Umar (R.A)'s Caliphate Flashcards
Describe the Battle of Namaraq.
Abu Ubaidah was given the command of the expedition to Iran. Rustam, the commander-in-chief of the Persian army sent two large armies under the command of Jaban and Narsi. The first battle Abu Ubaidah fought was with Jaban at Namaraq. Jaban was utterly defeated and captured by a Muslim soldier who did not recognise him. He made a deal with the soldier to set him free for some amount of money and two slaves but then someone recognised Jaban and he was brought forth to Abu Ubaidah who said that since he had made a deal with the soldier, he would be set free. The Persians who fled from Namaraq joined the army of Narsi but were also badly defeated and the Muslims got control of two frontier districts whose chiefs pledged loyalty to Abu Ubaidah.
Describe the Battle of Jasr.
Also known as the Battle of the Bridge. Rustam sent a large army under the command of Bahman. Abu Ubaidah advanced to meet him in Shaban, 13th AH. The river of Euphrates lay before the 2 armies and the Muslims crossed it using a bridge of boats. When they reached the other side, they were intimidated by the Persians’ large elephants and got panicked. Abu Ubaidah told them to dismount their horses and bring down the Persian riders from their elephants. He himself cut off the trunk of the leader of the elephants and was trampled by the elephant. His martyrdom further panicked the Muslims who tried to flee but found their bridge had been cut off. Musannah held off the Persian army as the Muslims rebuilt the bridge however only 3000 of an army of 9000 survived as many Muslims got drowned in the river as they were fleeing.
Describe the battle of Buwaib.
After the defeat in the previous Battle, Umar (R.A) was greatly saddened and he sent reinforcements to help Musanna (R.A) The Battle of Buwaib was fought between Mehran, the Persian Commander and Musanna and his army. This time the Muslims did not cross the river and the Persians were forced to cross it. Though, they were large in number, the Muslims fought with courage and a young man cut off Mehran’s head. This time, it was the Persian forces who panicked and attempted to flee but found their bridge cut off. Half of the Persian army lost their lives, many were drowned in the river. The whole of Iraq was now in the hands of the Muslims.
Describe the battle of Qadisiya.
There was a riot in the whole of Persia after the loss in Buwaib. The queen was replaced by Yazdgard. Umar (R.A) told Musanna to retire to the Arabian border. Meanwhile, he started preparations. He wanted to lead the army himself but the Advisory Council did not accept this therefore he appointed Sa’ad Bin Abi Waqas. Sa’ad continued to march until he reached Kufah. There, he received the news of Musanna’s death and Musanna’s brother joined him with his 8000 men. Umar (R.A) chose Qadisiya as the place where the Muslims would halt. He asked for a map of the area and sent instructions for the army accordingly. Sa’ad (R.A) was ill so he commanded the army from his sick-bed. First, he sent 14 chiefs to Yazdgard, offering him to either accept Islam or pay Jizya. Yazdgard was angered and placed a basket full of earth on the Muslim envoy’s head. The envoy returned to Sa’ad and said “The enemy himself has handed over his soil to us.” which was taken by Sa’ad as a sign for victory. On the fourth day of battle, the Muslims had reached the heart of the Persian host and Rustam himself came out to fight. He was killed by a Muslim known as Bilal bin Alqama. 30,000 of his men were slain and the sacred flag of Iran was taken by the Muslims.
After Qadisiyia what battle was there?
-Conquest of Madain or Ctesiphon (Where Sa’ad rode his army on horses across the river to the White Palace and Persians got scared saying “The giants have come!” and Yazdgard had already fled with family but the Muslims got heaps of booty including precious stones and 1/5th of this was sent to Madinah)
-Battle of Jalula (where Yazdgard gathered his armies, north-east of Madain at Jalula were several important routes were, Hashim ibn Uthba was head of 30,000 troops who laid siege to Jalula for seven months, and this was the last region of Iraq)
-Conquest of Khuzestan (where after the city of Basra was established and the governor Abu Musa Ashari also took hold of Ahvas and Susa so Hurmazan fled to Shushtar, the city was besieged for 18 months, Hurmazan gave himself up and asked to be sent to Caliph, he accepted Islam and all of Khuzestan came under Muslim rule)
-Battle of Nahawand (Yazdgard’s final attempt, he settled in Merv and made preparations of an army numbering 150,000 under command of Mardan Shah, Umar wanted to lead the army but Companions disagreed so Noman bin Maqran was sent as commander, a battle was started at Nahawand but on the 3rd day, Persians went behind fortifications and had to be lured out by a clever strategem, the battle went on till the evening and the battlefield became slippery with blood, Noman was martyred, Persians fled, thousands were killed and a huge booty was won by Muslims. After this victory, Hamdan, Reym Azerbaijan, Armenia etc were quickly conquered and Khurasan occupied. Yazdgard went to China.)
Tell of all wars with Byzantines.
-Conquest of Damascus where Khalid snuck into the city and the commanders quickly bartered peace with Abu Ubaidah on the other side and the two forces met in the middle.
-Conquest of Homs where the besieged people expected assistance which they never received and so they made a treaty with the Muslims.
-Battle of Yarmuk where Khalid (sent by Abubakr to assist the 4 Syrian divisions) conquered forts on his way to help them and then finally joined them at Yarmuk where he became commander of all the divisions and divided the army into 38 regiments, 18 in the middle under Abu Ubaidah, and 10 and 10 on both sides, right side under Shurahbeel and left under Yazid. The Muslims fired arrows and had blocked the mouth of the valley so Romans ran back to the river Yarmuk where as many as 120,000 of their 240,000 force drowned.
-Conquest of Jerusalem where Amr had been laying siege and was joined by other Muslim generals. Christians surrendered and agreed to peace if the Caliph himself negotiated a treaty. So, Umar came, sharing his camel with his slave and signed a treaty, then offered prayers in Masjid-ul-Aqsa and built a Masjid on the Sakhra, as advised by the bishop.
-Egyptian Conquest where Amr bin al Aas was allowed to march with 4000 men and had a battle with the imperial troops which he won after a month, then he marched to their biggest stronghold and laid siege to their fort but he needed reinforcements so Umar sent 10, 000 men under Zubair and after 7 months, the fortress was conquered. Muqawqis signed a peace treaty.
-Fall of Alexandria where the Emperor of Byzantine sent a huge army by sea to Alexandria, Amr bin al Aas besieged the city for 6 months after which it fell and Amr founded a city on River Nile’s bank, called Fustat. Then he marched to North Africa and laid siege to Barqa and then attacked Tripoli-of-the-West
