The Biography of the Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Walid (MAPH) (Part 51)
The Division of Roman Troops to Fight Against the Four Armies of Islam
Heraclius had very deep and thoughtful plans in his mind. He sent his brother Tazaraq with seventy thousand warriors to Syedna Amr ibn As (may Allah be pleased with him) in Palestine; Al-Fiqar, the son of Nestus, led sixty thousand men to fight Syedna Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) towards Homs; Zharzhareh, the son of Tuzra, commanded fifty thousand men to Damascus; and Daraqs brought fifty thousand warriors to face Syedna Sharhbel (RA) in the land of Jordan.
Compared to the forces of Islam, these numbers were significantly larger, and the Roman troops were well-armed and hungry for war against the Muslims.
The Mujahideen were concerned about the large size of the Roman armies
The Muslims feared the number and war capabilities of the Romans, but they recognized that patience and composure were essential. They reported the current situation in a letter to Hazrat Syedna Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), seeking their counsel on the matter.
Hazrat Syedna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) responded: “Our opinion and directive is to ensure the unity and solidarity of the armies. If you are united, you will not be defeated in terms of numbers; if you disperse, you will not be able to face enemies who have prepared themselves to fight you. Therefore, it is necessary to unite in Yarmouk and fight together against the enemy.”
Syedna Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) also sent a letter, similar to the opinion of Syedna Umar (RA), the text of which is as follows: “Gather the armies in one place and beat the great army of polytheism; In truth, you are the helpers of Allah Almighty, and surely Allah Almighty is the helper of those who give Him help and support, and surely Allah Almighty is the defeater of those who disbelieve in Him. A large army like yours does not fail in terms of quantity, but it suffers and defeats due to sins and disobedience to Allah Almighty. Therefore, avoid sins; Gather together in Yarmouk; Strengthen each other and join hands.”
When Heraclius, the king of Rome, was informed about the monotheism of the Muslim armies, he immediately ordered his troops to gather together and attack the Muslims together. He made his brother Tazareq the commander of the army.
Heraclius had understood well that if the Arabs and Muslims win this time, they will expand their border to Syria and after that there will be no power left for the Romans; Therefore, they had to use all their strength in this war.
In Yarmouk, the parties were located on both sides of a valley called Waqusa and waited for each other for three months (Safar, Rabi-ul-Awl and Rabi-ul-Sani). But during this period, there was no conflict between the two sides. The Muslims were also waiting for the auxiliary force of the central government.
At the same time, Syedna Abu Bakr Siddique, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The only man in this square is Khalid; I swear to Allah, by sending Khalid to this field, I must eradicate the evil temptations of Rome. Accordingly, he sent him a letter and ordered him to move towards Sham as soon as possible and join the Muslim army in Yarmouk. “He can return to Iraq after conquering Sham and continue his conquests.”
We will review how the journey and the problems faced by Syedna Khalid bin Walid may Allah be pleased with him in other sections.
