Zayd ibn al-Khattab
Zayd ibn al-Khattab | |
---|---|
Native name | |
Born | Mecca, Hejaz |
Died | c. December 632 Uyayna, Yamama |
Allegiance | Rashidun Caliphate |
Service | Rashidun army Rashidun cavalry |
Years of service | 624–634 |
Commands |
|
Battles / wars |
|
Spouse(s) | Atiqa bint Zayd ibn Amr al-Adawi Habiba bint Abi Amir al-Amri Lubaba bint Abi Lubaba al-Amri |
Children | Abd al-Rahman Asma |
Zayd ibn al-Khattab (Template:Lang-ar; died December 632) was an Arab Rashidun military general in the service of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the first Rashidun caliph Abu Bakr (r. 632–634).
Origins and early life
Zayd was born in Mecca.[1] His father al-Khattab ibn Nufayl was an arbitrator of the Banu Adi clan of the Quraysh. Zayd mother Asma bint Wahb belonged to the Banu Asad tribe.[1] Zayd's paternal younger half-brother was caliph Umar (r. 634–644) and also had a paternal half-sister named Fatima.[2][1] He is described as "a very tall dark man".[1]
Zayd reportedly converted to Islam earlier than Umar, who became a Muslim in 616.[2] In 622, Zayd migrated to Medina and was amongst the Muhajirun (lit. 'Emigrants'). He was made the 'brother-in-faith' of Ma'n ibn Adi, who belonged to the Ansar (lit. 'Helpers').[1]
Military career
Zayd was amongst the nearly eighty Muhajirun who participated in the Battle of Badr in March 624.[1] In the Battle of Uhud in March 625, Zayd gave his armor to Umar and both brothers fought.[3] Zayd is also reported to have participated in the Battle of the Trench and all battles with Muhammad.[1]
After Muhammad's death in June 632, Zayd pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr (r. 632–634) as caliph. After the Rashidun forces quashed the threat to Medina at the Battle of Dhu al-Qissa, Abu Bakr assigned Zayd to lead the campaign to Najd.[4] However, Zayd refused and Khalid ibn al-Walid was chosen instead by the caliph.[4]
In December 632, Zayd carried the standard (alam) of the Rashidun forces against Musaylima's army in the Battle of Yamama.[2] The overall commander Khalid ibn al-Walid assigned Zayd to lead the command of the wings and delegated command of the vanguard to Shurahbil ibn Hasana.[5] After the Banu Hanifa's forces attacked in its vicinity, the Rashidun forces retreated to their camp. Khalid and Zayd urged each other and the Muslims backed both commanders.[6] Zayd reportedly said that "By God, I shall not speak until I am victorious or until I am killed" and continued to fight.[7] Musaylima's leading commander al-Rajjal ibn Unfuwa was killed by Zayd in a single combat duel.[8] Afterward, Zayd was killed and later buried in Uyayna. According to the prominent historian Ibn al-Kalbi (c. 737–819), Labid ibn Burguth was the slayer of Zayd whereas other accounts cite Abu Maryam al-Hanafi as the killer.[9]
Then he shouted, "O Allah, I apologise for the flight of my companions! I am not guilty before Thee of what Musaylimah and Muhakkam have done!"[10] Zayd continued to hold the standard while fighting with his sword and he did not drop it until he was killed.[10][11] His killer was Abu Maryam al-Hanafi, who claimed: "Allah honoured him at my hand and did not weaken me at his hand."[10] He was martyred seconds after his second cousins, Abdullah ibn Suhail and Abu Hudhayfa ibn 'Utba, and adopted distant relative (possibly nephew), Salim Mawla Abu Hudhayfa.[citation needed]
Assessment, legacy and family
Since the Ayyubid period, Uyayna obtained fame as home of the tomb and mosque of Zayd. A monument was built over Zayd's grave, which later became a popular site of veneration in the city. In the 18th-century, the monument was destroyed on the orders of the controversial scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (c. 1703–1792), who considered veneration of human beings as illicit.[12]
Family and descendants
Zayd's eldest son was named Abd al-Rahman, hence his kunya ('paedonymic') Abu Abd al-Rahman ('father of Abd al-Rahman'). The latter was born to Lubaba, a daughter of the Awsite chieftain Bashir ibn Abd al-Mundhir.[1][13]: 236 Zayd's marriage to his cousin Atiqa bint Zayd was childless and ended in divorce.[14] Another of Zayd's wives was Habiba bint Abi Amir, who bore a daughter named Asma.[1][13]: 235 Habiba's niece Jamila was briefly married to Zayd's brother Umar.[13]: 236
The prominent 10th-century theologian Abu Sulayman al-Khattabi (c. 931–998) is said to have been descended from Zayd, but these genealogical claims are disputed.[15]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 294. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ a b c Landau-Tasseron 1998, p. 117.
- ^ Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 296. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ a b Kister 2002, p. 44.
- ^ Jandora 1990, p. 46.
- ^ Landau-Tasseron 1998, p. 120.
- ^ Landau-Tasseron 1998, p. 121.
- ^ Landau-Tasseron 1998, p. 123.
- ^ Hitti 2011, p. 138.
- ^ a b c Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 295. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari. Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk. Translated by Landau-Tasseron, E. (1998). Volume 39: Biographies of the Prophet's Companions and Their Successors, p. 117.
- ^ Formichi 2020, p. 92.
- ^ a b c Muhammad ibn Saad. Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). The Women of Madina. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani. Al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-Sahaba vol. 8 #11448.
- ^ Ed 2012.
Bibliography
- Ed (2012). "al-K̲h̲aṭṭābī". Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. E. J. Brill. ISBN 9789004161214.
- Formichi, Chiara (2020). Islam and Asia: A History. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107106123.
- Hitti, Philip Khuri (2011). The Origins of the Islamic State: A Translation from the Arabic Accompanied With Annotations, Geographic and Historic Notes of the Kitab Futuh al-Buldan. Cosimo. ISBN 9781616405342.
- Jandora, John Walter (1990). The March from Medina: A Revisionist Study of the Arab Conquests. Kingston Press. ISBN 9780940670334.
- Kister, M. J. (2002). "The Struggle against Musaylima and the Conquest of Yamama". Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam. 27: 1–56.
- Landau-Tasseron, Ella, ed. (1998). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXXIX: Biographies of the Prophet's Companions and their Successors: al-Ṭabarī's Supplement to his History. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-2819-1.