Amr ibn al-A'as
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ˤAmr ibn al-ˤĀs (Arabic: عمرو بن العاص) (born c.583 - d. January 6, 664 CE) was an Arab military commander who is most noted for leading the Islamic conquest of Egypt in 640-41. He was a contemporary of Muhammad who rose quickly through the Makkan hierarchy following his conversion to Islam in the year 8 AH (629 CE).
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[edit] Biography
[edit] 573? – 610: Early Life
He belonged to the Banu Sahm [1] clan of the Banu Quraish.
Assuming he was over ninety years old when he died, he was born before 573.
He was the son of A'as ibn Wa'il [2] and Layla binte Harmalah A.K.A "Al-Nabighah", although his biological lineage is questioned [3].
A'as ibn Wa'il other sons where Hisham ibn al-A'as. Amr also gained a son, Abd-Allah ibn Amr [4].
[edit] 610 – 632 Muhammad's era
[edit] 610: Rise of Islam
like the other Quraish chiefs, he opposed Islam in the early days.
[edit] 625: battle of Uhud
He commanded a Quraish contingent at the battle of Uhud.
[edit] 628: Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
Amr ibn al-ˤĀs was married to Umm Kulthum binte Uqba[5] but he divorced her when she embraced Islam. She then re-married Umar ibn al-Khattab.
[edit] 630: Conquest of Mecca
In the company of Khalid bin Waleed, he rode from Mecca to Medina where both of them were converted to Islam. Thereafter he took part in all the campaigns fought by the Muslims.
[edit] 630: Dhat as-Salasil
Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab and Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah served under ˤAmr ibn al-ˤĀs in the campaign of Dhat as-Salasil [6] and had offered their prayers behind him for many weeks. At that time, ˤAmr ibn al-ˤĀs was their boss not only in the army but also as a leader in religious services [7] .
ˤAmr was dispatched by Muhammad to Oman and played a key role in the conversion of the leaders of that nation, Jayfar and 'Abbād ibn Julanda. He was then made governor of the region until shortly after Muhammad's death.
There are some hadith regarding him and his fathers will: [8]
[edit] 632 – 634: Abu Bakr's era
ˤAmr was sent by the Caliph Abū-Bakr with the Arab armies into Palestine following Muhammad's death. It is believed that he played an important role in the Arab conquest of that region, and he is known to have been at the battles of Ajnadayn and Yarmuk as well as the fall of Damascus.
[edit] 634 – 644: Umar's era
Following the success over the Byzantines in Syria, Amr's suggested to Umar that he march on Egypt, to which Umar agreed.
The actual invasion began towards the end of 630, as Amr crossed the Sinai Peninsula with 3,500-4,000 men. After taking the small fortified towns of Pelusium (Arabic: Al-Farama) and beating back a Byzantine surprise attack near Bilbais, Amr headed towards the fort of Babylon (in the region of modern-day Cairo). After some skirmishes south of the area, Amr marched north towards Heliopolis, with reinforcements reaching him from Syria, against the Byzantine forces in Egypt, under Theodore. The resulting Arab victory at the battle of Heliopolis brought about the fall of the much of the country. After difficult and long sieges, skirmishes, and negotiations, the Byzantine capital of Alexandria surrendered following a treaty signed in late 641. Despite a brief re-conquest by Byzantine forces in 645 which was beaten at the battle of Nikiou, the country was firmly in Arab hands.
Shortly afterwards, Amr would settle his army in the newly-established stronghold of Fustat or Misr al-Fustat ("The tented city") from which "Misr," the Arabic name for Egypt, is derived, towards the end of 641. The first mosque in Egypt was named for ˤAmr and still exists in the southern part of Cairo. Fustāt was eventually absorbed into Cairo by the 12th century CE.
Amr was recalled to the capital (which had, by then, moved from Mecca to Damascus) where he became Muˤāwiyya's close advisor.
[edit] 644 – 656: Uthman's era
[edit] 656 – 661: Ali's era
[edit] 657: battle of Siffin
In 657, he participiated in the battle of Siffin. Ibn Kathir, a 14th century Sunni Islamic scholar includes in his writings [9]: "One day 'Ali attacked Amr ibn Aas, he threw a spear and Amr fell to the ground, Amr fell to the ground and he then exposed his buttocks. 'Ali then turned away his face [people said] this was Amr bin Aas. 'Ali replied he showed me his anus and this made me merciful to him. When Amr ibn Aas returned, Mu'awiya said 'You should praise Allah and your anus."
Amr was Muawiya's representative in the following arbitration.
[edit] 658: Malik and Ibn Abī-Bakr
In 658 (38 A.H.), the Governor in Egypt was Malik ibn Ashter, when assigned by ˤAlī. At that time, ˤAmr ibn al-ˤĀs had 6000 soldiers who were on their way, sent by the governor of Damascus, Muˤāwiyya.
ˤAlī was asked to send help. His best general and childhood friend, Malik ibn Ashter, were sent to defend his other childhood friend, the former governor of Egypt, Muhammad ibn Abī-Bakr, since ˤAlī believed only Malik could best Muˤāwiyya and ˤAmr ibn al-ˤĀs. Muhammad ibn Abī-Bakr was instructed to return to ˤAlī's capital city, Kufa.
Malik left Kufa to take charge of Egypt. At the frontier Malik, was greeted by innkeepers, not knowing they were disguised agents of Muˤāwiyya. They poisoned his drink, killing Muˤāwiyya's long-time nemesis. As soon as Muˤāwiyya got the news of Malik's demise, he exclaimed in an ecstasy of delight, "Today ˤAlī has lost his second arm!" hardly believing his good fortune. By killing Ammar ibn Yasir in the Battle of Siffīn, Muˤāwiyya had cut ˤAlī's first arm; and now by killing Malik, he had cut ˤAlī's other arm, this time with poison.
Without any opposition, ˤAmr ibn al-ˤĀs entered Egypt and encountered Muhammad ibn Abī-Bakr and easily defeated him. Having no army, he tried to fight with a handful of soldiers. He was captured and tortured to death, put into a dead ass skin, and burned to death. This enraged Aisha.
The newly-occupied Egypt became a part of Muˤāwiyya's dominions. ˤAlī loved Muhammad ibn Abī-Bakr as his own son and his death was felt as another terrible shock. ˤAlī prayed for him, and invoked God's blessings and mercy upon his soul [10]. (Shia View)
[edit] 661 – 680: Muāwiyya's era
ˤAmr died in 663 and was believed to be over ninety years old at the time of his death.
[edit] Legacy
[edit] Sunni view
Amr ibn al-As is widely acclaimed by Sunnis for his military and political acumen. His brilliant leadership is credited with the conquests of vast lands, without which millions of people would not be Muslim today. There is some element of ruthlessness in his military actions, but generally he is viewed by the Sunnis as an illustrious companion of the Prophet Muhammad, worthy of praise and emulation.
[edit] Shi'a view
Shias harbor an antipathy towards Amr ibn al-Aas chiefly due to what they view as his partial behavior as an arbiter between Ali and Muawiya. [citation needed]
[edit] Further reading
- Butler, Alfred J. The Arab Conquest of Egypt and the Last Thrity years of Roman Dominion Oxford, 1978.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ britannica.com [1]
- ^ see Sunan Abu Dawud 2877
- ^ http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/179.htm
- ^ see Sunan Abu Dawud 2877
- ^ http://www.eslam.de/begriffe/u/umm_kulthum_bint_ukba.htm, http://www.eslam.de/alphabet/u.htm
- ^ http://www.allaahuakbar.net/muhammad/dhat_as_salasil_campaign.htm
- ^ (ref)
- ^ see Sunan Abu Dawud 2877
- ^ Al Bidayah wa al-Nihayah Volume 7 page 264, Dhikr Sifeen
- ^ (ref)
