The entire region between the Tigris and the Euphrates was under the control of the Muslims, up to their capital, Mada’in. In this situation, the Muslims, forgetting the internal conflicts and quarrels of the neighboring empires, decided to wage a final war against the Muslims. What preparations did the Muslims make in this situation?
The reaction they showed was that the commander, Muhammad al-Shaibani (may Allah be pleased with him), of Nehar, understood the depth of the situation. He had been fighting there for almost three years. The geographical location of the region was at his fingertips. He had a lot of experience in war. Therefore, like a skilled commander, he first realized that his army had conquered more territory than it could hold. In this situation, if the empire launched an all-out attack against the Muslims, the Muslims would not be able to survive there.
Qazi Muhammad al-Nahar abandoned the areas he had conquered and set up camp at a place called Juqar, near the Arab border. He set up a tent and a camp, but all the Muslim troops were not gathered in one place. They spread out in the desert, staying in the oases in a scattered state. They set up posts at different places so that if any danger arose, they could come together to help each other.
They spread out along the Arab border. In the same direction, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) warned them and said to them, “Leave the area of Saraswati and spread out in the desert of some area. Spread out and stay on the Arab border until further instructions come.”
This was the situation. The Persians were making general preparations. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) received news of these preparations. As a result, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) himself started making general preparations for war.
He said, “By Allah, I will send the kings of Arabia to confront the kings. Who are the best and most intelligent people of Arabia?”
At that time, for this war, he sent letters to all the important regions of the Muslim Caliphate. He sent letters to his representatives. That time was also the season of Hajj. People were already in Makkah and Madinah. They were coming from near Makkah and Madinah, and they all gathered after receiving that letter.
Those who were near Iraq did not come to Madinah but directly joined the army.
Muslim historians have mentioned that, describing the situation at this time, they said that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) did not leave out any leader, chief, wise person, nephew, great person, or influential person. Khattab recruited everyone and called the selected people of Arabia and deployed them.
So, when the army was ready, the final task was to find and appoint the commander of that army.
After Hajj, on the first day of Muharram, in the year 14 Hijri, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) made a final decision against the Persian Empire and decided to fight as a commander himself.
He went out with the army. He agreed with the companions that Umar ibn al-Khattab would command and lead this army.
But one of the companions had a different opinion. He was Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said, “If you are killed in this battle, there will be no one to lead the Muslims forward. Why don’t you stay in Madinah and appoint someone else to lead the army, so that if the Muslims are defeated, they can regroup and fight another war against these enemies?”
Abdur Rahman ibn Awf offered his opinion and argued for it. He was able to convince Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) in favor of this opinion.
In that situation, Umar thought, “If I stay in Madinah, who should I appoint to lead this important battle?”
While he was considering this, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf again offered his opinion and said, “I have found the right person.”
Khattab became very excited and asked, “Who is that person?”
Abdur Rahman replied, “He is the lion in the cave.”
Ibn al-Khattab became even more curious and asked, “Who is the lion in the cave?”
He replied, “He is Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). He is the closest relative of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) among the ten companions who were given the good news of Paradise. He is the uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he was among the few who accepted Islam in the early days. Umar ibn al-Khattab was one of them.”
After knowing this, he said, “You have found the right commander — Qazi Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas.” Immediately, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed him as the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim army.
The situation was turning towards a decisive battle in history. It was not only significant for the Islamic Caliphate but also one of the few decisive battles in world history. Among the most important battles in the wars of Asia were: the Battle of Yarmouk on one hand, and the Battle of Qadisiyyah on the other.
Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) observed the necessary steps to gather the Muslims.
At that time, he received news that the Persian emperor had made it compulsory for everyone under his empire to participate in the war. An enormous army was preparing to attack the Muslims. The Persian Empire was vast; there were many kings and governors under the emperor, all of whom were coming together with their full strength to attack the Muslims.
In this dire and critical situation, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) took a special step. His predecessor, Caliph Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), had implemented a policy and law that prohibited those who had once left Islam (apostates) from joining the army of Jihad.
Due to the seriousness of the situation, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) temporarily suspended that policy. Even though a period of time had passed since those individuals had abandoned Islam, many of them had sincerely repented and returned to Islam. Given the current crisis, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) included those former apostates in the Muslim army, stating that their cooperation would be beneficial.
Later, as the Muslim army increased in numbers, it still appeared insufficient. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) took another step. He encouraged people, through governors and representatives in different provinces, to voluntarily join the army. Through this effort, the number of Muslims increased a bit more, but still, it was not enough.
Finally, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) made participation in this war obligatory for Muslims. From this, we learn that the first caliph who made participation obligatory, even in an offensive war, was Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).
He sent messages to all Muslim provinces, saying that any Muslim male who possessed a weapon and was physically fit to fight was obligated to participate in this war.
Muslim historians have commented on this issue, noting that despite the Persian emperor’s efforts to mobilize his vast reserves and governors, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) effectively neutralized their preparations through his decisive actions.
When both armies had made final preparations, all that remained was for the war to commence. We will come to the narration of that battle, but before diving directly into the battlefield, there are several other important matters to consider.
One of those is that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), when appointing Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) as the commander of the Muslim army, gave him several important pieces of advice and counsel. Not just once, but repeatedly — when appointing him, when sending him off with the army, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed the troops, advised them, and continued to send letters and instructions even after the army had departed.
Umar ibn al-Khattab maintained regular correspondence with Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas, providing guidance, discussing strategies, and offering advice as though he were directly present with the army, despite staying in Madinah. He even advised them on how to adopt the best strategies to secure victory in that decisive battle.
These pieces of advice are very important, and we will mention selected parts of them in our discussion. There is much spiritual benefit and room for personal development in accepting such wise counsel.
The second important point is that just before the war, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) sent a delegation to both the Persian emperor, Yazdegerd, and their chief commander, Rustam. The purpose of this delegation was to attempt to resolve the conflict through negotiations.
From the history of Islamic wars, we observe that Muslims always displayed a desire to resolve matters through diplomacy and peaceful negotiation before resorting to armed conflict.
So, for the Muslims, it is not that these issues have always been resolved through war. Rather, the Muslims have consistently tried, until the very end, to resolve matters through dialogue and peaceful negotiations. If these issues could be resolved without bloodshed, it would be better for both sides.
First, we will discuss the incident of that delegation and their conversation. After that, we will turn to the advice of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). From those matters — this mission of invitation and diplomacy — the most important lessons and teachings for us will be highlighted.
Why did the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) go against the Persian Empire and attack it themselves? And why did they participate in these wars?
The first delegation of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was sent to the Persian emperor. Umar ibn al-Khattab instructed that, from among the selected Muslims — those who were advanced in knowledge and suitable to be representatives — such people should be chosen.
Finally, a group of 14 selected individuals was sent, many of whom were companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and approximately 1,000 years old in combined experience. They went to the court and conveyed the message of the Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), to the emperor.
They said, “We invite you to Islam.” There, Nu’man ibn Muqarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a speech. He told them about the events of their past:
“We were a nation that had once been astray. Allah (the Most High) sent us His Messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and through him, He showed us the right path. We now invite you to the path of goodness that He has shown us.”
Nu’man ibn Muqarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) concluded his speech by offering three proposals:
First, if you accept Islam, we will release you and leave you in your land.
Second, if you refuse to accept Islam but accept our authority and obedience, you can remain by paying the Jizya (protection tax).
Third, if you neither accept Islam nor agree to our authority through Jizya, then the decision between us and you will be made by the sword.
The Persian Emperor — one of the most powerful emperors of the world at that time — could not digest the fact that a commoner had come to his court and made such proposals, especially threatening war if his conditions were not met.
Ignoring the true invitation of Islam, the emperor replied through his interpreter, asking the Muslims, “What brought you here? You have come from the desert, poor and misguided. Is that why you have come to attack us?”
It was evident that he misunderstood the Muslims’ purpose, believing it to be an offensive war driven by poverty or greed. He said, “If you are hungry, we will provide you with food. If you are in need of money, we will give you wealth.”
A similar situation happened with the Roman generals, who also asked the Muslims, “If you need food, money, or clothes, we will provide them — go back to your desert.”
These emperors and generals mistakenly believed that the Muslims were attacking only for worldly wealth, unable to understand that the Muslims’ wars were not about expanding the kingdom or gaining riches. Rather, they were wars of faith — wars to make the truth of Islam prevail over falsehood, misguided ideologies, and false religions.
Nu’man ibn Muqarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) replied:
“We were astray. We have come to you to invite you to the path that Allah has guided us to through His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). There is no question of us returning for wealth or money.”
He continued, saying, “If you do not embrace Islam or pay the Jizya, then the matter will be settled by war.”
The emperor replied arrogantly, “If it were not against custom to kill a delegation, I would have killed you right now. Leave this place immediately.”
In an attempt to humiliate the Muslims, the emperor’s officials ordered dirt and dust to be thrown on their heads as they were expelled from the court. They asked, “Who is the most honorable among you?”
Nu’man ibn Muqarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said, “I am the most honorable among them. Give me the dust.”
He made a container, placed the dust in it, and carried it proudly on his head. He returned to the Muslim camp carrying the dust as a symbol of dignity, rather than disgrace.
The commander, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), took this dust with him — a reminder of the arrogance of the Persians and the determination of the Muslims.
The delegation that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent to the commander Rustam was significant. On the one hand, Rustam was only a general, but in reality, he was the most mature, wise, and authoritative person among the Persians. The commander was very experienced and mature. On the other hand, the emperor himself was just a symbolic figure — a young, immature, reserve emperor.
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent only one person to Rustam’s camp and tent. That person was Rubai ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him).
The incident of Rubai ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) entering Rustam’s camp is, on one hand, quite amusing, but also very instructive and significant. Rubai ibn Amr was a young companion who went to the Persian camp as the representative of the Muslims. He entered Rustam’s tent in very simple clothing. He was a poor companion, so there was no external splendor in his appearance.
The animal he rode on was not even a horse; it was something smaller than a mule and not handsome at all. It had short legs, and even the sword he carried was of very poor quality. His sword wasn’t even properly sheathed — it was loosely tied with an old piece of cloth.
He also had a raincoat with him, but that too was somehow fastened to a stick. The entire arrangement was flimsy and unstable. His weapons were of very low quality, and he himself was dressed in ordinary, worn-out clothes. He was riding on a mule.
On the other hand, the Persian Empire, and their chief commander Rustam, had made grand preparations for this meeting. For them, this meeting with the Muslims was like an important diplomatic event. They maintained full royal protocol, grandeur, and made luxurious arrangements.
Inside Rustam’s large tent, there were Persian carpets from Oman, and a grand throne was placed for Rustam. Historical records mention that those thrones were made entirely of pure gold, according to some sources, or at least adorned with gold and pearls. The interior of the tent was dazzling, with expensive garments studded with pearls and a wide display of wealth and luxury.
Into this grand scene entered Rubai ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him). As he walked on the fine Persian carpets, he looked around, observing the splendor and grandeur. The guards and representatives present were shocked at his appearance. They had expected a Muslim envoy to arrive riding a beautiful, strong black horse, dressed in expensive, elegant clothing, accompanied by a group of advisors and guards.
They thought he would dismount with formality, walk respectfully on the carpet, and sit next to Rustam on the arranged seats.
But Rubai ibn Amr entered wearing plain, humble clothing. He walked casually over the Persian carpet, carrying his crude weapon. In fact, when he entered, he didn’t even know where to tie his animal. Without hesitation, he tore off one of the expensive pillows used as decorations near the seats and tied his animal to it with a rope.
As he proceeded with his weapon, Rustam’s guards stopped him, saying, “You cannot enter here with a weapon.”
Rubai ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) responded, “Very well, then I will leave. I did not come here on my own — you invited me to this discussion. Let me enter as I am, with my weapon, or I will return.”
Rustam himself wanted to engage in discussions with the Muslims. His goal was to somehow convince them to go back peacefully, to avoid war. But to Rustam’s surprise, only one man — Rubai ibn Amr — had been sent to represent the Muslims.
When Rustam heard that Rubai insisted on keeping his weapon, he said, “Fine, let him bring the weapon.”
Rubai ibn Amr entered the lavish tent with his plain attire and low-quality weapon. For the Persians, this sight was both humorous and shocking.
Finally, the discussion between Rubai ibn Amr and Rustam began.
He asked me, “Why did you enter our land? Why did you come to us?”
Rubai ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, saying:
“Allah sent us to free you from slavery. Number two, to free you from the narrowness of this world. Number three, to free you from the oppression of false religions.”
They were surprised to hear this answer. This is why it is said, “Do not judge a person’s character until you have spoken to him.”
Rubai ibn Amr then explained the three principles that he told the Muslims:
“Allah Almighty has sent us to call people towards His way. Those who accept this invitation, we will leave them to their own way. But those who reject this invitation, we will fight against them in war until the promise of Allah Almighty is fulfilled.”
Rustam asked, “What is that promise?”
Rubai ibn Amr replied:
“It is to fight against the other side and gain Paradise through martyrdom or to achieve victory while alive.”
The words he spoke were few, but their meaning was immense, extremely important, and carried far-reaching significance.
Rubai ibn Amr ended the dialogue in this way and left from there.
After he left, Rustam consulted with his people. He asked them:
“What did you hear?”
The people began mocking Rubai ibn Amr’s attire — his simple, worn clothes, his weak and broken weapons.
Rustam said to them:
“Woe to you! I did not ask about his clothes. I asked about his wisdom, his prudence, and his resolve. The Arabs have always been indifferent to luxurious clothing, but they have always been conscious of their dignity, their lineage, and their honor.”
Rubai ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) had given another reason why they entered there. He said:
“Allah has sent us to take you from the narrowness of this world to the vastness of the life of this world and the Hereafter. As Muslims, our lives are expanded. The vision of a Muslim is vast and broad.”
If there is a need to explain, analyze, and understand this, consider what people often say:
“You have to think outside the box. If you live like a frog in a well, you will never understand the broader reality.”
We are taught to think beyond limits. The Quran gives us this vastness. Through the Quran, the entire history of creation is presented to us — not just the history of the human race, but from the beginning of creation, even before it, until the final destruction of the world, the Day of Judgment, and beyond — the details of Paradise and Hell, and everything that will happen. All of this is explained and discussed in the Quran.
He was sending regular letters to Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), and finally, he informed him that they were stationed on the Sira River, on the side of the Arab region.
As we discussed earlier, they had reached Baghdad, meaning they had conquered all the areas between the Tigris and the Euphrates. But for strategic reasons, the Muslims left the conquered areas and moved to the opposite side of the Euphrates, where there were more secure regions.
This was because, by standing there, they could control the Daru region, and in case of any difficult situation, they would be able to gather reinforcements again. On the other hand, if they were stationed completely inside the Persian Empire, they themselves would be surrounded by the enemy — which was not a strategic position.
When Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas informed Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) of their position, Umar replied, “Stay where you are. This war will be decisive. The war will not end until Allah wills. You will defeat them; their capital, Mada’in, will be conquered. Insha’Allah, we will be victorious.”
That time was the year 23 AH. The Muslim army was fighting deep inside the Persian Empire, and the commander of that army was Shurahbil ibn Junayd.
They were engaged mainly in fighting against the Kurds and Turks. There were many Muslims, and Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was concerned about their safety.
Umar slept one night and saw a dream about the battlefield where the Muslims were fighting. He saw mountains on one side and desert on the other side. Umar understood that if the Muslims fought in the desert, they would be surrounded by the large enemy force because they were small in number and would be defeated.
On the other hand, if they fought with the mountain as a shield behind them, the enemy could only attack from one side.
Through that dream, Allah Almighty showed him the events of the battlefield. During a sermon, Umar ibn al-Khattab suddenly called out in a loud voice, “O Shurahbil ibn Junayd, go towards the mountain!”
The people present were surprised and did not fully understand what he meant. But Allah Almighty conveyed this message to the commander, and everyone in the army heard the news — as if an invisible voice was saying, “Look at the mountain, look at the mountain, O Shurahbil ibn Junayd!”
In that state, they fought using the mountain as a shield. By the will of Allah, they were victorious. Finally, they sent a messenger to Madinah with the news of victory.
The messenger arrived in Madinah with some symbolic items from the battlefield to present to Umar ibn al-Khattab.
The Muslims in Madinah surrounded him and asked, “Did you hear anything when you fought?”
The man replied, “Yes, we heard a voice saying, ‘O Shurahbil ibn Junayd, look at the mountain, look at the mountain!’ We were surrounded, and we heard the enemy approaching. We quickly ran towards the mountain, used it as a shield, fought, and by the will of Allah, we were victorious.”
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this narration in his book Al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, and Imam Tabari also recorded it, classifying the chain of transmission as Hasan (good).
This incident was a blessing from Allah Almighty to Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).
All the preparations were complete; only the final moment remained — when the Persian Empire would face the Muslim army, and the decisive battle would begin.
At that moment, the army’s commander, al-Muthanna ibn Haritha (may Allah be pleased with him), appeared with the Muslim forces.
Al-Muthanna, however, was ill at the time due to an injury he had sustained in the Battle of the Bridge. His condition worsened, and eventually, he was bedridden.
In his final moments, we see a reflection of a previous incident — when al-Muthanna had gone to meet Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), who was ill at the time and, in that state, gave his final advice to the commander.
Similarly, now al-Muthanna ibn Haritha, on his deathbed, had before him the new commander, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). He gave him some final advice and suggestions.
The scene is vivid, as if it comes before us like a picture — the beacon of truth being passed on, the torch of responsibility handed from one trusted hand to another.
Al-Muthanna ibn Haritha advised Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas:
“If you fight near the Arab border, you will later be able to conquer all the regions of Persia.”
“God forbid, if something else happens, you will be able to retreat and gather new strength.”
Saibani (may Allah be pleased with him) fought in that region. He had everything at his fingertips. This was his final advice, and history has proven that his advice was beneficial and correct.
The Muslims fought the Battle of Qadisiyyah, and there they achieved a final victory over the Persian Empire.
