Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1671
The detachment of Usāmah b. Zayd ᴿᴬ to al-Balqāʾ
بَعْثُ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ إلَى أَرْضِ فِلَسْطِينَ قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: ثُمَّ قَفَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَأَقَامَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ بَقِيَّةَ ذِي الْحَجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمِ وَصَفَرَ، وَضَرَبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ بَعْثًا إلَى الشَّامِ، وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ حَارِثَةَ مَوْلَاهُ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُوطِئَ الْخَيْلَ تُخُومَ الْبَلْقَاءِ وَالدَّارُومِ مِنْ أَرْضِ فِلَسْطِينَ حَيْثُ قُتِلَ زَيْدُ بْنُ حَارِثَةَ وَجَعْفَرٌ وَابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْإِثْنَيْنِ لِأَرْبَعِ لَيَالٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ صَفَرٍ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالتَّهَيُّؤِ لِغَزْوِ الرُّومِ وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْجِدِّ، ثُمَّ دَعَا مِنَ الْغَدِ يَوْمَ الثُّلَاثَاءِ لِثَلَاثٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ صَفَرٍ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ فَقَالَ: «يَا أُسَامَةُ سِرْ عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَتِهِ حَتَّى تَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى [مَوْضِعِ] مَقْتَلِ أَبِيكَ فَأَوْطِئْهُمُ الْخَيْلَ فَقَدْ وَلَّيْتُكَ هَذَا الْجَيْشِ فَأَغِرْ صَبَاحًا عَلَى أَهْلِ أُبْنَى وَحَرِّقْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَسْرِعِ السَّيْرَ تَسْبِقِ الْأَخْبَارَ فَإِنْ أَظْفَرَكَ اللَّهُ فَأَقِلْلِ اللُّبْثَ فِيهِمْ وَخُذْ مَعَكَ الْأَدِلَّاءَ وَقَدِّمِ الْعُيُونَ وَالطَّلَائِعَ أَمَامَكَ». فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ بَقِيَتَا مِنْ صَفَرٍ بُدِئَ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَعُهُ فَحُمَّ وَصُدِّعَ. فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ عَقَدَ لِأُسَامَةَ لِوَاءً بِيَدِهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: «اغْزُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَاتِلْ مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ، اغْزُوا وَلَا تَغْدِرُوا وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا وَلِيدًا وَلَا امْرَأَةً وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ الْعَدُوِّ فَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُبْتَلَوْنَ بِهِمْ وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ أَكْفِنَاهُمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ وَاكْفُفْ بَأْسَهُمْ عَنَّا، فَإِنْ لَقُوكُمْ قَدْ جَلَبُوا وَضَجُّوا فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالسَّكِينَةِ وَالصَّمْتِ وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَقُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَحْنُ عَبِيدُكَ وَهُمْ عِبَادُكَ، نَوَاصِينَا وَنَوَاصِيهِمْ بِيَدِكَ وَإِنَّمَا تُغْنِيهِمْ أَنْتَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ تَحْتَ الْبَارِقَةِ». فَخَرَجَ أُسَامَةُ ؓ بِلِوَائِهِ [مَعْقُودًا]، فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى بُرَيْدَةَ بْنِ الْحُصَيْبِ الْأَسْلَمِيِّ، وَعَسْكَرَ بِالْجُرْفِ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ [وُجُوهِ] الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ إِلَّا انْتُدِبَ فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ مِنْهُمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصَّدِيقُ، وَعُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ وَأَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ، وَسَعْدُ بْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، وَأَبُو الْأَعْوَرِ سَعِيدُ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ ؓ فِي رِجَالٍ آخَرِينَ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، عِدَّةٌ مِثْلُ قَتَادَةَ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ، وَسَلَمَةَ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ بْنِ حَرِيشٍ. وَيُقَالُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ. اسْتَثْنَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْهُمْ لِلصَّلَاةِ - فَلَمَّا ثَقُلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقَامُوا هُنَالِكَ، فَلَمَّا مَاتَ عَظُمَ الْخُطَبُ وَاشْتَدَّ الْحَالُ وَنَجَمَ النِّفَاقُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَارْتَدَّ مَنِ ارْتَدَّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَامْتَنَعَ آخَرُونَ مِنْ أَدَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ إِلَى الصِّدِّيقِ، وَلَمْ تَبْقَ الْجُمُعَةُ تُقَامُ فِي بَلَدٍ سِوَى مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ، وَكَانَتْ جُوَاثَا مِنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوَّلَ قَرْيَةٍ أَقَامَتِ الْجُمُعَةَ بَعْدَ رُجُوعِ النَّاسِ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، كَمَا فِي " صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِيِّ " عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَقَدْ كَانَتْ ثَقِيفٌ بِالطَّائِفِ ثَبَتُوا عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، لَمْ يَفِرُّوا وَلَا ارْتَدُّوا. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا وَقَعَتْ هَذِهِ الْأُمُورُ أَشَارَ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ عَلَى الصِّدِّيقِ أَنْ لَا يُنْفِذَ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ لِاحْتِيَاجِهِ إِلَيْهِ فِيمَا هُوَ أَهَمُّ الْآنَ مِمَّا جُهِّزَ بِسَبَبِهِ فِي حَالِ السَّلَامَةِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ مَنْ أَشَارَ بِذَلِكَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ، فَامْتَنَعَ الصِّدِّيقُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَأَبَى أَشَدَّ الْإِبَاءِ إِلَّا أَنْ يُنْفِذَ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ، وَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا أَحُلُّ عُقْدَةً عَقَدَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَلَوْ أَنَّ الطَّيْرَ تَخَطَفُنَا، وَالسِّبَاعَ مِنْ حَوْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَلَوْ أَنَّ الْكِلَابَ جَرَّتْ بِأَرْجُلِ أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَأُجَهِّزَنَّ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ. فَجَهَّزَهُ وَأَمَرَ الْحَرَسَ يَكُونُونَ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ، فَكَانَ خُرُوجُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ مِنْ أَكْبَرِ الْمَصَالِحِ، وَالْحَالَةُ تِلْكَ، فَسَارُوا لَا يَمُرُّونَ بِحَيٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ إِلَّا أُرْعِبُوا مِنْهُمْ، وَقَالُوا: مَا خَرَجَ هَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ قَوْمٍ إِلَّا وَبِهِمْ مَنَعَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ. فَغَابُوا أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، وَيُقَالُ: سَبْعِينَ يَوْمًا. ثُمَّ آبُوا سَالِمِينَ غَانِمِينَ، ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا فَجَهَّزَهُمْ حِينَئِذٍ مَعَ الْأَحْيَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَخْرَجَهُمْ لِقِتَالِ الْمُرْتَدَّةِ، وَمَانِعِي الزَّكَاةِ،. قَالَ سَيْفُ بْنُ عُمَرَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: لَمَّا بُويِعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَجَمَعَ الْأَنْصَارَ فِي الْأَمْرِ الَّذِي افْتَرَقُوا فِيهِ قَالَ: لِيَتِمَّ بَعْثُ أُسَامَةَ. وَقَدِ ارْتَدَتِ الْعَرَبُ إِمَّا عَامَّةً وَإِمَّا خَاصَّةً فِي كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ، وَنَجَمَ النِّفَاقُ وَاشْرَأَبَّتِ الْيَهُودِيَّةُ وَالنَّصْرَانِيَّةُ، وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ كَالْغَنَمِ الْمَطِيرَةِ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الشَّاتِيَةِ ; لِفَقْدِ نَبِيِّهِمْ ﷺ، وَقِلَّتِهِمْ، وَكَثْرَةِ عَدُوِّهِمْ، فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّاسُ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ جُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَالْعَرَبُ عَلَى مَا تَرَى قَدِ انْتَقَضَتْ بِكَ، وَلَيْسَ يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ تُفَرِّقَ عَنْكَ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. فَقَالَ: وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ بِيَدِهِ، لَوْ ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ السِّبَاعَ تَخْطَفُنِي لَأَنْفَذْتُ بَعْثَ أُسَامَةَ كَمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَلَوْ لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي الْقُرَى غَيْرِي لَأَنْفَذْتُهُ. وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، وَمِنْ حَدِيثِ الْقَاسِمِ وَعَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: لَمَّا قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ارْتَدَتِ الْعَرَبُ قَاطِبَةً وَاشْرَأَبَّ النِّفَاقُ، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ نَزَلَ بِأَبِي مَا لَوْ نَزَلَ بِالْجِبَالِ الرَّاسِيَاتِ لَهَاضَهَا، وَصَارَ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ كَأَنَّهُمْ مِعْزًى مَطِيرَةٌ فِي حِفْشٍ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مَطِيرَةٍ بِأَرْضٍ مُسْبِعَةٍ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِي نُقْطَةٍ إِلَّا طَارَ أَبِي بِحَظِّهَا وَعَنَائِهَا وَفَضْلِهَا. ثُمَّ ذَكَرَتْ عُمَرَ فَقَالَتْ: مَنْ رَأَى عُمَرَ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ خُلِقَ غِنًى لِلْإِسْلَامِ، كَانَ وَاللَّهِ أَحْوَزِيًّا نَسِيجَ وَحْدِهِ، قَدْ أَعَدَّ لِلْأُمُورِ أَقْرَانَهَا. وَقَالَ الْحَافِظُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ: أَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحَافِظُ، أَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبِ، ثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْمَيْمُونِيُّ، ثَنَا الْفِرْيَابِيُّ، ثَنَا عَبَّادُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَوْلَا أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ اسْتُخْلِفَ مَا عُبِدَ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ الثَّانِيَةَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ الثَّالِثَةَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: مَهْ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ. فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَّهَ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ فِي سَبْعِمِائَةٍ إِلَى الشَّامِ، فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ بِذِي خَشَبٍ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَارْتَدَّتِ الْعَرَبُ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ، فَاجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَقَالُوا: يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، رُدَّ هَؤُلَاءِ، تُوَجِّهُ هَؤُلَاءِ إِلَى الرُّومِ وَقَدِ ارْتَدَّتِ الْعَرَبُ حَوْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ ؟ ! فَقَالَ: وَالَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ لَوْ جَرَّتِ الْكِلَابُ بِأَرْجُلِ أَزْوَاجِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا رَدَدْتُ جَيْشًا وَجَّهَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَلَا حَلَلْتُ لِوَاءً عَقَدَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ. فَوَجَّهَ أُسَامَةَ فَجَعَلَ لَا يَمُرُّ بِقَبِيلٍ يُرِيدُونَ الِارْتِدَادَ إِلَّا قَالُوا: لَوْلَا أَنَّ لِهَؤُلَاءِ قُوَّةً مَا خَرَجَ مِثْلُ هَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ، وَلَكِنْ نَدَعُهُمْ حَتَّى يَلْقَوُا الرُّومَ. فَلَقُوا الرُّومَ فَهَزَمُوهُمْ وَقَتَلُوهُمْ، وَرَجَعُوا سَالِمِينَ، فَثَبَتُوا عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ. وَرَوَى سَيْفُ بْنُ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي ضَمْرَةَ وَأَبِي عَمْرٍو وَغَيْرِهِمَا، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ لَمَّا صَمَّمَ عَلَى تَجْهِيزِ جَيْشِ أُسَامَةَ قَالَ بَعْضُ الْأَنْصَارِ لِعُمَرَ: قُلْ لَهُ فَلْيُؤَمِّرْ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَ أُسَامَةَ. فَذَكَرَ لَهُ عُمَرُ ذَلِكَ، فَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ أَخَذَ بِلِحْيَتِهِ وَقَالَ: ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، أَأُؤَمِّرُ غَيْرَ أَمِيرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ؟ ! ثُمَّ نَهَضَ بِنَفْسِهِ إِلَى الْجُرْفِ فَاسْتَعْرَضَ جَيْشَ أُسَامَةَ وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْمَسِيرِ، وَسَارَ مَعَهُمْ مَاشِيًا، وَأُسَامَةُ رَاكِبًا، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ يَقُودُ بِرَاحِلَةِ الصِّدِّيقِ، فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ يَا خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، إِمَّا أَنْ تَرْكَبَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ أَنْزِلَ. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا نَزَلْتَ وَلَا أَرْكَبُ، وَمَا عَلَيَّ أَنْ أُغَبِّرَ قَدَمَيَّ سَاعَةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ! فَإِنَّ لِلْغَازِي بِكُلِّ خُطْوَةٍ يَخْطُوهَا سَبْعَمِائَةِ حَسَنَةٍ تُكْتَبُ لَهُ، وَسَبْعَمِائَةِ دَرَجَةٍ تُرْفَعُ لَهُ، وَسَبْعَمِائَةِ سَيِّئَةٍ تُمْحَى عَنْهُ. ثُمَّ اسْتَطْلَقَ الصِّدِّيقُ مِنْ أُسَامَةَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ - وَكَانَ مُكْتَتَبًا فِي جَيْشِهِ - فَأَطْلَقَهُ لَهُ، فَلِهَذَا كَانَ عُمَرُ لَا يَلْقَاهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا قَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ. فَخَرَجَ سَرِيعًا فَوَطِئَ بِلَادًا هَادِيَةً لَمْ يَرْجِعُوا عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ جُهَيْنَةَ وَغَيْرَهَا مِنْ قُضَاعَةَ. حَتَّى نَزَلَ وَادِي الْقُرَى، فَسَارَ إِلَى أُبْنَى فِي عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً. فَقَدِمَ لَهُ عَيْنٌ لَهُ مِنْ بَنِي عُذْرَةَ يُدْعَى حُرَيْثًا، فَانْتَهَى إِلَى أُبْنَى، ثُمَّ عَادَ فَلَقِيَ أُسَامَةَ عَلَى لَيْلَتَيْنِ مِنْ أُبْنَى فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ النَّاسَ غَارُّونَ وَلَا جُمُوعَ لَهُمْ وَحَثَّهُمْ عَلَى السَّيْرِ قَبْلَ اجْتِمَاعِهِمْ. فَسَارَ إِلَى أُبْنَى وَعَبَّأَ أَصْحَابَهُ ثُمَّ شَنَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَارَةَ فَقَتَلَ مَنْ أَشْرَفَ لَهُ وَسَبَى مَنْ قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَحَرَّقَ بِالنَّارِ مَنَازِلَهُمْ وَحَرْثَهُمْ وَنَخْلَهُمْ فَصَارَتْ أَعَاصِيرُ مِنَ الدَّوَاخِينِ وَأَجَالَ الْخَيْلَ فِي عَرَصَاتِهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا يَوْمَهُمْ ذَلِكَ فِي تَعْبِئَةِ مَا أَصَابُوا مِنَ الْغَنَائِمِ. وَكَانَ أُسَامَةُ عَلَى فَرَسِ أَبِيهِ سَبْحَةَ وَقَتَلَ قَاتِلَ أَبِيهِ فِي الْغَارَةِ، وَأَسْهَمَ لِلْفَرَسِ سَهْمَيْنِ وَلِلْفَارِسِ سَهْمًا وَأَخَذَ لِنَفْسِهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا أَمْسَى أَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِالرَّحِيلِ ثُمَّ أَغَذَّ السَّيْرَ فُوَرَدَ وَادِي الْقُرَى فِي تِسْعِ لَيَالٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَ بَشِيرًا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ بِسَلَامَتِهِمْ ثُمَّ قَصَدَ بَعْدُ فِي السَّيْرِ فَسَارَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ سِتًّا حَتَّى رَجَعَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَلَمْ يُصَبْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. وَخَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ يَتَلَقَّوْنَهُمْ سُرُورًا بِسَلَامَتِهِمْ وَدَخَلَ عَلَى فَرَسِ أَبِيهِ سَبْحَةَ وَاللِّوَاءُ أَمَامَهُ يَحْمِلُهُ بُرَيْدَةُ بْنُ الْحُصَيْبِ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَدَخَلَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ. وَبَلَغَ هِرَقْلَ وَهُوَ بِحِمْصَ مَا صَنَعَ أُسَامَةُ فَبَعَثَ رَابِطَةً يَكُونُونَ بِالْبَلْقَاءِ فَلَمْ تَزَلْ هُنَاكَ حَتَّى قَدِمَتِ الْبُعُوثُ إِلَى الشَّامِ فِي خِلَافَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ ؓ.
Translation
✧ The detachment of Usāmah b. Zayd ؓ to the land of Palestine Ibn Isḥāq said: Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned, and he stayed in Madinah for the remainder of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, Muḥarram, and Ṣafar. He levied an expedition upon the people to Syria and placed over them Usāmah b. Zayd b. Ḥārithah, his freedman. He ordered him to make the cavalry tread the borders of al-Balqāʾ and al-Dārūm in the land of Palestine, where Zayd b. Ḥārithah, Jaʿfar, and Ibn Rawāḥah were killed. When Monday came, with four nights remaining of Ṣafar in year eleven, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered preparation for the campaign against the Romans and commanded them to be diligent. Then the next day, Tuesday, with three nights remaining of Ṣafar, he summoned Usāmah b. Zayd. He said: “O Usāmah, march in the name of Allah and His blessing until you reach the place where your father was killed, and make the cavalry tread upon them. I have placed you in command of this army. Raid the people of Ubnā in the morning, burn against them, and hasten the march so that you precede the news. If Allah grants you victory over them, shorten your stay among them. Take guides with you and send scouts and advance parties ahead of you.” When Wednesday came, with two nights remaining of Ṣafar, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began to feel his illness; he developed a fever and a headache. When Thursday morning came, he tied a banner for Usāmah with his own hand. Then he said: “Raid in the name of Allah, in the path of Allah, and fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Raid, and do not act treacherously, and do not kill a child or a woman. Do not wish to meet the enemy, for you do not know—perhaps you will be tried by them. But say: O Allah, spare us from them as You will, and restrain their might from us. If they meet you having raised a clamor and shouting, then upon you is tranquility and silence. Do not dispute, lest you fail and your strength depart. And say: O Allah, we are Your servants and they are Your servants; our forelocks and their forelocks are in Your hand, and You alone suffice against them. Know that Paradise lies beneath the flashing swords.” Usāmah ؓ went out with his banner tied, and he handed it to Buraydah b. al-Ḥuṣayb al-Aslamī. He encamped at al-Jurf. None of the prominent figures among the early Muhājirūn and the Anṣār remained except that he was enrolled in that expedition. Among them were Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, Abū ʿUbaydah b. al-Jarrāḥ, Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ, Abū al-Aʿwar Saʿīd b. Zayd b. ʿAmr b. Nufayl ؓ, along with other men from the Anṣār, a number such as Qatādah b. al-Nuʿmān and Salamah b. Aslam b. Ḥarīsh. It is said that Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq—the Messenger of Allah ﷺ exempted him from among them for the prayer. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became gravely ill, they stayed there. When he died, matters became grave, the situation grew severe, hypocrisy emerged in Madinah, some of the Arab tribes around Madinah apostatized, and others withheld the payment of zakāh from al-Ṣiddīq. No Friday prayer remained established in any town except Makkah and Madinah. Juwāthā in al-Baḥrayn was the first village to establish the Friday prayer after the people returned to the truth, as stated in the Ṣaḥīḥ of al-Bukhārī on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās. Thaqīf in al-Ṭāʾif had remained steadfast in Islam; they neither fled nor apostatized. The point is that when these events occurred, many people advised al-Ṣiddīq not to dispatch the army of Usāmah because he needed it for what was now more important than the purpose for which it had been prepared in a time of safety. Among those who advised that was ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb. Al-Ṣiddīq refused that and rejected it most emphatically, insisting on dispatching the army of Usāmah. He said: “By Allah, I will not undo a knot that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ tied, even if birds were to snatch us away, and wild beasts from around Madinah, and even if dogs were to drag the feet of the Mothers of the Believers. I will certainly equip the army of Usāmah.” So he equipped it and ordered guards to be around Madinah. Its departure at that time was one of the greatest benefits, given the circumstances. They marched and did not pass by any Arab tribe without striking fear into them. They said: “These people have not come out from a people except with strong protection.” They were absent forty days, and it is said seventy days. Then they returned safe and victorious. Then they came back, and he equipped them at that time along with the tribes he sent out to fight the apostates and those who withheld zakāh. Sayf b. ʿUmar said, from Hishām b. ʿUrwah, from his father, who said: When Abū Bakr was given allegiance and gathered the Anṣār regarding the matter in which they had differed, he said: “Let the expedition of Usāmah be completed.” The Arabs had apostatized, either generally or in particular, in every tribe. Hypocrisy had emerged, and Judaism and Christianity raised their heads. The Muslims were like rain-soaked sheep on a cold, rainy night because of the loss of their Prophet ﷺ, their small numbers, and the multitude of their enemy. The people said to him: “These are the bulk of the Muslims, and the Arabs, as you see, have broken away from you. It is not appropriate for you to disperse the community of Muslims from around you.” He said: “By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Abū Bakr, if I thought that wild beasts would snatch me away, I would still dispatch the expedition of Usāmah as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded, and if none remained in the villages but me, I would dispatch it.” This has been narrated from Hishām b. ʿUrwah, from his father, from ʿĀʾishah, and from the ḥadīth of al-Qāsim and ʿAmrah, from ʿĀʾishah, who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, the Arabs apostatized altogether, and hypocrisy raised its head. By Allah, what befell my father, had it befallen the towering mountains, it would have crushed them. The companions of Muḥammad ﷺ became like a rain-soaked flock of goats in a pen on a rainy night in a land full of beasts of prey. By Allah, they did not disagree on any point except that my father carried its share, burden, and merit. Then she mentioned ʿUmar and said: Whoever saw ʿUmar knew that he was created as a source of wealth for Islam. By Allah, he was resourceful and unique in his way, having prepared for every matter its match. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Abū Bakr al-Bayhaqī said: Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥāfiẓ reported to us, Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb reported to us, Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Maymūnī reported to us, al-Firyābī reported to us, ʿAbbād b. Kathīr reported to us, from Abū al-Zinād, from al-Aʿraj, from Abū Hurayrah, who said: By Allah, besides whom there is no god, had Abū Bakr not been made caliph, Allah would not have been worshipped. Then he said it a second time, then a third time. It was said to him: “Enough, O Abū Hurayrah.” He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Usāmah b. Zayd with seven hundred men to Syria. When he halted at Dhū Khashab, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, and the Arabs around Madinah apostatized. The companions of the Messenger of Allah gathered to him and said: “O Abū Bakr, turn these people back. Are you sending these people to the Romans while the Arabs around Madinah have apostatized?!” He said: “By Him besides whom there is no god, if dogs were to drag the feet of the wives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I would not turn back an army that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent, nor would I untie a banner that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ tied.” So he dispatched Usāmah. He did not pass by any tribe that intended to apostatize except that they said: “Had these people not had strength, such people would not have gone out from among them. But let us leave them until they meet the Romans.” They met the Romans, defeated them, and killed them, and returned safe, and the people remained steadfast in Islam. Sayf b. ʿUmar narrated from Abū Ḍamrah and Abū ʿAmr and others, from al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, that when Abū Bakr resolved to equip the army of Usāmah, some of the Anṣār said to ʿUmar: “Tell him to appoint someone other than Usāmah over us.” ʿUmar mentioned that to him, and it is said that he seized his beard and said: “May your mother be bereft of you, O son of al-Khaṭṭāb! Shall I appoint someone other than the commander of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?!” Then he himself went out to al-Jurf, reviewed the army of Usāmah, and ordered them to depart. He walked with them on foot while Usāmah was mounted, and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAwf led the riding camel of al-Ṣiddīq. Usāmah said: “O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, either you ride or I dismount.” He said: “By Allah, you will not dismount, and I will not ride. What harm is it for me to make my feet dusty for an hour in the path of Allah? For the warrior receives seven hundred good deeds written for him, seven hundred degrees raised for him, and seven hundred evil deeds erased from him for every step he takes.” Then al-Ṣiddīq asked Usāmah to release ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb—he had been enrolled in his army—and he released him to him. For this reason, ʿUmar never met him after that except that he said: “Peace be upon you, O commander.” He departed quickly and trod upon lands that were calm, whose people had not turned back from Islam—Juhaynah and others from Quḍāʿah—until he halted at Wādī al-Qurā. He marched to Ubnā in twenty nights. A scout of his from Banū ʿUdhrah named Ḥurayth went ahead for him, reached Ubnā, then returned and met Usāmah two nights from Ubnā. He informed him that the people were heedless and had no gathered forces, and urged them to march before they assembled. So he marched to Ubnā, arranged his companions, then launched a raid upon them. He killed those who appeared before him, captured those he could, and burned their dwellings, their cultivated fields, and their palm trees with fire, so that columns of smoke arose. He made the cavalry wheel through their courtyards, and they spent that day organizing the spoils they had captured. Usāmah was on his father’s horse Sabḥah and killed his father’s killer in the raid. He allotted two shares for the horse and one share for the rider, and took the same for himself. When evening came, he ordered the people to depart, then hastened the march and arrived at Wādī al-Qurā in nine nights. Then he sent a bearer of good tidings to Madinah with news of their safety. Then he continued the march, traveling to Madinah in six days until he returned to Madinah, and no Muslim was harmed. Abū Bakr went out with the Muhājirūn and the people of Madinah to meet them, rejoicing at their safety. He entered on his father’s horse Sabḥah, with the banner before him carried by Buraydah b. al-Ḥuṣayb, until he reached the door of the mosque. He entered, prayed two rakʿahs, then went to his house. Heraclius, while he was in Ḥimṣ, learned what Usāmah had done, so he sent a garrison to be stationed in al-Balqāʾ, and it remained there until the expeditions arrived in Syria during the caliphate of Abū Bakr and ʿUmar ؓ.
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