Khalid Ibn Waleed (R)

Khalid Ibn Waleed Al Makhzumi. Khalid was one of the sahabah of rasulullah (saw) and was born into the Bani Makhzum clan of the Quraish. His clan were responsible for all matters of war of the Quraish so it was no wonder that he was one of the finest generals in jahiliyyah and in Islam. He grew up learning the arts of war and was a strong and powerful general in the Quraish. He defeated the Muslims at the battle of Uhud back before he turned Muslims. After becoming Muslims, Khalid became one of the most prominent and closest sahabah to the Prophet (saw). The Prophet (saw) gave him the title "sayfullah" or the "Sword of Allah" after Khalid was victorious as general at the Battle of Mutah where he won with 3000 against 100,000. Khalid was well known for defeating numerically superior armies of the Persians and Byzantines. Khalid fought in over 100 battles, 50 of which were major.

 

 He was victorious or undefeated in every single battle he fought. He fought in three major wars. The Rida wars, the conquest of persia and the fight against the Byzantines. Khalid was well known to both his companions and his enemies. He was not a general who liked to sit back and let his men do all the work, rather he used to be commanding his troops while even being at the forefront of the battle. Khalid first participated significantly as a Muslim in the Rida wars against the apostating tribes of arabia. Khalid defeated Khalid brought an end to Musailima Al Khadhab's attempts to uproot the Muslim's at the Battle of Yamama were he attacked and obliterated their numerically superior army. He was sent to fight against the Persians first under the rule of Abu Bakr. He had conquered most of Iraq and parts of Iran while he was there in less than a year. Then Abu Bakr called him back to take command in the Byzantine front.

 

There Khalid was famed for his great victories against the romans. Khalid conquered much of the Byzantine controlled lands. When Abu Bakr passed away in Madinah, Umar Ibn Al Khattab became the khalifah. He ordered that Khalid step down as commander as the Muslims no longer placed their reliance in Allah, but rather believed victory was inevitable if Khalid was amongst them and also because there was some friction between the two. Khalid however knew of this through a dream. Khalid continued in Jihad against the Byzantines and he was at the frontlines always seeking martyrdom. Khalid did not achieve martyrdom on the battle field but rather he died in 642 at the age of 58 from illness. There was not a handspan of space on his body that was not covered by some scar or wound from battle. Khalid's is famous for saying on his death bed "I die even as a camel dies. I die in bed, in shame. The eyes of cowards do not close even in sleep."

Khalid's military career for the Khalifah was short but was devestating to the enemies of Islam and Khalid in a few years, brought two of the greatest empires on earth to their knees. Khalid is noted for his military ingenious and skill. Not only was he a great general but also a champion soldier and a master of tactics and strategem. He was one of two people in recorded history to successfully perform the double envelopment maneuver against a numerically superior army (Battle of Walaja), the other being Hannibal. Some of Khalid's famous battles are as follows:

Battle of Yamamah against the apostates under Musailamah al khadhab.
Won with a force of 10,000+ against 40,000.

Battle of Mutah against the Byzantines and the Ghassan.
He won or drew with them with a force of 3000 verses 100,000.

Battle of Walaja against the Persians.
He defeated them with an army of 15,000 against 30,000.

Battle of Ullais against the Persians.
He defeated them with a force of 15,000 against 70,000.

Battle of Ajnadayn agains the Byzantines.
Defeating the romans with a force of 30,000 against 90-100,000.

Battle of Yarmouk against the Byzantines.
Romans were defeated by a force of 40,000 against 150-200,000.