The Battle of Mu’tah

What You Will Learn

• Three commanders in one appointment — Zayd, Ja‘far and Ibn Rawahah (Sahih al-Bukhari 4261), with the virtues of Zayd (3730) and Ja‘far (3708).
• The council at Ma‘an and “how many a small company” (Al-Baqarah 2:249), with a route map and army-size figure.
• Ja‘far, the one with two wings — fifty wounds in front (4260, 4264) — and Ibn Rawahah’s verses “O my soul…”.
• A sword from the swords of Allah — Khalid taking the banner unappointed (1246), nine broken swords (4265), and news before the news (4262).
• The reinforcement soldier and obedience to leaders (Sahih Muslim 1753), the Prophet’s ﷺ tears (4263) and food for Ja‘far’s family (at-Tirmidhi 998).
• “Rather, they are alive” (Al ‘Imran 3:169; Sahih Muslim 1887), Usamah inheriting his father’s banner, and Mu’tah today.
• The expedition of Dhat as-Salasil under ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (Sahih al-Bukhari 4358) and tayammum on a freezing night (Sunan Abi Dawud 334), and the army of al-Khabat with the great fish on the shore (4361, 4362; Al-Ma’idah 5:96).
• The people of the Battle of Mu’tah — a table of 16 people with their tribes and kinship ties — and rulings from Mu’tah: withdrawal as a tactic versus fleeing (Al-Anfal 8:15–16), and which ways of announcing a death are allowed or forbidden.
• A timeline from Mu’tah to the Conquest of Makkah and 12 frequently asked questions; the Byzantine army sizes (100,000 and 200,000) are presented as sirah reports.

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