Khaalid’s heroic actions and striving in the way of Allah ﷻ
Ulama Institute #1
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Khaalid ibn al-Waleed was a brave fighter for the cause of Islam. Beneath the tough exterior was a man of firm belief. He was keen on following the good example of the Prophet ﷺ and other Companions. After embracing Islam, Khaalid became a fierce protector of his newly embraced religion and conducted the military campaigns within the parameters of Islam. He was an excellent example of a Muslim who is devoted to fighting for the sake of Allah ﷻ
Islam spread like a fresh wind throughout Arabia and had a host of enemies to contend with. The Romans viewed Islamic expansion as a major threat to their empire and were concerned that Islam had spread so rapidly. Eight years after the migration to Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ received news of an imminent attack by the Romans. An army of three thousand Muslims fought the enemy at the Battle of Mu’tah in which Khaalid distinguished himself as a fighter with tremendous daring, skill, and the ability to strategize. His astute leadership enabled the Muslims to stave off defeat from the enemy.
After the Battle of Mu’tah, the Prophet ﷺ set his sights on Makkah. The army was divided into four divisions with Khaalid at the head of one. Although the Prophet ﷺ was intent on a bloodless campaign in Makkah, the people of Quraysh were determined to take the fight to the Muslims and attacked Khaalid’s division near an entrance to the city. The Makkans were defeated and lamented the reality of their old friend now fighting under the banner of Islam. After the fall of Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ set out to destroy the idols and personally destroyed all the idols around the Ka’bah. One of the more famous idols was ‘Uzzah and Khaalid together with thirty of his men destroyed this idol. This was a major blow to Quraysh who saw their idol reduced to rubble.
After the death of the Prophet ﷺ , some Arabs fell into the clutches of false prophets (the apostates). Khaalid ibn al-Waleed led the Islamic forces against the apostates and initially the latter gained the upper hand. However, Khaalid managed to kill their leader and the battle ended with a major victory for the Muslims. After the defeat of the apostates, the focus was shifted to Persia, the second largest power at that time. Khaalid led an army of twelve thousand soldiers to conquer Persia and spread the true faith. He always had the ability to modify his strategy and surprise the enemy as was evident in this particular campaign. When Khaalid heard that the Persians had occupied the water resources, he led his armies across the desert and surprised the opposition by attacking from the most unlikely direction. The Persians suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Muslims.
The army of Khaalid then met with all other Muslim soldiers at al-Yarmook to plan the final defeat of the Romans. It was a carefully orchestrated campaign that required ingenuity, pragmatism and bravery, all attributes which Khaalid possessed. At the Battle of al-Yarmook the Roman Empire crumbled under the hot desert sun. The expansion of Islam continued at a rapid pace and Khaalid was always at the forefront, leading the Muslim army against hostile forces.
After many years of fighting for the sake of Allah ﷻ , Khaalid ibn al-Waleed settled in Syria, near Hims. A few years after his retirement from active life, Khaalid became very ill and was confined to his bed. His passing away was tranquil and peaceful, in direct contrast to the ferocious wars he fought against the enemies of Islam. Khaalid ibn al-Waleed devoted his life to the spread of Islam. Bravery, determination and belief sum up the character of Khaalid ibn al-Waleed.
