of the two sides was to have the upper hand, In the eyes of Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed, the Muslims had but a single choice, namely to achieve victory. Otherwise, they would be running the risk of being defeated and consequently getting detached from any succor. This being the case, they displayed exemplary boldness and intrepidity that could only have been rewarded by Allah's definite victory. The Muslims' great victory at Al-Yarmook was only the beginning of a long line of triumphs in Syria.

It was then that Abu * Ubaydah realized that it was about time he announced the news of Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed's deposition. Yet, he was torn apart, wondering how to best break the news. At that point, the news of Abu Bakr's death and ~Umar's assuming power had reached soldiers in Syria. Khalid immediately figured out that the new Caliph would never let him continue to lead the Muslim troops in war. He therefore gathered a number of his close friends, including Abu *Ubaydah, and shared with them his worries. Abu ~ Ubaydah thought the time was appropriate to disclose the secret he had been keeping. Thereupon, Khalid displayed total submission to, and acceptance of ~ Umar's command, without getting furious or

even feeling humiliated. He did not hesitate to command his small brigade under the general command of Abu * Ubaydah.

Abu *Ubaydah departed from Al-Yarmook meaning to head for Damascus and besiege the city. However, he learned that the garrison of Damascus were succored by troops dispatched from Hims and that large hosts of the Byzantines were gathered at Fahl in Palestine. Not knowing where to head for first, Abu “Ubaydah wrote to ‘Umar seeking his advice. The Commander of the Faithful wrote back saying: "Start with Damascus, Syria's stronghold and the headquarters of their kingdom and fight its people. In the meantime, keep people of Fahl busy with as many squadrons as available. Should you manage to conquer Fahl before Damascus, we would be pleased. Should you conquer Damascus first, proceed, along with your leaders, to conquer Fahl. If Allah grants you victory and when you have conquered Fahl, head afterwards for Hims along with Khalid and leave Jordan and Palestine in charge of * Amr and Sharhabeel."

Upon receiving “Umar's message, Abu ~Ubaydah dispatched ten of his leaders along with their troops to Fahl, whereas he headed, together with Khaild, to Damascus leading a massive army of fearless soldiers, Damascus was a wellfortified city thanks to the large number of soldiers Heraclius had marched to from Hims. The Byzantine emperor was under the illusion that the Muslims would give in and abandon the idea of conquering Damascus. However, the Muslim troops rigorously besieged the city for a long period of time that lasted for four, six, or fourteen months, as was reported in different narrations. Now the commander of all Muslim troops in Syria, Abu ~*Ubaydah stationed his troops before the great gates of the city.

Damascus was then ruled by Nestas. When Muslims

arrived there, Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed positioned his troops by the eastern gate and Kisan gate, Abu * Ubaydah by the great Gabiyah gate and Yazeed Ibn Abu Sufyaan by the small gate, whereas “Amr Ibn Al-* Aas and Sharhabeel Ibn Hasanah were in charge of the rest of the gates. Abu ~ Ubaydah also had DhalKalla’ at the head of an army situated between Damascus and Hims to intervene whatever succor Heraclius might send them. The Muslims besieged Damascus for seventy days. According to other books, the blockade lasted for four, six or even fourteen months. The people of Damascus adamantly refused to give in. They sent to their emperor in Hims asking for succor; yet none arrived on account of Dhal-Kalla*'s army, positioned a short distance from Damascus. When the people of Damascus realized that there was no way they would ever receive succuor, they grew weaker. Conversely, Muslims grew stronger and their blockade more rigorous.

With the advent of winter and cold weather, the situation got worse. One night a boy was born to the patriarch of Damascus. He therefore held a huge banquet to celebrate the happy occasion. The guards of the gates indulged in food and drink, celebrated and revelled all night long and fell asleep afterwards, leaving the gates unguarded. It was none other than Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed who took advantage of the situation, as he was vigilant all the time and never let any of his soldiers fall asleep. He had eyes spread all around the place to report to him day and night. When he learned of the joyous occasion they were celebrating that night and realized that guards had abandoned their positions, he set a plan. He, along with some of the intrepid Muslims, swam across the trench outside the wall. They then climbed up the wall with the aid of ropes and descended on the other side of it. The Muslim soldiers met very little resistance, as there were but a few guards, unable to get up on their feet because of the hefty meal they had. The Muslim soldiers easily killed them all and proceeded to the city gates,

which they broke open.

When the people of Damascus heard the Muslims cry, " Allah is the Greatest", they were filled with terror. They then asked Muslim leaders at each gate for a reconciliation, though they had obstinately refused to give in before. The Muslims then answered their request, not knowing what Khalid Ibn AlWaleed and his assistants had accomplished on the other side of the city. They then made their way into Damascus through all of its gates. The Muslims encountered Khalid killing residents of the city and informed him that they had signed a settlement with the city residents to spare their lives. Having conquered Damascus, the capital of the Byzantines, the way seemed paved for the triumphant Muslims to subject the entire of Syria to their command.

The Muslims wrote to the Commander of the Faithful informing him of their victory. Exulted by the good news, *Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab wrote back commanding Abu * Ubaydah to pursue their conquests with a view to ridding Syria of the Byzantines and annexing it to the Muslim state. Consequently, Abu *Ubaydah and Khalid managed to conquer Fahl. Bissan readily surrendered while Tabariah was granted the settlement it requested.

The Commander of the Faithful then commanded Abu ~Ubaydah to head for Hims and invade it. Abu * Ubaydah and Khalid imposed a rigorous blockade on the city, whose residents stubbornly refused to give in. They were counting on what they believed to be the soon-to-arrive succor from Heraclius. Otherwise, the Muslims, they conjectured, would not be able to endure the cold weather any longer. That is why they deliberately chose to engage in quick skirmishes on the particularly freezing cold days. However, the Byzantines were to face a tremendous disappointment. No succor arrived, nor

did the Muslim army even flinch from the cold. Consequently, the siege continued to the point that some of the residents of Hims began to contemplate the possibility of signing a settlement with Muslims. This came as a shock to residents of the opposing side in Hims who were of the view that this would be a definite act of disgrace and that they should never give in to the vicious invaders. However, contrary to all expectations, the blockade came to an end thanks to the Hand of Providence. A severe earthquake hit the area pulling down the wall surrounding the city as well as houses inside. With chaos spread all around, and people of Hims panic-stricken, they desperately pleaded for a settlement. Seeing that his troops were weary and cold-stricken, Abu ~Ubaydah readily signed the settlement and entered the city.