The Biography of the Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Walid “May Allah Be Pleased with Him” (Part 56)
Khalid (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) in the Campaign Against Rome
As discussed in the previous sections, Hazrat Khalid (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) brought the entire Islamic army into a special order and changed its war system. In this section, we consider his important and vital presence on the battlefield.
The Confrontation Between the Army of Infidels and Islam on the Battlefield
Allamah Abu Zaid Shalabi (May Allah Have Mercy on Him) writes about the joining of the two armies: “Finally, the two armies attacked each other, and the horsemen fought. The tongues were dumbed down, and the ears could not hear anything but the sound of clashing swords and the neighing of horses.”
The Conversation Between the Commanders of the Two Armies in the Middle of the Field
Meanwhile, a commander named Jurjah emerged from the heart of the Roman army and advanced to the middle of the ranks of the two armies. He shouted, “Khalid! Get out of line and come to me!” Khalid appointed Abu Ubaidah in his place and went to Jurjah. Jurjah said to Khalid, “O Khalid! Tell me the truth! Has your Prophet received a sword from the sky and given it to you so that you can defeat anyone with it?” Khalid replied, “No.” Jurjah continued, “Then why are you called Saifullah?” Khalid explained, “Allah Almighty sent His Messenger to us, and at first, some of us opposed him and drove him away. I was also among those who did not believe in him and denied him. But Allah Almighty guided me, and I was adorned with faith. When I became a Muslim, the Holy Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to me, ‘You are one of the swords of Allah that Allah has placed over the heads of the polytheists.’ Then he prayed for my victory. On this occasion, they nicknamed me Saifullah.”
Jurjah asked, “O Khalid! Tell me, what are you inviting me to?” Khalid answered, “By performing the good word of Shahadatain (the declaration that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger).” Jurjah inquired, “What is the verdict for a person who does not respond to this invitation?” Khalid replied, “He should pay Jizya, and we will defend him in return.” Jurjah asked, “What if he is not ready to pay Jizya?” Khalid said, “We will declare war on him, and then we will fight him.” Jurjah then asked, “If someone accepts your invitation, what position will he hold among you?” Khalid explained, “The value and position of all of us, rich and poor, big and small, is the same in doing what Allah has obligated for us.” Jurjah questioned, “How can the status of a new Muslim person be the same as your status, given that you have gone ahead?” Khalid replied, “We believed when the Prophet of Allah (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) was alive, and we pledged allegiance to him. We witnessed all his miracles with our eyes and directly observed all religious affairs. However, you believe without having seen what we have seen. Thus, whoever believes after us will have a status higher than ours.”
Jurjah, the Commander of the Roman Army Converting to Islam
After that, Jurjah said to Khalid, “I swear by Allah, you told me the truth.” He then accompanied Khalid to the Muslims and asked him to teach him about Islam. Hazrat Syedna Khalid (RA) took him into his tent and sprinkled a bottle of water on him as a Ghusl. Then, Jurjah performed two rak’ahs of prayer.
Meanwhile, the Roman soldiers thought that their commander, Jurjah, had entered that tent to attack. Therefore, all of them launched a strong assault on the Muslims, forcing them to retreat.
Khalid and Jurjah Fighting in the Same Line
After Khalid realized that the Muslims were under attack, he went out of the tent with Jurjah and fought against the enemy. They encouraged the Muslims to be patient and steadfast; when the Muslims learned of Jurjah’s conversion to Islam, they were greatly encouraged. In contrast, as soon as the Romans were informed of this event, they were saddened, and their morale plummeted. Jurjah continued to fight against the Romans until he reached the high status of martyrdom between Maghrib and Isha prayers, responding to the call of Almighty Allah.
The Moment of the Defeat of the Army of the World Superpower and the Conquest of Sham
After the martyrdom of Jurjah, Hazrat Khalid (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) attacked the heart of the enemy, engaging their cavalry and pushing them all back. Many were killed, and others fled. Then he turned his attention to the infantry and defeated them completely.
In this Great War, about 150,000 Romans were killed or wounded, and the Muslims acquired a significant amount of booty. In this conflict, only three hundred Muslims were martyred, and a few were wounded; yet everyone fought bravely and defeated the proud army of Rome.
The Battle of Yarmouk is one of the fateful events in the history of the East. Following this, Muslim conquests continued in that region, and many lands were liberated from the oppressive Romans and brought under the shade of Islamic justice.
The News of the Conquest of Sham and the Death of Hazrat Siddiq Akbar (May Allah Be Pleased with Him)
In the final moments of the war, a letter reached Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (May Allah Be Pleased with Him), stating that Abu Bakr had passed away, and that Khalid’s mission had concluded. It was conveyed that Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah would be the new commander of the Islamic Army.
Abu Ubaidah did not immediately disclose this news to the Muslims so as not to confuse them or weaken their faith. When the war ended in favor of the Muslims and everyone was relieved, Abu Ubaidah came forward and read the letter in front of the Muslims. Everyone prayed for forgiveness and for the elevation of ranks.
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