Thread by @sirnucy

Know your heroes series 7

أبو سليمان خالد بن الوليد بن المغيرة: سَيفُ اللهِ المسلول

1. Abū Sulaymān Khālid ibn al-Walīd: Sayfullāh al-Maslūl

Khālid ibn al-Walīd is, unarguably the most prominent warrior of Islām. He was a war general, master strategist and prolific swordsman.

2. He’s renowned for his exceptional military tactics & prowess. Khālid ibn al-Walīd won all the battles that he led, & he never lost one single battle. Due to his military experience and ingenuity, the Prophet ﷺ nicknamed him, “Sayfullāh al-Maslūl” (The drawn sword of Allāh).

3. At the battle of Uhud, Khālid, while an enemy of Islām rallied and galvanized the fleeing Quraysh to attack the Muslims from the rear on sighting the archers leave their positions on the mountains. He also fought against the Muslims at the battle of ‘Khandaq’.

4. During the 8AH, about 2 years to the Prophet’s death, Khālid accepted Islām & fought side by side with other faithful against the enemies of Islām. His acceptance of Islām came through Al-Walīd bn al-Walīd to whom the Prophet ﷺ had written to persuade Khālid to accept Islām.

5. On the day Khālid accepted Islām, two political & military heavyweights, ‘Uthmān bn Talhah and ‘Amrū bn al-'Ās also became Muslims. They all entered upon the Prophet ﷺ to pledge allegiance to him. When the Prophet ﷺ saw Khālid, he was filled with happiness. He said to him:

6. قد كنت أرى لك عقلا رجوت ألا يسلمك إلا إلى خير

“I see you as an intelligent man & I do hope that it brings you to goodness.”

Khālid was moved to tears by those kind words. He regretted not joining the Prophet earlier as well as his hatred for, & persecution of the Muslims.

7. He said:
استغفر لي كل ما أوضعت فيه من صد عن سبيل الله
“Seek Allah’s forgiveness for me in respect of the troubles that I’ve caused by obstructing the path of Allāh.”

With cheers, the Prophet ﷺ replied:
إنَّ الإسلامَ يَجُبُ مَا قَبْلَهُ
“Islām annuls what came before it.”

8. But when he insisted that the Prophet ﷺ pray for him, he said:

اللَّهُمَّ اغفر لخالد بن الوليد كل ما أوضع فيه من صد عن سبيلك

“O Allāh! Forgive Khālid of all the troubles that he has caused by obstructing the believers from your path.”

9. Khālid proved to be an indispensable asset to Islām. At the battle of Mu’tah, he displayed an exceptional gallantry to the satisfaction of the Prophet ﷺ who described him as “سيف من سيوف الله” (One of Allāh’s swords). During the ‘Conquest of Makkah’ the Prophet ﷺ

10. placed Khālid at the head of the Muslim’s army to lead the faithful.

After the death of the Prophet, Khālid continued to put himself at the service of the rightly-guided caliphs and did not resign from his military duties.

11. Following the apostasy and proliferation of false prophets during the reign of Abubakr, Khālid was once again summoned by the caliph to nip the shenanigans in the bud. Abubakr said to him, “I heard the Prophet ﷺ say:

12. نعم عبد الله، وأخو العشيرة خالد بن الوليد، سيف من سيوف الله، سله الله على الكافرين والمنافقين

‘Khālid is truly an excellent slave of Allāh and a brother of the same tribe. He is a sword of Allāh unsheathed against disbelievers and hypocrites.’”

13. After the gallant success against the impostor, Musaylamah, the caliph once again tasked him to march towards Iraq to confront the Persians who were fast becoming a staunch adversary of the nascent faith. No sooner had Khālid arrived Iraq than he written to the King, saying:

14.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم: من خالد بن الوليد … إلى مرازبة فارس….سلام على من اتبع الهدى… أما بعد، فالحمد لله الذي فض خدمكم، وسلب ملككم، ووهن كيدكم…فوالذي لا إله غيره لأبعثنَ إليكم قوما يحبون الموت كما تحبون الحياة.
In the name of Allāh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

15. Khālid Ibn Al-Walid sends this message to the satraps of Persia. Peace will be upon him who follows the guidance. As to what follows, all praises & thanks be to Allāh who dispersed your power and thwarted your deceitful plots...by Allāh, I will send to you people who

16. crave death as much as you crave life.”
Khālid also participated at the battle of Yarmuk and all other battles during the lifetimes of caliphs Abubakr and ‘Umar until his death. During one of his heroic moments, a general in the Roman army, جرجة بن بوذيها said to him:

17. يا خالد أخبرني فاصدقني ولا تكذبني، فإن الحر لا يكذب، ولا تخادعني فإن الكريم لا يخادع، هل أنزل الله على نبيكم سيفًا من السماء فأعطاكه فلا تسله على أحد إلا هزمتهم؟ قال: لا! قال: فبم سميت سيف الله؟

“Khālid, tell me the truth; do not lie, for neither the freeborn nor the

18. honorable man tells lies. Is it true that the Almighty has sent down a sword from Heaven to His Prophet, and he gave to you, and that no one can stand it?” Khālid said, “No.” said, “On what ground were you named ‘the sword of Allāh?”

رضي الله عنك يا سيف الله المسلول!!!!