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 Battle‌‌of‌‌Namaraq‌‌
‌
Date:‌‌6‌ 34‌‌A.D.‌‌
Muslim‌‌army:‌‌‌5,000‌‌muslims‌u‌ nder‌t‌ he‌‌command‌‌of‌Al-Muthanna‌h ‌ibn‌‌Haritha.‌‌
Persian‌a‌ rmy:‌In‌‌a‌l‌ arge‌‌number‌u‌ nder‌‌the‌‌command‌‌of‌‌Rustam‌‌Farrokhzad.‌
‌

Cause:‌‌T‌ he‌‌Battle‌‌of‌‌Namaraq (634 ‌CE‌)‌‌was‌‌a‌‌conflict‌‌between‌‌Muslims‌‌and‌‌Persians‌‌that‌

o‌ ccurred‌i‌ n‌‌Namaraq,‌‌near‌‌modern‌‌day ‌Kufa‌(Iraq).‌‌During‌‌the ‌Khilafat‌of‌‌Hazrat‌‌Abu‌‌Bakr,
‌Muslims‌under‌t‌ he‌‌command‌‌of‌‌Al-Muthanna‌h ‌and ‌Khalid‌‌bin‌‌Walid‌conquered‌‌the‌‌Kingdom‌‌of
‌Hira‌,‌‌a‌‌part‌‌of‌‌the ‌Persian‌‌Empire‌.‌‌At‌‌the‌l‌ oss‌‌of‌‌Hira,‌‌the‌ ‌Persians‌‌became‌f‌ urious‌‌and‌‌tried‌‌to‌
‌recover‌i‌ t‌f‌ rom‌‌the‌‌Muslims.‌‌Yazdgard, the‌‌Sasanian‌‌king,‌‌began‌‌to‌‌take‌‌the‌‌Arabs‌m ‌ ore seriously‌.‌
‌
‌

Events:‌‌The‌‌Persians‌‌commissioned‌f‌ orces‌u‌ nder‌‌Rustam,‌‌a‌f‌ amous‌‌Sassanian‌‌general.‌‌Khalid‌

b‌ in‌‌Walid‌‌had‌‌already‌l‌ eft‌‌for‌‌Syria‌s‌ o‌‌Al-Muthanna‌h ‌had‌t‌ o‌‌fight‌‌alone.‌‌‌Yazdgard‌‌‌sent‌‌the‌
‌forces‌t‌ o‌‌the‌‌Arab‌‌‌border‌‌areas,‌‌and‌l‌ ooked‌‌to‌‌be‌‌gaining‌‌the‌‌upper‌‌hand,‌‌as‌‌Al-Muthannah ‌had‌t‌ o‌
‌call‌f‌ or‌‌reinforcements‌‌from‌‌Medina‌.‌‌Umar‌s‌ ent‌‌Abu‌‌Ubayd‌‌ath-thaqafi‌‌with‌‌reinforcements.‌
‌Rustam's‌‌first‌m‌ ove‌‌was‌‌to‌‌send‌e‌ missaries‌t‌ o‌‌stir‌‌up‌‌revolt‌‌in‌‌the‌‌Arabian‌‌territory‌‌captured‌‌by‌
‌Muslims.‌‌This‌‌plan‌‌worked‌‌and‌‌they‌‌lost‌‌all‌‌their‌‌possessions.‌‌In‌‌the‌‌battle‌‌that‌‌followed,‌
Muslims‌‌defeated‌‌the‌‌Persians.‌‌

Result:‌‌‌This‌s‌ urprised‌‌the‌‌Persians‌‌as‌‌they‌‌had‌‌not‌‌expected‌‌such‌‌a‌‌heavy‌l‌ oss‌‌and‌‌it‌‌also‌‌hurt‌

t‌ heir‌‌pride‌‌as‌‌they‌‌were‌‌defeated‌‌by‌‌a‌m
‌ uch‌s‌ maller‌‌force.‌‌In‌‌addition,‌‌they‌‌lost‌‌many‌f‌ amous‌
‌generals,‌‌including‌J‌ aban,‌i‌ n‌‌the‌b‌ attle.‌‌And‌‌they‌‌took‌‌as‌s‌ poils‌‌things‌‌that‌‌the‌‌Persian‌l‌ eaders‌
‌had‌‌exclusively‌‌kept‌f‌ or‌t‌ hemselves‌‌and‌‌took‌‌back‌t‌ hose‌‌possessions‌‌that‌‌they‌‌had‌l‌ ost‌‌earlier.‌‌
 ‌

‌Battle‌o‌ f‌‌Jasr‌‌
Date‌:‌6‌ 34‌‌A.D.‌‌
Muslim‌‌army:‌‌‌9,000‌‌muslims‌u‌ nder‌‌the‌‌command‌‌of‌‌Abu‌‌Ubayd ‌ath-Thaqafi.
Persian army: A large number of Persians under the command of Bahman Jaduya.

Cause:‌‌‌The‌ir ‌defeat‌‌by the‌‌Mus‌lims‌‌shocked‌t‌ he‌‌Persians.‌‌Rustam‌‌was‌m‌ uch‌‌infuriated‌‌at‌‌the‌

n‌ ews‌‌of‌‌the‌‌crushing‌‌defeat.‌‌He‌‌asked,‌‌“Who‌‌do‌‌you‌t‌ hink‌‌among‌‌the‌‌Persians‌‌would‌‌be‌‌the‌
‌strongest‌i‌ n‌‌confronting‌t‌ he‌‌Arabs?”‌T‌ hey‌t‌ old‌‌him,‌‌“Bahman‌‌Jaduya''.‌‌So‌‌Rustum‌‌dispatched‌‌a‌
‌fresh‌‌army‌‌under‌‌the‌‌command‌‌of‌‌Bahman‌‌Jaduya‌‌‌which‌‌encamped‌‌on‌‌the‌‌eastern‌s‌ ide‌‌of‌‌the‌
‌River‌Euphrates ‌somewhere‌‌near‌‌Babel.‌‌The‌‌Musims‌‌after‌‌defeating‌‌the‌‌Persians‌‌in‌‌battle‌‌of‌
‌Namaraq‌‌had‌‌returned‌t‌ o‌‌their‌‌original‌‌position‌‌at‌‌Hira‌‌on‌‌the‌‌western‌‌side‌‌of‌‌Euphrates.‌‌Thus‌
‌the‌‌river‌‌divided‌‌the‌‌two‌‌hostile‌‌armies.‌‌

EVENTS:‌There‌‌was‌‌a‌‌bridge‌‌separating‌t‌ he‌‌two‌‌armies;‌‌so,‌‌the‌‌Persians‌‌called‌‌out‌‌giving‌‌the‌
c‌ hoice:‌e‌ ither‌‌for‌‌the‌‌Muslims‌‌to‌‌cross‌‌the‌‌bridge‌‌over‌‌to‌‌them‌‌or‌‌the‌‌Persians‌‌would‌‌cross‌‌the‌
‌bridge‌‌over‌‌to‌t‌ he‌‌Muslims‌‌to‌s‌ tart‌‌fighting.‌‌Abu‌‌Ubayd‌‌sought‌‌the‌‌opinion‌‌of‌‌those‌‌who‌‌were‌‌with‌
‌him,‌‌and‌‌they‌‌all‌‌recommended‌‌to‌‌him‌‌that‌t‌ he‌‌Persians‌s‌ hould‌‌cross‌‌the‌‌bridge‌‌to‌‌them.‌‌However‌
‌Abu‌‌Ubayd‌‌refused.‌‌He‌‌said,‌‌“They‌‌shall‌‌not‌‌be‌‌more‌‌daring‌‌to‌‌die‌t‌ han‌‌us!” Ubayd's‌‌keen sense‌‌of‌
‌honour‌‌could‌‌not‌‌bear‌‌this‌‌taunt.‌‌He‌‌ordered‌‌his‌m ‌ en‌t‌ o‌‌cross‌‌the‌‌river‌‌to‌‌meet‌t‌ he‌‌Persians‌‌and‌
‌so‌‌they‌‌did‌, ‌but‌‌the‌‌space‌‌on‌‌the‌‌other‌‌bank‌‌was‌‌too‌‌narrow.‌‌The‌‌horses‌‌were‌t‌ errified‌‌and‌‌would‌
‌not‌‌go‌a‌ gainst‌‌the‌‌huge‌e‌ lephants‌‌that‌‌confronted‌‌them.‌T‌ he‌‌Muslim‌‌army‌‌came‌‌down‌f‌ rom‌‌their‌
‌horses‌‌and‌m‌ ade‌‌a‌‌dash‌‌against‌‌the‌‌elephants—‌men‌‌against‌‌elephants!‌T‌ his‌‌was‌t‌ he‌‌most‌‌reckless‌
‌though‌the most‌‌heroic‌‌attempt.‌‌Abu‌‌Ubaid‌‌perished‌i‌ n‌‌this ‌struggle,‌‌being‌‌trampled‌‌by‌‌an‌
e‌ lephant.‌‌When‌‌the‌‌Muslims‌s‌ aw‌t‌ hat,‌s‌ ome‌‌of‌‌them‌‌felt‌‌defeated‌‌on‌t‌ he‌‌inside.‌‌His‌‌son‌, ‌Jabr‌,
‌took‌t‌ he‌‌banner‌a‌ nd‌t‌ hey‌‌removed‌‌Abu‌‌Ubayd‌‌from‌u‌ nderneath‌‌the‌l‌ eg‌‌of‌t‌ he‌‌elephant‌‌and‌‌
they‌‌went‌‌back‌‌to‌‌attacking‌‌the‌e‌ lephants.‌J‌ abr‌‌was‌‌also‌‌killed‌‌under‌‌the‌‌foot‌‌of‌‌the‌‌elephant.‌
‌After‌‌him ‌7‌m ‌ en‌from‌‌among‌‌the‌‌tribe‌‌of‌‌Abu‌‌Ubayd‌including Al-Hakm‌, the brother of Abu-
ubayd, ‌took‌‌over‌t‌ he‌‌banner‌‌one‌‌after‌‌the‌‌other.‌‌Each‌‌one‌‌of‌‌them‌‌would‌‌take‌‌the‌‌banner‌‌and‌
‌fight‌u‌ ntil‌‌he‌‌was‌‌killed. After‌t‌ hey‌‌were‌‌all‌‌killed‌‌Al-Muthannah‌‌ibn‌‌Haritha ‌took‌‌the‌‌banner.‌
‌At‌‌that‌‌time,‌‌many‌‌Muslim‌s‌ oldiers‌‌had‌‌fled.‌‌The‌‌tide‌‌of‌‌elephants‌‌could‌‌not‌‌be‌‌matched‌‌and‌t‌ he‌
‌Muslim‌‌army‌i‌ n‌‌utter‌‌consternation‌‌beat‌‌a‌‌retreat‌‌to‌‌the‌‌riverside.‌‌Someone‌‌had‌, i‌ n‌‌the‌
‌meantime‌, ‌broken‌‌the‌‌bridge‌‌in‌t‌ he‌‌hope‌t‌ hat‌‌the‌‌absence‌‌of‌m ‌ eans‌‌of‌e‌ scape‌‌would‌‌infuse‌‌the‌
‌retreating‌m ‌ uslims‌‌with‌t‌ he‌‌courage‌‌of‌‌despair.‌‌But‌t‌ his‌‌only‌‌added‌‌to‌‌the‌‌chaos‌‌and‌‌many‌‌threw‌
‌themselves‌i‌ nto‌‌the‌‌river.‌‌When‌‌Muthanna‌h ‌beheld‌t‌ his‌a‌ larming‌‌scene‌, ‌he‌‌at‌‌once‌‌had‌‌the‌b‌ ridge‌
‌re-constructed‌a‌ nd‌‌himself‌‌rushed‌t‌ o‌‌fight ‌the‌‌enemy.‌‌He‌e‌ ffected‌‌a‌‌successful‌‌retreat‌‌of‌‌the‌
‌whole‌‌army‌‌over‌‌the‌‌bridge‌‌and‌ ‌the‌l‌ ast‌‌to‌‌cross‌‌the‌‌bridge‌‌was‌‌Al-Muthannah himself. ‌‌

Result:‌But‌‌many‌‌veterans‌‌perished‌i‌n‌‌this‌‌heroic‌‌act,‌‌while‌‌those‌‌recently‌‌recruited‌‌took‌t‌ o‌
‌ ight.‌‌During‌‌this‌‌battle,‌‌2,000‌‌Muslims‌s‌ oldiers‌‌fled,‌‌2,000‌‌were‌‌killed‌‌and‌‌2,000‌‌drowned.
fl
‌Many‌‌of‌‌them‌‌were‌‌too‌‌shy‌‌to‌‌return‌‌to‌‌the‌‌people‌‌after‌‌they‌‌had‌e‌ scaped;‌s‌ o,‌‌they‌‌kept‌‌on‌‌going‌
‌until‌‌they‌‌reached‌‌Madinah.‌‌Only‌‌3,000‌s‌ oldiers‌‌remained‌u‌ nder‌‌the standards‌‌of‌‌Al-Muthanna.‌
‌The‌‌History‌‌of‌‌Islam‌‌at‌t‌ his‌‌period‌‌pressents‌‌no‌‌other‌‌event‌‌so‌‌disastrous. The‌‌battle‌‌is‌‌known‌‌as‌
‌the‌‌Battle‌‌of‌J‌ asr‌‌or‌‌the‌‌Battle‌‌of the‌‌Bridge.‌‌
‌

Battle‌‌of‌‌Buwaib‌‌
Date:‌‌6‌ 35‌‌A.D.‌‌
Muslim‌‌army:‌20,000‌‌m‌ uslims‌‌under‌‌the‌‌command‌‌of‌‌Al-Muthana‌‌ibn‌‌Haritha.‌‌
Persian‌a‌ rmy:‌200,000‌u‌ nder‌t‌ he‌‌command‌‌of‌‌Mehran‌‌
‌

Cause:‌‌T‌ he Battle‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Bridge‌‌‌was‌‌a‌‌decisive‌‌Sasanian‌‌victory‌‌which‌‌gave‌t‌ hem‌a‌ ‌‌huge‌b‌ oost‌‌to‌

e‌ xpel‌‌invading‌‌Arabs‌‌from‌‌Mesopotamia‌.‌‌Thus,‌‌they‌‌advanced‌‌with‌‌a‌‌huge‌‌army‌t‌ o‌‌fight‌‌the‌
‌remnants‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Muslim‌‌army‌‌near‌‌Kufa‌‌‌on‌‌the‌‌Euphrates‌.‌‌When‌‌the‌‌news‌‌of‌‌the‌‌disaster‌‌reached‌
‌Madinah‌, ‌Umar‌‌immediately‌‌dispatched‌‌couriers‌i‌ n‌‌all‌‌directions‌‌calling‌‌for‌‌fresh‌‌volunteers.‌‌It‌
‌was‌‌now‌a‌ ‌‌question‌‌of‌‌defence‌‌of‌‌Arabia‌‌and‌‌the‌‌chiefs‌‌of‌‌Christian‌‌tribes‌From Namr and taghlib‌
also‌‌came‌‌with‌‌thousands‌‌of‌‌men‌‌as‌‌their‌‌quota‌‌towards‌‌the‌‌cause‌‌of‌‌national‌‌defence.‌‌Had‌i‌ t‌‌not‌
‌been‌‌the‌‌question‌‌of‌‌purely‌t‌ he‌‌defence‌‌of‌‌Arabia‌‌there‌‌is‌‌no‌‌reason‌‌why‌‌thousand of‌‌Christians‌
‌should‌‌have‌‌so‌‌enthusiasticcally‌f‌ ought‌‌under‌‌the s‌ tandard‌‌of‌‌Islam.‌‌Umar‌‌endeavored‌‌to‌‌put‌‌the‌
‌different‌‌aids‌‌together‌‌in‌‌order‌‌to‌‌send‌t‌ hem‌t‌ o‌‌rescue‌‌Al-Muthannah‌‌and‌‌his‌‌army, who were
stationed at Ulleis.‌‌He‌‌started‌‌calling‌‌the‌‌people‌‌to‌‌go‌‌out‌‌toward‌‌the‌‌Persians‌‌and‌‌assist‌‌the‌
‌Muslims‌‌there.‌‌The‌‌Muslims‌s‌ tarted‌‌volunteering‌‌to‌‌go‌‌out.‌‌

Events:‌‌‌ After having received reinforcements, Muthanna moved to Zu Qar a few miles south
of Qadisiyah. The‌‌morale‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Muslims‌‌in‌‌that‌‌battle‌‌was‌‌very‌‌high;‌‌despite‌‌that‌‌which‌‌they‌
‌suffered‌‌before.‌‌Al-Muthanna‌i‌ bn‌‌Haritha‌‌‌managed‌‌to‌f‌ orce‌‌the‌u‌ pcoming‌‌Persian‌‌army‌who were
located on the eastern side of the river Opposite to Kufa, Led by Mihran, who was an expert in
Arabian way of war, ‌to‌‌cross‌‌the‌‌river‌t‌ his‌t‌ ime‌‌to‌‌a‌‌place‌‌where‌‌his‌‌soldiers,‌‌who‌‌had advanced
from Zu-Qar and were located on the western side at nakheila, divided‌‌into‌‌Brigades‌, so that they
‌could‌‌encircle‌t‌ heir‌‌numerically‌‌superior‌‌opponents.‌‌The‌‌war‌e‌ nded‌‌with‌‌a‌‌huge‌‌success‌f‌ or‌‌the‌
‌Muslims,‌‌thanks‌, i‌ n‌‌no‌‌small‌‌part‌, ‌to‌‌the‌‌help‌‌of‌l‌ ocal‌‌Christian‌‌Arab‌‌tribes‌‌who‌‌decided‌‌to‌‌help‌
‌the‌‌Muslim‌‌army.‌‌According‌‌to‌T‌ abari,‌‌the‌‌Persian‌‌leader‌‌Mihran‌‌bin‌‌Badhan‌‌was‌‌killed‌‌by‌‌a‌
‌warrior‌‌of‌‌the‌T‌ aghlib‌‌tribe.‌‌

Result:‌The‌‌Arabs‌‌gained‌t‌ he‌‌momentum‌‌to‌f‌ urther‌‌expand‌‌their‌‌wars‌‌against‌t‌ he‌‌Sassanids‌‌and‌

t‌ heir‌‌allies‌‌That‌‌day‌‌was‌‌called‌“‌ Yawmul-Ashaar.”‌‌Ashaar‌‌is‌‌the‌‌plural‌‌of‌‌ten‌i‌ n‌‌Arabic.‌‌On‌‌that‌
‌day,‌1‌ 00‌‌Muslims‌‌were‌‌counted‌t‌ hat‌‌each‌‌of‌‌them‌‌had‌‌killed‌1‌ 0‌‌of‌‌the‌‌enemy‌‌soldiers.‌‌
 ‌Battle of Al-Qadisiyyah
Date: 636A.D.
Muslim army: 3o,ooo Muslims under the command of Saad bin Abi waqas.
Persian army: 60,000 Persians under the command of Rustum Farokhzad.
Cause: The fire of revenge once more blazed up in Persia. Domestic feuds were all forgotten.
An army of sixty thousand was raised, and put under the command of their greatest war hero,
Rustam. Though this was two times the Muslim numbers, yet there was hesitation in the Muslim
ranks to take the field against a foe of whom they had by this time had sufficient experience.Secret machinations
were as usual employed to spread anarchy in Muslim possessions. Once more Muthannah had to retreat,
this time far back to the old frontier of Arabia. Arabia was also astir as never before. Proclamation of jihad was
made all over the land. The Caliph was anxious in person to take the command, but the council of
advisers did not approve. Sa'd ibn Abi-Waqqas was chosen for the chief command and given a detailed plan of
battle. The Caliph sent Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr to take part in the battle of Qadisiyya.He was accompanied by the 70
veterans of Battle of Badr and 300 participants were those who swore allegiance to the Prophet at the treaty
Of Hudaibiyah. At the head of a large army he marched to the frontier, At a distance of three days' journey from
Kufah, he encamped, surveyed the situation and wrote a detailed account to the Caliph. Muthannah had already
succumbed to the wounds he had received at the Battle of Jasr before the arrival of Sa'd. Before his death, however,
he had left detailed instructions for Sa'd, which his brother now communicated to the general. The total strength
of the Muslim army stood at 30,000.

Events: The Caliph sent instructions to encamp at Qadisiyah, and there, with the mountain
in the rear, to draw up the army in the regular martial array. The Caliph also desired that, before
opening hostilities, envoys should be sent over tothe Court of Persia with the message of Islam.
So confident was he ofthe intrinsic beauties of the teachings of Islam and of its peaceful
principles that he did not consider it impossible to vanquish the foe with the sword of truth. Forthwith envoys i.e.
14 Muslim elder galloped on horse-back, obtained audience of the king and conveyed to him the message
of Islam. They were laughed at, ridiculed and scorned. "You are a contemptible people," retorted Yazdgerd.
"Undoubtedly we were so,"replied the Muslim spokesman, "we were a people of no consequence.
But God raised a Prophet in our midst who purged us of all those low and base things and put us on the path of
virtue. Should you also accept this message, we are all brothers; otherwise it is not possible for us at this stage to
give up hostilities without your agreeing to pay us tribute." Hearing this Yazdegerd could not control himself and
very harshly turned the envoys out. One of them was even made to bear a basket full of earth, to impress upon them
that they were a mean people and would be made thus to work as slaves for the Persians. The Muslim deputies,
however, were not so easily depressed. They took it as a happy augury and brought away the basket with the earth to
their own camp, saying that with their own hands the Persians had made over their land to them.Persia mustered
all its strength this time for a decisive blow.The stand off continued for three months with skirmishes against
border settlements in which the Muslims were successful. Meanwhile there were defections and desertions from the
Persian Side. The war started and Rustam had to come out as the stupendous Muslim army could not be kept
unoccupied. Once more the Muslims tried for peace, the envoy offering Rustam the same terms as were offered to
the youthful king. Rustam was much infuriated and boasted that he would smash the whole of Arabia to pieces. The
Following day, they filled up the canal that separated the two armies, thus preparing a way to cross the enemy's
side. The Persian army advanced, Sa'd was feeling unwell and was unable to move about. He directed operations
from his sick bed and the army was commanded by Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr. This was a most bloody battle, lasting for
three whole days. The first day's battle is known as Yaum al-Armath or the day of confusion; the second day's as
Yaum al-Aghwath, or the day of succour; and the third day's as Yaum al-Imas or the day of distress. On the very
first day arrived the Syrian division, originally stationed in Mesopotamia, to reinforce the Muslim army On the
first two days fortune fluctuated, but both sides kept their respective grounds. Losses on the Persian side were
heavier.On the second day Persian general Bahman was killed during combat, along with an enormous loss of life
within the Persian army.The third day also presented the same appearance. The wall of Persian elephants would not
let the Muslim horsemen advance. At length Qa'qa Managed to pull down two of the beasts and as a result all the
rest fled in terror. The fury of the battle was, however, unabated and it continued throughout the night. When day
broke, Qa'qa took a handful of the most daring soldiers and rushed upon Rustam- This was a signal for the whole
army to turn that way. Rustam, seeing this jumped down from his high seat, was wounded and, while running
away, was recognised and killed by a Muslim soldier. With the death of the commander-in-chief, the Persian troops
took to flight. Thus this most terrible battle of Qadisiyah came to a close.

Result: The Battle of Qadisiyah was a decisive one in the campaign ofMesopotamia. It
completely broke the strength of Persia. It led to the Conquest of Madain which was the capital
and last stronghold of the Persian Empire and eventually, to the fall of the Persian Empire. a
large quantity of spoil fell into the hands of the Muslims. Casualties on the Muslim side during
all three days numbered 8,500, but the Persians suffered a much heavier loss.
Anmol