THE CONQUEST OF SYRIA – from a history by Ahmad Ibn-Jabiyah al Baladhuri 9th c.
When abu–Bakr was done with the case of those who apostatized, he saw fit to direct his troops against Syria. To this effect he wrote to the people of Mecca, at-Ta’if, al– Yaman , and all the Arabs in Najd and al–Hijâz calling them for a holy war and arousing their desire in it and in the obtainable booty from the Greeks. Accordingly, people, including those actuated by greed as well as those actuated by the hope of divine remuneration, hastened to abu–Bakr from all quarters, and flocked to Medina. Abu–Bakr gave three bannersto three men [appointed them commanders] namely:Khâlid ibn–Sa’id ibn–al–‘Ași ibn–Umaiyah, Shuraḥbil ibnHasanah, an ally of the Banu–Jumaḥ, and ‘Amr ibn–al–‘Așiibn–Wâ’il as–Sahmi. . . . The tying of these banners took place on Thursday the first of Safar, year 13, after the troopshad camped at al–Jurf throughout the month of Muharramwith abu–‘Ubaidah ibn–al–Jarrâh leading their prayers. . . . When Omar became caliph, he conferred on him the governorship of all Syria. . . .
Abu-Bakr instructed ‘Amr Ibn-al-‘Asi to [take] Palestine for his objective. Yazid he instructed to follow the way of Tabûk. To Shurahbil, he wrote to follow the way of Tabûk also. At the outset each one of the commanders had 3,000 men under his leadership, but abu-Bakr kept on sending reinforcements until each one had 7,500. Later the total was increased to 24,000.
It is reported on the authority of al-Wakidi that abu-Bakr assigned ‘Amr to Palestine, Shurahbil to the Jordan, and Yazid to Damascus, saying, “When you all fight together, your commander is the one in whose province you are fighting.” It is also reported that to ‘Amr he gave oral instructions to lead the prayers in case the armies were united, and to have each commander lead the prayer of his own army when the armies were separate. Abu-Bakr ordered the commanders to see that each tribe flew a banner of it’s own.
On his arrival in the first district of Palestine, ‘Amr Ibn-al-Asi sent a message to abu-Bakr informing him of the great number of the enemy, their great armament, the wide extent of their land, and the enthusiasm of their troops. Abu-Bakr, thereupon, wrote to Khalid Ibn-al-Walid Ibn-al-Mughirah al-Makhzûmi – who was at that time in Iraq – directing him to go to Syria. According to some, he thereby made him a commander over the commanders in teh war. According to others, Khalid only commanded his men who accompanied him; but whenever the Muslims met for a battle, the commanders should choose him as their chief for his valor and strategy and the auspiciousness of his counsel.
DATHIN
The first conflict between the Muslims and the enemy took place in Dathin, one of the villages of Ghazzah, which lay on the way between the Muslims and the residence of the patrician [military commander] of Ghazzah. Here the battle raged furiously, but at last Allah gave victory to his friends and defeat to his enemies whom he dispersed. All this took place before the arrival of Khalid Ibn-al-Walid in Syria . . .
DAMASCUS
When the Muslims were done with the fight against those who were gathered at al-Marj, they stayed there for fifteen days, at the end of which they returned to Damascus. This took place in the year 14. The Muslims took Al-Ghûtah and its churches by force. The inhabitants of Damascus took themselves to the fortifications and closed the gate of the city. Khalid Ibn-al-Walid, at the head of some 5,000 men whom abu-‘Ubaidah had put under his command, camped at the east gate. Some assert that Khalid was the chief commander but was dismissed when Damascus was under siege. The convent by which Khalid camped was called Dair Khalid. ‘Amr Ibn-al-Asi camped at the Tûma gate; Shurahbil at the Faradis gate, abu-‘Ubaidah at the Jabiyah gate, and Yazid Ibn-abi-Sufyan from the Saghir gate to the one known as Kansan gate. Abu-ad-Karda’ appointed ‘Uwaimir Ibn-‘Amir al-Khazraji commander of a frontier garrison settled in the fortification at Barzah.
The bishop who had provided Khalid with food at the beginning of the siege was accustomed to stand on the wall. Once Khalid called him, and when he came, Khalid greeted him and talked with him. The bishop one day said to him, “Abu-Salaiman, your case is prospering and you have a promise to fulfill for me; let us make terms for this city.” Thereupon, Khalid called for an ink horn and parchment and wrote:
In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. This is what Khalid would grant to the inhabitants of Damascus, if he enters therein: he promises to give them security for their lives, property, and churches. Their city-wall shall not be demolished; neither shall any Muslim be quartered in their houses. There unto we give to them the pact of Allah and the protection of his Prophet, the caliphs and the believers. So long as they pay the poll tax, nothing but good shall befall them.”
One night, a friend of the bishop came to Khalid and informed him of the fact thatit was the night of a feast for the inhabitants of the city, that they were all busy and that they had blocked the Sharķi gate with stones and left it unguarded. He then suggested that Khalid should procure a ladder. Certain occupants of the convent, by which Khalid’s army camped, brought him two ladders on which some Muslims climbed to the highest part of the wall, and descended to the gate which was guarded only by one or two men. The Muslims cooperated and opened the door. This took place at sunrise.
In the meantime, abu–‘Ubaidah had managed to open the Jabiyah gate and sent certain Muslims over its wall. This made the Greek fighters pour to his side and lead a violent fight against the Muslims. At last, however, the Greeks took to flight. Then abu–‘Ubaidah at the head of the Muslims opened the Jâbiyah gate by force and made their entrance through it. Abu–‘Ubaidah and Khalid ibn-al–Walid met at al–Maksalât which was the quarter of the coppersmiths in Damascus. . . .
According to other reports, one night the Greeks carried a corpse out through the Jabiyah gate. A number of their brave and armed men accompanied the funeral. The rest of them stood at the gate to prevent the Muslims from opening it and entering until their Greek comrades should have returned from the burial of the dead man, thus taking advantage of the Muslims‘ state of unmindfulness. But the Muslims knew of them and fought with them at the gate a most fierce and bloody conflict which ended in the opening of the gate by the Muslims at sunrise. Seeing that abu–‘Ubaidah was on the point of entering the city, the bishop hurried to Khalid and capitulated. He then opened the Sharki gate and entered with Khalid, with the statement which Khalid had written him unfolded in his hand. Regarding that, certain Muslims remarked, “By Allah, Khalid is not the commander. How could his terms then be binding?” To this, abu–‘Ubaidah replied, “Even the lowest of the Muslims can make binding terms on their behalf.” And sanctioning the capitulation made by Khalid, he signed it, not taking into account the fact that a part of the city was taken by force. Thus all Damascus was considered as having capitulated. Abu–‘Ubaidah wrote to Omar regarding that and forwarded the message. Then the gates of the city were opened and all the Muslims met within. . .
Al-Haitian Ibn-‘Adi claimed that the people of Damascus capitulated agreeing to give up one-half of their homes and churches. Muhammad Ibn-Sa’d reported that abu-‘Abdullah al-Wakidi said, “I have read the statement issued by Khalid Ibn-al-Walid to the people of Damascus and found no mention in it of ‘half the homes and churches.’ I do not know where the one who reported it got his information. The fact is that when Damascus was taken possession of, a great number of its inhabitants fled to Heraclius, who was then at Antioch, leaving many vacant dwellings behind that were later occupied by the Muslims.” . . .
JERUSALEM
As ‘Amr was besieging Jerusalem in the year 16, abu–‘Ubaidah after reducing Ķinnasrîn and its environs, came to him and, according to a report, sent him from Jerusalem to Antioch whose people had violated the covenant. ‘Amr reduced the city and returned. Only two or three days after his return, the inhabitants of Jerusalem asked to capitulate to abu–‘Ubaidah on the same terms as those of the cities of Syria as regards tax and kharaj, and to have the same treatment as their equals elsewhere, provided the one to make the contract be Omar ibn–al–Khattab in person. Abu–‘Ubaidah communicated this in writing to Omar who came first to al-Jabiyah in Damascus and then to Jerusalem. He made the terms of capitulation with the people of Jerusalem to take effect and gave them a written statement.The conquest of Jerusalem took place in the year 17 .
A different account has been reported regarding the conquest of Jerusalem.
Khâlid ibn–Thâbit al–Fahmi was sent by Omar ibn–al-Khattab, who was at that time in al–Jâbiyah, at the head ofan army to Jerusalem. After fighting with the inhabitants, they agreed to pay something on what was within their fortified city and to deliver to the Muslims all that was outside. Omar came and concurred, after which he returned to al–Madinah. . . .
‘Abdallâh ibn–ķais said, “I was one of those who went with abu–‘Ubaidah to meet Omar as he was coming to Syria. As Omar was passing, he was met by the singers and tambourine players of the inhabitants of Adhriât with swords and myrtle. Seeing that, Omar shouted ‘Keep still! Stop them!’ But abu-‘Ubaidah replied, ‘this is their custom, commander of teh believers, and if you should stop them from doing it, they would take that as indicating your intention to violate their covenant.’ ‘Well then,’ said Omar, ‘let them go on.’
