The Biography of the sword of Allah: “Khalid bin Walid ‘may Allah be pleased with him’ (Part 61)
Khalid, May Allah Be Pleased with Him: From Fighting Skills to Death
As discussed in the previous sections, Hazrat Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, possessed the ability and talent given to him by Allah, enabling him to stand against the enemy in various battles and fields. He raised the auspicious flag of Islam in every corner of the world and proclaimed the great name of Islam far and wide.
In this final part, we will briefly explore the fighting skills of Hazrat Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, before concluding with a discussion of his death.
The fighting skills and divine talents of Hazrat Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, are well-known; however, these abilities and his genius were primarily demonstrated through his exceptional organization of the armies of Islam. Therefore, some people may not fully comprehend that Hazrat Khalid’s, may Allah be pleased with him, personality is greater than this singular aspect.
Khalid in the Battlefields in Different Places
The first notable demonstration of Khalid’s fighting skill, even before embracing Islam, occurred in the Battle of Uhud. He noticed the weak point of the Muslims, and when they were hasty in collecting the booty, he attacked them from behind and defeated them, turning all the sorrow of the polytheists into joy and happiness.
In the Battle of Mu’tah, when the morale of the troops was shattered and everyone was disheartened and hesitant to engage in battle, Hazrat Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) rallied his troops, encouraging them to resist the enemy and turn the tide of war to their advantage. He did not abandon the battlefield or flee like the cowardly commanders of the infidels.
In the Battle of Yamamah, Khalid found himself facing an army that outnumbered the Muslims several times over. As the fighting intensified and Muslims were martyred one by one, the morale of the mujahideen began to wane. At that critical moment, with the help of Almighty Allah and Khalid’s divine talent, he issued a challenge that none of the mujahideen dared to ignore. Shouting among the Islamic army, he instructed each tribe to separate from the others so that they could identify their weak points and the individuals disrupting their ranks. This strategy motivated the fighters to perform well and not flee, resulting in their eventual victory over the enemy of Islam, the false prophet Musailama.
When Khalid engaged in war with the Persian Empire, he faced a formidable superpower. The first caliph of the Muslims ordered him to conquer Iraq and liberate it from Iranian control. Hazrat Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, immediately set out, writing a letter to the great Iranian commander in Iraq, Hormuz, threatening him. He displayed no fear and had complete trust in Allah Almighty.
Hormuz dismissed Khalid’s letters, failing to grasp the determination behind them. When Hormuz witnessed Khalid’s effectiveness in battle, he assembled the best-equipped army, fully armed, to confront him. At this encounter, Khalid fought with the ferocity of a lion and killed Hormuz.
Hazrat Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, spent months with his army in Iraq, conquering region by region and city by city, gradually approaching the Iranian Empire. Iran was quaking in fear of his imminent attack; however, the Caliph’s message soon arrived, instructing Khalid to leave Iraq and assist his brothers in Syria. Khalid appointed his successors in the conquered territories before proceeding to Syria with some of his commanders.
As he journeyed towards the Roman Empire, a power greater than Iran, Khalid encountered a vast desert. Yet, his faith and trust in Allah Almighty were unwavering, allowing him to overcome hunger and thirst as he traversed the arid landscape. On his way to Sham, he came across a large group of enemies and defeated them all before reaching Sham. Upon arriving, he observed that the Muslims were fighting separately, lacking unity among their ranks. Therefore, he gathered everyone and boldly addressed them, proposing that each commander take turns leading the fight on different days. He took the first turn, expertly organizing the ranks of the mujahideen and assigning each fighter to specific positions. They then engaged in battle and claimed victory.
Hazrat Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, achieved numerous victories during the reign of the first caliph, clearing many regions in Sham of Roman presence and forcing them to retreat. He then turned his attention to other parts of Sham, such as Homs and Marj, conquering those lands during the caliphate of the second Caliph of the Muslims and bringing them under the rule of Islam.
