THE APOSTATES OF BAHRAIN
After the fall of Musaylamah Al-Khadhaab and the overthrow of the Banu Haneefah, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, decided that a campaign should be undertaken against the people of Bahrain who had supported Musaylamah in the fight against the Muslims. Bahrain comprised the coastal strip to the west of the Persian Gulf. During the lifetime of the Prophet , peace and blessings be upon him, Al-Mundhir Ibn Saawa Al-‘Abdyy was the ruler of Bahrain. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sent a mission headed by Al- ‘ Alaa’ Ibn Al-Hadrami to Bahrain, and invited Al-Mundhir to embrace Islam. Al-Mundhir welcomed the call and accepted Islam. Al-Mundhir continued to be the ruler of Bahrain under the suzerainty of Madeenah. Under the influence of Al-Mundhir most of the people of Bahrain accepted Islam. During his reign, people abided by the dictates of Islam, and justice was lasted everywhere.
Soon after the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, Al-Mundhir died. His death led to anarchy and utter confusion; all the tribes of Bahrain, with the exception of ‘ Abdul Qays tribe of, apostatized and bolted out of the fold of Islam. The apostates made Al-Gharoor6 their ruler. I Ie was a descendant of the Arab kings of Al-IIeerah, and was a bitter enemy of Islam. He was crowned as the king of Bahrain, and he took the pledge to fight against Islam.
Al-Gharoor brought pressure on Jarood and his people to denounce Islam. The rebels claimed that if Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, had been a Prophet, he would not have died. However, Jarood and his people stood firm on the path of Islam. Thereupon the Bahrain forces led an attack against the Muslims. They laid siege to Jwaatha, and prevented any food or resources to reach the Muslims of ‘Abdul Qays.
At this awkward position, Jarood, steadfast in his faith, assembled the people of his tribe and addressed them thus: “O people of ‘Abdul Qays, let me ask you something and reply to my question if you know, and keep silent if you do not.” They said, “You may ask us.” Thereupon Jarood said: “Are you aware that there were Prophet s before Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him?’ They answered in the affirmative. ’Where have they gone?’ Jarood continued. They said that they had died. Thereupon Jarood said: “So Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, died just as other Prophet s before him had died. If the deaths of the other Prophet s could not affect their Prophet hood, how can the death of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, affect his Prophet hood? I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad, whether dead or alive, is His Messenger.” The argument of Jarood carried weight with his tribe, and they continued their allegiance and tenaciousness to Islam.
At that lime, Al-Hadrami returned to Madeenah to seek help. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, sent him at the head of a force for the relief of the besieged Muslims. In the meantime the battle of Yamaamah was over, and the Banu Haneefah had been won over to Islam. Many men of Banu Haneefah joined the ranks of Al-Hadranii, as his forces passed through the Yamaamah valley on their way to Bahrain.
In the meantime the non-Muslims of Bahrain received considerable help from the Persians, and they were fully prepared for a confrontation with the Muslims.
Al-Hadranii called upon the Bahraini authorities to offer submission, but they ridiculed the offer and declared that the sword would decide the issue. The Bahrain forces were sufficiently strong, and that made Al-Hadrami halt. He sent words to the besieged Muslims at Jwaatha to persevere for he was coming to their relief. He had a ditch dug around his camp, and the Muslims waited for a suitable opportunity to overpower the enemy. This state of stalemate lasted for a month, and that made the Bahrain forces feel that the Muslims were no match for them.
One night the Muslims heard a lot of noise from the non- Muslim camp. It was reported to Al-Hadrami that the non- Muslims were celebrating their national festival, were dead drunk and were giving themselves to fun and frolic. Al- Hadrami, deciding to avail of the opportunity, ordered his troops to take up arms, cross the ditch and pounce upon the enemy. The surprise attack unnerved the Bahrain forces. They ran helter-skelter in all directions and were cut to pieces by the pursuing Muslim forces.
Al-Hatam, the Commander of the Bahrain forces, was killed, while Prince Gharoor was captured alive. Over 10,000 apostates died in the operation. The Bahrain forces laid down arms and surrendered. Jarood and his Muslim forces came and joined the victorious Muslim army. The people of Bahrain were admitted to the fold of Islam. Those who refused to accept Islam escaped to the island of Dareen in the Persian Gulf.
Al-Hadrami reorganized the administration and appointed his agents in various parts of Bahrain. After settling the affairs in Bahrain proper, Al-Hadrami decided to take action against the persons who had taken refuge in the island of Dareen. Al- ‘ Alaa’ crossed the shallow Gulf water by using donkeys, horses and camels. The apostates were literally annihilated, and the booty collected was tremendous.
The victory of the Muslims in Bahrain was significant in more than one way. Bahrain was at considerable distance from Madeenah, and the victory at Bahrain showed that the Muslim military army was sufficiently long and powerful, and could reach far. The assistance that the Persians gave to the people of Bahrain was originally a cause of great concern to the Muslims, but in the long run this worked to the advantage of the Muslims. The Muslims had originally intended to confine their operations to Arabia proper, but the alliance of the people of Bahrain with the Persians provided the Muslims an opportunity for settling accounts with the Persians. The Banu Haneefah who had been at one time the greatest opponents of Islam now became the ardent supporters of the faith. Muthanna, a chief of the Banu Haneefah, organized a flying column, and undertook to protect the barriers against the Persians. The battle of Bahrain thus proved a prelude to the war with Persia. But for the interference of the Persians in the affairs of Bahrain, the Muslims might not have advanced in Persia, and history would have taken a different course.
(Source: Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.)
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