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Battle of Mu'tah

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Battle of Mu'tah
battle
Part ofArab–Byzantine Wars Edit
CountryJordan Edit
Ein locationMu'tah Edit
Coordinate location31°2′0″N 35°41′50″E Edit
Point for tym insyd629 Edit
Participantfirst Islamic state, Byzantine Empire, Ghassanids Edit
Map

De Battle of Mu'tah (Arabic: مَعْرَكَة مُؤْتَة, romanized: Maʿrakat Muʿtah, anaa Arabic: غَزْوَة مُؤْتَة Ghazwat Muʿtah) take place insyd September 629 (1 Jumada al-Awwal 8 AH),[1] between de forces of Muhammad den de army of de Byzantine Empire den dema Ghassanid vassals. E take place insyd de village of Mu'tah insyd Palaestina Salutaris at de east of de Jordan River den modern-day Karak.

Insyd Islamic historical sources, dem usually describe de battle as de Muslims dema attempt to take retribution against a Ghassanid chief for taking de life of an emissary. According to Byzantine sources, de Muslims plan to launch dema attack on a feast day. De local Byzantine exarch learn of dema plans wey dem collect de garrisons of de fortresses. Seeing de great number of de enemy forces, de Muslims withdraw to de south wer de fighting start at de village of Mu'tah wey dem either route anaa retire widout exacting a penalty on de Ghassanid chief.[2][3][4] According to Muslim sources, after three of dema leaders be killed, dem give de command to Khalid ibn al-Walid wey he succeed in saving de rest of de force.[3]

Three years later de Muslims go return to defeat de Byzantine forces insyd de Expedition of Usama bin Zayd.

Background

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De Byzantines dey reoccupy territory dey follow de peace accord between Emperor Heraclius den de Sasanid general Shahrbaraz insyd July 629.[5] De Byzantine sakellarios Theodore,[6] be placed in command of de army, den while insyd de area of Balqa, dem sanso employ Arab tribes.[5]

Meanwhile, na Muhammad send ein emissary to de ruler of Bostra.[7] While on ein way to Bostra, dem execute am insyd de village of Mu'tah by de orders of a Ghassanid official Shurahbil ibn Amr.[7]

Mobilization of de armies

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Muhammad dispatch 3,000 of ein troops insyd de month of Jumada al-Awwal 7 (AH), 629 (CE), for a quick expedition to attack den punish de tribes for de murder of ein emissary by de Ghassanids.[7] Na Zayd ibn Harithah lead de army; de second-in-command be Ja'far ibn Abi Talib den de third-in-command be Abd Allah ibn Rawahah.[8] Wen de Muslim troops arrive at de area to de east of Jordan wey dem learn of de size of de Byzantine army, na dem wan wait den send for reinforcements from Medina. 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah remind dem about dema desire for martyrdom wey he question de move to wait wen wat dem dey desire dey await dem, so dem continue dey march towards de waiting army.

Battle

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Dis disposition of forces insyd de Battle of Mu'tah, dem fight insyd 629 AD near Mu'tah, present-day Jordan

De Muslims engage de Byzantines at dema camp by de village of Musharif wey dem then withdraw towards Mu'tah. E be hie wey de two armies fight. Sam Muslim sources report say na dem fight de battle insyd a valley between two heights, wich negate de Byzantines dema numerical superiority. During de battle, all three Muslim leaders fall one after de oda as dem take command of de force: first, Zayd, then Ja'far, then 'Abdullah. De leader of de Arab vassal forces, Mālik ibn Zāfila, sanso be killed insyd battle. After de death of 'Abdullah, de Muslim soldiers dey in danger of being routed. Thabit ibn Aqram, dey see de desperate state of de Muslim forces, take up de banner den rallied eim comrades, thus saving de army from complete destruction. After de battle, ibn Aqram take de banner, before he ask Khalid ibn al-Walid to take de lead.[9]

References

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  1. Kaegi 1992, p. 72.
  2. Watt 1956, p. 54.
  3. 1 2 Buhl 1993, p. 756-757.
  4. Kaegi 1992, p. 67.
  5. 1 2 Kaegi 1992, p. 72-73.
  6. Kaegi 1992, p. 35.
  7. 1 2 3 El Hareir & M'Baye 2011, p. 142.
  8. Powers 2014, p. 58-59.
  9. Jafar al-Tayyar, Al-Islam.org
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