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Abu Ubayd ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi

أبو عبيد بن مسعود الثقفي

c. Ramadan 13 AH

Abu al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubayd ibn Mas'ud, of Thaqif; Umar's first appointee to Iraq in a thousand men — routed Jaban at al-Mudhayyib and Durna to Kaskar, pacified the Jalinus at Barusma at four dirhams a head, then crossed the bridge he had repaired against Dhu al-Hajib Mardanshah's mailed thousands and elephant, fighting till killed — or the elephant knelt upon him.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Rashidun Caliphate
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review
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Overview

Abu Ubayd ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi, father of al-Mukhtar, and the first whom Umar sent to Iraq, with a thousand men, in his caliphate. 1

In Iraq

Al-Baladhuri relates that he met Jaban at al-Muthanna and defeated him, then went on to Kaskar, made peace with al-Jalinus at Barusma for four dirhams per head, crossed the bridge he had repaired, and met Dhu al-Hajib Mardanshah with four thousand armoured men, who had an elephant. 1

His death

He fought until he was killed at the Battle of the Bridge, at the end of Ramadan 13 AH according to al-Baladhuri. It is said the elephant knelt on him. 2 The year of death in the data is an approximate month.

Connections

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Participated in
Abu Ubayd's Dispatch to Iraq· Battle of al-Namarq (13 AH)· Battle of al-Saqatiyya at Kaskar (13 AH)· The Day of the Bridge

People and things also explored

al-Muthanna ibn Haritha· Salit ibn Qays al-Ansari· Abu Muhjan ibn Habib al-Thaqafi· Abu Zayd al-Ansari· Dhu al-Hajib Mardanshah· Umar ibn al-Khattab· Urwa ibn Zayd al-Khayl al-Ta'i· al-Hira

Sources

  1. Futuh al-Buldan — al-Baladhuri (Mu'assasat al-Ma'arif edition) , p.350
  2. Futuh al-Buldan — al-Baladhuri (Mu'assasat al-Ma'arif edition) , p.351
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Abu Ubayd ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/abu-ubayd-ibn-masud/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-21.

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People

Prophets, companions, scholars, rulers, scientists, poets, travelers: women and men who shaped the story. Related

al-Muthanna ibn Haritha

His name appears in the index of the third volume, alongside Abu Ubayd ibn Mas'ud, for the year 13: 'Account of al-Muthanna ibn Haritha and Abu Ubayd ibn Mas'ud'. According to al-Baladhuri, al-Muthanna ibn Haritha ibn Salama ibn Dimdim al-Shaybani used to raid al-Sawad with men of his people. Abu Bakr wrote him a written commission over those of them who had embraced Islam, to fight the Persians; he alighted at Khafan and summoned his people, and they became Muslims. Abu Bakr then wrote ordering him to hear and obey Khalid ibn al-Walid; he met him at al-Nabaj, and met Jaban at Nahr al-Dam. He was the first conqueror of al-Sawad.