War against Tulayha (Battle of Buzakha)
He was chosen to lead the column against Tulayha since he closest to Madinah and an immediate danger. He had gathered hi Banu Asad at Buzakha and asked other tribes to join him too. Most of the adjoining smaller tribes joined him unreluctantly.
Khalid bin Walid got backing of Banu Tayi that provided about army of 1000 under its chief. The army now numbered around 3000 in total. When they were on their way to battlefield, they saw the bodies of the party that they had sent to keep watch on Banu Asad. This exasperated Muslims and energized them to crush Banu Asad. Muslim’s assault was strong; they didn’t even think about being in defensive position. The Muslims got an upper hand at the start of the battle.
Upon seeing the situation, Chief of Ghaftan tribe asked Tulayha if he had received any message from his God. To which he replied no. This went on for second time and at last third time Tulayha said yes and narrated them a very superficial and vague revelation. To this, the Chief was convinced they were going to lose. He gathered his men and left hurriedly. The pretender, Tulayha, also fled after a while to Syria, he
would later submit to Umar. Banu Asad gave up mutiny and asked for forgiveness which Abu Bakr accepted.
War against Malik bin Nuwarya
Malik bin Nuwarya was a chief of Bani Yerbu, a clan of Tamim. Sajah belonged to Banu Tamim and had asked for their support. The Tamim tribe was itself divided into Muslim and anti-Muslim bloc. Banu Yerbu responded to Sajah’s call. Most of the other clans of Tamim remained aloof. Sajah left Malik to fight Khalid while she went ahead to challenge another retender herself, Musaylima. Most of Malik’s men had submitted to Islam by the time Khalid arrived. When they arrived they captured Malik and his 25 men. The argument ensued in Muslim camp over if they had also surrendered and accepted Islam. Khalid told his army to hold them in tent for the night and decided that the dilemma be taken care of tomorrow.
As the night fell, few Muslim soldiers killed Malik and his men. Subsequently, Khalid married Malik’s beautiful wife. Next day, Abu Qutaba charged his commander of deliberately ordering Malik’s murder and vowed to arraign him back at home. The Caliph summoned him and asked for explanation. Khalid replied that it was all due to a misunderstanding. He had asked his soldiers ‘to cover a man with a blanket’ which in soldiers dialect meant killing a man. The Caliph accepted hos version and exonerated him of all charges.
War against Musaylima of Yemama
As we mentioned earlier, Sajah had set on to challenge Musaylima in Yemama. As soon as she reached, Musaylima gave her an offer to marry, which she accepted on the condition she would receive half the land-revenue of Yemama. After staying for few days, she left for her hometown, but this act had stigmatized her image back in Mesopotamia. By the time, she returned she was no longer significant. So, now Ikram and Shurahbil were ordered to attack Musaylima collectively, but Ikram single-handedly started the battle and faced a setback.
The Caliph was agitated on Ikrima and diverted him somewhere else and Khalid was to face Yemama now. The fighting ensued, Muslims were pushed backed. Khalid divided his army according to tribal and kinship affiliation that proved to rewarding and Muslims succeeded in driving them to a garden that later came to be called ‘garden
of death.’ Musaylima lay dead along with hundred of his men. Banu Hanifa finally surrendered before the Caliph.
For complete Islamic history notes click here.
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