For several years by now the emerging Muslim Ummah was witnessing the fastest expansion ever in history.  Started by Prophet Muhammad and continuing under Abu Bakr, the momentum gathered speed, and Muslim Arabia had become a nation of feverish activity of learning, teaching, ap­plying, and spreading Islam.

    Two years of Abu Bakr's rule insured that the feverish activity was amply nourished and growing rapidly.

    Thus, Arabia, which was once ridiculed and taken lightly by the super­powers, had changed like magic into a grand and highly respec­table land.  Islam made the region dig­nified, vic­torious, and energetic.

    It was at this stage that Abu Bakr became sick.  He was sick for two weeks and people were worried.  Abu Bakr was the leader for two years until his death, at which time the Islamic Ummah was ex­pan­ding and the Mus­lims were facing the Byzantines in Yarmuk.

    At such a critical stage, and while no one knew of the outcome with the Byzantines at Yarmuk, Abu Bakr died.  Mus­lims were distressed over Abu Bakr's death, but felt good that Omar was to follow his leader­ship.  Omar was ap­pointed to the Khilaafah, and he did not receive this position on the basis of Shoora (Collective Election).

    Therefore, the transition of leadership was smooth, with no debate, argument, or disagreement.  Omar was 51 years old and well known to the Muslim com­munity.

IT WASN'T THAT NEW TO OMAR   

    The two years of Abu Bakr's rule gave Omar an in-depth experience in the ad­ministration of the Islamic Ummah.  Omar was extremely close to Abu Bakr, and he helped Abu Bakr in most policy making and decisions having to do with the State.

    The Islamic Ummah, due to its fast growth, had become very complicated to administer and manage.  Thus, Omar's direct involvement in the affairs of the Islamic Ummah allowed him to build very valuable experience.

    Now that Omar was the Khalifa, he set out to show his ability and prowess as Head of State.

BUT WHAT KIND OF A PAST DID OMAR HAVE?   

    Omar was known for his violent temper but had a loving nature, especially to those close to him.  He was frank and straightfor­ward, qualities known about him ever since he was a child.  Omar loved oratory, and was known to be strict, perfectionist, and lover of discipline.  Omar also loved to wrestle—when teenager he often wrestled with Khalid ibnil Waleed and once ended up with a broken leg!

    Omar did not convert to Islam until a few years after the Islamic Message, but once he embraced Islam, he was dedicated to it.  His personal power and his backing for Islam were well-known by everyone.  He used his prestige to the advantage of Islam since its early period, and he offered a psychological boost to many early Muslims.  Omar par­ticipated in most of the battles Muslims defended themselves against the disbelievers.  He was an outspoken man and did not waver the least in his convictions. 

Omar's Early Khilaafah

OMAR'S STAMP OF MANAGEMENT   

    Omar was not like Abu Bakr, and the people knew this.  Omar was a strict disciplinarian and a perfectionist, qualities needed at the time, discipline was indeed essential.  Omar guarded the application of the Quranic teachings and the Islamic way of life well.

    The first decision Omar made was removal of Khalid ibnil Waleed as the Commander-in-Chief at Yarmuk.  Khalid's reputation had become extremely high, almost beyond belief, because of the glorious victories he commanded.  Khalid was thought by many to be too tough in his dealings with the enemy.  Omar was concerned that the people may glorify Khalid to the extreme or to hero-worship him.  Because of such concern, Omar did not hesitate to remove Khalid from his post.  Later he removed Khalid completely from the Muslim military. 

MUSLIMS VERSUS THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

ABU UBAIDA BECOMES THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF   

    Once the Battle of Yarmuk ended, and the Muslims were ever grateful for the victory, Khalid rescinded from his position.  Instead of being the Commander-in-Chief, Khalid became a subordinate.  Even though Khalid was the most decorated military genius of the time, he obeyed the command of Omar without a word of objection.  Khalid announced Omar's decision to the surprise of most Muslims at Yarmuk, and respectfully became the subordinate to Abu Ubaida.

    Khalid continued the struggle, accepting orders from Abu Ubaida (who was his previous subordinate).  Khalid led the forces he was assigned and within two to three years he penetrated deeper to the northern cities of Syria, and as far north as the Taurus Mountains in what is now Turkey.  Most of the country was Christian at that time, some were of other faiths.  This was contrary to Persia, who at the time was mostly of the Zoradusht belief.

DIRECTION TO DAMASCUS   

    Once the Battle of Yarmuk was over, Abu Ubaida, accompanied by notables such as Khalid and others, moved toward Damascus.  They laid siege to the city and cut the means of communication.  The siege continued for weeks, and Khalid became restless as he did not like lingering—he was for the immediate action.  He was looking for opportunities.

▪   Damascus endured the siege but with growing uncertainty and fear.  The town's morale sagged and tension was high—it was fear of the unknown.  They hoped that the winter weather would discourage the Muslims from the siege, but the Muslims were exceptionally persistent and deter­mined.

▪   Finally, after two months, Khalid found the opportune moment:

1. The wife of the Governor of Damascus had delivered a baby, and, as the custom dictated, the family was to celebrate as well as the whole town.  Everyone reveled in the celebration including the military.  Alcohol was taken to excess and many got drunk.

2. It was a dark and eerie night when Khalid and a few select Muslims took advantage of this opportunity—the rest of his troops were instructed to launch a surprise attack once they hear Allaahu‑Akbar at the Eastern Gate.

3. Cautiously and quietly, Khalid and his select group crossed the moat outside Damascus city wall, and with ropes prepared for the task, they sneakily climbed the wall.  Then, and suddenly, they attacked the drunk Byzantine guards in a surprise move, killing them all, and opened the Eastern Gate.  The Eastern Gate was the strongest, it now lay open to the Muslims.  Khalid and his select group shouted a loud and clear Allaahu Akbar, and having heard that, the troops under Khalid's command charged through.

4. With screams of Al­laahu‑Akbar very loud, they rushed through the open gate right away, entering Damascus triumphantly and with no resistance!

DAMASCUS SURRENDERS   

    The Byzantines inside Damascus were startled, now that Khalid was inside Damascus and the unexpected had happened.  They became fearful, so they immediately opened the city gate nearest to the Commander-in-Chief, Abu Ubaida, and asked for peace.  Abu Ubaida gave them his word for accepting their peace offer, not knowing that Khalid had entered Damascus by a brilliant feat.

    Abu Ubaida's fighters were marching to the center of Damascus, when they unexpec­tedly saw Khalid and his fighters coming down the other side!  What a startled look both Abu Ubaida and Khalid must have had, and how unexpected!

    Yazid Ibn Abu Sufyan was appointed Governor of Damascus.  He cleared the surrounding area of all Byzantine resistance.  It took some time, but gradually and piece by piece the whole area, all of Syria, came under Muslim precept.

    It is noteworthy that Yazid, along with his brother Mu'awiya, were the sons of Abu Sufyan.  Abu Sufyan was the leader of opposition to Islam and Muhammad (pbuh), and accepted Islam after the Muslims conquered Mecca, thus called the Tulaqaa', meaning as a favor they were set free despite their previous animosity to Islam.

    Yazid, son of Abu Sufyan, did not live long, he died of a disease at a young age.  Mu'awiya, the brother of Yazid, was then appointed by Omar for the Governorship.  Mu'awiya was 35 years old at the time.

THE FLEEING HERACLEUS ASKS QUESTIONS   

    Emperor Heracleus, who only a few years earlier was the supreme ruler in the Byzantine Empire, saw himself defeated—he was depressed and feeling low.  He curious­ly asked a Byzantine prisoner-of-war who was released by the Muslims, "What kind of people are these Muslims?"

    "O Emperor," the Byzantine soldier answered, "they are a wonderful people.  They are fearless fighters in daytime, yet spend their nights in prayer.  They get nothing from the conquered people without paying for it.  Wherever they go, they carry peace and justice with them.  But if a people oppose them, they will be after them until those people give in."

    Having heard that, Heracleus said, "If they possess such magical powers, they are sure to conquer someday the very ground that is under my feet!"

    That was exactly what happened not long after this dialogue.

JERUSALEM STILL UNDER SIEGE   

    Abu Ubaida, Khalid, and other Generals heard that Jerusalem was under siege and the people had continued to resist.  Amr Ibnil Aas, commander of a sizable Muslim force, had continued the siege, but to little avail.

▪   Ibnil Aas was joined by Abu Ubaida, the Commander-in-Chief, and other Generals with their divisions.  This increased the size of the Muslim forces very much, but the holy city continued to withstand the siege for a long time.

▪   The Christians of Jerusalem were fully aware that Muslims honored their word; that when other towns had asked for peace, the Muslims had honored their word and entered in peace.  But it was different when it came to Jerusalem.  The Muslims had venerated and respected this city, as much as, if not more than, the Christians.  But the Chris­tians wanted to be assured of safety for themselves and the city.  Therefore, they presented a special and unique request.

▪   The demand was unprecedented.  The High Priest (Patriarch) wanted to surrender Jerusalem but only to the Khalifa.  Omar himself was to come to Jerusalem to settle the terms of agreement, otherwise Jerusalem would continue its resistance.

▪   Abu Ubaida discussed the matter with the Generals, and they decided that rather than spill blood, it would be best to ask if Omar would agree.  Word was sent to Medina, and everyone waited anxiously.

▪   Omar agreed to the suggestion without hesitation and left immediately.  Imam Ali, in Medina, remained as his deputy.  Imam Ali, therefore, was in charge of the Muslim Ummah for as long as Omar was absent negotiating.

OMAR TO JERUSALEM   

1. In Jerusalem this was a period of reflection as they waited for Omar; it was a  reflection not only for the Muslim forces but also for the besieged inhabitants of the town.  Though the people of Jerusalem had heard about the fairness of the Muslims, there was a feeling of anxiety and insecurity. 

2. As Omar approached Jerusalem a large crowd had gathered for the reception.  The Patriarch nervously prepared to meet with Omar, making sure his appearance was suitable and impressive.  He wanted to look appropriate and his best, just as he used to do when Heracleus visited Jerusalem. 

3. What the people saw instead was by far the most unexpected.  From a distance they saw a tall man walking, dressed in ordinary clothes, respectfully surrounded by the Commander-in-Chief Abu Ubaida, Khalid, and other Muslim Generals.  He was surrounded by people who displayed high respect, all dignified, and the whole group walked slowly toward the Patriarch.  It was almost impossible for the indigenous people to believe the scene, the people of Jerusalem were never used to such simplicity.  They were amazed when they discovered the tall man was Omar! 

4. Omar never came as an Emperor, or felt like one; he came as a servant of Allah Almighty.

THE PATRIARCH WAS AGHAST   

    In being accustomed to the grandiose style of Emperor Heracleus, the head of the Church, the Grand Patriarch, expected Omar to be the same as Heracleus.  After all, Omar was the Khalifa of the new Muslim Ummah.  The Patriarch was just as as­tonished as the rest of the people of Jerusalem about Omar's unpretentious appearance.  Islam teaches that the rulers are the same as the ruled, and equality must be maintained in its true sense.

    This was a wonderful example for the people of Jerusalem and a startling new discovery about the Muslims!  There was no Byzantine pompousness, or any pretentious behavior, rather, there was dignity and courteous behavior.

TREATY WAS COMPLETED   

    An agreement between Omar and the Patriarch was signed after an exchange of discus­sions.  The agreement included:

1. personal safety and security for all citizens in Jerusalem,

2. safety of all belongings and possessions,

3. freedom of worship, allowing the Christians to keep their churches, and

4. no one was to be hurt, nothing was to be changed.

    This was an honorable, just, and generous agreement, and when it was signed, the High Priest and the citizens of Jerusalem felt at ease and secure.  They realized that their worries were unfounded.  What a difference, they thought, between now and when Jerusalem was in the hands of other conquerors.

OMAR WAS ASKED TO PRAY IN THE CHURCH   

    Upon entering Jerusalem, Omar went straight to the Temple of David where he performed his Salat.   Omar then visited the largest church accompanied by the Patriarchs.  When time for the next Salat was due and Omar wanted to perform it, the Patriarch invited Omar to perform it in the church.

    The Patriarch was taken aback when Omar expressed his wish not to do so.  Omar hastened to explain, saying to the High Priest, "If I pray at the church, I am afraid the Muslims may, one day, use this as an excuse for taking the church from you!"  What a model of fairness, the Patriarch thought, and how impressive!  The Priest was discovering a different world, he must have admired what Omar stood for, be it his frankness or belief.  When Khalifa Omar prayed outside the church, he made an imprint about safeguarding the places of worship, regardless of their religion.

OMAR BUILDS A MOSQUE   

    In Jerusalem, at a place called the Rock, Omar and the Muslims built a large Mosque.  The area was cleared of all the debris, and the Muslims set to work with great energy.  Omar also worked with them, emulating Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when the Muslims entered Medina.

    The people of Jerusalem were extremely impressed and full of admiration for what they witnessed.  They saw an enterprise hard to beat, with the Muslims and their Head of State, Omar, working vigorously and without distinction.  What a difference they thought between the way Muslims lived and practiced Islam and the Byzantines of yesteryear in their pompous ways!

MUSLIMS VERSUS THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

IN THE MEANTIME, IN IRAQ   

    When Khalid left Iraq the year before to join other Muslims in Yarmuk, he ap­pointed Muthanna to replace him.  Muthan­na heard that the enemy was preparing for a battle, so he decided to go to Medina to explain the situation first hand to the Khalifa.

    As a result, reinforcement under the leadership of Thaqafi joined Muthanna in Iraq.  Thaqafi was given the command of the Iraqi operation and Muthanna was to be under his command.  Thaqafi also proved excellent in military operations, and the battle between Thaqafi and Jehan, the noble Persian, ended in defeat for the Per­sians at Namariq.

    Rustam, the Commander-in-Chief of the Persian Army, became apprehensive and fearful.  He was very worried about the latest defeats of his forces.  The situation was extremely ominous, as the Muslims were posing a threat by this time to the very existence of the Persian Empire.  Therefore, Rustam collected another large army under the command of Bahman to confront Thaqafi.

A SETBACK AT THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE   

    Having succeeded at Namariq, Thaqafi became overconfident.  Thaqafi, flushed with victory and overconfident, decided to cross the Euphrates River to face the Persian Army.  The river was dangerous since it was flood time and the water was at a very high level.  The Muslim forces built a bridge, and some 9,000 fighters crossed the river.

1. When the Muslims came face-to-face with the Persian forces, they discovered elephants forming a solid line and shielding the Persian Army behind it.  The elephants were in the place of tanks in present day warfare, and these elephants scared the Arabian horses.  The horses became difficult to manage, and, consequently, the Muslims went on foot to fight; the elephants, however, created a commotion and played havoc with them.  Nothing seemed to work.  Even Thaqafi was tramped upon by a big white elephant and crushed instantly, as were seven of his relatives.

2. There was chaos and disorder in the ranks of the Muslims.  They tried to retreat, but the bridge was destroyed by some Mus­lims, to force the Muslim forces not to retreat.  The bridge, not being there, proved counterproductive and the Muslims were relentlessly attacked by the Persians.

3. Muthanna then took command, but could save only one-third of the force, since more than another third of the Muslim force had already drowned in the river in their attempt to retreat.

4. The Battle of the Bridge was a disaster, quite a defeat for the Muslims.

MUTHANNA TAKES REVENGE   

    Shortly after the Battle of the Bridge, the Persians, confidant and flush with vic­tory at this time, decided to attack the Muslims.  Using the same strategy the Muslims used before, the Persians crossed the Euphrates River to face the Muslims.  Buttressed with enfor­cement, the Persian force was very large.  The battle broke out and developed into a ferocious frightful one, but there were no elephants this time.  The commander of the Persian force was killed, and the Persian forces retreated to the bridge in fear, confusion, and disorder.

    This time, however, the bridge was previously destroyed by the Muslims.  The retreating Persians, not seeing the bridge, and scared and relentlessly attacked by the Muslims, threw themselves into the river.  They had very little choice.  Throwing themselves in the water was deceptively dangerous as the heavy arms made it impos­sible to swim, so the Persian fighters drowned by the tens of thousands.  The Persian force this time tasted the same fate as the Muslim force did under Thaqafi a short time ago.

MUTHANNA GETS SICK   

    After this successful battle Muthanna became ill, and his sickness became progres­sively worse.  He died just before a large, well‑prepared Muslim force gathered for the decisive battle to come.  Sa'ad Ibn Abi Waqqas was the Commander-in-Chief and was joined by Muthanna's force cam­ping at Qadisiya.

FROM QADISIYA, ENVOYS AP­PROACH THE PERSIANS

    Sa'ad Ibn Abi Waqqas, the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim forces, sent a few envoys to the Persian Emperor.  To receive them, Yazdajird, the new and fiery Persian Emperor wanted to impress them, so he put on a dazzling display of jewelry and created an ostentatious appearance.  He intended to dazzle the eyes of the Muslim envoys and put fear in their hearts.

    To his disappointment, the Muslim en­voys were not impressed.  Negotia­tions between the Emperor and the Muslims proved fruitless, making the Emperor very angry, so he dismiss­ed the envoy out of frustration.  He refused all the offers the Muslims made, since he thought he and his Empire were beyond reach.  He was still under the grandeur of the Persian Empire, and too oblivious to the new realities.

QADISIYA IS THE WITNESS   

    Two large armies were face-to-face:  Abi-Waqqas the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslims versus Rustam, head of the Persian forces, at a place called Qadisiya.

1. Rustam was the Commander-in-Chief of the 120,000 seasoned fighters, who were well supplied with armament, full of confidence, and proud of their heritage and prowess.  Many envoys had gone back and forth bet­ween Rustam and the Muslims but to no avail.  Rustam also tried to dazzle the Mus­lims with all the riches around him, but the representatives were not influenced.  The talks were unsuccessful and a battle seemed inevitable.

2. Waqqas was sick the day the battle started, so he decided to directed the battle from the top of a nearby house.  Despite his fever Waqqas wanted to see for himself—he wanted to direct the battle as expected of him.

THE FIRST DAY OF QADISIYA BATTLE   

    With Allaahu‑Akbar emanating from thousands of hearts the Muslims charged, advancing upon the Persians.  But suddenly the Muslims saw the unexpected, numerous huge elephants attacking them, with Persian fighters on top.  The elephants scared the Arabian horses making them nervous, jittery, and unmanageable.  Confused by the advancing elephants, the horses did not obey their riders.  This caused a serious problem for the Muslims, so a solution had to be found right away.

▪   As the elephants advanced, the Muslim archers showered the beasts with arrows persistently. They succeeded to halt their advance only to some extent.  The fighting between the two sides was quite heavy in casualties. 

▪   Each side gave a sigh of relief when evening came and the fighting came to a halt, thanks to Allah Almighty.  The Persians had the upper hand that day and they thought their victory was near.  Their self-confidence and military experience were telling them the Muslims would soon be defeated.  Little did they know the power of the faith!

▪   The Muslims dressed their wounds, tended to their fallen ones, and buried their dead.  They prayed for victory and thought of possible solutions to the elephant dilemma.  The problem needed to be solved without delay.

THE SECOND DAY OF QADISIYA BATTLE   

    Early on the second day, the two sides engaged in the more fervent combat.  At the same time, however, long lines of reinforcements started pouring in on the side of the Muslims; they kept moving and moving, all day long.  They charged with swords held high, shouting Allaahu-Akbar, and joined their brother fighters in the battle of destiny, Qadisiya.

▪   The reinforcements consisted of 6,000 Muslims arriving from Syria.  They speeded from Syria as previously arranged, having arrived in the nick of time.  The long lines of this enforcement gave very scary and exaggerated impression to the Persians.  The Persians thought the Muslim forces were swelling with reinforcement many folds, an ominous thing to them.  The new situation worried the Persian fighters to no end, be they with elephants or not; it put fear in their hearts and undermined their confidence.

▪   To solve the problem with the elephants, the Muslims tried a new tactic.  They covered the head of each camel to prevent the animal from seeing the frightful elephant.  The camel and its rider then charged toward the Persians.  Not being able to see, the camels became neurotic, jumpy, and unmanageable.  The camels dashed in all directions, disorganized, screaming, and kicking.  This scared the Persian horses and the elephants, producing confusion and disarray beyond belief.

▪   The fighting was bloody during the second day.  The Muslims attacked and received counterattacks.  The Persians, less sure of themselves by now, were worried, and very weary.  Many Persian military leaders were killed that day, such as Bahman, Baraz, and others.  Both sides were exhausted that night; muscles were achy, bruises and cuts were the norm.  There was hardly enough time to eat or drink.  Despite their pain the Muslims were impatient and wanted victory.

 THE THIRD DAY OF QADISIYA BATTLE   

    The third day of fighting was the final day of Qadisiya Battle, and it was unique indeed.  It started early, and the two leading and wildest elephants were attacked by two Muslim fighters.  Spears whizzed as they were powerfully thrown by these Muslims.  They aimed for the leading elephants' faces but fortunately damaged the elephants' eyes.  The trunk of one of the elephants was also cut resulting in massive bleeding and pain.  The two elephants, as mad as could be, moved furiously in circles, loudly screaming and stomping on everything and everyone in their way.  The whole herd of elephants then followed their lead.  They all headed toward the river, away from the battle site.  Consequently, there was no danger of the big elephants, and the Muslims felt relieved.

▪   A large unit of daring Muslims charged persistently against the body of the Persian forces, penetrating straight toward the enemy's strategic center—Rustam the Com­mander-in-Chief.  The Muslims now engaged Rustam's guards in a frightful fight with continuous and relentless pressure, and finally they killed Rustam.

▪   Once Rustam was killed, the self-confidence of the Persian army was shat­tered.  The Muslims intensified their attacks from every direction, and the Persians began to flee in all directions.

▪   The Battle of Qadisiya was a brilliant victory for the Muslims.  Qadisiya was just as decisive for the fate of the Persian Em­pire as the Battle of Yarmuk was for the Byzantine Empire.

▪   Qadisiya certainly was not the last en­counter with the Persians.  There followed other battles, mostly started by the Persians in an attempt to recapture the territories they had lost, or to annihilate the Muslims.

▪   Yazdajird, the Persian King, continued his attempts against the Muslims for a num­ber of years, the Battles of Julowlaa' and Nahawand were important ones.  However, those battles saw the Persians lose repeated­ly despite their superior numbers and ar­maments, and in spite of their great preparations.

▪   Persia became wide open to the Muslim forces and under the flag of Islam.  Ibn Waqqas was appointed as governor and he saw to it that all people were treated fairly.  Many Persians elected to convert to Islam, steadily but at an accelerating rate.

▪   In an indirect way, each time the Persians tried to destroy the Muslims, they not only lost the battle but also lost a big territory of their empire.  The intention of Omar was not to expand into Persia, but those battles forced the Muslims to enter Persia.  After only a relatively short period the Muslims reached as far as Turkistan and India, a magnificent feat.

AN EPIDEMIC OF DISEASE   

    Within a few years of his Khilaafah, Omar visited Syria due to an epidemic of disease, possibly plague.  Numerous people got infected and lost their lives, including Abu Ubaida.

    Because of this epidemic, there was grave concern about the health and welfare of the Muslims in Syria and Iraq.  When the epidemic was over, Khalifa Omar went to Syria to help solve numerous problems, and to see for himself the condition of the people.

    Famine hit the region the year that followed the epidemic and people suffered a great deal.  Omar was harsh on himself, denying himself food so that he suffers just as others.  Those two years were difficult but the Muslims took them in stride, having faith in what Allah (swt) gave them.

EGYPT UNDER ISLAM   

    Just like the Persians, the Byzantines also repeatedly tried to recapture the ter­ritories they had lost to the Muslims.  They too, desperately and repeatedly recruited fighters to engage the Muslims in one battle after another.  Their losses were successive, and consequently they lost more territory to the Muslims.

    The Byzantines' base of operation was Egypt by this time, from where they fre­quently harassed the Muslims and continued their hostilities.

    Omar did not favor the fast expansion of the young Muslim State.  However, as circumstan­ces led to the conquest of Persia, so the Byzantine harassments forced the decision to conquer Egypt.

    Amr ibnil Aas, an adventuresome highly mobile person, who knew Egypt well through his travels, commanded only 4,000 troops.  It was a very small force, but extremely motivated and well disciplined.  After several successful battles in Egypt, they captured many key towns; then laid siege to Alexandria.

    The town of Alexandria was easily sup­plied from the Mediterranean Sea.  This made it possible for the siege to continue for 14 long months, despite reinforcements to the Muslims.  It worried Omar to such an extent that he wrote letters to Aas reminding his fighters to remember Islam and its teachings and to give the enemy a crushing defeat.

    Finally, Alexandria, the jewel of the sea and the hard-to-conquer, surrendered and all of Egypt became part of the flourishing Muslim Ummah.

WITHIN A FEW YEARS   

    The many battles and encounters with the superpow­ers occurred within few years.  Numerous new territories were included, yielding to the rule of Islam.  The news of each victory poured into Medina and the Muslims rejoiced—ever so grateful to Allah Almighty.

    The news spread rapidly, and the women, children, and men discussed the marvelous success and achievement Allah (swt) had given them.  Because of no mass media, all that the Arabs knew was the presence of two extremely powerful and extremely rich civilizations to the north, both of whom seemed to be impenetrable, and both under systems of dictatorship—very harsh toward the ordinary citizen.

    Islam had become the beautiful way of life and great status symbol.  This engendered a great strength and spirit among the people, it was a feeling or an image of Islamic dignity, high moral standards, and delivery of fairness and justice to all.

    Khalifa Omar and his Council of Advisors were also very pleased and gratified.  It was a gift of the Lord, Allah (swt) who wanted His word and His teachings to prevail.  The victories were victories for Allah, and each Muslim did what he or she could to raise the flag of Islam and uphold the Party of Allah.

THE PERSIAN AND BYZANTINE RULERS   

    Naturally in Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt or Persia, the Byzantine and Persian leaders, be they Emperors, Kings, Princesses, or employees of the government were constantly worried and extremely depressed.  They were the losers, and to them their defeat was very insulting, if not humiliating.  They hated and envied the Muslims, and their days and nights were spent in worries.  Their calculations became constant miscalcula­tions, and their hopes were constantly dampened.  Hatred of Muslims and Islam burned inside of them.  "Who would believe," they thought, "that a disor­derly, insignificant people from a desert called Arabia, could so miraculously do so much, and to succeed so steadily?  It seemed at first that Arabia was unable to do anything of substance, let alone lead an army; and suddenly and miraculously becomes our threat!"

    The Byzantine and Persian Empires grew too frightened to hear any more news; for consistently the news was bad to them.

HOW DID THE ORDINARY PEOPLE FEEL?   

    On the other hand, the ordinary people, be it in Persia, Syria, or other ter­ritories felt the opposite of their rulers.  In certain areas the average citizen welcomed the new Muslims with open arms, to the dislike of their rulers.

    The man saw impartial treatment and justice replacing oppression and subjugation.  They saw the new Mus­lims guard well the safety of everyone, giving freedom and dignity to all.  As a matter of fact, in the beginning the Muslim forces were even kept in encamp­ments and away from the towns, contrary to the looting, rape, and confiscation of property in which other victorious armies engaged.  The citizens felt that the Muslims were a dif­ferent breed and one they accepted and welcomed.

THEY EMBRACED ISLAM IN LARGE NUMBERS   

    Islam became unusually attractive in the eyes of the masses, be it in Syria, Iraq, Egypt or other conquered areas.  Not much time passed before numerous people embraced Islam.  To them Islam was logical and it penetrated their hearts.  It became a status symbol to be Muslim, and the multitude came to embrace it, each anxious to learn about it.

    Teachers were then mobilized and schools established, to teach the new Mus­lims.  Everyone concentrated on teaching Islam, the guidance of the Quran and the Hadith.  The effort was massive, and its accomplishments were in no small measure as that of the dazzling military successes.

    The Muslim State was many folds larger than Arabia, and the many thousands of people who became Muslim had to under­go the effort of changing psychological­ly and spiritually.  Gradually Islam permeated and took root; the new Ummah, as heterogeneous as it was, experienced a unique spiritual, psychological, and social uplift.  It was a new way of life, far better and far superior than any other.  But it was not only the way of life right then and there, it was a life of preparation for the Hereafter—the  aim and focus was to please Allah Almighty and earn Heaven. 

ADMINISTRATION

Without much previous experience, Omar found himself confronted with constant rapid challenges.  The challenge was ever chan­ging, varied, and rapid.  Things had become very complex.

    Omar had a great council consisting of Ali, Uthman, and other notable Sahaaba, who graduated under the leadership of the Prophet (pbuh).  The council was of extreme importance, similar to Board of Trustees of today.  It advised, directed, helped, and assisted the Head of State, Khalifa Omar.  Many of the major decisions of Omar were only made after he had listened to the opinions of the council, allowing the decisions to be discussed first and then executed in the best interest of Islam.

    This council continued for the whole period of Omar's rule.  It witnessed remarkable exchange of ideas, mutual respect, and cooperation among the Sahaaba.

HOW WAS OMAR'S RULE?   

   The vast Muslim domain was divided into provinces, and for each province Omar appointed a governor.  Omar was strict and impartial as to who governed.  The people of the new territories enjoyed the Islamic liberties and the just treat­ment, and this encouraged them to study Islam.  Islamic learning was a religious duty to be proud of.  It was like a voluptuous volcanic eruption, and each person participated, male or female, young and old, black or white.  Islam was free and for the benefit of all.

▪   In Arabia, Omar's rule was quite strict, yet fair and mild at times.  The poor were well‑compensated, the ill and destitute were helped, and a stipend from the treasury was distributed in a fair manner.  Even coins, with the Muslim profession of faith, "There is no deity but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," inscribed on them were minted.  Omar was also a strict dis­ciplinarian, and his spirit of discipline molded the unruly and difficult people of Arabia.

▪   Unlike other rulers, Omar lived in a simple, ascetic manner, wore ordinary clothes, lived in an ordinary house, and requested no guards.  He was an example of a good Muslim leader.  Omar listened to the people and their complaints, and he sympa­thized with them and helped solve their problems the best he could.  He was simple yet responsible and he took his leadership position seriously.

▪   At one time, a passer by who was not Arabian, wanted to talk directly to the Head of State.  Expecting to see a complex palace with many guards, he was led to the Khalifa Omar who was sleeping under a tree, partially shaded from the sun, and dressed like any ordinary man.  The man's eyes literally popped when he learned that the sleeping man was Omar!  When his sense of disbelief lessened he said in ad­miration, "As you have imparted justice, so you can safely sleep, with no guards."

A MODERNIZER AND DISCIPLINARIAN   

    With the swift growth of the Muslim domain, Omar had to create a system of administration.  With the help of his great council, Omar put his administration on the most up-to-date level of that day; creating statistical studies, registries, regulation of revenues, etc.  The result was that the people lived in an Islamic Ummah on a firm footing, with a good, capable adminis­tration.

    Omar was a perfectionist and an idealistic ruler.  He served the Muslim State well and to the best of his ability, at a time when the budding Islamic State needed a firm ruler like him.  He was far-sighted, fair but stern, simple and mild mannered, impartial, and devoted.  He cared for the poor and the destitute, and served in the true Islamic Spirit.  Being the head of the Muslim State didn't make him change his character at all.  His conscience was such that he would even walk in the streets at night to see if some people needed help.

    After ten and a half years of his rule, a Persian, non‑Muslim slave by the name of Feruz, approached Omar to complain about his master.  Omar promised to study the matter.  But next day, and during prayer, Omar was stabbed from behind by the in­furiated Feruz.  Omar lived only three days after that.  Omar was around 62 years of age.

ALI DURING KHILAAFAH OF OMAR   

    Ali was very busy during the Khilaafah of Omar.  Besides being on Omar's council, Ali undertook the following:  (For more detail see Book 14 of the Series of Islamic Books for Beginners.)

▪   Tafseer (Mus'haf Fatima):  Ali started the work on Tafseer of the Quran during the Khilaafah of Abu Bakr and finished it during this period.  The Tafseer, consisting of three volumes, is called Mus'haf Fatima.

▪   Al-Hadith:  Once finished with writing down the Tafseer, Ali set to the massive task of writing down the Hadith.  It is called Saheefa of Ali, and it became the reference to numerous jurists and scholars.

▪   Al-Ah'kaam:  Once done with the Hadith Ali undertook another massive work.  Ah'kaam are the rules and regulations of the various aspects of Islamic duties (Fiqh), possibly this was not finished until the times of Uthman.

▪   Freeing the slaves:  Ali used to work in his orchard, and the money earned was used to maintain his family and the leftover to pay for one slave's cost to be freed.  During Omar's Khilaafah Ali freed approximately 520 slaves—at the rate of one slave a week!

▪   Tutoring at home:  Ali's family has grown, but despite pressure on his time, Ali tutored all children at home.  He taught them the Quran, its Tafseer, and Hadith.

▪   Ibn Abbas:  Ibn Abbas was in early twenties during this period.  He con­tinued to be the good student of Ali, and the fruits of his studies began to attract atten­tion.  Even Omar (r) had many religious conversations with him, one of them was before his death, and it was about Ali's Khilaafah.

QUESTIONS 

1. How did Khalifa Omar (r) gather vast experience during the Khilaafah of Abu Bakr?

2. How close was Omar (r) to Abu Bakr (r)?

3. Did Omar (r) give a great deal of advice to Abu Bakr (r)?

4. What kind of past did Omar (r) have?

5. Describe the management style of Khalifa Omar (r) during his reign.

6. Why did Khalifa Omar (r) want a different leader at Yarmuk than Khalid ibnil Waleed?

7. When the Yarmuk Battle was over, to where did the Muslim forces go?

8. How did the Muslims manage to enter Damascus?

9. What way did Khalid ibnil Waleed use to enter the city of Damascus?

10. How did Khalid ibnil Waleed meet the other Muslim General when he entered Damascus?

11. Jerusalem was under siege, how long did the siege take before it sur­rendered?

12. What kind of demand did the Chris­tians in Jerusalem make before they were to surrender the town?

13. Did Khalifa Omar (r) agree to the demand of the Christians?

14. Describe the surrender of Jerusalem and the terms of their agreement.

15. How did the Christians feel when they saw Omar (r) coming to Jerusalem?

16. Did Omar (r) build a mosque in Jerusalem?

17. Does the mosque Omar built in Jerusalem still exist today?

18. How did General Muthanna manage in Iraq?

19. How did Muthanna die?

20. Sa'ad ibn Abi-Waqqas followed Muthanna, what is the famous battle for which he became known?

21. Where did Qadisiya take place?

22. Who was the Persian Commander in Chief at Qadisiya?

23. How many days did the battle of Qadisiya take?

24. Rustam was the commander-in-chief of the Persians at Qadisiya, what happened to him?

25. Sa'ad ibn Abi-Waqqas was com­mander-in-chief of the Muslim for­ces.  Why did he not participate at the Qadisiya battle?

26. Describe the role of the elephants during the early part of Qadisiya Bat­tle?

27. How did some of the camels become frightened during the Battle of Qadisiya?

28. Muslim reinforcements arrived during the Qadisiya Battle.  How did the Muslims trick the Persians?

29. How and in which battle was Rustam killed?

30. How did the Muslims deal with the problem of the elephants during the battle of Qadisiya?

31. Qadisiya was historically decisive.  Why?

32. To which territory did the Muslims reach after the Battle of Qadisiya?

33. During the time of Qadisiya an epidemic of disease hit an Islamic territory, which one was that?

34. After the epidemic of disease there followed famine.  Describe Omar's response to the famine.

35. The Byzantines continued trying to defeat the Muslims from Egypt.  Did they succeed?

36. A force of four-thousand Muslim fighters was dispatched to Egypt.  Who was their leader?

37. Did Amr ibnil Aas succeed in his mission?

38. How long did Alexandria take before it surrendered?

39. How long did the tremendous expan­sion of the Islamic Ummah take during the reign of Abu Bakr (r) and Omar (r)?

40. How could the Muslims spread Islam at such a fast rate without having mass media?

41. Describe how the indigent people of the new territories under Islam felt about the Muslim presence.

42. Describe the rule of Khalifa Omar (r)?

43. What kind of person was Khalifa Omar (r)?

44. Was the great Islamic momentum as started during the time of Prophet Muham­mad (pbuh) continued during Omar's rule?

45. Describe the spirit of the Muslims about the great expansion during Omar's rule?

46. How did Ali (a.s.) help Omar (r) during his administration?

47. Did Khalifa Omar (r) have a council of advisers?

48. How was the Muslim world ad­ministered during the time of Omar (r)?

49. What happened to the flow of money coming from the new Islamic ter­ritories?

50. During Omar's time, the Islamic ter­ritory became the largest area in the world under one leader.  Did the people convert to Islam right away?

51. What propelled the people to embrace Islam?

52. Without mass media, how could Islam be taught to the masses and spread in such an accelerated manner?

53. How did Khalifa Omar (r) die?

54. How was the feeling in Medina when Omar was stabbed?

55. Could Omar (r) administer after he was mortally wounded?

56. What did Imam Ali (a.s.) do during Omar's reign?

57. How long was Omar's rule?

58. What is Mus'haf Fatima?

59. What is Saheefa of Ali?