The Battle of Marj al-Saffar took place in 634. At

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

, Thomas, son-in-law of Byzantine Emperor

Heraclius Heraclius (; 11 February 641) was Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the Exarch of Africa, led a revolt against the unpopular emperor Phocas. Heraclius's reign was ...

, was in charge. Receiving the intelligence of Khalid's march towards Damascus he prepared the defences of Damascus. He wrote to Emperor Heraclius for reinforcement, who was at

Emesa Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is also the central link b ...

that time. Moreover, Thomas, in order to get more time to prepare for a siege, sent the armies to delay, or if possible, halt Khalid's march to Damascus. One such army was defeated at the Battle of Yaqusa in mid-August 634 near Lake Tiberias 150 km from Damascus, another army that halted the Muslim advance to Damascus was defeated in the Battle of Marj al-Saffar on 23 January 635. It is said that

Umm Hakim bint al-Harith ibn Hisham Umm Ḥakīm bint al-Ḥārith ibn Hishām () was a female disciple (known in Arabic as Sahaba or companions) of Islamic prophet Muhammad. She was a wife of Umar, the second caliph of Islam. Life Umm Hakim was the daughter of al-Harith al- M ...

, a Muslim heroine was involved in this battle and killed seven Byzantine soldiers.

References

Sources

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War and Religion: An Encyclopedia of Faith and Conflict [3 Volumes
/nowiki> by X - 2017"> Volumes">War and Religion: An Encyclopedia of Faith and Conflict [3 Volumes
/nowiki> by X - 2017 Muslim conquest of the Levant Battles of the Arab–Byzantine wars, Marj Al-Saffar Battles involving the Rashidun Caliphate, Marj al-Saffar Battles of Khalid ibn Walid, Marj al-Saffar {{battle-stub