The
Battle of Firad
Firad was the meeting-ground of
Persia, Syria and Arabia, and was adjacent to Dumat-ul-Jandal. It was the place
where Banu Taghlib, Banu Namir and Banu Iyyad had already collected and the
Roman army was camping nearby to back them. Now the series of battles fought
with the Persian forces in the lower areas of Iraq had reached the Roman camp.
Khalid bin Walid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) arrived at Firad to give battle. The
Roman army was across the river Euphrates and sent a message to the Muslim
commander to either cross the river or let them cross it. Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) asked them to cross
the river and they did. Now both the forces were facing each other on the same
side of the river. The Muslim army was extremely exhausted on account of the
continuous travelling and fighting while the Romans were fresh and about eight
or ten-fold more in number. However, the battle broke out and went on the whole
day. At last the Romans fled the field tasting their worst defeat and leaving
behind one hundred thousand dead. After finishing this job, Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent his army back
to Hirah and he himself left secretly for Makkah to perform Hajj in the company
of only a few persons.
After the Hajj, Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) hurried back to
Hirah. But the news of his journey to Makkah could not be kept secret and it
gradually reached the ears of Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). He, however, asked Khalid (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) not to repeat it in future and expressed his displeasure over
this act of carelessness.
Khalid bin Walid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) stayed in Hirah up to Rabi' Al-Awwal 13
AH, which he had entered in Muharram 12 AH. During this period he faced his
enemies at every step and fought scores of fierce battles against formidable
armies outnumbering Islamic forces in every battle but beating them thoroughly
in each one and never tasting defeat in any battle. The Roman and Persian
powers used to be shuddered from within at the mention of Khalid bin Walid's
name.
Human history can not perhaps, give
any other example of so many successive victories in so short a period with so
little resources. But Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
did it. He deserves all of the blessings of Allah that we can seek for him and
for his matchless military acumen, dauntless courage, unflinching determination
and daring operations.
However, we can not ignore the
spirit behind all his deeds of wonder and the spirit is that of his selection,
training and guidance in Siddiqi style and manner. Muslim columns and troops
wherever they fought and whatever lines of operation they adopted were as per
the instructions given from Al-Madinah, the headquarters of Islam. In all
situations and circumstances, the Caliph of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) kept himself acquainted with the details
of the movements of the Muslim forces and never made any delay in sending the
instructions best-suited to the situation.
Khâlid
bin Walid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Syria
The military operations of Khalid
not only uprooted the apostasy from Arabia but also took away from the Persians
the courage to invade Al-Madinah as part of their strategy. Now the first and
the most important issue that demanded their immediate attention was the Syrian
front under the Romans and the Ghassanids. Shurahbil bin Amr, the Ghassanid
king had martyred the emissary of the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم), which led to the battle of Mu'tah.
Besides, the joint forces of the Romans and the Ghassanids were ready to invade
Al-Madinah and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
himself went up to Tabuk to ward off their evil intentions. Again, the news of
huge military preparations at the Syrian borders led the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to send an army
under the command of Usamah bin Zaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ). Even in the thick of military actions against the apostates
the Caliph could not afford to ignore the Syrian threat and sent Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to deal with the
Syrians.
Khalid bin Walid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) left the headquarters with a small column
but he took within him, according to the Caliph's instructions, Muslim fighters
from the regions and territories that were on his way. Despite this, Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was instructed to
avoid direct encounter with the Christian army. Internal problems of Arabia and
the issue of apostasy topped his list.
When Heraclius came to know of the
presence of the Muslim army within the bounds of Syria, he incited the
surrounding tribes and the notables of the area against the Muslims. At last
Heraclius made Mahan, a well-known Roman general, go ahead with a huge army. As
a result of the encounter, the troops under Mahan tasted ignominious defeat
besides leaving a large quantity of booty. Informed of this defeat, Heraclius
himself proceeded from Constantinople, came to Syria and collected a huge army
to avenge the defeat.
Khalid sent a detailed account of
the state of affairs to the Caliph. The day the letter was received in
Al-Madinah, was the day when Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl returned to Al-Madinah after
his arduous campaigns. At this time, tribes and clans from all over Arabia were
pouring into the headquarters with the sole purpose of laying down their lives
in the way of Allah.
Siddiq (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent Ikrimah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
to assist Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
in his campaign. Close on his heels was dispatched Amr bin Al-As (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) with a detachment to
help Khalid bin Walid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
by targeting the Romans in route to Palestine. As a follow-up action, the
Caliph sent a detachment of tribes from various parts of Arabia under the
command of Yazid bin Abu Sufyan with instructions to invade Damascus.
One more detachment headed by Abu
Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was dispatched to attack Hims. He sent yet another detachment headed by
Shurahbil bin Hasanah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ),
after he returned to Al-Madinah from his campaign in Iraq, to launch an attack
from the side of Jordan. These four strong detachments went to attack Syria
from four sides. This campaign took place in Muharram 13 AH.
When all the four detachments
crossed into Syria, and Heraclius came to know that the Muslim force has
divided itself in four groups to attack four positions, he also made four
groups of his army to be commanded by four generals. He sent his full brother,
Tadharaq at the head of 90 thousand armed men to face Amr bin Al-As (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Palestine. Jurjah
bin Budhiyah was given 40 thousand soldiers to combat Yazid bin Abu Sufyan in
Damascus. General Raqis was dispatched with an army of 50 thousand men to fight
with Shurahbil bin Hasanah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
in Jordan and Rafiqah bin Nasturas was asked to take on Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Hims with 60
thousand men under his command Thus, he collected two hundred and 40 thousand
troops strong to go to war against the Muslims, who were altogether 30 thousand
in number. It makes it clear what kind of major preparations, Heraclius had
undertaken to rout the Muslim forces. Although Heraclius was wise enough to
avoid the battle, his courtiers, nobles and chiefs were adamant in their
ambition to invade Arabia.
Although the Muslim generals were
making separate movements, each of them was bound by the Caliph's order to keep
close contact and be aware of one another's state of affairs. When the Muslim
commanders entered Syrian territory, they found to their amazement that for
each Muslim detachment the enemy had eight times more forces. They took stock
of the situation and informed Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) of what they were facing at the time and took a decision to
jointly face the enemy. As the four Muslim generals assembled at Yarmuk, they
received orders from the Caliph to face the enemy jointly.
Moreover, the Caliph sent orders to
Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to rush to the spot
of danger with half of the troops and put Muthanna bin Harithah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Hirah with the
other half. He was also commanded to take charge of the joint command as the
supreme commander. With the receipt of these orders from headquarters, Khalid
bin Walid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), the Sword of Allah,
hurried to Syria with a contingent of ten thousand soldiers leaving an equal
number in Hirah.
Following the Muslim strategy,
Heraclius also ordered his commanders to form a united front. His full brother
Tadharaq headed the huge army of Heraclius. Besides, he dispatched a well-known
general, Mahan with a large detachment to strengthen the army arranged against
the Muslim forces.
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