At a glance
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
In time
In space
Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph
Wars and campaignsSkirmishes, raids and expeditions
Summary
In Safar 11 AH the Prophet prepared a large army under Usama ibn Zayd to make the horses trample the borders of al-Balqa' and al-Darum in Palestine. People spoke against his youth, the Prophet confirmed his command, and the expedition was carried out in the caliphate of Abu Bakr. 1
The account of the dispatch
The pride of the Roman state had moved it to kill those of its subjects who entered Islam, as it did to Farwa ibn Amr al-Judhami, its governor over Ma'an. 1 So the Prophet began to prepare a large army in Safar 11 AH and appointed Usama ibn Zayd ibn Haritha (may God be pleased with him) over it. He ordered him to make the horses trample the borders of al-Balqa' and al-Darum in the land of Palestine, to strike terror into the Romans and restore confidence to the Arabs on the frontier. 2
People spoke against the army's commander because of his youth. The Prophet said: "If you find fault with his command, you found fault with his father's command before. By God, he was worthy of command, and he was among the dearest of people to me, and this one is among the dearest of people to me after him." 2
The men rallied around Usama and set out, and they halted at al-Jurf, a farsakh from Medina. But alarming reports of the Prophet's illness made them hold back. This was the first expedition carried out in the caliphate of Abu Bakr. 3
Ibn Ishaq's account
After the Farewell Pilgrimage the Prophet returned and stayed in Medina for the rest of Dhu al-Hijja, Muharram and Safar. He called the people to an expedition to Syria and placed over it Usama ibn Zayd ibn Haritha, his freedman. He ordered him to make the horses trample the borders of al-Balqa' and al-Darum in the land of Palestine. The people prepared, and the early emigrants joined Usama with all their strength. 4 The scholars explain "awʿab" (joined with all their strength) as meaning that they gathered all they could. 4 Ibn Ishaq returns to the expedition at the end of his list of expeditions and in the account of the Prophet's illness. 5
For young visitors
The Prophet prepared an army and appointed over it a young man named Usama. People were surprised by his youth, but the Prophet affirmed that he was fit to lead, and the army set out in the time of Abu Bakr.
In the list of expeditions
Ibn Ishaq closes his list of expeditions with the dispatch of Usama. The Prophet sent him to Syria and ordered him to make the horses trample the borders of al-Balqa' and al-Darum in the land of Palestine. The people prepared, and the early emigrants joined Usama with all their strength. Ibn Hisham says that this was the last expedition the Messenger of God sent. 5 During this period the Prophet's illness began. 5
Connections
- Had participant
- Usama ibn Zayd· Muhammad· The Muhajirun
- Occurred at
- Medina· al-Jurf
- Part of
- The Prophetic Era
- Caused by
- The Battle of Mu'tah
People and things also explored
The brotherhood of the Muhajirun and Ansar· The burial of the Prophet· The Constitution of Medina· Expedition of al-Sawiq· The Siege and Expulsion of Banu al-Nadir· The Hijra· The Battle of the Trench (al-Ahzab)· The death of Abdullah ibn Ubayy and the Prophet's prayer over him
Sources
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.463
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.463; sahih-al-bukhari
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.463; ibn-hisham-sira
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936) , 4/253
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936) , 4/291
- Sahih al-Bukhari
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The expedition of Usama ibn Zayd”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/expedition-of-usama/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-21.