Ridda Wars - Campaign of Apostasy

Campaign of Apostasy

The caliph formed 11 main corps, each under its own commander. A standard was given to each corps. The available manpower was distributed among these corps, and while some commanders were given immediate missions, others were given missions for which they would be launched later. The 11 corps commanders and their assigned objectives were as follows:

• Khalid Ibn Walid: First Tulaiha bin Khuwailad Al-Asdee (طُلیحہ بن خویلد الاسدی) from the Asad Tribe (بنو اسد) at Buzaakhah (بزاخہ), then Malik bin Nuwaira, at Butah.
• Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl: Confront Musaylima at Yamamah but not to get involved until more forces were built up.

• Amr ibn al-As: The apostate tribes of Quza'a and Wadi'a in the area of Tabuk and Daumat-ul-Jandal.
• Shurahbil bin Hasanah: Follow Ikrimah and await the Caliph's instructions.
• Khalid bin Saeed: Certain apostate tribes on the Syrian frontier.
• Turaifa bin Hajiz: The apostate tribes of Hawazin and Bani Sulaim in the area east of Medina and Mecca.
• Ala bin Al Hadhrami: The apostates in Bahrain.
• Hudhaifa bin Mihsan: The apostates in Oman.
• Arfaja bin Harthama.: The apostates in Mahra.
• Muhajir bin Abi Umayyah: The apostates in the Yemen, then the Kinda in Hadhramaut.
• Suwaid bin Muqaran: The apostates in the coastal area north of the Yemen.

As soon as the organisation of the corps was complete, Khalid marched off, to be followed a little later by Ikrimah and 'Amr ibn al-'As. The other corps were held back by the caliph and despatched weeks and even months later. Their despatch was conditioned by the progress of Khalid's operations against the hard core of enemy opposition.

Before the various corps left Zhu Qissa, however, envoys were sent by Abu Bakr to all apostate tribes in a final attempt to induce them to submit.

Apart from their specific objectives, the corps commanders were given the following instructions:

1. Seek the tribes which are your objectives
2. Call the Azaan.
3. If the tribe answers with the Azaan, do not attack. After the Azaan, ask the tribe to confirm its submission, including the payment of zakat. If confirmed, do not attack.
4. Those who submit will not be attacked.
5. Those who do not answer with the Azaan, or after the Azaan do not confirm full submission, will be dealt with by the sword.
6. All apostates who have killed Muslims will be killed.

With these instructions Abu Bakr launched the forces of Islam against the apostates.