My Favourite Person

 My Favourite person is of course Khalid Ibn Al-Walid, a great Islamic General that helps Prophet Muhammad S.A.W in his journey.

                                              Depiction image of Khalid Ibn Al-Walid

Khalid Ibn Al-Walid was born in Mecca in the year 592 century AD. Khalid full name is  Khalid bin al-Walid bin al-Mughirah from Bani Makhzum. His father al-Walid bin al-Mughirah is a leader of Bani Makhzum and the richest person at that time in Mecca. In the early history of Islam when Prophet Muhammad S.A.W started to open in spread Islam at Mecca, Khalid and his Bani Makhzum is against Islam very heavily until he join the war against Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. but an event make him change and open toward and it is told by other people the way he joins Islam is an interesting story.

                                                        Depiction image of Old Mecca 

In the Sulh Hudaibiah incident, the polytheists had sent Khalid with a team of spies to go to the Muslim army camp in Hudaibiah and investigate their movements. When Khalid and his team approached the Islamic camp, it happened that Muslims were performing the Zohor prayer. Khalid thought that was the best chance for him to attack. But the calmness of the Muslims praying in front of his eyes has caused him to stiffen. He began to think about the Prophet Muhammad and his treatises.

                  Image of Mosque As Syumaisi place that occurs the Sulh Hudaibiah

He return back to Mecca with a heart that began to quarrel, between assabiyah (tribalism) and truth. He realized, that after every war faced by the Muslims, there was no satisfaction felt. Empty. While Muslims are always positive and optimistic. In that situation, there was also a letter from his brother al-Walid who invited Khalid to Islam. Among the contents of the letter is quoting the words of the Prophet SAW. He asked al-Walid about Khalid and said:

“It is very inappropriate for people like Khalid not to know about Islam. Had he made his war expertise for Islam, that would have been better for him. And I will put him before the others. ”

The contents of the letter were very imprinted in his heart. Eventually, he decided to go to Medina to embrace Islam. On the way he met Uthman bin Abi Talhah and Amru bin As. Apparently, at the same time, Allah moved their second hearts to go to Medina as well.

                                                   Map of Mecca, Jeddah and Madina

Arriving at the gates of Medina, al-Walid greeted them. He said: "Fast! Rasulullah is now waiting. He has been informed of your arrival. "He continued to speed up the pace. When he saw Khalid, he smiled widely from afar. Keep smiling until Khalid arrives in front of him. Khalid greeted, and he answered respectfully. There was no other word from Khalid's mouth after that, except the words of two words of syahadah in front of the Prophet SAW.“Alhamdulillah for His guidance. I really see you as a very wise man. I really hope God does not place you except in goodness. ”From that day on, Khalid became the Prophet's confidant to lead the war. His first mission was to lead one of the four Muslim armies to open the City of Mecca. At that time, he had only converted to Islam for a few months.

                                                              Image of Old Madina

Khalid has been led in a lot of war and conquest to raise the syiar of Islam until he gets the title Saifullah al-Maslul which means Allah's drawn sword or Allah's Sword such as the Battle of Mu'tah, Conquest of Mecca, Battle of Tabuk and he even defeated the Byzantine Empire Army in Battle of Yarmuk. 

                                                    Battle of Yarmouk Strategy Map

In Caliph Abu Bakar, Khalid The Saifullah al-Maslul even stopped and change the tide of the war for the Byzantine Empire Army conquest towards Arabic Peninsular and Liberate Syria and Palestine from the hand of the Byzantines. Routing the Byzantine armies, he surrounded Damascus, which surrendered on Sept. 4, 635, and pushed northward. Early in 636, he withdrew south of the Yarmūk River before a powerful Byzantine force that advanced from the north and from the coast of Palestine. The Byzantine armies were composed mainly of Christian Arab, Armenian, and other auxiliaries, however; when many of these deserted the Byzantines, Khālid, reinforced from Medina and possibly from the Syrian Arab tribes, attacked and destroyed the remaining Byzantine forces along the ravines of the Yarmūk valley (Aug. 20, 636). Almost 50,000 Byzantine troops were slaughtered, which opened the way for many other Islamic conquests.

                            Illustration of the Battle of Yarmuk by a Catalonian illustrator

Because of his Leadership and Great Strategist Mind, he helps ensure the safety of the Islamic Empire and spread Islam during his conquest and Liberation by showing the truth about Islam and not by force giving people the freedom to choose and decide in his life by freeing them from the grip of Conqueror that tightens the mind of the people and let them decide and learn the world scatter to gain more knowledge for their better future and life.

Written by MUHAMMAD BIN SHAMSI