THE BATTLE OF ULAYS
After their defeats in the battles of Kazimah, Madhaar and Walajah, the Persians felt that it was necessary to change their strategy. They decided to settle Christian Arabs in preference to Muslim ones. In pursuance of this policy, after the battle of Walajah the Christian Arabs mustered at Ulays, which was 10 miles from Walajah in another bid to drive the Muslims from Iraq. Ardasheer gave orders to Bahmaan to lend them full support. Also, the Persian commander-in-chief decided to send another Persian force to Ulays to reinforce the Christian Arabs. This force was commanded by Jabaan.
When the Muslims heard of the assembling of Christian Arabs and Persians at Ulays, Khalid mustered his forces to encounter them. The Muslims launched an attack against the Persians, but the latter stood as a rock and showed no signs of weakness. The Muslims renewed the charge, but expecting help from Bahmaan the Persians proved stubborn and persistent and offered stiff resistance. The Muslim attack did not yield the desired result, and as they appeared to lose force, a counter attack from the Persians was expected. In view of the limited space, there were no possibilities of a maneuver here, and Khalid was afraid that in a frontal attack, the Persians in view of their superiority of strength had the advantage and were likely to carry the day.
At this critical situation, Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed. may Allah be pleased with him, resorted to Almighty Allah and prayed for victory: “O Allah, if you grant us victory, I shall see that no enemy warrior is left alive until the river runs red with their blood.” It was a typical soldier’s pledge, and it inspired Khalid and his men to greater sacrifice and fighting. The Persian resistance ultimately broke down. By the afternoon a greater part of the Persian and Christian Arab army had been shattered, and the battle was over. The Muslims had secured a brilliant victory against the Persians for the fourth time.
Of all the battles fought by Khalid, the battle of Ulays was the toughest and the fiercest. According to At-Tabari, 70,000 Persian and Christian Arabs lost their lives as a result of the battle of Ulays. The Ulays disaster unnerved the Persian and the Christian Arabs. The local inhabitants of the region of Ulays entered into a pact with the Muslims. They agreed to pay the Jizyah in lieu of Muslim protection. They also undertook to act as in ormers and guides for the Muslims.
(Source: Biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.)
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