The
Battle of Yarmuk
Khalid (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) examined the situation like a seasoned commander. One night he
sensed the enemy would attack the next morning, and that night he divided his
army of about 40 to 46 thousand into small squads headed by separate commanders
of high caliber, keeping a small but selected squad for his own company. He
then instructed the head of every squad about the strategy to be followed.
The Romans proceeded with the attack
with a contingent of 40 thousand soldiers, which was immediately repulsed. Next
came the noted Roman general Jurjah bin Budhiyah with his column and expressed
his desire to talk to Khalid bin Walid (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). When Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
moved near to him, he wished to know about Islam, which the Muslim commander
did adequately. He embraced Islam on the spot and moved along with Khalid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to become a part of
the Muslim army. He then fought against the Romans gallantly and then fell
martyred.
Both the armies were locked together
in a fierce fight. Although the Muslim army was deficient in number, it was
more than a match for the Romans in courage and vitality. Their fervor was so
high that even women plunged into the battlefield to prove their mettle as
fighters for Islam. Abu Sufyan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was encouraging the Muslim soldiers with his martial songs. Mean while Ikrimah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) cried out: "Who
are they to promise me about death?" Dirar bin Azwar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and other four hundred men pledged their
allegiance at the time on either being martyred or victorious on the
battlefield. Following this, the entire party fell on the Roman army like
hungry tigers. Miqdad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was reciting aloud Verses of Surat Al-Anfal to produce in them the spirit of
martyrdom.
The brave sons of Islam Khalid bin
Walid, Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah, Shurahbil bin Hasanah, Yazid bin Abu Sufyan,
Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl, Qa'qa' bin Amr, Abu Sufyan, Abud-Darda, Amr bin As,
Harith bin Dirar and Jurjah bin Budhiyah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) performed such deeds of valor that have never been witnessed
before. From morning to evening swords and daggers, arrows and spears remained
in action. Zuhr (noon) and Asr (afternoon) prayers were performed only
symbolically while the fighting was going on. The day drew to an end but not
the battle. Exhausted with the day-long operations and frustrated with failure
after failure, the Romans lost heart and began to retreat till they had the
mountain at their back, while the Muslims kept advancing and pushing them back
till they started to flee. The pursuing Muslim troops forced them into the
river, many were drowned, and others fell to their death. In this way, one
hundred and thirty thousand soldiers were killed. The rest fled for their
lives.
The morning sun rose with the
message of Muslim victory and the Roman soldiers were nowhere to be seen.
Tadharaq, the Roman commander and full brother of Heraclius was killed along
with a few other generals. Three thousand Muslims were honored with martyrdom.
Among the martyrs the names of Jurjah bin Budhiyah, Ikrimah bin Abu Jahl, Amr
bin Ikrimah, Salamah bin Hisham, Amr bin Saeed, Aban bin Saeed, Hisham bin
Al-As, Habbar bin Sufyan and Tufail bin Amr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) were of those well known.
The battle of Yarmuk is stated to
have been fought in Rabi' Al-Awwal or Rabi' Al-Akhir 13 AH. However, this does
not appear to be correct. The battle of Yarmuk must have taken place by the end
of Jumada Al-Ukhra. The Muslim troops had conquered Busra before the Roman army
reached Yarmuk. Moreover, the news of the conquest of Yarmuk had not reached
Al-Madinah until after the death of Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). It is impossible that the news of the Muslim victory in
Yarmuk would have taken two or two-and-a-half months to reach Al-Madinah.
Death
of Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
The battle of Yarmuk in Syria had
left Heraclius bewildered for he could not reason the crushing defeat of several
hundred thousand armored Roman troops at the hands of a handful of Muslims.
Dejected and embarrassed, he left Hims and proceeded to some unknown place.
However, before his departure, he laid stress on strengthening the forts of
Damascus and Hims. Damascus had come under the siege of the Muslim army and the
entire land of Syria was about to be captured by them. Now, instead of looking
towards Arabia, they were anticipating their own death and destruction. The
green and fertile land of Iraq had already come to the Muslim fold. Islamic
rule was now engaged in expanding Arabian territory by pushing the Persians and
Romans back.
At the beginning of Jumada Al-Ukhra
13 AH, Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
caught a fever and its intensity continued unabated for a fortnight. When he
grew sure of his last hours drawing near, he sent for Abdur-Rahman bin Auf (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and held
consultation with him regarding the caliphate and said, "What's your
opinion about Umar?" He replied, "He is very strict and severe in his
treatment and behavior." Thereupon Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "His strictness was simply due to my softness. I
have myself examined that Umar was inclined to adopt a hard-line in matters I
happened to be polite about, but he always turned soft when he found me strict.
I think the caliphate will make him soft and moderate in his opinion and
approach." Following this, he called Uthman bin Affan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and put the same question to him. He said
in reply, "Umar's internal self is better than his external one; he is
superior to us all."
When Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was consulted, he made almost the same answer. Then came
Talhah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and when Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said to him, "I
would like to appoint Umar as the caliph of the Muslims." He said,
"What answer will you give to Allah the Almighty about what you have done
to the people you ruled over?" In response to this he said, "I shall
answer Allah the Almighty that I have appointed the best of Your creatures as
caliph for Your creatures." Having heard this, Talhah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) kept silent. Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) asked Uthman (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to put down his will, which is given below:
"This is the pledge which I,
the caliph of the (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) have made at a time
when his last hour in this world is at hand and the first hour of the Hereafter
is approaching fast. In such a state, even a disbeliever comes to believe and a
transgressor too attains conviction. I have appointed Umar bin Al-Khattab to be
your caliph, and I have never fallen short of your expectation in doing good
for you all. Thus, if Umar takes to justice and endurance, it is quite within
my knowledge; if he commits anything wrong, I am unaware of the unseen. What I
have decided upon is nothing but good. Everybody has to face the consequences
of his deeds."
"Those who wronged will come to
know by what overturning they will be overturned." (26:227)
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