Document page
Islamiyat IGCSEPDF 154
204 pagesrevision 46927
PDF 154
Page image rendered from the stored file at 110 dpi; it sharpens as you zoom. Outlines are placed from each region’s stored position on the page (596 × 842 pt).
readable
Source of this text: embedded text layer. The better of the embedded text and OCR is kept.
The battle of Yamama in December 632, was the significant event that decided Musailimah’s
fate. He was in command of an army of 40000. Hazrat Abu Baker had first sent Ikrimah and
shurabil ibn Hasanah and then sent a large force under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid
to Yamama. The Muslims, numbering 13000, fought a long drawn out battle with many
casualties as Musailimah’s forces put up a strong resistance. Eventually, Musailimah was
killed by Washi al-Harb---who had killed Hazrat Hamza in the battle of Uhud before his
conversion to Islam. Musailimah’s army scattered and many were killed as they fled. Many
prominent Muslims and huffaz---those who had memorized the Qu’ran---also lost their lives
in this battle.
Battle of Yamama:
After Prophet’s (pbuh) death, several false prophets arose in different parts of the Islamic
state. Musailimah ibn Habib al Hanafi was the most dangerous one. He belonged to the large
and influential tribe, Banu Hanifa, in the Yamama region to the east of the Arabian
Peninsula. Abu Bakr appointed Ikrimah as the commander of one of the corps. Ikrimah's
orders were to 4 advance and make contact with the forces of Musaylimah at Yamamah, but
not to get involved in battle with him. Khalid ibn al-Walid was chosen to command the forces
apposing Musaylima after he dealt with other smaller apostates. Ikrimah advanced with his
corps and established a camp somewhere in the region of Yamamah. The next development
that Ikrimah heard of was that Shurahbil bin Hasanah was marching to join him. Shurahbil
too had been given a corps by the Caliph with orders to follow Ikrimah, and await further
instructions. In a few days Shurahbil would be with him. Ikrimah could wait no longer, and
he set his corps in motion. This happened at the end of October 632 (end of Rajab, 11 Hijri).
He was defeated by Musaylimah. Shurahbil remained in the region of Yamamah. To ensure
that he did not fall into the error of Ikrimah, Abu Bakr wrote to him: "Stay where you are and
await further instructions." A few days before Khalid's arrival Shurahbil had given in to the
same temptation as Ikrimah; he had advanced and clashed with Musaylimah, but was
defeated. Khalid got news that Musaylimah was encamped in the plain of Aqraba with an
army of 40,000 warriors. The two successful actions fought by them against Ikrimah and
Shurahbil had increased their confidence in themselves and created an aura of invincibility
around Musailimah. Khalid marched south from Bhtaha to the valley of Yamama with the
force of 13000 men and was met by Musailmah on the plain of Aqraba. After a fierce fight
the Muslims forces had to retreat and there was much jubilation in Musalimah’s camp.
Though Khalid had been forced to withdraw, he refused to admit defeat. He regrouped the
army under tribal commanders. He created a reserved force of the one thousand cavalry and
kept them under his personal command. The next day the two armies faced each other in
headlong attack. While the front rank of two armies grappled with each other in single
combat, Khalid led the cavalry reserve to the mounds where Musailmah was camped. The
boldness of Khalid’s move took the opposition completely by surprise. Musailmah’s
bodyguards fought bravely but they could not hold guard for long. As Khalid increased his
pressure Musalimah lost his nerve and retreated into a neighboring fortified garden. With
the withdrawal of Musalimah, his army lost the will to fight and they too found safety in
seeking refuge in the garden. The garden was surrounded by a huge wall and the fugitives
closed the gate thus shutting access to the perusing Muslims. The Muslims were anxious to
get into the garden and finish the job. Soon a Muslim soldier Al Baraa ibn Malik asked his
fellow men to let him climb the wall so that he could open the gate by killing the guards
there. The soldier jumped in to the garden and opened the gate. The Muslims entered the
garden and the last phase of the Battle of Yamamah had begun. The Muslim army engaged in
a fierce battle with Musalimah’s troops. So bloody was the battle of Garden that in Arab