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The Battle of al-Araba

وقعة العربة

c. 634 CE · c. 13 AH

In al-Baladhuri: Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan (may God be pleased with him), pursuing the patrician of Gaza, learned of a Roman gathering at al-Araba in the land of Filastin and sent against them Abu Umama al-Sudayy ibn Ajlan al-Bahili (may God be pleased with him) (may God be pleased with him), who fell upon them, killed their chief and withdrew; Abu Mikhnaf reports of the day of al-Araba that six Roman commanders descended on al-Araba with three thousand, whereupon Abu Umama marched on them with a band of Muslims, defeated them and killed one of the commanders, then pursued them to al-Dabiyya and defeated them there, the Muslims taking good spoil; the elders of Syria hold the day of al-Araba was the Muslims' first engagement.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Rashidun Caliphate
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

In time

620630640650 c.
The Prophetic Era · The Rashidun Caliphate

Overview

al-Baladhuri relates that Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan heard that a Byzantine force had gathered at al-Araba in the land of Palestine. He sent against them Abu Umama al-Sudayy ibn Ajlan al-Bahili. He inflicted a defeat on them, killed their leader, and withdrew. 1

Abu Mikhnaf's account

al-Baladhuri, quoting Abu Mikhnaf, relates that six Byzantine commanders camped at al-Araba with three thousand men. Abu Umama defeated them and killed one of the commanders. He then pursued them to al-Dabiya, defeated them there, and the Muslims took fine booty. 1

He adds that elders of the people of Syria counted it the first battle of the Muslims. It belongs to the conquest of Syria, and its approximate date of 13 AH is derived. 1

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
Abu Umama al-Sudayy ibn Ajlan al-Bahili· Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan
Part of
The Conquest of Syria

People and things also explored

The Conquest of Busra· The Conquest of Caesarea· The Conquest of Damascus· The Battle of Ajnadayn· The Battle of Dathin· The Battle of Fihl· Battle of Marj al-Rum (15 AH)· The Battle of Marj al-Suffar

Sources

  1. Futuh al-Buldan — al-Baladhuri (Mu'assasat al-Ma'arif edition) , p.151-152
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The Battle of al-Araba”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/battle-of-al-araba/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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Time

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The Conquest of Busra

In al-Baladhuri: when Khalid ibn al-Walid reached the Muslims at Busra — the city of Hawran — they joined upon it and commissioned Khalid for its war, then pressed against it and fought its patrician until they forced it (some say Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan was the one undertaking the war, its governorship being his as it belonged to Dimashq); its people then made terms to be secured for their lives, wealth and children upon paying the jizya — some transmitters say they compounded for a dinar and a jarib of wheat per adult; the Muslims conquered all the land of the Hawran district and mastered it; Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah then went with a dense company of the commanders' men joined to him and came to Ma'ab in the land of al-Balqa' holding a gathering of the enemy, and conquered it by treaty on the like of Busra's terms — some say Ma'ab's conquest preceded Busra's, others that Abu Ubayda took it as commander of all Syria in Umar's days.