The Death of Salman al-Khayl at Balanjar

مقتل سلمان الخيل ببلنجر

c. 653 CE · c. 33 AH

In al-Baladhuri: the Khaqan met him with his horse beyond the river Balanjar, and he was killed among four thousand Muslims, the takbir heard in their defile; Salman ibn Rabi'a had been the first man appointed judge of Kufa — he sat forty days without a litigant coming to him — and had transmitted from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him); of Salman and Qutayba ibn Muslim, Ibn Jamana al-Bahili says: 'two graves are ours — a grave at Balanjar, and a grave in the lands of Spain's like (Transoxiana): that one whose conquests filled China, and this one watered by the rain-clouds' paths'; with Salman at Balanjar was Qurda ibn Ka'b al-Ansari, who brought word of his death to Uthman.

Depth

At a glance

Era: The Rashidun Caliphate
Region: Levant & Iraq
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In time

The Rashidun Caliphate · The Umayyad Period

Overview

Salman ibn Rabi'a was killed, with four thousand Muslims, after the Khaqan met him with his horsemen beyond the river of Balanjar, according to al-Baladhuri. The takbir could be heard in their predicament. ¹

Who he was

al-Baladhuri says that Salman was the first to be appointed judge in Kufa, and that he spent forty days without a litigant coming to him. He related from Umar ibn al-Khattab. ¹

At Balanjar

With Salman was Qurza ibn Ka'b al-Ansari, the man who brought news of his death to Uthman. Concerning him and Qutayba ibn Muslim, Ibn Jumana al-Bahili said two verses mentioning two graves: a grave at Balanjar and a grave in China. ¹

The Khaqan's army here is the Khazars according to the data of the entity. The approximate date is after the conquest of Arran in Uthman's caliphate, and it is derived.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant: Salman ibn Rabi'a al-Bahili· The Khazars
Caused by: Salman al-Khayl's Campaign in Arran and the Caucasus

People and things also explored

Salman al-Khayl's Campaign in Arran and the Caucasus· Salman ibn Rabi'a al-Bahili· The Defeat at Balanjar (32 AH)· The Taking of Qaliqala and the Opening of Armenia· The Death of al-Jarrah at Ardabil· Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands· Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik's Khazar Campaign and the Taking of al-Bab· Salman al-Khayl's Reinforcement and the Spoils Dispute

Sources

Futuh al-Buldan — al-Baladhuri (Mu'assasat al-Ma'arif edition) , p.287

Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The Death of Salman al-Khayl at Balanjar”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/death-of-salman-al-khayl/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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Time

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Salman al-Khayl's Campaign in Arran and the Caucasus

In al-Baladhuri: Salman ibn Rabi'a al-Bahili marched when Uthman ordered him to Arran, taking the city of al-Baylaqan by treaty — securing their blood, wealth and city walls on condition of jizya and kharaj — then came to Bardha'a, camping on the al-Tharthur river less than a farsakh out; its people shut their gates against him, and he strove against it days, launching raids into its villages while its crops stood harvested, until they compounded on the like of al-Baylaqan's treaty, opened the gates, and he entered and stayed; he sent his cavalry who took Shafshin, al-Masfuwan, Awz, al-Misriyyan, al-Harhilyan and Tabar — these being rustaqs — and other forts of Arran, and called the Kurds of al-Lasjan to Islam — they fought him, he overcame them, some submitting to jizya and a few paying sadaqa; then Salman marched to the confluence of the al-Rass and the Kurr beyond Bardha'a, crossed the Kurr, took Qabala, and the lord of Shakkan and al-Qamiran compounded for tribute, as did the people of Khizan, the king of Shirwan, the rest of the mountain kings, and the people of Masqat, al-Shabiran and the city of al-Bab.