Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith
Back arrow Back
  • Al-Qur'anKids Qur'anAl Qur'an RecitersAl Qur'an VideosAl Qur'an TranslationsAl Qur'an Compare TranslationAl Qur'an TafsirAl-Quran Surah InformationAppendix
  • Hadith CollectionAl-Muwatta HadithFiqh-us-SunnahSahih Bukhari HadithSahih Muslim HadithNawawi HadithAl-TirmidhiHadith QudsiSunan of Abu Dawood HadithSunan an-Nasai HadithSunan Ibn Majah Hadith
  • Islamic HistoryAbout IslamKhalifa Abu BakrKhalifa Umar bin al-KhattabKhalifa Uthman ibn AffanKhalifa Ali bin Abu TalibProphet CompanionsStories of ProphetsHistory TimelineIslam PostersIslamic Terms DictionaryProphet's Last SermonPilgrimage
  • Duas CollectionQur'anic DuasMasnoon (Prophetic) DuasRamadan Days
  • Discussions
  • Search
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
What's new Donate Contact Us Alim Mobile App
mobile app svg

Abu Ubaid As Commander-In-Chief In Iraq

Home ➜
History ➜
Khalifa Umar ibn al-Khattab ➜
Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith

1. Pre-Islamic Period

>> Family

>> Hadart Umar In The Days Of Ignorance

>> Hadart Umar And Islam

>> Ta Ha

2. Conversion to Isalm

>> Al-Faruq

3. Early Life in Madina

>> Migration From Mecca

>> Early Days In Madina

4. Battle of Badr

>> Battle Of Badr

>> Captives of Badr

>> Umayr Bin Wahb

5. Life in Madina and Early Battles

>> The Call To Prayer

>> When Umar Slew The Men Who Appealed To Him

>> Battle Of Uhud

>> The Man Whom Umar Envied

>> Hafsa

>> The Jews

>> Battle Of The Trench

6. Treaty of Hudaibiya and Mustaliq

>> Treaty Of Hudaibiya

>> Post Hudaibia-Pact Developments

>> Raid On Al-Mustaliq

7. Umar and Women

>> Ayesha and Umar

>> Purdah For Women

8. Battles Before Conquest of Mecca

>> Expedition To Turbah

>> Battle Of Khyber

9. Mecca and Tabuk

>> The Conquest Of Mecca

>> Battle Of Hunain And Taif

>> Expedition To Tabuk

10. Life After the Conquest of Mecca

>> Rumour Of Divorce By The Holy Prophet

>> The Funeral Of Abdullah Bin Ubayy

>> When Gabriel Appeared In The Shape Of A Man

>> Tidings Of Paradise

>> The Farewell Pilgrimage

11. Death of the Holy Prophet

>> Passing Away Of The Holy Prophet

>> Election Of Abu Bakr As The First Caliph

>> Installation Of Abu Bakr As The Caliph

12. Abu Bakr the First Caliph

>> Usamah's Expedition To Syria

>> Defence Of Madina

>> Umar And Khalid Bin Walid

>> Umar As Adviser

>> Abu Bakr And Umar

13. Umar as Caliph

>> Nomination Of Umar As The Caliph

>> Umar's Inaugural Address

>> Umar's Address About His Conduct

>> Amirul Muminin

>> Umar's Allowance

>> Expulsion Of Jews And Christians From Arabia

14. Islamic Actions and Social Mandates

>> Tarawih

>> Umar And The Holy Quran

>> Umar And Mosques

>> The Hijri Calendar

>> Umar And Drinking

>> Slavery

>> Umar's Control Of Sexuality Laxity

>> Satires And Lampoons

>> The Dhimmis

>> Allowances And Stipends For The Muslims

>> Famines

15. Political and Governmental Actions

>> Umar's Criteria For Appointment As Governors

>> Political Administration

>> Land Administration

>> Army

>> Judicial Administration

>> Public Treasury and Coins

>> Public Words

16. Hadith and Fiqh

>> Umar and Hadith

>> Traditions On Religious Matters

>> Traditions Of Ethical Importance

>> Umar and Fiqh

>> Matters About Fiqh

17. Inter-Personal Relations and Interactions

>> The Land Of Fidak

>> Fay

>> Ushr

>> Khums

>> Imra-ul-Qais

>> Nabigha Al-Dhubyani

>> Zuhair Bin Abi-Salma

>> Aghlab and Labid, the Poets

>> When Umar Was Put To Explanation

>> Umar and Self Remorse

>> Friends Who Could Straighten Him

>> The Man Who Came To Murder Became A Convent

>> Criticism Against Umar

>> The Eid Moon

>> Umar's Attitude To Sinners

>> Abu Sufiyan And Umar

>> Umar's Wife Acts As A Midwife

>> Atika Bint Zaid

>> Umm Hakim

>> Umar Marries A Milkmaid To his Son

>> Umar Flogs His Son To Death

>> The Woman Who Pined For Her Husband

>> Umar And His Whip

>> Umar's Care For The Poor

>> Stipends For Children

>> Umar Finds Clue To Murder

>> Jabala Bin Aiham

>> Harat Umar And Nasr B. Hajjaj Alsalmi

>> Punishment For Illicit Love

>> Dismissal Of A Governor For Writing Poetry

>> Saeed Bin Aamir

>> Umair Bin Saad

>> Mugheera Bin Shu'Ba

>> Abdullah Bin Qart

>> Abu Musa Ashari

>> Trial Of Saad Bin Abi Waqas

>> Amr Bin Al Aas

>> Harith Bin Wahb Yashi

>> Qadama Bin Mazaun

>> Dismissal Of Khalid

>> Ayad Bin Ghanam

>> Abu Ubaid As Commander-In-Chief In Iraq

18. Expansion of Islam and Military Campaigns

>> Battle Of Namaraq

>> Battle Of Kasker

>> Battle Of The Bridge

>> Battle Of Buwaib

>> Campaings In South Iraq

>> S'aad Bin Abi Waqas

>> Campus At Zarud And Sharaf

>> To Qadisiyya

>> Adventures Of Taleaha

>> The Muslims Carried The Earth Of Persia

>> Rustam And Muslim Emissaries

>> The Battle of Qadisiyya

>> Battle Of Qadisiyya The Second Day

>> Exploits Of Abu Mihjan

>> Battle Of Qadisiyya The Third Day

>> Battle Of Qadisiyya The Last Day

>> News Of The Muslim Victory Carried To Umar

>> Al-Khansa

>> Battle Of Burs

>> Battle Of Babylon

>> Battle Of Sura And Deirkab

>> Battle Of Kusa

>> Battle Of Bahrseer

>> Capture Of Al-Madain

>> Heirlooms Of Persia

>> Battle Of Takreet And Mosul

>> Battle Of Jalaula

>> Campaigns Of Khaniqeen And Hulwan

>> Conquest Of Masabzan

>> Campaings Of Heet And Qirqassia

>> Kufa, Basra And Mosul

>> Campaign Of Ahwaz

>> Conquest Of Ahwaz And Dauraq

>> Battle Of Tustar

>> Battle Of Sus

>> Battle Of Junde Sabur

>> Hormuzan

>> Persia On The War Path

>> Umar's Call To Arms

>> No'man Bin Muqarrin

>> March To Nihawand

>> Battle Of Nihawand (First Phase)

>> Battle Of Nihawand (Second Phase)

>> Battle Of Hamadan

>> Umar And The Battle Of Nihaqand

>> Conquest Of Isfahan

>> Conquest Of Rayy

>> Conquest Of Tabaristan

>> Conquest Of Khurasan

>> Campaign In Fars

>> Conquest Of Fars And Sistan

>> Conquest Of Azarbaijan

>> Expedition To Armenia

>> Conquest Of Makran

>> Battle Of Bait Lihya

>> Conquest Of Damascus

>> Battle Of The Meadow Of Brocade

>> Deposition Of Khalid

>> The Raid Of Abul Quds

>> Battle Of Fahl

>> Battle Of Marj-ur-rum

>> Battle Of Emessa

>> Battle Of Yermuk

>> Battle Of Yermuk - The First Two Days

>> Battle Of Yermuk - Third And Fourth Days

>> Battle Of Yermuk - Fifth And Sixth Days

>> Episodes Of Yermuk

>> Conquest Of Syria

>> Fall Of Jerusalem

>> Umar's Address At Jabiah

>> Plague

>> Conquest Of Caesarea

>> The Muslims And The Sea

>> Second Battle Of Emessa

>> Amr Bin Al-aas

>> March To Egypt

>> Battle Of Babylon

>> March To Alexanderia

>> Battle Of Alexandria

>> The Nile

>> Fustat

>> Expedition To Nubia

>> Conquest Of Burqa And Tripoli

19. Death of Umar

>> Shadows Of Death

>> A Persian Stabbed Umar

>> Umar On Death Bed

>> Umar And His Successor

20. Testament and Assessment of Umar

>> Testament Of Umar

>> Elegies And Tributes On The Death Of Umar

>> Distinctions of Umar

>> Holy Prophet's Assessment Of Umar

>> The Holy Prophet's Joint Tributes To Abu Bakr And Umar

>> Assessment Of Umar By The Companions

>> Assessment By Western Writers

>> Assessment Of Umar By Oriental Writers

>> Sayings Of Umar

>> Umar And Sufism

>> Umar's Gift Of Forecasting

>> When Allah Corroborated Umar

>> Wives And Children Of Umar

>> The Coarse Food That Umar Ate

>> Umar's Standards Of Integrity For His Family Members

>> Umar In History

>> Chronology

During the caliphate of Abu Bakr under the command of Khalid bin Walid the Muslims conquered a greater part of Iraq. In June 634 A.D., Khalid was asked to proceed to Syria, and Muthanna was left in command of the Muslim forces in Iraq.

With the departure of Khalid to Syria there was a lull in fighting on the Iraq front. Roughly the position was that the Persians held the territory to the east of the Tigris while the Muslims held the territory to the west of the Euphrates. The position about the territory between the two rivers known as the "Suwad" was somewhat obscure. It was no man's land. Sometimes parts thereof were occupied by the Persians and sometime by the Muslims. The people of the region thus kept shifting their loyalties, sometimes to the Persians and sometimes to the Muslims.

In July 634 a battle was fought between the Persians and the Muslims in the 'Suwad', somewhere near ancient Babylon. The Persians were under the impression that with the departure of Khalid and a diminution in the strength of the Muslim forces, it would be easy for them to defeat the Muslims. The battle of Babylon belied these hopes. Muthanna rose to the occasion, and after a violent battle the Persians were defeated.

Soon after there was a revolution in Persia. The Persian king was killed, and a lady Puran Dukht ascended the throne of Persia. The veteran General Rustam became the Commander-in-Chief of the Persian forces and he undertook to drive away the uncouth Arabs from the fertile land of Iraq.

Anticipating a Persian offensive on a larger scale under the new set up Muthanna felt that the Muslims should get ready for such a war, and for that more reinforcements were needed. In the third week of August 634 Muthanna went personally to Madina to get reinforcements for the Iraq front.

When Muthanna reached Madina, the Caliph Abu Bakr lay on the death bed. Muthanna waited on the dying Caliph, and apprised him of the situation in Iraq. He stated that the Persians were going to launch a big offensive, and that the Muslim forces in Iraq were too inadequate to meet the challenge. He made a strong plea for further reinforcements.

Abu Bakr though dying listened to Muthanna very carefully. He then sent for Umar the Caliph designate and when he came addressed him thus:

"Listen O Umar to what I say to you and act upon my words. I hope to die this very day and when I am dead let not the evening come upon you before you have exhorted the people to go with Muthanna. And if I survive till nightfall, let not the morning come before you have exhorted the people to go with Muthanna."

Ahu Bakr died that night, the 21st of August 634. He was buried the same night. After the funeral prayers, Umar exhorted the assembled Muslims to join Muthanna in the Iraq campaign.

On the morning of 22nd August the Muslims assembled to take the oath of allegiance to the new Caliph. After the ceremony was over Umar once again exhorted the Muslims to volunteer themselves for war on the Iraq front. Again there was no response. The Muslims were ready to join war in Syria but they hesitated in participating in a campaign against the Persians in Iraq. Although the Persians had been defeated in some campaigns, they were still held in awe, and the Muslims felt that the Persians were a hard nut to crack.

In his heart of hearts, Umar felt much upset at this want of response from the Muslims. He decided that whosoever was the first to offer his services for fighting on the Iraq front would be made the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim forces in Iraq.

On the 23rd August, the Muslims were once again exhorted to Jihad in Iraq. Seeing the hesitation of the people, Muthanna took up the stage, and spoke eloquently of the need of pushing the war in Iraq to a successful conclusion. He said:

"Ye Muslims, listen to me! You should have no fear of the Persians. I have tested the courage of the fireworshippers and discovered that they are not at home on the battle-field. Years of luxury have made them easy going, and it would not be difficult for us to overpower them. We have already conquered most of the important districts of Iraq, and humiliated the Persians. With a little more effort and with the help of God we can become the masters of the whole of Iraq. It is incumbent on us to take the message of Allah and His Messenger to these fire worshippers and offer them the true faith of Islam."

Then Umar delivered a thrilling speech highlighting the mission of Islam. That appeared to move the audience. Then the Caliph asked for volunteers. Abu Ubaid the chief of the clan of Thaqafi rose up to offer his name. Umar welcomed the offer and said, "Abu Ubaid, I appoint you as the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim forces in Iraq.

Then other people offered their names. By 25th August over 1,000 Muslims were ready to proceed to the Iraq front. Thereupon Muthanna left for Iraq. Abu Ubaid and his contingent were to follow.

Abu Ubaid was a man of great courage and dash, but he had no experience of actual fighting in any war. Umar was advised that for such an important campaign some veteran companion of the Holy Prophet seasoned in war should be appointed to lead the campaign.

Umar said:

"The Companions are entitled to such precedence because of their courage and love for Jihad. Here I have been giving the call to Jihad ever since we buried Abu Bakr, and I have had no response from the companions. Now that a young man who is not a companion has given the dead, I am determined to appoint him as the Commander-in-Chief. The Companions have lost this precedence by their own fault, and they should serve under a man who has given a greater show of courage."

Umar however appointed a few Companions as the advisers of Abu Ubaid. Abu Ubaid was instructed by the Caliph that he should act on the advice of these advisers.

After a few days when the necessary preparations had been made Abu Ubaid left Madina with a force of one thousand fighting men. He was further instructed that as he proceeded to Iraq he should recruit more fighting men from the tribes on the way.

Loading Comments.
Please wait...

Support Our Initiatives

"When a person dies, his works end, except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge that is benefited from, and a righteous child who prays for him."

Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)

Donation Options
Precious Gifts a Person Leaves Behind

"The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."

Sunan Ibn Mājah

Angelic Daily Prayers for Generosity

"Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'"

Sahih Bukhari

Scroll to top arrow
Alim logo

Related Islamic Resources

Resources

Insights

  • Funeral Services
  • Arabic Playhouse
  • Collaborations
  • Alim Mobile App
  • Get Involved
  • Ad Plans
  • Blog Pricing
  • Blogs
  • Insight of the Day
  • Hadith of the Day
  • Infographics
  • References
  • FAQ
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us