Internal wars · 632

Battle of Yamama

The hardest battle of the Ridda wars. Musaylima was killed, but so were many men who had memorised the Quran, which led Abu Bakr to have the Quran gathered into one written copy.

The site of the battle on the 644 map. Shaded: Rashidun Caliphate, 644.

Key facts

When: 632
Where: Aqraba, near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sides: Caliphate vs Musaylima and the Banu Hanifa
Commanders: Khalid ibn al-Walid vs Musaylima
Result: Muslim victory
Type: Internal wars
Chapter: 1. The Rightly Guided Caliphs

Who led it

Abu Bakr al-Siddiqc. 573 to 634
The Prophet's closest companion and father-in-law, and one of the first people to accept Islam.
Khalid ibn al-Walidc. 585 to 642
Called Sayf Allah, the Sword of God.

The wider picture: Abu Bakr and Umar: the great conquests

Within twelve years the Muslims defeated both superpowers of the age. Byzantium lost Syria at Yarmouk and Egypt soon after. Persia lost Iraq at Qadisiyyah and its heartland at Nahavand. Jerusalem surrendered in 637 and Umar came in person to accept it.

See the 644 map Read chapter 1

More internal wars battles

All 10 internal wars of the early caliphates battles · Battle explorer

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