The Battle of Qadisiyyah stands as a monumental turning point in Islamic history. Under the brilliant leadership of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), the Muslim army delivered a devastating blow to the Persian Empire, effectively shattering its formidable power. While the Romans had been humbled in battles like Yarmouk, securing the western flank, the true, long-standing rivalry that would reshape the world lay to the east, with Persia.
But to truly understand the epic struggle between the nascent Muslim state and the ancient Persian Empire, we must rewind the clock, far beyond the time of Caliph Umar, back to the era of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself.
A Letter, a King, and a Prophecy
After years of conflict and eventual reconciliation with the people of Makkah through the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) seized the opportunity of a 10-year truce to spread the message of Islam. From the humble state of Madinah, he dispatched envoys to the most powerful rulers of the era, inviting them to embrace the new faith.
One such letter reached Negus, the King of Abyssinia, who received the message with respect and sent a courteous reply. However, when a messenger was sent to Khusrow Parviz, the Persian Emperor, the response was drastically different.
The Prophet’s (PBUH) envoy arrived at Khusrow’s palace and delivered the message: “From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Khusrow, the King of Persia. There is no god but Allah, and I am His Messenger…” The letter went on to invite Khusrow to accept Islam for his own well-being.
Upon hearing the message, Khusrow was enraged. He snatched the letter from the messenger’s hand, tearing it to pieces in front of everyone, exclaiming, “How dare this man from the desert write his name before mine, his slave’s! And now his messenger comes from that desert to tell Persia to whom we should bow?”
Immediately, Khusrow dispatched two men to Madinah with orders to arrest Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When the Prophet (PBUH) learned of Khusrow’s arrogance and his tearing of the letter, he was deeply saddened. He raised his hands in prayer, “O Allah, destroy Khusrow Parviz’s kingdom!”
A Prophecy Fulfilled
Just days later, the two Persian soldiers arrived in Madinah to apprehend Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When they informed him of their mission, the Prophet (PBUH) replied, “The king on whose orders you have come to arrest me is no longer a king. His own son has killed him and become the new king of Persia just yesterday.”
The soldiers were stunned. This was unthinkable! Khusrow had ruled Iran for almost 40 years and was considered one of its most powerful monarchs. They threatened the Prophet (PBUH), warning him of the consequences when they reported this back to their new emperor.
The Prophet (PBUH) calmly responded, “Go and tell your emperor this: My religion and my dominion will reach wherever the dominion of Persia has reached, and more! My religion will spread even further, to places where horses and camels cannot go.“
Today, we bear witness to the remarkable fulfillment of this prophecy. Islam has spread far beyond the ancient Persian Empire, reaching vast swathes of the globe. As the Prophet (PBUH) foretold, the largest Muslim country today, Indonesia, has no native camels, and the Maldives, another Muslim nation, has no horses. Yet, Islam flourishes in both.
Persia’s Decline and the Rise of a New Threat
Following the Prophet’s (PBUH) prayer, Khusrow was indeed killed by his own son. But even then, the Persian Empire, a superpower for millennia (much like ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire), didn’t immediately crumble. However, a period of instability followed. Khusrow’s son was also killed by his own generals, and a series of weak rulers ascended and were deposed in quick succession. For a long time, Persia lacked a strong, unifying leader. This internal turmoil gradually weakened the once-mighty empire.
To regain control, the Persian generals finally convened, plotting against the Muslims. They recognized that the Muslims were exploiting their internal divisions. It was during this crucial meeting that Rustam, Persia’s most powerful general, convinced everyone to put aside their rivalries. He proposed electing a new, united Persian emperor, nominating Yazdegerd III, a descendant of Khusrow, who was merely nine or ten years old. Rustam’s clever maneuver was to ensure Yazdegerd was a figurehead, with true power residing in his own hands. Regardless, these steps began to stabilize the Persian Empire.
An Unholy Alliance
Meanwhile, Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA), at Caliph Abu Bakr’s (RA) command, had shifted his focus from the Persian front to the Roman Empire. Consequently, the Caliphate’s attention also turned westward, and the Muslim advance in Persia temporarily halted.
Under Khalid ibn al-Walid’s (RA) leadership, the Muslims swiftly conquered vast Roman territories. When, during Caliph Umar’s (RA) reign, the crucial city of Emesa was captured, it pushed both the Roman and Persian Empires to their breaking point. For the first time in history, an unthinkable alliance was forged: the Romans and Persians, setting aside 800 years of animosity, united against a common enemy.
The Roman Emperor Heraclius solidified this unprecedented alliance by marrying his granddaughter, Maniya (around 12-13 years old), to the young Persian Emperor Yazdegerd. Their plan was to withdraw their armies from their respective borders, consolidate their forces in their centers, and then launch a combined, decisive attack to crush the Muslims.
Umar’s Unwavering Resolve
Upon learning of this audacious pact, Caliph Umar (RA) faced an immense challenge. He had to contend with two superpowers simultaneously. While a large Muslim army under the leadership of Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA) and Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah (RA) was already engaged with the Romans, Umar (RA) began gathering forces specifically for the Persian front. He sent companions across Arabia to inspire Muslims for Jihad against Persia and then set off for Hajj himself.
Upon his return from Hajj, Caliph Umar (RA) witnessed an astonishing sight in Madinah: a sea of Muslims, as far as the eye could see, ready to join the fight against the Persian Empire. Umar (RA) ordered them to prepare and intended to lead them himself from Madinah. However, senior companions like Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (RA) and Ali (RA) persuaded him not to, explaining the immense danger and the need for him to remain in Madinah to manage both the Roman and Persian fronts.
Umar (RA) reluctantly agreed, then asked who would lead such a magnificent army. With Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA) and Abu Ubaidah (RA) engaged with the Romans, the Caliphate’s ministers sought a suitable general.
Suddenly, a letter arrived. It was from Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA), stating, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have gathered an army of thousands from all over Arabia and dispatched them towards Madinah.”
Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (RA) read the letter and declared, “I have found the leader for this army!” When asked who, he replied, “Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas!” Without hesitation, everyone present agreed. Sa’d (RA) was the Prophet’s (PBUH) maternal uncle, one of the first ten converts to Islam, and a valiant defender of the Prophet (PBUH) during the Battle of Uhud, where the Prophet (PBUH) famously said, “O Sa’d, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you!”
Thus, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) was appointed the general of the Muslim army for the Persian campaign. He set out from Arabia with 30,000 soldiers, following Caliph Umar’s (RA) orders to choose a location in Persia with Arabia at their back and the Persian Empire before them.
The Diplomatic Gambit and Persian Arrogance
Before the battle, Caliph Umar (RA) had given Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) strict instructions to first invite the Persian Emperor to Islam, in accordance with the Prophet’s (PBUH) tradition. Sa’d (RA) complied, sending a delegation of Muslims to Ctesiphon, the Persian capital, once they reached the plain of Qadisiyyah.
When the people of Ctesiphon learned that representatives from this new Islamic state were approaching, they gathered from far and wide, curious about these people who had struck fear into both the Roman and Persian Empires. They wondered what kind of protocol these visitors would observe. To their surprise, a few simply dressed men, without any fanfare, entered the city. The onlookers murmured, “These are the people our great emperor fears?”
The Muslim delegation entered Yazdegerd’s palace and stood before his throne. The Persian Emperor demanded to know their purpose, suggesting they were exploiting Persia’s internal strife. A companion replied, “No, we have come to you with the message of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad (PBUH). You must either accept Islam, or pay the Jizya (a tax), or prepare to face our swords!”
Such audacity within his own palace enraged the Emperor. He rose and declared, “Go and prepare your entire army for battle! I will send the full force of the Persian Empire, with my strongest general Rustam, to face you. He will bury all of you in Qadisiyyah!” To further humiliate them, the Emperor ordered a basket of earth to be brought and commanded that it be placed on the head of the man from the “highest family” among them. The Muslims then departed.
The Sands of Qadisiyyah
As the Muslims left, the Persian army, 60,000 strong, gathered and marched towards Qadisiyyah. In Madinah, Caliph Umar (RA), ever meticulous, sent a messenger to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) demanding a detailed map of every corner of Qadisiyyah. He wanted to monitor every aspect of the battle as if it were unfolding before his eyes. Sa’d (RA), with Muslim engineers, created a precise map and sent it to the Commander of the Faithful.
Back in the Persian capital, Yazdegerd boasted to his people about how he had humiliated the Muslim envoys with the basket of earth. Everyone laughed, except for an astrologer, who, perturbed, approached Yazdegerd. “You have made a grave mistake, O Emperor! According to our stars and knowledge, the man who took that earth with him has not only taken dirt but the very land of Iran itself!” The Emperor immediately dispatched soldiers to retrieve the earth, but it was too late. The Muslims had already reached Qadisiyyah.
The negotiations and other delays consumed nearly three months, wasting valuable time for the Persian army. Their original plan of a joint Roman-Persian attack on the Muslims had faltered. The Roman army was already engaged in Yarmouk, while the Persians were still not ready. Ultimately, under Khalid ibn al-Walid’s (RA) leadership, the Muslims decisively defeated the Roman army at Yarmouk.
With the Roman threat neutralized, Caliph Umar (RA) sent orders to Abu Ubaidah (RA) to send the forces that had originally come from Iraq with Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA) back to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) in Iraq. Abu Ubaidah (RA) complied, dispatching 6,000 soldiers from the Roman front to Qadisiyyah.
Before these reinforcements arrived, the Persian general Rustam was already advancing towards the Muslims with the full might of the Persian Empire. In 636 CE, shortly after the Battle of Yarmouk, the Persian and Muslim armies finally confronted each other on the plains of Qadisiyyah. A river flowed between them, and past experience had taught the Muslims not to cross it first.
Strategic Delays and Unsung Heroes
For a month, Rustam delayed the battle at Qadisiyyah, trying to postpone the inevitable. Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) used this time to strengthen the Muslim position and organize supplies. A crucial role was played by Salman al-Farsi (RA), a former Persian who had embraced Islam years ago. He was entrusted with arranging food and other necessities, as these were procured from Persian markets where Muslims were viewed with suspicion.
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) also established a sophisticated network of horsemen between Qadisiyyah and Madinah to keep Caliph Umar (RA) constantly updated. It’s said that Sa’d (RA) sent two letters daily to Umar (RA) before the battle. These letters were carried with astonishing speed, with fresh riders and horses taking over at relay points, ensuring continuous communication. A similar network existed between Madinah and Abu Ubaidah (RA) in the Roman theater, and also between Abu Ubaidah (RA) and Sa’d (RA), keeping all Muslim generals connected.
Caliph Umar (RA) had given strict orders to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) not to initiate the attack. Thus, Sa’d (RA) continued to send envoys to Rustam’s camp, offering the same three choices: Islam, Jizya, or War. Rustam, however, hesitant due to the Muslims’ unwavering resolve, continued to delay.
Finally, Sa’d (RA) sent his general, Mughira ibn Shu’ba (RA), to Rustam. When Rustam saw Mughira’s old weapons, he scoffed, “How will you fight us with these old swords and small arrows?” Mughira (RA) retorted, “Yes, our swords are old, but they are sharper than yours!”
With no further excuses to delay, Rustam ordered his army to advance. The Muslims, in turn, retreated, and the Persians crossed the river, standing directly opposite the Muslim lines. The battle was imminent, and Sa’d (RA) stopped sending letters to Madinah. The time for words was over; now, it was time for swords.
The Battle of Qadisiyyah: Day 1 – The Elephantine Challenge
November 636 CE. The first day of the Battle of Qadisiyyah pitted 30,000 Muslims against Rustam’s 150,000-strong Persian army. Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA), severely ill, could not participate directly but directed the Muslim forces from a fort behind their lines.
Rustam organized his army, but he possessed a formidable weapon the Muslims had never encountered: Indian elephants. He positioned 33 of these trained elephants, imported from India, at the front of his army. Rustam himself sat proudly on his throne behind his entire force, declaring, “Today, I will finally destroy these Muslims!” A general beside him added, “Indeed, if our God wills it!” Rustam retorted, “No, even if our God does not will it, I will finish the Muslims today!”
With that, he ordered a full-scale assault on the Muslims. The Persian army advanced, unleashing a volley of arrows, causing many Muslim casualties. The Muslims returned fire, but their arrows were weak against the Persians’ full steel armor, causing the Persians to mock them.
The Persian army then clashed with the Muslims. But when the 33 elephants charged, the Arab horses, having never seen such colossal beasts, panicked and fled. The Muslim infantry was forced to engage, but fighting the Persian elephants proved impossible. The Muslim lines began to falter.
From his fort, General Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) sent a strange order: “The rest of the Muslims should retreat from the battle, leaving only the men of the Banu Tamim tribe to face the elephants!”
Why the Banu Tamim? Because they were renowned as the most fierce warriors in Arabia, famous for never retreating from battle, no matter the odds. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself had said of this tribe, “These people, the Banu Tamim, will stand the strongest against the Dajjal (Anti-Christ).” (Even today, the Banu Tamim tribe is spread across the world, and they even rule a powerful Arab nation – can you guess which one?).
The Banu Tamim surged forward, engaging the Persian elephants fiercely. They inflicted such wounds upon the elephants that they eventually turned and fled, trampling their own army in their retreat. The entire Persian force began to pull back, and this time, the Muslims attacked!
The tide had completely turned. The Muslims, invigorated, began pushing the 150,000-strong Persian army towards the river. It seemed victory was at hand. But as the Persian army fled, General Rustam drew his sword, dismounted his throne, and personally engaged the Muslims. Seeing their general fighting, the Persian army regained courage and renewed their assault. The battle raged until nightfall, with both armies returning to their positions as darkness fell.
The first day of the Battle of Qadisiyyah saw many Muslim martyrs, but for every Muslim lost, four Persians were slain.
Day 2 – Reinforcements and a Bold Tactic
On the second day, both Muslim and Persian armies stood ready for battle. Suddenly, distant sounds and swirling dust caught their attention. It was a small contingent of the Muslim army, sent by Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah (RA) from the Roman front after the victory at Yarmouk. This force was led by Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA), who was also from the Banu Tamim. Qa’qa (RA) was one of those great warriors who participated in both the epic battles of Yarmouk and Qadisiyyah.
The sight of these reinforcements boosted Muslim morale, and they began shouting “Allahu Akbar!” This contingent merged with the main Muslim army, but Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA), brimming with courage, rode forward alone and stood before the Persian army, challenging, “Send forth your generals!”
A Persian general named Bahman came forward. After a brief duel, Qa’qa (RA) killed him. At that very moment, another Muslim force arrived as reinforcements. This was also part of Qa’qa ibn Amr’s (RA) army, which he had deliberately divided into smaller groups to arrive at intervals and further boost Muslim morale. It worked! The Muslims cheered even louder, while the Persians’ morale began to waver.
Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA), after easily dispatching Bahman, turned to the Muslims and proclaimed, “O Muslims! Your brothers, under the leadership of Khalid ibn al-Walid, have decisively defeated the superpower Roman Empire at Yarmouk! Do not fear, for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) promised us that one day the Muslims would conquer both the Roman and Persian Empires! We have already defeated the Romans, and today, Allah will grant you victory over the Persian Empire through your hands!”
Qa’qa’s (RA) words greatly emboldened the Muslims. They informed him that the biggest challenge they faced was the Persian elephants, which caused their horses to flee. This time, Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA) ordered a unique tactic to intimidate the Persian horses: Before the battle, shape our camels with wood and cloth to make them resemble elephants, hoping to scare the Persian cavalry.
With Muslim morale at its peak, Sa’d (RA) ordered a full-scale assault. On this day, the Persian elephants, having been severely wounded the day before, were not brought into battle. This allowed the Muslims to rapidly advance to the center of the Persian army. Qa’qa ibn Amr’s (RA) bizarre camel formations also caused Persian horses to panic and flee in all directions. The Persian army, overwhelmed by the Muslim pressure, began to retreat.
From his fort, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) was observing everything. Suddenly, he noticed his own horse was missing from below the fort, and someone was fighting heroically on it in the midst of the battle. This man was Abu Mihjan (RA). Before the battle, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) had tied him to a pillar in the fort for drinking alcohol. But as the battle began, Abu Mihjan (RA) pleaded with Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas’s (RA) wife, “I have come from far away to fight Jihad in the Battle of Qadisiyyah! Please release me so I can fight. If I am martyred, then so be it. But if I survive, I swear I will return here to be arrested again after the battle!” Despite the oddity of the request, his earnestness convinced Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas’s (RA) wife to release him. He immediately descended from the fort, mounted Sa’d’s (RA) horse, and galloped into battle with full speed, fighting with such bravery that some people later said, “It seemed as if an angel descended from the sky to help us!”
The Muslim assault was so overwhelming that even the 150,000 Persian soldiers could not withstand the pressure and began to retreat again. But once more, General Rustam drew his sword and advanced alone towards the Muslims. Seeing him fight, the Persian army, shamed by their retreat, returned to the fray, and the battle resumed. Again, the fighting continued until evening, with no decisive result. Both armies returned to their camps as darkness fell.
On this day, there was a mother who had come to fight Jihad with her four young sons. Before the battle, she had advised them, “My children, you are the sons of a virtuous mother and a brave father. Remember to fight bravely in battle, and no matter what, do not retreat!” As her sons left for battle, she, like any mother, prayed to Allah to protect them. After the entire day’s fighting, as the Muslim army returned to their camps in the dark, this mother searched everywhere for her sons. But after a long search, none of them returned to her. She understood and went straight to the martyrs to look for her sons. She found all four of them martyred close to each other, indicating they had been fighting and protecting each other. When this mother saw her four martyred sons, one would expect her to cry out in grief. But no, she thanked Allah for granting her the honor of being the mother of four martyrs.
Day 3 – The Day of Hardships and a Turning Point
The third day of the Battle of Qadisiyyah was the most perilous, known as “The Day of Hardships.” As the Muslims prepared for battle, they saw the Persian elephants, fully recovered, once again positioned at the front of their army. This time, each elephant was protected by a group of soldiers, as Rustam, frustrated, was determined to end the battle that day.
But before he could attack, another force joined the Muslims. This didn’t increase their numbers significantly, as it wasn’t a new army. Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA) had strategically sent his army behind a nearby mountain the night before, with orders to join the battle loudly that morning to boost Muslim morale again. This tactic worked, but it also infuriated the Persian army.
Rustam unleashed his full force upon the Muslims. Many Muslims were trampled by the elephants. It seemed the Muslims were finally on the verge of defeat. They were so weakened that Rustam even ordered his cavalry to kill General Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA). As these horsemen advanced to attack Sa’d (RA), a small group of Muslims bravely held them off, saving their general.
Sa’d (RA), witnessing this from his fort, knew that if this continued, the Muslims would soon lose. In a final attempt to save the battle, he again sent orders to the Banu Tamim: “Form small groups and attack the elephants’ eyes!” The Banu Tamim, including Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA), did exactly that, one by one targeting the elephants’ eyes.
Finally, they identified an alpha elephant, which all the other elephants were following. This alpha elephant had white paint on it. As the Muslims struck the eyes of this white elephant, it became completely blind and stampeded through its own army, fleeing the battlefield. Seeing their leader flee, the other elephants also retreated from the battle. The Muslims seized the opportunity and attacked again, and the Persian army finally began to retreat.
Thus, on the third day of the Battle of Qadisiyyah, the Muslims, who were on the brink of defeat, miraculously saved themselves. But winning the battle still seemed impossible, and everyone knew that if the Persians attacked again the next day, it would be the Muslims’ last. A large portion of the Muslim army had been martyred on the third day, and there was no point in waiting for the next.
However, Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA) made a daring decision. With a few companions, he devised an impossible plan.
Day 4 – The Decisive Blow
Before dawn on the fourth day, amidst a swirling sandstorm and stormy weather at Qadisiyyah, Qa’qa ibn Amr (RA) and his companions advanced from the Muslim army. Stealthily, they navigated through the Persian lines, reaching directly to General Rustam’s camp. Qa’qa (RA) knew that whenever the Persian army fled, Rustam was the one who rallied them. If Rustam was gone, the army would collapse.
As they reached Rustam’s camp to kill him, Rustam and his companions fought back. It’s said that Rustam fought bravely here too, but after being severely wounded, he fled from his army. A Muslim named Hilal saw this and pursued him. Rustam, fleeing, finally jumped into a river. Hilal also jumped in, grabbed Rustam by the leg, dragged him out of the water, and killed him. He then tied Rustam’s body to his horse and galloped back to the plain of Qadisiyyah, knowing that Rustam’s death would shatter Persian morale.
As he reached the battlefield, it was already morning. Hilal ascended Rustam’s throne, raised his sword, and loudly declared, “By the Lord of the Ka’bah, I have killed Rustam!” Seeing this, the entire Muslim army charged the Persians. The Persian army was utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend what had happened before dawn. Seeing Rustam dead, their morale collapsed completely, and they fled in confusion in all directions, with the Muslims in hot pursuit. Thousands of Persians were killed, and thousands were taken prisoner.
And so, the Muslims won the magnificent Battle of Qadisiyyah. Among the prisoners was a man named Firuz, also known as Abu Lu’lu’ah, who, a few years later, would attack and assassinate Caliph Umar (RA) during Fajr prayer in Madinah.
The Caliph’s Vigilance and a Humbling Victory
Before the battle, when Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) stopped sending letters, Caliph Umar (RA) in Madinah was consumed with anxiety. Every morning, he would leave Madinah and walk a long distance towards Qadisiyyah, waiting for any news. He would stop anyone who came from that direction and ask about Qadisiyyah, but for many days, no one knew anything.
Finally, one day, as he sat alone on the road to Qadisiyyah outside Madinah, he saw a horseman galloping at full speed. Caliph Umar (RA) stopped him and asked about Qadisiyyah. The messenger, not recognizing Umar (RA) due to his simple clothes and humility, replied, “Allah has granted the Muslims a great victory!” Upon hearing this, Caliph Umar (RA) wept and thanked Allah.
The messenger had been instructed to deliver the news of victory only to the Commander of the Faithful, so he continued straight towards Madinah. Caliph Umar (RA) ran after him on foot, asking as they ran, “How many Muslims were martyred in this battle?” The messenger replied, “8,000.” Umar (RA) then asked, “How many Persians were killed?” He said, “20,000.” Umar (RA) then inquired about Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA), and the messenger confirmed he was alive.
They continued running until they reached Madinah. When people saw Caliph Umar (RA) running at full speed, they asked, “O Commander of the Faithful, why are you running?” Hearing this, the messenger dismounted his horse and sought forgiveness from Caliph Umar (RA) for not recognizing him. But Umar (RA) said, “No, you did exactly as you were supposed to; that was your duty.”
He then ordered all Muslims in Madinah to gather at the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque. Standing on the pulpit, Caliph Umar (RA) announced, “Today, Allah has decisively defeated the mighty Persian Empire at Qadisiyyah! But remember, O Muslims, even after such a great victory, I am not your king. I am just a common man like you, to whom Allah has entrusted the responsibility of the Caliphate.”
Following this, Caliph Umar (RA) sent a letter to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA), stating that the time had come for the Muslims to advance and conquer Ctesiphon, the Persian capital.
As the Muslims advanced towards the Persian capital, simultaneously, in the Roman Empire, the Muslims under Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA) and Abu Ubaidah (RA) had besieged Jerusalem, the holy city of Prophets.
