THE STORY OF CALIPHATE UMAR BUN AL-KHATTAB (r.t.a) (Episode 78)

 Muslims Till Death:

ASSALAAMU ALAYKUM WARAHMATULLAH WABARAKAATUHU . LET'S START TONIGHT'S EDUCATION. OUR TOPIC IS 👇.                                                                            *THE STORY OF CALIPHATE UMAR BUN AL-KHATTAB (r.t.a) (Episode 78)*

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Umar accordingly sent instructions to Sa'ad that as a sequel to the battle of Qadisiyya, the Muslims should push forward to Ctesiphon and wrest it from the Persians.

Some time towards the end of November 636, Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas issued orders to the Muslim forces under his command to march to Ctesiphon. Sa'ad reorganised his army into five corps, and each corps was placed under the command of a veteran General. The commanders were:

🔹Zuhra bin Al-Hawiyya;
🔹Abdullah bin Muta'm;
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🔹Shurahbeel bin Al-Samt;
🔹Hashim b. Utba; and
🔹Khalid bin Urfula.

The entire army consisted of cavalry. From Qadisiyya, the main stages on the route to Ctesiphon were Najaf; Burs; Babylon; Sura; Deir Kab; Kusa; Sabat; and Ctesiphon.

The corps of Zuhra b. Al-Hawiyya set off as the advance guard. It occupied Najaf and stayed there till the other corps reached Najaf. Then Zuhra with his corps crossed the Euphrates and proceeded on the road to Ctesiphon. He reacted Burs on the western bank of the Hilla branch of the Euphrates.
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At Burs the advance of Zuhra was resisted by a Persian force under the command of Busbuhra the Mayor of Burs. The troops on both sides were deployed for action. Busbuhra stepped forward and gave the challenge for a personal duel. Zuhra accepted the challenge. Zuhra inflicted heavy wounds on Busbuhra. Profusely bleeding he retired. There was some fighting but the Persians were no match for the Muslims. The Persian army withdrew and crossing the Hilla branch proceeded to join the main Persian army at Babylon. At Babylon, Busbuhra died of the wounds.
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After the withdrawal of the Persian force, the people of Burs approached Zuhra with the offer of peace, which was accepted. Zuhra stayed at Burs for some time to attend to administrative matters. In the meantime other Muslim corps also arrived at Burs.

Babylon was across the other bank of the Euphrates. It was a place of historic importance having been at one time the capital of Iraq. It was also a place of strategic importance and was the gateway of the Suwad, the land between the Euphrates and the Tigris.
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About two years earlier the Muslims had fought a battle at Babylon under Muthanna when they had occupied Babylon. Later on the eve of the battle of Qadisiyya when the Muslims withdrew from all advance posts in Iraq, they abandoned Babylon Having won the battle of Qadisiyya, the Muslims now advanced to re-conquer Babylon.

Some time in the middle of December 636, the Muslims crossed the Euphrates and camped outside Babylon. There was a big concentration of the Persian forces at Babylon commanded by the veteran Generals, Feerzan, Hormuzan, Mihran and Nakheerzan.
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There was a battle at Babylon. The details of the battle have not been recorded in any history. It appears that there was disunity among the Persians, and they could not put up a stiff resistance against the Muslim charge. Hormuzan with his forces withdrew to his home province Ahwaz. On his withdrawal, the other Generals also pulled back their forces and withdrew northward.

After the Persian forces had left, the citizens of Babylon formally surrendered. They were afforded protection under the usual terms. They volunteered to cooperate with the Muslims in their fight against the Persians.
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They furnished a good deal of useful information about the disposition of the Persian forces. Some Babylonians were employed in the construction of roads and bridges.

While the main Muslim army remained at Babylon, Zuhra was commanded by Sa'ad to pursue the Persians who had retreated from Babylon. The Muslim advance guard under Zuhra followed the Persians, and caught the Persian rear-guard at Sura. The Persian rear-guard deployed themselves for action and after a short clash their resistance broke down and they with drew to Deir Kab.
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Zuhra next marched to Deir Kab. There was large concentration of Persian forces at Deir Kab commanded by the General Nakheerzan. The two sides deployed their forces for combat. Then the Persian commander Nakheerzan stepped forward to throw a challenge for a personal duel.

From the Muslim side Zubair bin Salim a lieutenant of Zuhra stepped forward to accept the duel. In an exciting duel, Nakheerzan was overthrown and killed. Then the battle began. For some time the Persians put up a stiff resistance, and all Muslim attacks were repulsed. Then by a flanking movement Jareer bin Abdullah was able to capture the bridge at the rear of the Persians.
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From there he raised the shout of "Allah-o-Akbar'. At this the Persians lost heart, and they withdrew in great disorder after suffering heavy losses. Deir Kab was occupied by the Muslims, and the people were afforded protection under the usual terms.

Early in January 637, the Muslim advance guard under Zuhra reached Kusa. It was only ten miles from Ctesiphon. There was a sizable detachment of the Persian forces here commanded by Shahryar. He was a huge camel-like man, very haughty and arrogant. As the two forces were deployed for action, Shahryar stepped out of the Persian ranks, and gave the challenge for a personal duel in very arrogant terms.
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He said: “Who can dare come forward to measure strength with me. Verily, whoever comes to fight with me, comes to meet his death."

Zuhra the Commander of the Muslim forces said: “I would have come to fight with you personally, but in view of your arrogance I am deputing a slave to fight you”.
Under the orders of Zuhra, Nail bin Ju'shan emerged from the Muslim ranks and proceeded to have a duel with Shahryar. As the two antagonists faced each other mounted on horseback, Shahryar saw that Nail was a lean thin man whom he could overthrow in no time.
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End of Today's Education. Subhanakallahuma wabihamdik ash-hadu an laaila Anta astagfiruka wa atuuubu ilayhi. Questions, Suggestions and problems are welcome privately. *We shall continue tomorrow on this same topic in sha Allah*. May HE strengthen and make us steadfast in faith. May HE accept our ibaadat and grant us the Good in this World and the Hereafter. May Allah Azza wa jalla forgive and grant us Jannah...AMIN.