WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:15.580 --> 00:00:17.579 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 00:00:17.579 --> 00:00:21.579 to present to you glimpses from the lives of the Companions, 00:00:21.579 --> 00:00:25.579 by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 00:00:25.579 --> 00:00:26.609 may Allah have mercy upon him. 00:00:26.609 --> 00:00:34.130 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr, may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:51.060 --> 00:00:54.060 We are now in the ninth year of the Hijrah, 00:00:54.060 --> 00:00:58.060 the year which the Muslims called the Year of Delegations. 00:00:58.060 --> 00:01:04.060 The city of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, opens its wide heart 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:09.060 to welcome, with the brightness of every morning, one delegation or more, 00:01:09.060 --> 00:01:13.060 arriving from all corners of the Arabian Peninsula 00:01:13.060 --> 00:01:17.060 to declare their Islam before the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:01:17.060 --> 00:01:20.060 and to pledge their allegiance to him, promising to listen and obey. 00:01:20.060 --> 00:01:25.129 Here are the noble masters, the notables of the Banu Tamim, 00:01:25.129 --> 00:01:28.129 submitting to Islam after long defiance, 00:01:28.129 --> 00:01:32.129 arriving in the city as obedient Muslims, 00:01:32.129 --> 00:01:38.129 extending their hands to the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in allegiance. 00:01:38.129 --> 00:01:45.159 While the people were declaring their Islam before the noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:49.159 and receiving the rewards he had ordered for them, 00:01:49.159 --> 00:01:54.159 the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, noticed a young man among them, 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:56.159 gazing intently at his face. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:59.159 Then, he stared at him and asked, 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:01.159 "What is the young man's name?" 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:04.159 He replied, "Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr." 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:10.189 He then asked, "What have you prepared for jihad in the cause of Allah, O Qa'qa'?" 00:02:10.189 --> 00:02:13.219 He replied, "Obedience to Allah and His Messenger, 00:02:13.219 --> 00:02:17.219 swift horses, and sharp spears." 00:02:17.219 --> 00:02:20.219 He said, "That is the ultimate goal." 00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:22.219 From that day on, 00:02:22.219 --> 00:02:29.219 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr dedicated his soul and his sword to the obedience of Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 00:02:29.219 --> 00:02:32.219 He made the backs of his horses his bed. 00:02:32.219 --> 00:02:38.319 So come, let us spend these wonderful moments with Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:44.319 and his commander, the Sword of Allah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with him and grant him satisfaction. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:51.610 Khalid ibn al-Walid had barely rested after finishing the Wars of Apostasy 00:02:51.610 --> 00:02:56.610 when the letter from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, reached him, 00:02:56.610 --> 00:03:00.610 ordering him to set out to conquer the lands of Iraq, 00:03:00.610 --> 00:03:05.610 to rescue them from the hands of the Persians, and to bring their people into the religion of Allah. 00:03:05.610 --> 00:03:10.610 However, Khalid's soldiers had dwindled and dispersed, 00:03:10.610 --> 00:03:14.610 as many had been martyred in the grueling Wars of Apostasy, 00:03:14.610 --> 00:03:20.610 and others had been dismissed to return to their families after being away for so long. 00:03:20.610 --> 00:03:25.610 Khalid was left with only a small number from his once-great army. 00:03:25.610 --> 00:03:30.740 So he wrote to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, requesting reinforcements. 00:03:30.740 --> 00:03:34.740 When al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, opened Khalid's letter 00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:38.740 and understood its contents, he said to those with him, 00:03:38.740 --> 00:03:41.740 "Khalid ibn al-Walid is asking us for reinforcements." 00:03:41.740 --> 00:03:44.740 "Reinforce him with Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr." 00:03:44.740 --> 00:03:49.770 The attendees opened their mouths in astonishment at what they heard and said, 00:03:49.770 --> 00:03:53.770 "O Commander of the Faithful, will you reinforce a commander 00:03:53.770 --> 00:03:56.770 who has lost most of his soldiers with only one man?" 00:03:56.770 --> 00:03:59.770 Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, replied, 00:03:59.770 --> 00:04:05.770 "Yes, for the voice of Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr in the army is better than a thousand horsemen, 00:04:05.770 --> 00:04:09.770 and an army that includes Al-Qa'qa' shall never be defeated." 00:04:09.770 --> 00:04:14.960 Khalid ibn al-Walid set out at the head of ten thousand of his soldiers toward Iraq, 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:17.959 accompanied by Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr, 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:22.959 whom al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, had counted as equal to a thousand horsemen. 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:25.959 He turned his attention toward the region of al-Hafir, 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:29.959 located near the Persian Gulf, 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:31.959 bordering the desert. 00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:36.959 Hormuz was the governor of this region on behalf of the Persian King. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.959 And Hormuz, if you do not know, 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:44.959 was one of the few men who possessed great honor among the Persians in his time. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:50.959 There is no greater proof of his honor than his headgear, which was worth one hundred thousand, 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:53.959 for it was the custom of the Persians 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:57.959 to value their headgear according to their status among their people. 00:04:57.959 --> 00:04:59.959 Whoever reached the pinnacle of honor, 00:04:59.959 --> 00:05:02.959 the value of his headgear was one hundred thousand. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:07.959 However, Hormuz was one of the Persian governors who treated the Arabs the worst, 00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:10.959 and was the most arrogant toward them. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:13.959 The Arabs hated Hormuz with intense hatred, 00:05:13.959 --> 00:05:17.959 to the point that they made him a proverb for evil. 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:21.959 They would say in their proverbs, "More evil than Hormuz," 00:05:21.959 --> 00:05:23.959 and "More [arrogant] than Hormuz." 00:05:23.959 --> 00:05:28.220 No sooner had Khalid ibn al-Walid set up camp in the region 00:05:28.220 --> 00:05:32.220 than he sent a letter to Hormuz, saying, 00:05:32.220 --> 00:05:34.220 "To proceed: 00:05:34.220 --> 00:05:36.220 Embrace Islam and you shall be safe, 00:05:36.220 --> 00:05:38.220 or choose the status of dhimmah for yourself and your people, 00:05:38.220 --> 00:05:43.220 and pay the zakat to the Muslims while you are in a state of submission. 00:05:43.220 --> 00:05:46.220 Otherwise, do not blame anyone but yourself, 00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:49.220 for I have come to you with a people who love death 00:05:49.220 --> 00:05:52.470 as much as you love life." 00:05:52.470 --> 00:05:56.470 Hormuz lost his composure when he read Khalid ibn al-Walid's letter, 00:05:56.470 --> 00:05:59.470 and he wrote to Ardashir, the King of the Persians, 00:05:59.470 --> 00:06:02.470 informing him of the Muslims' arrival toward Iraq. 00:06:02.470 --> 00:06:07.470 Then he immediately rose, arranged his ranks, and gathered his forces, 00:06:07.470 --> 00:06:11.470 and rushed toward the water sources at al-Hafir, 00:06:11.470 --> 00:06:15.470 arriving there before Khalid could reach it with his army. 00:06:15.470 --> 00:06:18.500 When Khalid ibn al-Walid reached al-Hafir, 00:06:18.500 --> 00:06:23.500 he ordered his soldiers to set up their camp in a place he had chosen for them. 00:06:23.500 --> 00:06:26.500 Some of them stood up and said, 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:28.500 "O Commander, 00:06:28.500 --> 00:06:32.500 our enemy is at the water, and we are not at the water, 00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:35.500 and we fear that we will die of thirst." 00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:37.500 Khalid replied to them, 00:06:37.500 --> 00:06:40.500 "Set up your camp where I have ordered you, 00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:45.500 then fight your enemy for the water with the determination of those who have no choice but to win. 00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:50.500 For by my life, the water will belong to the more patient of the two parties and the more noble of the two armies, 00:06:51.500 --> 00:06:54.500 and you are the more patient and the more noble, by the permission of Allah." 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:58.569 The two armies lined up, each facing the other. 00:06:58.569 --> 00:07:01.569 Hormuz stood at the front of his soldiers, 00:07:01.569 --> 00:07:05.569 and placed on his right a prince from the royal family, 00:07:05.569 --> 00:07:08.569 and on his left another prince. 00:07:08.569 --> 00:07:11.569 He had harbored evil in his heart, 00:07:11.569 --> 00:07:13.569 and concealed treachery in his chest. 00:07:13.569 --> 00:07:18.569 Hormuz was certain that if he could kill Khalid ibn al-Walid, 00:07:18.569 --> 00:07:23.569 he would have covered four-fifths of the way to victory. 00:07:23.569 --> 00:07:29.569 But he was certain that he could not kill him in fair combat. 00:07:29.569 --> 00:07:33.569 Since that was the case, he would kill him by treachery, 00:07:33.569 --> 00:07:37.569 and let people say what they wanted about him afterward, 00:07:37.569 --> 00:07:40.569 and let them accuse him of whatever they wished. 00:07:40.569 --> 00:07:45.569 So he confided in a group of his elite horsemen about what he had resolved to do, 00:07:46.569 --> 00:07:48.569 perfected the plan with them, 00:07:48.569 --> 00:07:51.569 and assigned each of them their task. 00:07:51.569 --> 00:07:54.790 Hormuz emerged from between the ranks 00:07:54.790 --> 00:07:57.790 and stood in the arena that separated the two armies, 00:07:57.790 --> 00:08:01.790 and he shouted a challenging cry, saying, 00:08:01.790 --> 00:08:05.790 "Come to me, O Khalid! Step out to me, O Khalid!" 00:08:05.790 --> 00:08:09.790 But he positioned himself near the Persian camp, 00:08:09.790 --> 00:08:12.860 far from the Muslim camp. 00:08:12.860 --> 00:08:15.860 As soon as Khalid ibn al-Walid heard his call, 00:08:15.860 --> 00:08:19.860 he dismounted from his horse and went to meet him. 00:08:19.860 --> 00:08:25.860 However, Khalid had barely drawn his sword to fight the enemy of Allah and his own enemy 00:08:25.860 --> 00:08:30.860 when the men Hormuz had prepared leaped upon him all at once, 00:08:30.860 --> 00:08:35.860 their swords drawn in their hands, intending to kill him by treachery. 00:08:35.860 --> 00:08:41.919 At that moment, the horseman whom al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, had counted as a thousand horsemen rose up, 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:44.919 and launched himself from his place like an arrow, 00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:47.919 throwing himself into the arena while saying, 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:51.919 "Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr has come to you, O enemy of Allah! 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:53.919 Al-Qa'qa' has come to you!" 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:57.919 Then he descended upon Hormuz and his men like a thunderbolt. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:02.919 He was followed by brave and noble men from the Muslim army. 00:09:02.919 --> 00:09:06.919 A swift battle ensued between the two parties, 00:09:06.919 --> 00:09:10.919 during which Khalid snatched the soul of Hormuz from his body, 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:16.919 and Al-Qa'qa' and those with him struck down the treacherous band that had violated the ethics of war, 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:20.919 leaving them as lifeless corpses on the battlefield, 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:23.919 in full view and hearing of the Persians. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:27.980 None of them dared to make a move. 00:09:27.980 --> 00:09:32.110 Then the Muslims launched a single, unified attack against their enemy, 00:09:32.110 --> 00:09:35.110 driving them from their positions, 00:09:35.110 --> 00:09:38.110 and forcing them to turn their backs and flee. 00:09:38.110 --> 00:09:43.269 They left them scattered, between killed, wounded, and defeated. 00:09:43.269 --> 00:09:46.269 When the battle had ended, 00:09:46.269 --> 00:09:50.269 Khalid looked at Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr and said, 00:09:50.269 --> 00:09:55.269 "May Allah reward Abu Bakr, for he is more knowledgeable of men than we are. 00:09:55.269 --> 00:10:00.269 The Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was truthful when he said, 00:10:00.269 --> 00:10:05.399 'An army that includes Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr shall not be defeated.'" 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:10.399 From the day of al-Hafir, a bond was forged between Khalid ibn al-Walid and Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:16.399 It is no wonder, for Khalid had recognized the status of his companion on the fields of battle, 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:21.399 and his effectiveness when the situation became dire and calamities struck. 00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:27.460 He entrusted him with commands and placed the heaviest tasks upon his shoulders, 00:10:27.460 --> 00:10:32.460 making him his right-hand man at Yarmouk and on other days besides Yarmouk. 00:10:32.460 --> 00:10:38.460 He and he had an adventure on the day of the conquest of Damascus that no one would dare to attempt 00:10:38.460 --> 00:10:45.620 except those whose hearts were carved from rock and whose minds were forged from jewels. 00:10:45.620 --> 00:10:50.620 Khalid ibn al-Walid was one of four commanders on the day of the conquest of Damascus, 00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:55.620 working under the command of Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah. 00:10:55.620 --> 00:11:00.620 Whether Khalid was the general commander of the entire army 00:11:00.620 --> 00:11:03.620 or the commander of one of its battalions, 00:11:03.620 --> 00:11:09.659 he was always keen to have Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr with him. 00:11:09.659 --> 00:11:16.659 This was because Khalid always aspired for himself and those with him to perform miracles, 00:11:16.659 --> 00:11:20.750 and who was like Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr for performing miracles? 00:11:20.750 --> 00:11:26.750 The city of Damascus at that time was surrounded by impregnable walls on every side, 00:11:26.750 --> 00:11:29.779 like a bracelet around a wrist. 00:11:29.779 --> 00:11:34.779 Around it was a deep trench that encircled it on three sides, 00:11:34.779 --> 00:11:37.779 and it had five gates 00:11:37.779 --> 00:11:41.779 that would open in times of peace with the brightness of every morning 00:11:41.779 --> 00:11:44.779 for people to exit and enter, 00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:47.779 and would close every evening, 00:11:48.779 --> 00:11:53.779 secure in their safety and wealth from thieves and bandits. 00:11:53.779 --> 00:11:57.850 If the ancient city was subjected to an invasion, 00:11:57.850 --> 00:12:00.850 its defenders would close its gates 00:12:00.850 --> 00:12:02.850 and flood its trench with water, 00:12:02.850 --> 00:12:05.850 turning it into an impregnable island, 00:12:05.850 --> 00:12:09.850 surrounded by walls and water at the same time. 00:12:09.850 --> 00:12:15.980 Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah distributed the gates of Damascus among himself and his commanders. 00:12:15.980 --> 00:12:18.980 He stationed himself before the al-Jabiya Gate, 00:12:18.980 --> 00:12:21.980 'Amr ibn al-'As stationed himself before the Thomas Gate, 00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:25.980 Shurahbil ibn Hasana stationed himself before the al-Faradis Gate, 00:12:25.980 --> 00:12:29.980 and Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan stationed himself before the Small Gate. 00:12:29.980 --> 00:12:32.980 As for Khalid ibn al-Walid, 00:12:32.980 --> 00:12:37.980 he and his companion Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr stationed themselves before the Eastern Gate, 00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:41.980 which was the most fortified and strongest of these gates. 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:47.070 The Muslims set up their catapults around the fortified city 00:12:47.070 --> 00:12:50.070 and positioned their siege towers at its gates. 00:12:50.070 --> 00:12:54.070 The city's defenders repelled the soldiers at the siege towers, 00:12:54.070 --> 00:12:57.070 and their fortifications withstood the bombardment of the catapults. 00:12:57.070 --> 00:13:02.070 The Muslims found no way to force the enemy to surrender 00:13:02.070 --> 00:13:04.169 except through a siege. 00:13:04.169 --> 00:13:06.169 But the siege of Damascus dragged on, 00:13:06.169 --> 00:13:10.169 lasting for seven months or thereabouts. 00:13:10.169 --> 00:13:13.169 The distress of those besieged inside Damascus 00:13:13.169 --> 00:13:17.169 was no greater than the distress of those besieging it from the outside. 00:13:17.169 --> 00:13:21.169 The Muslims began to ask, in a state bordering on despair, 00:13:21.169 --> 00:13:24.169 "How can we conquer the city, and when?" 00:13:24.169 --> 00:13:28.230 The answer came to them through the tongue of Khalid ibn al-Walid 00:13:28.230 --> 00:13:31.230 and his companion Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr. 00:13:31.230 --> 00:13:37.490 Khalid ibn al-Walid had ears that heard everything said behind the walls of Damascus, 00:13:37.490 --> 00:13:40.490 and eyes that saw everything happening within it. 00:13:40.490 --> 00:13:43.649 One day, his scouts came to him saying, 00:13:43.649 --> 00:13:45.649 O Prince. 00:13:45.649 --> 00:13:49.649 The governor of Damascus has been blessed with a child in his old age. 00:13:49.649 --> 00:13:51.649 After a long period of anticipation. 00:13:51.649 --> 00:13:53.649 He rejoiced over him with the greatest of joy. 00:13:53.649 --> 00:13:55.649 His joy reached such a point. 00:13:55.649 --> 00:13:58.649 That he invited the city’s guards and its soldiers. 00:13:58.649 --> 00:14:01.649 To a grand banquet tomorrow night. 00:14:01.649 --> 00:14:04.649 Where they will feast on the finest foods. 00:14:04.649 --> 00:14:07.649 And drink aged wines throughout the night. 00:14:07.649 --> 00:14:10.649 And revel until the morning. 00:14:10.649 --> 00:14:14.649 Therefore, O Prince, you must seize this opportunity. 00:14:14.649 --> 00:14:17.779 The inspired commander took the initiative. 00:14:17.779 --> 00:14:19.779 He fashioned rope ladders. 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:24.779 And prepared for this raid a sufficient number of lassos. 00:14:24.779 --> 00:14:27.779 Lassos are sturdy ropes. 00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:31.779 At the end of each is a noose, which a skilled thrower casts. 00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:34.779 It catches onto whatever it is thrown at. 00:14:34.779 --> 00:14:38.029 When the night grew dark and enveloped the universe in its shadows. 00:14:38.029 --> 00:14:40.029 Khalid said to his soldiers. 00:14:40.029 --> 00:14:43.029 We shall scale the wall. 00:14:43.029 --> 00:14:45.029 And when you hear our takbir. 00:14:45.029 --> 00:14:48.029 A large group of you shall climb up behind us. 00:14:48.029 --> 00:14:51.029 And the rest of you shall pour toward the gate. 00:14:51.029 --> 00:14:54.029 Then he, along with al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr, set out. 00:14:54.029 --> 00:14:57.029 Accompanied by a small band of his companions. 00:14:57.029 --> 00:15:00.029 They crossed the trench by swimming with the aid of inflated skins. 00:15:00.029 --> 00:15:03.029 Until they reached the city walls. 00:15:03.029 --> 00:15:05.129 Then they cast their lassos. 00:15:05.129 --> 00:15:08.129 Securing them onto the battlements of the wall. 00:15:08.129 --> 00:15:12.159 They climbed them until they reached the top. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:16.159 They set up the rope ladders they had brought on the outside of the wall. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:18.159 For those who wished to climb up to them. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:22.190 And on the inside for those who wished to descend into the city. 00:15:22.190 --> 00:15:24.190 Then Khalid proclaimed the greatness of Allah. 00:15:24.190 --> 00:15:26.190 His soldiers crossed the trench. 00:15:26.190 --> 00:15:30.190 He and al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr then descended in front of the gate. 00:15:30.190 --> 00:15:34.190 They killed its guards and opened its locks. 00:15:34.190 --> 00:15:38.190 The soldiers of Allah poured into the city from above and below. 00:15:38.190 --> 00:15:42.190 They surged into Damascus, chanting the praises of Allah and proclaiming His greatness. 00:15:42.190 --> 00:15:46.320 Panic and terror spread throughout the fortified city. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.320 Fear and alarm took hold of its defenders. 00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:52.320 They consulted with one another. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:56.320 And decided to open the other city gates with their own hands. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:58.320 So that the Muslims might enter peacefully. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.320 Rather than entering through warfare. 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:05.320 Which would lead to the killing of combatants, the taking of captives, and the seizing of spoils. 00:16:05.320 --> 00:16:07.320 So they opened them. 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:09.320 And had they not done so. 00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:12.320 The Muslims would have opened them by the victory of Allah. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:16.509 Until another meeting with al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr. 00:16:16.509 --> 00:16:19.509 Who placed himself, his sword, and his spear. 00:16:19.509 --> 00:16:23.509 In obedience to Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him. 00:16:23.509 --> 00:16:27.509 And made his bed upon the backs of steeds. 00:16:27.509 --> 00:16:35.059 The voice of al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr in the army. 00:16:35.059 --> 00:16:38.059 Is better than a thousand horsemen. 00:16:38.059 --> 00:16:41.220 Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.