Tag Archives: Umar

The Election of Caliph Uthman, 644

Posted on May 23, 2021 by Ruth

As Umar lay dying, he appointed six Companions of the Prophet to determine which of them would become his successor. They were Muhammad’s foster son and son-in-law Ali; Uthman, an early wealthy convert who was twice Muhammad’s son-in-law; and four … Continue reading →

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Death of Caliph Umar: What Now? 644

Posted on May 23, 2021 by Ruth

Umar’s sudden death came directly from the breadth of the conquests during his reign. Medina was no longer an isolated town of date farmers who all knew each other; it was an imperial capital with embassies. It had probably outgrown … Continue reading →

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The Battle of Nahavand, 642

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Ruth

The rest of Persia, the territory that makes up the modern nations of Iran, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan, was conquered by two separate military campaigns. The first was a defensive action by the Arab commanders in Iraq, while the second invasion … Continue reading →

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First Muslim Cities of Egypt

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Ruth

The two great modern cities of Egypt are the same ones that became great under Muslim rule. Ancient Egypt had had Thebes, which never got its primary status back, and other cities had come and gone. Alexandria is still great, … Continue reading →

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Conquest of Egypt, 636-42

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Ruth

We need a wide range of dates to cover the conquest of Egypt because histories conflict so much as to when things happened and in what order. General Amr ibn al-As, who had led his army to Gaza in the … Continue reading →

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The New Cities in Iraq: Kufa, Basra and Mosul, 636-40

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Ruth

The Muslim forces were a small population of conquerors in a very large settled agricultural society. Now that they controlled it, they were free to settle or build in it. They could have begun a massive migration from dry Arabia … Continue reading →

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The Amazing Wealth of Persia, 638-40

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Ruth

Persian luxury was famous; even then, they put carpets on the ground that others would have prized as blankets or wall coverings. In the negotiations before the Battle of Qadisiyah, Arabs had taken pains to ruin any carpets they were … Continue reading →

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Conquering the Tigris, 636-7

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Ruth

The Arab general Khalid had moved quickly up the Euphrates River in 634, but he left his gains there and went to Syria. Now, with Damascus and Jerusalem securely held by Muslims and the remaining armies tackling the tougher port … Continue reading →

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Fall of Jerusalem, 637

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Ruth

The Muslim armies captured remaining towns in Syria in the months following the Battle of Yarmouk. They re-occupied Damascus, temporarily abandoned so as to have maximum forces at Yarmouk. The siege of Emessa/Homs took place in the winter, when the … Continue reading →

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Caliph Umar, 634

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Ruth

When Abu Bakr died, he was careful not to leave the same type of succession crisis as they had faced at the Prophet’s death. He knew exactly what he wanted to do. He named Umar as his successor, therefore Caliph. … Continue reading →

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