Following
Yarmuk—the decisive battle on Roman front, Byzantines didn’t have the courage
to engage the victorious forces in another major battle. Nearly two millennia
of battle experience had come to naught in confrontation with a force with a
different take of battle than was conceived by the Romans or Iranians—two super
powers of 7th century. The two Empires held that role from 500 B.C
until 3rd decade of 7th century—more or less 1800 years.
Their battle gear, the armed formations were in essence defence oriented. The
offence would only be attempted, once the defence would be wearied down
sufficiently. Offence had to as risk free as possible. Arabs on the contrary
even is pre-Islamic times would enter a battle head on. Islam provided
discipline to offensive tendencies and more important--co-ordination. These new
traits acted as force multipliers. Battle
formations of Islamic forces thus assumed a potency that Romans and Iranians
found very hard to combat. They tended to avoid death, Islamic forces embraced
it. Death and destructions thus stalked Romans and Iranians.
Al-Quds
is sacred to Jews, Christians, as well as Muslims, being their Qibla-i-Awal.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem
sued for peace, with a rider. The willingness to surrender was subjected to presence
of Khalifat-ul-Muslimeen--Hazrat Omar Farooq (RA). The historical setting
carries some deft touches, very much relevant to present day scenario in
Al-Quds. The Commander-in-Chief of Muslim forces, Hazrat Abu Obadiah Ibn
Al-Jarah (RA) could easily have overlooked the rider and entered Al-Quds. He
did not, the reason is not far enough to fetch. Like the modern day occupants
of Al-Quds right from David Ben Gurion, to Manheim Begin, Moshe Dayan, Golda
Meir, and Ariel Sharon and Netanyahu, the Muslims never wanted blood to be shed
in the holy premises. The present occupants don’t shirk or shudder to shed it.
Hazrat
Abu Obadiah Ibn Al-Jarah (RA) dispatched SOS to the Caliph in Medina to be present in person to accept
surrender. The Caliph saw the wisdom that the suggestion entailed and left the
capital to care of Hazrat Ali [RA]. The travel to Syria of the Caliph forms an
important chapter of Islamic lore. The Caliph left without a guard or fanfare.
No trumpet was sounded, nor did the sirens wail. One wonders, what was his
escort? Simplicity, events seem to suggest. Traveling like any other Bedouins
[man of the desert] nothing suggested that he could be the Caliph. He and his attendant rode the horseback,
believe it or not, by turns, relate some accounts. While as Ameer Ali in his
‘History of Saracens’ mentions only one attendant accompanying him , Shubli
Numani’s account talks of few Mahajarin [Meccan migrants] and few Ansars
[Medinite helpers].
As
he neared Jabiah, Syedena Omar Farooq [RA] he witnessed Muslim commanders
waiting to receive him dressed in silks of finest loom, relates Shubli Numani.
The Caliph flew into rage. Down he jumped from his horse and pelted pebbles at
his commanders for trading simplicity with glamour. He was pacified only when
they showed the cuirasses [steel armour] beneath the silk robes, indicating
battle readiness. On climbing a hillock, he saw charming fields and towering
edifices of Damascus.
He was moved to say “They have left many a garden, fountain, park, arbour
and riches, which they used to enjoy. Thus it is that we put a late generation
in possession thereof”. All this indicates and there are other instances to
suggest that the great Caliph was apt to put a question mark on what the
surfeit of riches do to a society. The softening effect makes mouse of men, the
resultant is the decay and the ultimate rout. History is full of what Syedena
Omar Farooq (RA) meant to say.
Jabiah
is where the peace treaty was signed, says Tabari, Ameer Ali concurs. Baladhuri
and Azdi differ and quote Jerusalem
as the venue. Whatever the venue, what matters is the content. Christians were
accorded free exercise of religion and allowed keeping their churches. Only
light taxation was imposed. Following the signing of treaty, he left for Jerusalem, where Sophronius,
the patriarch received him. On a tour of holy sites, it got to prayer time.
Syedena Omar (RA) refused to pray inside the ‘Church
of Resurrection’ opting to pray on the
steps of ‘Church
of Constantine’. He told
the ‘Patriarch’ were he to pray inside the Church, revered by Christians, on a
later day Muslims might be tempted to claim the site as holy, on the plea of
their Amer-ul-Momineen having prayed there. It shows how conscious was Syedena
Omar (RA) of his station and status and how keen was the foresight. His prayer
could have developed into a bone of contention and he was keen to avoid such an
eventuality. Whoever talks of the Muslims and the sword?! Has ever a conqueror
in history been as humble, as benevolent as Syedena Omar Farooq (RA). In fact
there was no victor or vanquished, the attempt, the quest, the craving was for
dissemination of a universal massage of brotherhood, peace and amity amongst
nations.
While
in Al-Quds, one day, at the stroke of a prayer, Syedena Omar (RA) asked Hazrat
Bilal (RA) to break the self imposed ban on Azan following departure of Prophet
(PBUH) to his heavenly abode and call the faithful to prayer. Hazrat Bilal (RA)
made an exception. The Suhaba-i-Ikram (Illahi Rahma) wept unabashedly,
remembering the times, when the greatest ever born (pbuh) welded men of the
most mismanaged societal combination in history…pre-Islamic Arabs into the
finest ever combination of men. The formation thus was filling fast the
geopolitical space being yielded by great powers of past. History had never
ever such a miracle.
Yaar Zinda, Sohbat Baqi [Reunion
is subordinate to survival]
By Dr. Javid Iqbal
Feedback on: Iqbal. javid.iqbal46@gmail.com
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