Assalaamu alaikum,
Khawlah Bint Al-Azwar was captured at one time. She then rallied some of the other captive women who
had extensive previous battle experience and, using only tent pegs, successfully fought the captors until the rest of the Muslim army arrived.
Peter gathered the Muslim women at the river. He regarded Khawlah bint al-Azwar
as the most beautiful and said to his men, "She is mine and I am hers. None of you
should object." They accepted and so each one started choosing a woman and
saying, "She is mine." They gathered the sheep and loot and awaited Paulus. The
women were detained in a tent. Most of them were aged women from the tribes of
Himyar, 'Amaliqah and Tubba, who were used to riding at night and fighting 'Arab
tribesmen. Khawlah addressed them, "O daughters of Himyar! O valuable ones of
Tubba'! Does it please you to be overcome by Roman Disbelievers and be their
slave-girls? What has happened to that bravery which was the talk of the slave-girls
of Arabs and gatherings of 'Arabs? How sad that I now see you bereft of all bravery
and honour. I consider death better than the humiliation of serving Romans."
'Afirah bint 'Affdr al-Himyariyah : Whatever you have mentioned, O daughter of
Azwar, about our bravery, intelligence and rank is quite true. It is also true that we
are accustomed to horse-riding and putting the enemy to difficulty at night. However,
what can we do when we have neither horse, nor spear, nor sword, nor any other
weapon? You know very well that they came suddenly and caught us like lost sheep
when we had no weapons.
Khawlah : O daughters of Tubba', your negligence is no excuse. We can uproot the
pegs and pillars of the tent and attack the wretches therewith. Perhaps Allah will
grant us victory, or else at least we will attain martyrdom. In this way we will wipe
the mark of disgrace from our foreheads.
'Afirah : By Allah! What a wonderful and appropriate suggestion.
So each women uprooted a peg. Khawlah bound her waist and, putting a peg on her
shoulder, went ahead followed by 'Afirah, Umm Aban bint 'Utbah, Salamah bint
Nu'man bin Muqirr and the others all shouting, "Is there any challenger?"
Khawlah began instructing this female army on battle formation, "Be like the links
of a chain, never separate. May Allah forbid that you separate, for then spears will
pierce your breasts, swords will cut your necks, your skulls will be cut off and heaped
here. She went and hit her peg so hard on a Roman's head that he dropped down
dead. The Romans were thrown into confusion and started asking each other, "What
is happening?", when suddenly they saw peg-carrying women advancing upon them.
Peter shrieked at them, "What are you doing, you wretches?"
'Afirah replied, "We have decided that today we willl rectify your brains with these
tent-pegs and shorten your life-spans, thus removing a spot of disgrace from our
ancestors' faces."
Peter laughed and said to his people, "Shame on you. Go, spread out and catch them
alive, but whoever catches Khawlah should not get any ideas."
The Romans encircled them, but as soon as anyone came near, the women would
break his horse's legs with the pegs and when he thus fell down, would smash up his
face. In this way, thirty Romans were killed and none neared them. Peter became
infuriated and followed by his companions, dismounted. They walked to the women
shaking their fists and swords. The women hurried towards each other and said,
"Death with honour is better than life with disgrace."
Peter expended great effort in fighting the women but achieved nothing except
frustration. He saw Khawlah like a fierce lion reciting the following poem:
Himyar s and Tubba 's daughters are we
For us to kill you is quite easy.
For we are the flames of war
We have for you great trouble in store.
Peter listened to her. Her beauty enticed him. He said, "O my 'Arab woman, stop this
now. I value you and will tell you my heart's secret which is sure to please you - will
it not please you that I be your master considering the fact that I am the object of
desire of every Christian woman. In addition, I have farms, orchards, wealth and
cattle and hold a prestigious position with Heraclius. All this will be yours if only you
stop destroying yourself with your own hands." Khawlah retorted, "You wretched
unbelieving son of an unchaste adulterer! By Allah! I will take this peg and gouge
your brains out. You are not even worthy of herding my camels and sheep let alone
claim to be my equal." Peter became enraged and said to the Christians, "What
greater shame can there be in all Syria and 'Arabia if a group of women manage to
overcome you. Fear Jesus Christ and Caesar Heraclius and kill them all."
The Christians became excited and attacked. The Muslim women patiently faced the
attack until they saw KMlid's &■ men kicking up dust, their swords glittering therein.
Khalid * stopped at a distance and said to his men, "Who will go and gather
information for me?"
Raff bin 'Umayrah volunteered and went and returned to report on the women
defending themselves.
Khalid '& : It is amazing! These are the women of the tribes of 'Amaliqah and Tubba.
Some are of Tubba' bin Aqran, some of Tubba' bin Abi Karb, some of Thu Ra'in,
some of 'Abdul Kala'al-Mu'azhzham and some of Tubba' bin Hassan bin Tubba'.
Tubba' bin Hassan bin Tubba' was the man who bore witness to Muhammad S being
a Prophet before he was born. He said in his poem:
That Ahmad is Allah s Messenger is my testification
His Ummah is named in the Psalms as Best Nation.
If I live until his time serve him I will
And be minister to the son of his uncle.
O Rati', these women are known for their fighting. If they are really displaying such
feats of bravery which you describe, then they will permanently put their stamp on
ihe 'Arabs and will remove the brand of weakness from the foreheads of females.
The Muslims' faces brightened with joy at Rafi"s report on the women's bravery and
Krar 4Sb leapt with joy. He threw off the old shawl he was wearing and grabbed his
spear, intending to be the first to reach them, but Khalid 4» called out, "Wait a while
Dirar, do not be hasty. He who does a job with patience completes it, while he who
hastens hardly achieves more than intentions."
Dirar *fc> : O commander, how can I be patient in helping my sister?
Khalid 4^ : If Allah wills, help and victory is at hand.
He then lined up the horses, raised the flag and going to the centre, said, "O Muslims!
When you approach the enemy spread out and surround them. Have trust in Allah
that He will free our women and have mercy on our children."
They cheerfully answered him and so he rode at their head.
The Christians were preoccupied with the women when the army arrived with flags
fluttering. Khawlah called out, "O daughters of Tubba', Allah has shown mercy to
you and has gladdened your hearts."
When Peter saw the Islamic army arriving with all its splendour, with their spears all
aligned and swords flashing, his heart trembled and his shoulders shook. The men
were alarmed and looked at each other. Peter said to the women, "Since we also have
daughters-in-law, daughters, mothers, sisters and aunts, my heart has been filled with
love and pity for you. For the sake of the Cross I free you. When your men arrive you
can tell them this."
He grabbed his horse's bridle intending to flee but before the horse could start
galloping, he saw two riders coming from the Muslims towards him. One was
wearing armour while the other was bare-chested, riding an 'Arab horse bare-back
and carrying a spear. The first was Khalid 4fe, the second Dirar •&.
When Khawlah saw her brother, she shouted, "Where were you all this time, my
brother? Allah has made us independant of your help."
https://archive.org/stream/TheIslam...slamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi_djvu.txt ( pages 88-92)
