Golden Mein: Hazrat Musna of the Iranian campaign [Paart 8]

Hazrat Musna [Mothana] bin Haris [Harith] Al-Shybani of Banu Bakr tribe in Basra contributed to early rise of Islam in a manner worth noting in letters of gold. But he remains an unsung hero of Islam. He is not as well known as Hazrat Saifullah Khalid (RA) Hazrat Abu Obadiah (RA) or Hazrat Saad bin Waqas (RA). Yet, based on historical evidence it could be safely stated that Hazrat Musna [RA] solely started the Iranian campaign.

The exploits of Hazrat Musna [RA] got woven into Islamic lore with a silken touch, so delicate was the art of the noble warrior in winning adherents to his cause. While as appeal to friends and supporters was a heart to heart affair, the steel in his person aimed straight at the jugular of Islam’s enemies. His effort orchestrated with other heroes making the song of Islam, a melody with a soulful rendering.
Hazrat Musna’s [RA] tribe of Banu Bakr in Bahrain bordered Iraq—a part of Iranian empire. The empire included present-day Iraq, Iran, and parts of Central Asia. Yemen across the Red Sea was its protectorate. Hazrat Musna [RA] started border skirmishes on his own without any word from Medina, the capital of the nascent Islamic republic.

Initially, the forays were cross border raids meant to announce the golden tiding on the horizon. Islam with the implicit massage of equality and brotherhood had a stake in quality governance. The democratic spirit of Islam was an appealing concept to the downtrodden masses groaning under the yoke of autocratic order of Roman Caesars and Iranian Choesroes. Added to this discomfort was almost a constant state of war between the two ancient superpowers. The stalemate continued until the advent of Islam.

Hazrat Musna (RA)’s forays had a dual purpose. One was uniting the tribes of Bahrain, some of whom were half hearted in accepting the massage of Islam. Two, by providing them with a purpose to work for and carrying the massage further to people of Arab stock living in the border areas of mighty Iranian state

Soon, the resurgent Arabia had the warring factions look for cover. The development was unimaginable. Even in their distress, either was a handful for the toddler on the international scene. The Arab nation got infused with the massage of lslam.  Before either of the two superpowers could assess and respond, the toddler became the giant killer. History had never seen a force grow so rapidly.
Hazrat Musna (RA)’s forays had a dual purpose. One was uniting the tribes of Bahrain, some of whom were half hearted in accepting the massage of Islam. Two, by providing them with a purpose to work for and carrying the massage further to people of Arab stock living in the border areas of mighty Iranian state. He initially faced great difficulty in convincing them that Iran with all its might could be taken on in a combat.  Given the effort, the miracle of Islam would work. Hazrat Musna (RA) was working against heavy odds. Any geopolitical analyst would have been right in calling him a daydreamer. He was indeed scoffed at, made fun of but never ever for a moment did he doubt the authenticity of his mission.
He went on belying forecasts, negating prophets of doom. History has seen very few instances of such a belief in a mission. The Islamic lore has Khyber, Hazrat Ali (RH)’s dream performance in a major battle. It has the military exploits of Hazrat Saifullah Khalid (RA). They had the state backing them. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) personally assigned the mighty task of delivering the final punch at Khyber to his cousin and son-in-law. Hazrat Khalid (RA) had the patronage of Hazrat Abu-Bakr (RA) and Hazrat Omar Farooq (RA). Hazrat Musna (RA) had none to look up to for quite a period.

Hazrat Musna (RA) was working against heavy odds. Any geopolitical analyst would have been right in calling him a daydreamer. He was indeed scoffed at, made fun of but never ever for a moment did he doubt the authenticity of his mission

A day dawned when Hazrat Musna (RA) felt he had enough in his scorecard to make a passionate plea for help to Hazrat Abu-Bakr (RA) in the seat of Caliphate, located in Medina. He made the plea in person, answered tough queries regarding logistics. The Caliph had problems on various fronts. Forces were stretched putting in place the false claimants to Prophethood, the others bent upon acceptance of only that part of Islam suiting their fancy and rejecting the rest and more important, the forces trying to gain a foothold in Syrian province of Roman Empire.
The Syrian front had a similar proposition as the Iranian one. People of Arab stock called Ghassanids (Ghasani in Arabic) needed to be motivated as Hazrat Musna (RA) was trying to do with Arab stock in Iraqi province of Iranian Empire.

In Medina not everyone was inclined to open another front, nor could the moving plea of the brave warrior with a statesman-like demeanour be neglected. He carried a warning too. Iranians had to be met inside their border. No action would mean, Iranians coming inside Islamic lands in trying to offset, what would sooner or later be taken as a serious threat to the Iranian Empire.
Moreover, Iranians and Romans had to be taken on separately before they would ever think of uniting to contain resurgent Islam. Hazrat Musna (RA) sounded convincing even to those, who were disinclined to open another front. The Caliph weighed heavily in his favour. Yet he was no Cesar or Chosroe to proclaim a singlehanded decision. The Islamic Shoura, the consultative body was operational with ‘Shoura-e-Baynahum’ (mutual consultation) the Quranic edict as its guiding principle. The Shoura finally decided to back the Iranian campaign simultaneously with the Syrian campaign, though the forces committed to Iranian front were far lesser. Lesser were available too, given the logistic stretch along a wide and diverse front. Those were the days when hardly a male stayed behind in Medina.
Hazrat Musna (RA), though he went back with just his small delegation, was promised that a supporting contingent would follow close on his heels. Soon he got wind that the most valuable sword in Islamic armour, Saifullah next only to Al-Zulfiqar [sword of Hazrat Ali (RA)] would be provided for the Iranian front. Hazrat Saifullah Khalid bin Walid [RA] was chosen for the command. We are heading to fascinating Iranian campaign with a commander known for his cute military sense—Hazrat Khalid [RA] and Hazrat Musna [RA] a master of logistic details. How the combine worked makes a fascinating tale.

By Dr Javid Iqbal