KHALID BIN WALEED
WAR OF MOATAH

TEGUH: Human nature and the basic strategies of war normally do not change; it is for this reason that invaluable lessons can be gained even from the battles fought far back in ancient history.

FAEZ: Before Khalid bin Waleed accepted Islam, almost in every engagement, he used to enter battlefield challenging the Prophet Muhammad (saw). He was the most dangerous enemy of Islam. In the battle of Uhud, he played a major role in converting the victory of Muslims into defeat.

MULIA: However, at each battle against Muslims, it seem Allah sowed in his heart the love of Islam. On the first day of Safar 8th Hijrah, Khalid bin Waleed had converted to Islam, because he was influenced by the magnetic personality of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). He requested the Prophet to offer supplicants to Allah Almighty to forgive him for all the sins he had committed with the might of his sword against Islam and for the problems he had created for Muslims.

FAEZ: The Prophet assured him that all he had done as a kafir (disbeliever) in his day of ignorance would be automatically erased.

TEGUH: The War of Moatah (a town in the province of Balqa on the boundary of Syria), was the first war in which Khalid bin Waleed took part as an ordinary soldier after his conversion to Islam. There were only 3,000 Muslim soldiers, compared to 200,000 fierce enemy warriors. The war was started due to: (1) the Prophet sent Haris bin Amr Azdi with a letter for the ruler of Basra. However he was arrested and killed brutally by a governor along the journey; (2) a missionary group of 15 of the Prophet’s Companions were treacherously murdered in Zat Al-Atlah; (3) the ruler of Rome had threatened to invade Al-Madinah.

AKHTAR: Prophet sent an army under Zaid bin Harithah, and instructed in case Zaid bin Harithah was martyred during the war, his place should be taken by Jafar bin Abi Talib. If he too was martyred then Abdullah bin Rawaha should take over the command of the Islamic forces. If all the three persons were martyred, then the Islamic forces should decide on who should be their Commander.

MULIA: They were ordered not to kill old people, women or children. Nor should they kill any monk who had abandoned the world to pray or mediate. No buildings were to be razed to the ground, nor trees to be felled.

FAEZ: The two armies confronted each other and heavy fighting broke out. Zaid bin Harithah was martyred, then Jafar bin Abu Talib took command and holding the flag. Since the enemy’s army was huge in number, the fighting was intense and difficult to ride through them. So he jumped off from his horse and started to rip off the heads of the enemy with his sword. Finally, one of the enemy soldiers managed to land a powerful blow and cut off his right hand. He took the flag in his left hand and the enemy cut off the left hand as well. He continued to hold it with the help of his legs and what was left of his arms. The enemy struck a final fatal blow, and Jafar bin Abu Talib attained the status of a martyr.

TEGUH: Now Abdullah bin Rawaha took over the responsibility of Commander, and finally he too after displaying marvellous deeds of heroism reached martyrdom. The morale of the Muslims was at its lowest ebb. The flag of Muslim army had almost fallen into the hands of the enemy, when Thabit bin Aqram picked up the flag. He then turned to Khalid bin Waleed, and pleaded Khalid bin Waleed to take charge.

AKHTAR: Khalid bin Waleed in very civil and humble toned declined the honour, saying that Thabit bin Aqram was superior to him, having taken part in the battle of Badar, had the right to be the leader.

FAEZ: Thabit bin Aqram then turning to the army and asked them whether they would like to accept Khalid bin Waleed as their leader. They all answered positively. Realizing that he was the choice of the Muslim army, Khalid bin Waleed picked up the flag, accepting the position of Commander. He fought so fiercely and the enemy was shattered.

TEGUH: He was not cowed down by the enemy, he did not tremble, neither could be deterred from the pursuit of his objective. He struck terror in the hearts of the enemy. He loved death more than worldly life, to achieve martyrdom in the cause of Islam.

MULIA: Another important event was the conquest of Makkah. In this battle the Prophet himself appointed Khalid bin Waleed to lead a brigade. There were about 10,000 Muslims in the army, far outnumbering the inhabitants of Makkah. Finally, the whole Muslim army peacefully entered Makkah on Friday the 20th day of Ramadhan 8th Hijrah. This was the same Makkah from where the Prophet had been forced to emigrate in the dead of night.

TEGUH: Khalid bin Waleed preached and converting people to Islam, and also fighting several wars in the cause of Islam. He had always wanted a martyr’s death, but fate took a different path. He was dying in his bed and fate had not given him the golden robe of a martyr. But he was not totally lost, he got Islam which is far more worthy than anything else in this universe. He died in Hamas in the year 21th Hijrah and was buried there.