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Before the advent of
Islam, Palestine and the rest of Bilad al-Sham (Syria, Jordan,
Palestine) was populated
by the Arab tribes of Ghassans, Kalb, Lakham, Jutham and
others.
Ahead the of the
Prophet’s Mission, Mohammad was in touch with those tribes twice
during his two trips to
Bilad al-Sham. He has foreseen them as backing up their Arab
brothers in the Arabian
Peninsula. Three forays, Zat Assalasil, Mu’ta and Tabuk, were
launched in the
Prophet’s time, enabled early Arab Muslims to stretch their sway to
Bilad
al Sham’s frontiers. The
Prophet, himself, participated in the last foray.
No sooner had he ordered
the preparation of a strong expedition, that his Companions,
may Allah be pleased
with them, were ordered to participate in it. The expedition was
under
the leadership of Usama
Ben Zaid.
While everyone was
readying himself to the coming mission, the Prophet died in 632.
But the sudden death of
the Prophet created the problem of the renegades and turncoats.
His successor, Caliph
Abu Bakr, adopted a decisive policy in dealing with those who
turned—after the
Prophet’s death-- their back to Islam. He ordered the army of Usama
to
move the Sham in
fulfillment of the Prophet’s testament. Thus the Arab Muslim’s
liberation
of that land from the
Roman invaders has begun and deepened in later years. But Abu Bakr
died before the Arab
liberation of Palestine was materialized. The sacred mission of
Palestine’s liberation
occurred during his Successor, Caliph Omar Ben Al-Khattab. During
his reign, the fate of
Egypt and Palestine was decided.
The Muslim, under the
leadership of Abu Obeidah al-Jarrah, mover toward Jerusalem in
636. It was winter, and
the occupying Romans had the wrong impression that the Muslims
couldn’t fight in severe
cold weather. But the Muslim siege of Jerusalem continued four
months alongside daily
fierce fighting between the two sides.
The Muslim historian, al
Tabary, has described the then prevailing situation around
Jerusalem, saying: “
When the Romans realized that Abu Obeidah was unswayable…they
proposed to surrender to
the Prince of the Faithful, Omar Ben Al-Khattab…Abu Obeidah
agreed.” He wrote to the
Caliph Omar: “ In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,
to Abdullah Omar, the
Prince of the Faithful, from Abu Obeidah Ben Al Jarrah…we put up
to the people of Eliya,
they thought that in facing us they would be relieved, but God
troubled them; they grew
more bottlenecked, emaciated and humiliated. Realizing their
predicament, they asked
for the Prince of the Faithful to be the trusted and the writer [of
their surrender’s
terms]…. knowing that they accepted to pay tribute and have the same
non-Muslims’ guarantees
applicable to them…. if you see coming here do so as it is
recompensed [by God]…God
bless you.”
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