Battle of Mu'tah: Difference between revisions
Theodore was main commander for this battle |
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|date=[[629]] |
|date=[[629]] |
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|place=Near city of [[Al Karak|Karak]], [[Jordan]] |
|place=Near city of [[Al Karak|Karak]], [[Jordan]] |
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|result= Stalemate according to Muslim sources,<ref>[[Ibn Ishaq]] and [[Ibn Hisham]] report a [[stalemate]] for both Muslims and Romans. [[Ibn Kathir]] however reports a Muslim victory.</ref><ref name="Haykal"/><br>Byzantine victory according to Christian sources<ref>F. Donner, ''The Early Islamic Conquests'', p.105</ref> |
|result= Stalemate according to Muslim sources,<ref>[[Ibn Ishaq]] and [[Ibn Hisham]] report a [[stalemate]] for both Muslims and Romans. [[Ibn Kathir]] however reports a Muslim victory.</ref><ref name="Haykal"/><br>Byzantine victory according to Christian sources<ref name=Donner>F. Donner, ''The Early Islamic Conquests'', p.105</ref> |
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|combatant1=[[Muslim conquests|Muslim Arabs]] |
|combatant1=[[Muslim conquests|Muslim Arabs]] |
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|combatant2=[[Byzantine Empire]],<br>[[Ghassanids]] |
|combatant2=[[Byzantine Empire]],<br>[[Ghassanids]] |
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|commander1=[[Zayd ibn Harithah]]{{KIA}}, <br>[[Jafar ibn Abi Talib]]{{KIA}}, <br>[[Abdullah ibn Rawahah]]{{KIA}}, <br>[[Khalid ibn al-Walid]] |
|commander1=[[Zayd ibn Harithah]]{{KIA}}, <br>[[Jafar ibn Abi Talib]]{{KIA}}, <br>[[Abdullah ibn Rawahah]]{{KIA}}, <br>[[Khalid ibn al-Walid]] |
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|commander2= |
|commander2=[[Theodore (brother of Heraclius)|Theodore]],<br>[[Heraclius]],<br>[[Shurahbil ibn Amr]] |
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|strength1=3,000 <ref>[[Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya]], ''[[Zad al-Ma'ad]]'' 2/155</ref><ref>[[Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani]], ''[[Fath al-Bari]]'' 7/511</ref><ref name="makhtoom"/> |
|strength1=3,000 <ref>[[Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya]], ''[[Zad al-Ma'ad]]'' 2/155</ref><ref>[[Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani]], ''[[Fath al-Bari]]'' 7/511</ref><ref name="makhtoom"/><ref name=Akram>General A. I. Akram, ''The Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Al-Waleed'', Chapter 6, p. 2</ref> <br> |
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|strength2=10,000-15,000<ref name=Akram/> (modern estimate) <br> 100,000<ref name=Akram/>-200,000<ref name="Haykal"/> (primary sources) |
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<ref name=Akram>General A. I. Akram, ''The Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Al-Waleed'', Chapter 6, p. 2</ref> <br> |
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|strength2=200,000 (primary sources)<ref name="Haykal"/> |
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|casualties1=13 <ref name="makhtoom"/> |
|casualties1=13 <ref name="makhtoom"/> |
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|casualties2=3,350 <ref name="makhtoom"/> |
|casualties2=3,350 <ref name="makhtoom"/> |
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The '''Battle of Mu'tah''' ({{lang-ar|معركة مؤتة , غزوة مؤتة}}) was fought in [[629]] (5 [[Jumada al-awwal]] [[8 AH]] in the [[Islamic calendar]]<ref name="makhtoom">Saif-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri, ''ar-Raheeq al-Makhtoom'', "The Sealed Nectar", Islamic University of Medina, Dar-us-Salam publishers ISBN 1-59144-071-8</ref>), near the village of Mu'tah, east of the [[Jordan River]] and [[Al Karak|Karak]] in [[Karak Governorate]], between an army of the [[Rashidun Caliphate]] and an army of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. |
The '''Battle of Mu'tah''' ({{lang-ar|معركة مؤتة , غزوة مؤتة}}) was fought in [[629]] (5 [[Jumada al-awwal]] [[8 AH]] in the [[Islamic calendar]]<ref name="makhtoom">Saif-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri, ''ar-Raheeq al-Makhtoom'', "The Sealed Nectar", Islamic University of Medina, Dar-us-Salam publishers ISBN 1-59144-071-8</ref>), near the village of Mu'tah, east of the [[Jordan River]] and [[Al Karak|Karak]] in [[Karak Governorate]], between an army of the [[Rashidun Caliphate]] and an army of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. |
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In Muslim histories, the battle is usually described as the Muslims' attempt to take retribution against a [[Ghassanid]] chief for taking the life of an emissary; it ended in a draw and the safe retreat of both sides |
In Muslim histories, the battle is usually described as the Muslims' attempt to take retribution against a [[Ghassanid]] chief for taking the life of an emissary; it ended in a draw and the safe retreat of both sides, according to Muslim sources,<ref name="Haykal">[[Muhammad Husayn Haykal]], ''The Life of Muhammad (Allah's peace and blessing be upon him)'', Translated by Isma'il Razi A. al-Faruqi, 1976, American Trust Publications ISBN 0-89259-002-5</ref> but is recorded as a Byzantine victory by Christian sources.<ref name=Donner/> |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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Revision as of 22:37, 19 September 2010
| Battle of Mu'tah | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Byzantine-Arab Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Muslim Arabs |
Byzantine Empire, Ghassanids | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Zayd ibn Harithah †, Jafar ibn Abi Talib †, Abdullah ibn Rawahah †, Khalid ibn al-Walid |
Theodore, Heraclius, Shurahbil ibn Amr | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
3,000 [4][5][6][7] |
10,000-15,000[7] (modern estimate) 100,000[7]-200,000[2] (primary sources) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 13 [6] | 3,350 [6] | ||||||
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The Battle of Mu'tah (Arabic: معركة مؤتة , غزوة مؤتة) was fought in 629 (5 Jumada al-awwal 8 AH in the Islamic calendar[6]), near the village of Mu'tah, east of the Jordan River and Karak in Karak Governorate, between an army of the Rashidun Caliphate and an army of the Byzantine Empire.
In Muslim histories, the battle is usually described as the Muslims' attempt to take retribution against a Ghassanid chief for taking the life of an emissary; it ended in a draw and the safe retreat of both sides, according to Muslim sources,[2] but is recorded as a Byzantine victory by Christian sources.[3]
Background
The Treaty of Hudaybiyah initiated a truce between the Muslim forces in Medina and the Qurayshite forces in control of Mecca. Badhan, the Sassanid governor of Yemen, had converted to Islam and many of the southern Arabian tribes also joined the rising power in Medina.[8] Muhammad was therefore free to focus on the Arab tribes in the Bilad al-Sham to the North.
Muslim historians say that the immediate impetus for a military march north was the mistreatment of emissaries. Muhammad is said to have sent emissaries to the nomadic Banu Sulaym and Dhat al Talh tribes of the north (tribes under the protection of the Byzantines). The emissaries were killed.[8] The expedition sent for revenge was the largest Muslim army raised yet against a non-Meccan confederate force and would be the first to confront the Byzantines.[8] According to F. Buhl, another possible reason "seems to have been that he wished to bring the Arabs living there under his control."[9]
Mobilization of the armies
According to later Muslim historians, Prophet Muhammad dispatched 3,000 of his troops to the area in Jumada al-awwal of the year 8 A.H. 629, for a quick expedition to attack and punish the tribes. The army was led by Zayd ibn Haritha; the second-in-command was Jafar ibn Abi Talib and the third-in-command was Abdullah ibn Rawahah.[6]
The leader of the Ghassanids is said to have received word of the expedition and prepared his forces; he also sent to the Byzantines for aid. Muslim historians report that the Byzantine emperor Heraclius gathered an army and hurried to the aid of his Arab allies. Other sources say that the leader was the emperor's brother, Theodorus.[citation needed] The combined force of Roman soldiers and Arab allies is usually reported to be approximately 200,000.
When the Muslim troops arrived at the area to the east of Jordan and learnt of the size of the Byzantine army, they wanted to wait and send for reinforcements from Medina. Abdullah ibn Rawahah scolded them for their timidity, so they continued marching towards the waiting army.
The battle
The Muslims engaged the Byzantines at their camp by the village of Musharif and then withdrew towards Mu'tah. It was here that the two armies fought. Some Muslim sources report that the battle was fought in a valley between two heights, which negated the Byzantines their numerical superiority. During the battle, all three Muslim leaders fell one after the other as they took command of the force: first, Zayd ibn Haritha, then Jafar ibn Abi Talib, then Abdullah ibn Rawahah. Al-Bukhari reported that there were fifty stab wounds in Jafar's body, none of them in the back. After the death of the latter, some of the Muslim soldiers began to rout. Thabit ibn Arkan, seeing the desperate state of the Muslim forces, took up the banner and rallied his comrades, and managed to save the army from complete destruction. After the battle the troops asked Thabit ibn Arkan to assume command; however, he declined and asked Khalid ibn al-Walid to take the lead.[6]
Khalid ibn Al-Walid reported that the fighting was so intense that he used nine swords which broke in the battle. Al-Walid, seeing that the situation was hopeless, prepared to withdraw. He continued to engage the Byzantines in skirmishes, but avoided pitched battle. One night he completely changed his troop positions and brought forth a rearguard that he had equipped with new banners; all this was intended to give the impression that reinforcements had arrived from Medina. He also ordered his cavalry to retreat behind a hill during the night, hiding their movements, and then to return during daytime when the battle resumed, raising as much dust as they could. This also was intended to create the impression that further reinforcements were arriving. The Byzantines believed in the fictitious reinforcements and withdrew, thus allowing the Muslim force to safely retreat to Medina.
Military commentators on the battle have often praised the skirmishing tactics of Khalid ibn al-Walid. [2][6]
Aftermath
It is reported that when the Muslim force arrived at Medina, they were berated for apparently withdrawing and accused of fleeing. Salamah ibn Hisham is reported to prayed at home rather than going to the mosque to avoid having to explain himself. Muhammad ordered them to stop, saying that they would return to fight the Byzantines again and bestowed upon Khalid the title of 'Saifullah' meaning 'The Sword of Allah'.
Today, Muslims who fell at the battle are considered martyrs (shahid). Some have claimed that this battle, far from being a defeat, was a strategic success; the Muslims had challenged the Byzantines and had made their presence felt amongst the Arab Bedouin tribes in the region. A mausoleum was later built at Mu'tah over their grave.[10]
Result
Muslim tactical victory, but strategic innonclusive. Because, the gain of the two sides could not get land.
Notes
- ^ Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham report a stalemate for both Muslims and Romans. Ibn Kathir however reports a Muslim victory.
- ^ a b c d Muhammad Husayn Haykal, The Life of Muhammad (Allah's peace and blessing be upon him), Translated by Isma'il Razi A. al-Faruqi, 1976, American Trust Publications ISBN 0-89259-002-5
- ^ a b F. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, p.105
- ^ Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya, Zad al-Ma'ad 2/155
- ^ Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari 7/511
- ^ a b c d e f g Saif-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri, ar-Raheeq al-Makhtoom, "The Sealed Nectar", Islamic University of Medina, Dar-us-Salam publishers ISBN 1-59144-071-8
- ^ a b c General A. I. Akram, The Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Al-Waleed, Chapter 6, p. 2
- ^ a b c Sayed Ali Asgher Razwy (1996), A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims, The Battle of Mootah, ISBN 0-9509879-1-3
- ^ "Mu'ta", Encyclopedia of Islam Online.
- ^ Buhl, F. "Mu'ta". In P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Islam Online Edition. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
References
- Haykal, Muhammad Husayn (1995). The Life of Muhammad. Islamic Book Service. ISBN 1-57731-195-7
Online References
See also