Posted on: 2002

By Sami Rami

Before the advent of Islam, Palestine and the rest of Bilad al-Sham (Syria, Jordan, Palestine) was populated by the Arab tribes of Ghassans, Kalb, Lakham,  Jutham and others. 

Ahead the of the Prophet’s Mission, Mohammad was in touch with those tribes twice during his two trips to Bilad al-Sham. He has foreseen them as backing up their Arab brothers in the Arabian Peninsula. Three forays, Zat Assalasil, Mu’ta and Tabuk, were launched in the Prophet’s time, enabled early Arab Muslims to stretch their sway to Bilad al Sham’s frontiers. The Prophet, himself, participated in the last foray.

No sooner had he ordered the preparation of a strong expedition, that his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were ordered to participate in it. The expedition was under the leadership of Usama Ben Zaid.

While everyone was readying himself to the coming mission, the Prophet died in 632. But the sudden death of the Prophet created the problem of the renegades and turncoats.  His successor, Caliph Abu Bakr, adopted a decisive policy in dealing with those who turned—after the Prophet’s death– their back to Islam. He ordered the army of Usama to move the Sham in fulfillment of the Prophet’s testament. Thus the Arab Muslim’s liberation of that land from the Roman invaders has begun and deepened in later years. But Abu Bakr died before the Arab liberation of Palestine was materialized. The sacred mission of Palestine’s liberation occurred during his Successor, Caliph Omar Ben Al-Khattab. During his reign, the fate of Egypt and Palestine was decided.

The Muslim, under the leadership of Abu Obeidah al-Jarrah, mover toward Jerusalem in It was winter, and the occupying Romans had the wrong impression that the Muslims couldn’t fight in severe cold weather. But the Muslim siege of Jerusalem continued four  months alongside daily fierce fighting between the two sides.

The Muslim historian, al Tabary, has described the then prevailing situation around Jerusalem, saying: “ When the Romans realized that Abu Obeidah was unswayable…they proposed to surrender to the Prince of the Faithful, Omar Ben Al-Khattab…Abu Obeidah agreed.” He wrote to the Caliph Omar: “ In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, to Abdullah Omar, the Prince of the Faithful, from Abu Obeidah Ben Al Jarrah…we put up to the people of Eliya, they thought that in facing us they would be relieved, but God troubled them; they grew more bottlenecked, emaciated and humiliated. Realizing their predicament, they asked for the Prince of the Faithful to be the trusted and the writer [of their surrender’s terms]…. knowing that they accepted to pay tribute and have the same non-Muslims’ guarantees applicable to them…. if you see coming here do so as it is recompensed [by God]…God bless you.”