Battle of Mu'tah: Difference between revisions

Battle of Mu'tah
	Part of the Byzantine-Arab Wars
Date	629
Location	Near Karak, Jordan
Result	Byzantine victory
Belligerents
Muslims	Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Zayd ibn Harithah [citation needed]; Jafar ibn Abi Talib [citation needed]; Abdullah ibn Rawahah [citation needed]; Khalid ibn al-Walid	Theodorus
Strength
3000 (highly disputed)	100 000 (highly disputed)
Casualties and losses
Unknown, but heavy	Unknown

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The Battle of Mu'tah (Arabic: معركة مؤتة) was fought in 629 near the village of Mu'tah, located in what is now Jordan, to the east of the Jordan River, between a Muslim force dispatched by Muhammad and the Byzantine army.

Overview

In Muslim sources, the battle is usually portrayed as a heroic feat wherein the Muslims held against a vastly superior Byzantine force. Academic scholars view the battle as an unsuccessful expedition by Muhammad aimed at conquering the Arabs living to the east of Jordan.^[1]

Battle

Muhammad dispatched 3,000 troops to the area east of Jordan River; the army was led by Zayd ibn Haritha, whose deputy was Jafar ibn Abi Talib, who in case of his death was supposed to be replaced by the poet Abdullah ibn Rawahah. Muslim historians claim that the Byzantine emperor Heraclius himself had gathered an army, which was 100,000 or, according to ibn Hisham, 200,000 strong, a number disputed by non-Muslim scholars. When the Muslim troops arrived at the area to the east of Jordan and learnt about the numerousness of the Byzantine army, they lost their spirit and wanted to wait for reinforcements from Muhammad. However, Abdullah ibn Rawaha was able to inspire into the soldiers such enthusiasm for death in a battle that they immediately marched upon the enemy. At sight of the great Byzantine army, the Muslims withdrew southwards to the village of Mu’ta, where they were decisively defeated. The three Muslim leaders fell in the order of succession: first, Zayd ibn Haritha, then Jafar ibn Abi Talib, then Abdullah ibn Rawaha. After the death of the latter, the troops asked Thabit ibn Arkan to assume command; however, he declined and offered Khalid ibn al-Walid to take the lead. Al-Walid managed to save the remaining troops from complete annihilation; Muslim historians, except al-Wakidi, are silent on how he achieved his success.^[1]

Legacy

A mausoleum was built in Mu'ta over what are traditionally considered to be the tombs of those Muslims who fell in that battle.^[1]

Muslim view

According to the Muslim sources, the reason for the expedition at Mu’ta was the murder by the Ghassanids of Muhammad’s envoy to the Byzantine governor.^[1]

Non-Muslim view

Non-Muslim scholars find the Muslim account of the events as an attempt to find excuses for the Muslim defeat, which should not be taken seriously due to great exaggerations and embellishments, especially regarding the size of Byzantine army. Instead, they accept the Byzantine chronicle written by the historian Theophanes, which is the earliest written mention of Muhammad. The actual reason for Muhammad’s expedition was thus his desire to subjugate the Arabs living to the east of Jordan. According to Theophanes, the Muslim army intended to attack the local Arabs on a feast day (the word that Theophanes used most likely indicates a pagan rather than a Christian holiday). However, the vicar Theodorus learnt about their plans and gathered a force from the garrisons of local fortresses. He fell upon the Muslims at Mu'ta and routed them; three of the Muslim leaders were killed, and only Khalid ibn al-Walid managed to escape.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Buhl, F. "Mu'ta". In P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Islam Online Edition. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)

External Links

Map of Mu'tah (In the right of Jarusalem with the name Mauta)
Battle of Mu'tah (In the book of Lieutenant-General A.I. Akram's Sword of Allah)

[Muta-1] Buhl, F. "Mu'ta". In P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Islam Online Edition. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{POV}}
 {{Infobox Military Conflict|
 conflict=Battle of Mu'tah
@@ Line 13: / Line 12: @@
 |commander2=Theodorus
 |strength1=3000 (highly disputed)
-|strength2=Nearly 100,000 (highly disputed)
+|strength2=100 000 (highly disputed)
 |casualties1=Unknown, but heavy
 |casualties2=Unknown
@@ Line 19: / Line 18: @@
 {{Campaignbox Rise of Islam}}
 {{Campaignbox Byzantine-Arab}}
-The '''Battle of Mu'tah''' ({{lang-ar|'''معركة مؤتة'''}}) was fought in [[629]] near the village of Mu'tah, located in what is now [[Jordan]], to the east of the [[Jordan River]], between a [[Muslim]] force dispatched by [[Muhammad]] and the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] army. In Muslim sources, the battle is usually portrayed as a heroic feat wherein the Muslims held against a vastly superior Byzantine force. Academic scholars view the battle as an unsuccessful expedition by Muhammad aimed at conquering the Arabs living to the east of Jordan.<ref name="Muta">{{cite encyclopedia | author = Buhl, F | editor = P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, [[Clifford Edmund Bosworth|C.E. Bosworth]], E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs | encyclopedia =[[Encyclopaedia of Islam]] Online Edition | title = Mu'ta | publisher = Brill Academic Publishers | id = ISSN 1573-3912}}</ref>
+The '''Battle of Mu'tah''' ({{lang-ar|'''معركة مؤتة'''}}) was fought in [[629]] near the village of Mu'tah, located in what is now [[Jordan]], to the east of the [[Jordan River]], between a [[Muslim]] force dispatched by [[Muhammad]] and the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] army.
+==Overview==
-==Traditional account==
+In Muslim sources, the battle is usually portrayed as a heroic feat wherein the Muslims held against a vastly superior Byzantine force. Academic scholars view the battle as an unsuccessful expedition by Muhammad aimed at conquering the Arabs living to the east of Jordan.<ref name="Muta">{{cite encyclopedia | author = Buhl, F | editor = P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, [[Clifford Edmund Bosworth|C.E. Bosworth]], E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs | encyclopedia =[[Encyclopaedia of Islam]] Online Edition | title = Mu'ta | publisher = Brill Academic Publishers | id = ISSN 1573-3912}}</ref>
-According to traditional Muslim sources, the reason for the expedition at Mu’ta was the murder by the [[Ghassanids]] of Muhammad’s envoy to the Byzantine governor. Muhammad then dispatched 3,000 troops to the area east of [[Jordan River]]; the army was led by [[Zayd ibn Haritha]], whose deputy was [[Jafar ibn Abi Talib]], who in case of his death was supposed to be replaced by the poet [[Abdullah ibn Rawahah]]. Muslim historians claim that the Byzantine emperor [[Heraclius]] himself had gathered an army, which was 100,000 or, according to [[ibn Hisham]], 200,000 strong. When the Muslim troops arrived at the area to the east of Jordan and learnt about the numerousness of the Byzantine army, they lost their spirit and wanted to wait for reinforcements from Muhammad. However, Abdullah ibn Rawaha was able to inspire into the soldiers such enthusiasm for death in a battle that they immediately marched upon the enemy. At sight of the great Byzantine army, the Muslims withdrew southwards to the village of Mu’ta, where they were decisively defeated. The three Muslim leaders fell in the order of succession: first, Zayd ibn Haritha, then Jafar ibn Abi Talib, then Abdullah ibn Rawaha. After the death of the latter, the troops asked Thabit ibn Arkan to assume command; however, he declined and offered [[Khalid ibn al-Walid]] to take the lead. Al-Walid managed to save the remaining troops from complete annihilation; Muslim historians, except [[al-Wakidi]], are silent on how he achieved his success.<ref name="Muta"/>
-==Academic view==
+==Battle==
+Muhammad dispatched 3,000 troops to the area east of [[Jordan River]]; the army was led by [[Zayd ibn Haritha]], whose deputy was [[Jafar ibn Abi Talib]], who in case of his death was supposed to be replaced by the poet [[Abdullah ibn Rawahah]]. Muslim historians claim that the Byzantine emperor [[Heraclius]] himself had gathered an army, which was 100,000 or, according to [[ibn Hisham]], 200,000 strong, a number disputed by non-Muslim scholars. When the Muslim troops arrived at the area to the east of Jordan and learnt about the numerousness of the Byzantine army, they lost their spirit and wanted to wait for reinforcements from Muhammad. However, Abdullah ibn Rawaha was able to inspire into the soldiers such enthusiasm for death in a battle that they immediately marched upon the enemy. At sight of the great Byzantine army, the Muslims withdrew southwards to the village of Mu’ta, where they were decisively defeated. The three Muslim leaders fell in the order of succession: first, Zayd ibn Haritha, then Jafar ibn Abi Talib, then Abdullah ibn Rawaha. After the death of the latter, the troops asked Thabit ibn Arkan to assume command; however, he declined and offered [[Khalid ibn al-Walid]] to take the lead. Al-Walid managed to save the remaining troops from complete annihilation; Muslim historians, except [[al-Wakidi]], are silent on how he achieved his success.<ref name="Muta"/>
-Academic scholars find the Muslim account of the events as an attempt to find excuses for the Muslim defeat, which should not be taken seriously due to great exaggerations and embellishments, especially regarding the size of Byzantine army. Instead, they accept the Byzantine [[chronicle]] written by the historian [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes]], which is the earliest written mention of Muhammad. The actual reason for Muhammad’s expedition was thus his desire to subjugate the Arabs living to the east of Jordan. According to Theophanes, the Muslim army intended to attack the local Arabs on a feast day (the word that Theophanes used most likely indicates a pagan rather than a [[Christian]] holiday). However, the [[vicar]] Theodorus learnt about their plans and gathered a force from the garrisons of local fortresses. He fell upon the Muslims at Mu'ta and routed them; three of the Muslim leaders were killed, and only Khalid ibn al-Walid managed to escape.<ref name="Muta"/>
+==Legacy==
-==Muslim veneration of the battle==
 A [[mausoleum]] was built in Mu'ta over what are traditionally considered to be the tombs of those Muslims who fell in that battle.<ref name="Muta"/>
+==Muslim view==
+According to the Muslim sources, the reason for the expedition at Mu’ta was the murder by the [[Ghassanids]] of Muhammad’s envoy to the Byzantine governor.<ref name="Muta"/>
+{{section-stub}}
+==Non-Muslim view==
+Non-Muslim scholars find the Muslim account of the events as an attempt to find excuses for the Muslim defeat, which should not be taken seriously due to great exaggerations and embellishments, especially regarding the size of Byzantine army. Instead, they accept the Byzantine [[chronicle]] written by the historian [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes]], which is the earliest written mention of Muhammad. The actual reason for Muhammad’s expedition was thus his desire to subjugate the Arabs living to the east of Jordan. According to Theophanes, the Muslim army intended to attack the local Arabs on a feast day (the word that Theophanes used most likely indicates a pagan rather than a [[Christian]] holiday). However, the [[vicar]] Theodorus learnt about their plans and gathered a force from the garrisons of local fortresses. He fell upon the Muslims at Mu'ta and routed them; three of the Muslim leaders were killed, and only Khalid ibn al-Walid managed to escape.<ref name="Muta"/>
 ==References==
@@ Line 42: / Line 50: @@
 [[ar:معركة مؤتة]]
+==External Links==
+*[http://www.swordofallah.com/images/mapregionbig.gif Map of Mu'tah (In the right of Jarusalem with the name Mauta)]
+*[http://www.swordofallah.com/html/bookchapter6page1.htm Battle of Mu'tah (In the book of Lieutenant-General A.I. Akram's Sword of Allah)]