The Battle of Mu'tah
غزوة مؤتة
Summary
The first Muslim military engagement against the Byzantine Empire and its Arab allies. The Prophet dispatched an army of 3,000 to the borders of al-Sham after the Ghassanid governor killed his emissary, al-Harith ibn Umayr al-Azdi. Three successive commanders — Zayd ibn Harithah, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, and Abdullah ibn Rawahah — were martyred before Khalid ibn al-Walid took command and executed a tactical withdrawal that saved the Muslim army.
Details
The cause of this expedition was the murder of the Prophet's emissary to the governor of Busra by Shurahbil ibn Amr al-Ghassani, a vassal of the Byzantine emperor. The Prophet appointed Zayd ibn Harithah as commander and instructed: 'If Zayd is struck down, then Ja'far ibn Abi Talib shall take command; if Ja'far is struck down, then Abdullah ibn Rawahah.' The Muslim force of 3,000 marched northward and encountered a massive Byzantine and allied Arab force estimated at 100,000 or more near the village of Mu'tah in modern-day Jordan. Zayd ibn Harithah fought carrying the banner until he was killed by enemy spears. Ja'far ibn Abi Talib then took the banner and fought fiercely; both his arms were severed before he was martyred, and the Prophet later told the Companions that Allah replaced Ja'far's arms with wings in Paradise, earning him the title Dhu al-Janahain (the one with two wings). Abdullah ibn Rawahah then took the banner and was also martyred. The soldiers then chose Khalid ibn al-Walid, who had recently embraced Islam, as their commander. Khalid reorganised the ranks, swapping the right and left flanks and the front and rear, giving the enemy the impression of fresh reinforcements. He then managed a strategic withdrawal, preserving the Muslim army. The Prophet, in Madinah, informed the Companions of the events as they unfolded through revelation, his eyes shedding tears as he described the deaths of the three commanders. This battle demonstrated Muslim resolve against the greatest military power of the era and set the stage for future engagements in al-Sham.