"Antioch, Year 13 AH"
You know, gentlemen, that there are four armies
stationed at Hums, Damascus, Busra and Arabah in Palestine.
Each army is between seven and ten thousand.
In total they number no more than thirty thousand.
They are lightly armed: swords, spears and arrows.
They ride horses and camels. Their loads and supplies of food are not plentiful.
Their capital is too far to supply them with food after they have entered our land.
Why have they divided themselves in four armies and four areas
when their numbers are small in relation to our armies?
They know that numerically we have much larger forces.
They felt that by dividing themselves in this way,
they force us to divide our forces. They are lighter of movement than us.
Therefore, it will be easy for them to change their positions
as suits the situation they are facing. It is easy for one army to join another
at a suitable moment.
This time they are not after booty. They want to take our land.
Shall we, then, divide our forces to face theirs,
fighting each one of their armies at its position,
cutting the roads between them to prevent their assembly?
This is what they want.
My plan is to keep our first army in Palestine where it is. It is 70.000-strong. Its task...
is to restrict their army now in Arabah and Palestine and prevent its movement.
It should also try to finish it off.
Our second army stationed in Antioch should move in its full force, 200.000,
to face their three other armies, one at a time.
Amr Ibn Al-Aas was right
when he advised that our armies should congregate at Busra and Yarmuk,
before the Byzantines attacked them one at a time.
Were they to remain apart, none could be a match to such a large force.
Their quick movement has helped them to congregate
before the Byzantines could reach any of them, except for Amr's army.
The Byzantine army stationed in Palestine restricted its movement and prevented it
from joining Abu Ubaidah, Yazeed and Shurahbeel
at the plain where they are stationed at Yarmuk.
It was only a short while before the larger Byzantine army arrived
and encamped in a nearby plain.
Why have the two armies refrained from fighting so far?
I do not know. Perhaps both are apprehensive,
content to launch a raid and maintain their grounds.
I suspect that Abu Ubaidah is hoping that Amr may be able to manoeuvre
his way to join him, giving him good reinforcement.
Yes, and may be the Byzantines...
are waiting for their army in Palestine to finish Amr's army and join them.
I shall make the Byzantines forget who they are, sending them Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed.
Do you mean to dispatch Khalid from Al-Heerah to Syria?
I will do, right now.
What about Iraq: who will hold it after Khalid?
Al-Muthanna Ibn Harithah.
I will order Khalid to divide the army between the two of them.
They are no more than twenty thousand there.
Can Al-Muthanna hold Iraq with ten thousand men only?
Until we have finished with the Byzantines.
We will then return the forces that come with Khalid.
And if the Syrian affair takes too long?
It may be that God is giving us a great opportunity
bringing the bulk of the Byzantine forces into Yarmuk
so that it will be a great decisive battle.
If we win, we would have broken their force in one go,
- unlike the case of the Persians. - I am not sure.
I fear that if Al-Muthanna is left with half the army,
the Persians might be tempted to attack him.
We could lose what we have gained there.
Well, we are not in riches.
We have to take things as they are,
weighing up the pros and cons of each alternative.
The Byzantines have amassed all their forces against us,
and most of our forces are there. We do not have much time.
Should the Byzantines prevail, God forbids,
we do not know what will happen to us after that.
Such a defeat will undermine our people's confidence here and in Iraq,
and the Persians will get the message.
But if we defeat the Byzantines, the present superpower,
the Persians will be demoralized further.
We can then send them one army after another, as will suit us.
You are certainly right, Caliph.
But, who will be the overall commander if Khalid joins our forces in Syria?
- Khalid. - You make him commander...
when Abu Ubaidah, the trustee of our nation, is among them?
And over myself and you in war, Umar.
I know that Abu Ubaidah is better than Khalid
and he has the advantage of joining Islam early,
but Khalid has an insight in war that eludes Abu Ubaidah
and all other commanders. Abu Ubaidah is a man with a soft heart.
He has no fear of death,
but my fear is that he might take a precipitate action that may lead to a loss.
Amr Ibn Al-Aas is a wise schemer,
but the fear is that he may spend too long in calculating risks.
His action might then be too slow. Ikrimah, Yazeed and Shurahbeel are all very daring,
but none is like Khalid in planning and managing situations.
Besides, none of them fought a major decisive battle, as Khalid did.
Khalid, on the other hand, combines a cat's patience with a lion's leap.
He is fast and daring but not rash. He perfects his plan...
and fights well. Why wouldn't I give him the command?
Abu Ubaidah will not feel aggrieved to be under Khalid.
He is one who looks for no personal gain in this life.
He has set out to fight for God's cause, not to be a commander.
We need to consider two things together:
a shorter distance so that we can reach our brothers in Busra as quickly as possible,
The other consideration is that the route should have no enemy forces...
and no populated areas, so that I can move behind the Byzantine forces.
Let us now consider the possible routes and choose the most suitable.
The fourth route goes through Ain Al-Nimr, Qaraqir, Suwa, Arak, Palmyra, Al-Qaryatain,
Al-Ghootah, Busra.
There are neither Byzantine nor Persian forts on this route.
We can reach Busra without encountering the enemy. It is also a short route,
but it means that we will have to go through barren desert,
without water or meadows, for five days and nights
until we reach Suwa. After that it will be easy.
- You seem to prefer this last route? - I know that it is very risky.
Our great enemy here is the burning sun and the lack of water or meadows
for five days.
But if we can find a way to help us against this enemy,
it is the best route to take us to our destination in the shortest possible time.
If we are held up on the way and the enemy attacks our brothers in Syria,
the calamity, if they lose the battle, will be greater than our own calamity.
Rafi', what do you think? You are our guide.
I went through this route once with my father, when I was a young lad.
By God, a single rider fears for his life.
How can it be tolerated by an army with its horses and heavy loads?
Let us find a solution for the problem of water.
Nothing else stops us from taking this route.
I am not sure. The water is needed for us and for the horses,
and we cannot carry enough water for both purposes.
If our mounts perish, we perish with them.
I am not sure.
Tell us what you are thinking of; may God guide you.
We may be able to carry the water we need to drink.
We can economise in what we drink until we reach Suwa.
There's water in it. As for the water for the horses,
let us choose fat camels and keep them thirsty for a few days,
then we take them to the water to drink their fill.
We will then tighten their lips and cover their mouths so that they do not regurgitate.
When the need arises, we slaughter some of them.
The soldiers will eat their meat and we give the water inside them to the horses
to drink after we mix it with some of their milk.
"Yarmuk"
- Peace be to you with God's mercy. - And to you be peace with God's mercy.
Has Khalid sent you? How is he? When will he arrive, God willing?
He sent me from Al-Heerah before he began his march.
To Abu Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarrah from Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed. Peace be to you.
I received the Caliph's letter in which he has ordered me to march to Syria
and to command its armies.
By God, I neither sought nor wished this. Nor did I write to him regarding this.
You stay in the same position you have: your orders are obeyed
and your views are upheld. No matter will be decided without consulting you.
You are a leading figure among the Muslims whose standing is undeniable
and whose views are indispensable. May God perfect to you and me His blessings
and may He spare us the torment of hell. Peace be to you with God's blessings.
We have already received the Caliph's order.
May God bless what he has decided and all greetings are due to Khalid.
- What is this? - It is from Khalid to all soldiers.
Read it to the people.
To God's soldiers in Syria, from Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed.
I received the Caliph's letter instructing me to come and join you.
I have already started on my way.
It will not be long before my horses will appear amidst you, with our men.
So be steadfast and expect the fulfillment of God's promise and His rich reward.
May God protect us all by good faith, and may He strengthen our belief in Islam.
Peace be to you all.
Rejoice and glorify God.
God is supreme. God is supreme.
Abu Sulaiman has not disappointed me. All praise be to God.
I continued to pray to God to enable him to reach his destination
before the Byzantines attack our people there. Now my worries are over.
How ingenious! No army ever went through that route.
He managed to reach the people in 18 days.
He covered that barren stretch in five nights.
No one other than Khalid could have done that.
God guided you to do the right thing by him, Abu Bakr.
Certainly, none other than Khalid will do that.
I do praise God, as you do, for enabling him to reach his destination
before the Byzantines attack our people.
God spared his army the great danger involved in crossing that area.
Had he consulted me, I would have counseled him against it.
Khalid, however, takes his own decisions with little care.
But he got through it by God's grace, losing not a single soldier.
They were on the verge of death, had it not been for God's grace.
- God gave them the water. - We praise God for that.
The one who does not thank people is ungrateful to God.
Indeed. I do admire Khalid's dedication, intelligence and far-sightedness.
Had he been alone, I would not have felt anything but admiration towards him.
He requires people to do what he can do, but they may be unable to do that,
as they include some who are weak.
Therefore, I admire his ability
and feel sympathy for his men because of his excessive daring and bravery.
They have come through grave danger this time, and I cannot be sure the next time.
If his daring is combined with Abu Ubaidah's kindness, the two will be moderated.
Like Abu Bakr is moderated by Umar Ibn Al-Khattab.
By God, he is so much like you. Limitless is God in His glory,
two similar persons may meet but move in opposite directions.
Umar,
Where is the man who combines all perfect qualities?
They were combined in the person of God's messenger (peace be upon him).
As for us, we try our best, and one of us moderates the other.
This is what we did when we sent Khalid to Syria,
to combine his daring and military talent with Abu Ubaidah's rational kindness.
This would have been fine, had Abu Ubaidah been the overall leader
and Khalid undertook the war management.
My Lord, this is what I could determine with my best effort.
I only sought to serve the interests of the Muslims well.
If I did well, accept it from me; and if I have erred, forgive me.
Lead the prayer today, Umar. I do not think I will be able to come out.
May God protect you from all harm, Caliph? How do you feel?
It is old age, Umar. I hope to be well, God willing.
- God is supreme. - God is supreme.
I do not understand this. The Arabs move out of Busra and go to Palestine
to take our first army by surprise and finish it off,
then they all come back to Yarmuk, where our first army is stationed,
but it makes no move? How come?
Lord of mankind, take away the hardship.
Cure the illness, for You are the only one who cures.
Come closer.
Listen to what I say.
You see my complaint.
I think that it will be my end.
God has freed you of your pledges of loyalty to me and left you free,
able to determine your choice.
Choose for your leader whomever you wish.
If you choose your leader while I am alive,
you will not disagree after I am gone.
Where to, Abu Hafs?
Consult among yourselves and choose one of you.
I agree to whomever you choose. All of you are suitable, God willing.
As for me, I would rather be left out of it. I prefer to be free.
By God, you have put the responsibility on me, saying:
our view is your view. Every one of you is trying to stay away from it.
I know that it is a heavy responsibility.
No one of us knows whether at the end one is left with something good or bad.
Yet it is a duty; indeed the most important of all duties.
Without a leader, who will ensure that people will have their rights,
and who will ensure that the society works together to achieve well goals?
We have agreed to accept your choice, Caliph.
How about counseling and consultation, then?
Name whom you choose and we will give you our advice.
We will not refrain from giving you honest counsel.
Then when we all agree to the choice,
you nominate him to the public for their consent.
Tell me about Umar Ibn Al-Khattab.
You are asking me about something you know better than me.
Never mind! Tell me.
By God, he is better than what you think of him.
Umar! You are the one who knows him best.
- Nevertheless, Abu Abdullah. - My knowledge of Umar...
is that what he harbours within himself is better than what he puts out in public.
He has no equal among us.
May God bless you. You are certainly fair.
We cannot say anything but good about him. Anyone who hates him must be a hypocrite.
God's messenger (Peace be upon him) said of him
that whenever Satan sees him going along a certain road,
he takes a different one.
- Peace be to you. - And to you too.
Abu Bakr, good counsel is offered for God's sake and His messenger
and for the interests of the Muslims.
A person who is consulted must act honestly.
I will not hesitate to express my view, even if it will not please you.
Umar is hard and strict. I fear that he may be too hard for people.
What will you say to God if He questions you
about appointing Umar when you know his hardness?
Sit me up! Sit me up!
Are you scaring me of God's questioning?
Anyone who shoulders injustice as a result of managing you is a miserable failure.
If God questions me, I will say that I nominated the best of Your people.
As for his hardness, it is all because he finds me soft.
When he is in charge, he will abandon much of that.
You people, you will soon be in riches.
And it will be as God's messenger said:
"I do not fear poverty for you. I fear that the world riches are extended to you,
as they were extended to nations before you,
and that you will compete for them as they did.
Thus, they will lead to your ruin as they were ruined."
You certainly need someone like Umar,
who cares little for what this world offers. He is strict in defending what is right,
and he fears no censure by any critic...
And... I asked you to choose one of you,
but you came back to say that you will approve my choice.
When I have chosen the best one I know, some people are taking it hard.
Take it easy; may God bless you. Taking it so will tire you.
On this matter, people are of two types: one sees your point of view
and he is in support, or one who disagrees with you and he is hard on you.
Your man is as you love him to be.
What we know is that you only want what is good for the nation.
You have always been good and seeking the best.
Yes, by God Almighty.
You have always been good, seeking the best.
What brings you out, Caliph, when you are in this condition?
Won't you take care of yourself?
Muslim people, listen to me.
Do you accept the one I have chosen to succeed me?
By God I have spared no effort in making the right choice.
I did not appoint one who is related to me.
I am appointing Umar Ibn Al-Khattab.
- If you accept him, then obey him. - We accept. We listen and obey.
My God, You know that my only wish is to ensure their welfare.
I feared a split, and did what You know well.
I did my best to make the right choice, and chose their best
and the one who is most able to undertake the task.
He is the keenest one to ensure what is best for them.
You consulted people about me, but you did not consult me about myself.
By God, I do not want it.
Had I known that you want it, I would not have nominated you.
Relieve me, Abu Bakr.
By God, I will not. The Prophet's companions have agreed to you.
If I have no option but to force you by the sword to accept, I would do so.
Therefore, keep quiet and come closer.
Fear God, Umar.
Remember that those whose scales are preponderant on the Day of Judgement
achieve this only by pursuing what is right during their lifetime.
When the right is placed on the scales tomorrow, it will rightly be preponderant.
When you remember the people of Paradise, say to yourself:
I fear that I might not be joining them.
And when you remember the people of hell, say to yourself:
I hope that I will not be with them.
In this way, you will be hopeful and apprehensive at the same time.
You will neither be complacent nor despair of God's grace.
Be kind to the Muslims. Always rule in fairness, even against yourself.
I sincerely hope that God will bring about great victory
and much goodness through you.
If I die, make sure to invite people to join Al-Muthanna's army before the evening.
If I die during the night, make sure to do that before the morning is out.
If God grants victory to the commanders in Syria, send Khalid's men back to Iraq,
as they are its people,
and they are brave and good fighters.
How much I long to be in the Prophet's company.
In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful.
This is the last order made by Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Quhafah
as he is about to depart this life and start his future life.
It is the time when an unbeliever will believe,
a sinner will sincerely repent, and a liar will state the truth.
I have appointed Umar Ibn Al-Khattab to be your ruler after me.
Listen to what he says and obey him.
I have spared no effort in making the right choice,
giving good counsel for God and His messenger, and choosing well for Muslims.
If he maintains justice, that is what is expected from him.
If otherwise, everyone will bear the burden of his deeds.
I only wish your goodness, but I do not know what will come in future.
"Those who are bent on wrongdoing will in time know
what an evil turn their destiny will surely take."
We will obey.
Come closer, Umar.
Give us your hand to give you our pledges of loyalty.
Aishah, none of my household I love more dearly than you.
I once gave you an orchard as a gift.
I feel some reluctance about it. Put it back in my estate.
Ever since I assumed my position...
I have taken nothing from the property of the Muslim state
except what is rightfully mine.
We only ate...
and dressed just what is enough to keep us going.
We received nothing from what the Muslims gained in war,
except for the camel we use to draw water and that velvet cloth.
When I die, send them to Umar and take neither of them.
Umar kept insisting...
until he assigned for me a salary from the treasury
after I was chosen Caliph,
so that I would be free to attend to the business of the Muslim community.
I have an orchard in southern Madinah.
This orchard is equivalent to what I received in salary.
Give the orchard to Umar to put it in the public treasury,
so that I owe nothing to anyone,
and no one can say a word against me after I am gone.
"Monday 21 Jumada II, 13 AH"
O Successor of God's messenger
You have burdened your people with a heavy load,
and you have made it too hard for them to follow your example.
How can any one catch up with you?
To God we all belong; and to Him we all return.
May God bestow His mercy on you, Abu Bakr.
You were God's messenger's intimate friend,
confidante, consultant and closest companion.
God's messenger rightly described you as weak in body,
strong in whatever relates to the divine faith.
May God give you the company of Muhammad, His messenger.
May He reward you and us, and may he protect us from error after you have gone.
True. All you said is true, Abu Al-Hasan.
The only one I love to meet God with a record similar to his is this man.
Shall we bury him next to God's messenger, Abu Al-Hasan?
This was his will, may God forgive him.
What a heavy responsibility you will be shouldering, Umar.
Well, well.
You will either follow the footsteps of your two departed companions,
or else you will come to ruin.
My Lord, since You have given me such a heavy burden to carry,
grant me strength to shoulder it. I have no strength of my own.
All power and strength come from You.
I noticed how much you have been turning in your sleep.
It was as though you were lying on fire.
Is this how a Caliph begins the first day in office?
Atikah
I fear for myself what will happen on the day when hearts and sights turn around.
A man fears that God will question him about his household.
How will I fare now that all Muslims depend on me?
Seek God's help. You, Umar, are the one who is honest and strong.
I don't know. I don't know.
I fear that strength may be confused with hardness.
I know that some of the Prophet's companions have feared my hardness.
I certainly have the same fear.
- What do you think, Atikah? - About what?
My hardness.
Your hardness is tamed by the fact that you are harder on yourself than on others,
and that you use it only where it is right to use.
Besides, you abide by what God has Revealed
and you moderate it with forbearance and kindness where kindness is suitable.
Go ahead and attend to your responsibility, Abu Hafs.
God will not let you down.
May God bless you, Atikah. You have eased some of my worries.
Edited by: Ahmed Mersal. Proofread by: Doaa Timecoded by: Sanaa Yousrey.