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After the episode of Daumat-ul-Jandal,
Khalid returned to Hirah, whose inhabitants received him with singing
and amusement. He heard one of them say to his companion,
"Pass by us, for this is a day when evil is happy."1
Daumat-ul-Jandal was one
of the large commercial towns of Arabia, widely known for its rich
and much-frequented market. It was also an important communication
centre, a meeting point of routes from Central Arabia, Iraq and
Syria. In Part 1 of this book, I have described how Khalid came
to Daumat-ul-Jandal during the Prophet's expedition to Tabuk and
captured Ukaidar bin Abdul Malik, the master of the fort. Ukaidar
had then submitted and sworn allegiance to the Prophet, but subsequent
to the operations of Amr bin Al Aas and Shurahbil bin Hasanah in
the apostasy, he had broken his oath and decided to have nothing
more to do with Madinah. Now he ruled over a principality of Christians
and pagans.
At about the time when Khalid set off from
Yamamah for the invasion of Iraq, Abu Bakr had sent Ayadh bin Ghanam
to capture Daumat-ul-Jandal and once again bring the northern tribes
into submission. The Caliph probably intended to send Ayadh to Iraq,
to assist Khalid, after this task had been completed. Ayadh arrived
at Daumat-ul-Jandal to find it strongly defended by the Kalb-a large
Christian Arab tribe inhabiting this region and the eastern fringe
of Syria. He deployed his force against the southern face of the
fort, and the situation that now developed was, from the military
point of view, absurd. The Christian Arabs considered themselves
to be under siege, but the routes from the northern side of the
fort were open. The Muslims, engaged closely against the fort, considered
themselves so heavily committed that they could not break contact.
According to early historians both sides were under siege! The operations
considered mainly of archery and sallies by the garrison of the
fort, which were invariably repulsed by the Muslims. This state
of affairs continued for several weeks until both sides felt equally
tired and equally hurt by the stalemate.
Then one day a Muslim officer said to Ayadh,
"In certain circumstances wisdom is better than a large
army. Send to Khalid for help." 2
Ayadh agreed. He wrote Khalid a letter explaining the situation
at Daumat-ul-Jandal and seeking his help. This letter reached Khalid
as he was about to leave Ain-ut-Tamr for Hira.
It did not take Khalid long to make up his
mind. The situation on the Iraq front was now stable and he had
able lieutenants to deal with the Persians, should they decide to
launch a counter-offensive from Ctesiphon. He sent a letter to Qaqa
at Hira telling him that he would act as Khalid's deputy and command
the front in his absence. He left a garrison at Ain-ut-Tamr. And
with an army of about 6,000 men, he left Ain-ut-Tamr the following
day to join Ayadh. Ahead of him sped Ayadh's messenger, carrying
Khalid's letter, which contained nothing more than the following
in verse:
Wait a while for the horses
come racing.
On their backs are lions brandishing polished swords;
Regiments in the wake of regiments.
The movement of Khalid was discovered by
the defenders of Daumat-ul-Jandal a good many days before his arrival,
and there was alarm in the fort. With their present strength they
could hold off the Muslim force under Ayadh, but they would not
have a chance if Khalid's army also took the field against them.
In desperate haste they sent couriers racing to neighbouring tribes.
The Christian Arab tribes responded spiritedly to the appeal for
help. Contingents from several clans of the Ghassan and the Kalb
joined the defenders of the fort, many of them camping under the
fort walls because of the insufficient room within This put Ayadh
in a delicate situation, and he prayed for the early arrival of
Khalid.
The Christian Arab forces were led by two
great chiefs: Judi bin' Rabi'a and Ukaidar. The only chief who had
any personal experience of dealing with Khalid was Ukaidar, and
this man had been ill at ease ever since he heard of the march of
Khalid from Ain-ut-Tamr. When the clans gathered at Daumat-ul-Jandal,
Ukaidar called a conference of the tribal chiefs. "I know
more about Khalid than anyone else", he said. "No
man is luckier than he. No man is his equal in war. No people face
Khalid in battle, be they strong or weak, but are defeated. Take
my advice and make peace with him." 3
1. Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, Dar
Abi Hayyan, Cairo, 1st ed. 1416/1996, Vol. 6 P. 429.
2. Tabari: Vol. 2, p. 578.
3. Ibid
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