Arfajah
Arfajah ibn Harthama al-Bāriqī was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was a member of the Azd branch of the Bariq clan that inhabited Southwestern Arabia.
Arfajah was one of the commanders of the eleven corps of armies sent by the first caliph, Abu Bakr, to quell a rebellion after Muhammad died. Arfajah was one of the first caliphate naval commanders, as Abu Bakr dispatched him with Hudaifa bin Mihsan's corps to fight opponents of Islam in Oman, as he was entrusted to lead the Azd naval forces from Bahrayn to invade Fars province in order to stop Sassanid coastal incursions. He later served as Governor of Mosul during the reign of Caliph Umar.
An energetic military general, Arfajah contributed to the Muslim conquest of Persia, as he participated in the major battles against the Sassanids such as the naval conquest of Pars, Battle of the Bridge, Battle of Buwaib, Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, Siege of Ctesiphon, and the Battle of Nahavand, until the Muslim conquest of Khuzestan, where he captured the city of Ahvaz. He also engaged briefly against the Byzantines during the conquest of Mosul and Tikrit.
Arfajah is remembered as a gifted administrator, with building and urbanization expertise. He played a major part in the founding of the cities of Basra and Haditha. His architectural achievements include building of the Mosul Grand Mosque. Arfajah was the first of the Rashidun caliphate who implemented Amsar, an Islamic permanent garrison fortress with Caravanserai.
Biography
According to Ibn Hazm, his full Nisba lineage was Arfaja b. Harthama b. Abd-al-Uzza b. Zuhayr b. Thailbh b. Amr b. Sa`d b. Thailbh b. Kinanah al-Bariqi; the Bariq were descendants of Al-Azd.According to Ahmad Jawdat Pasha, who quoted Waqidi, Arfajah grew up in a wealthy family and was known as a gifted orator. Arfajah also had powerful martial prowess as he is said to have been skilled in sword-fighting and equestrian methods, while also possessing good social skills.
Arfajah is accounted a companion of Muhammad, as he met Muhammad. Umar ibn al Khattab attested that Arfajah had met Muhammad at least once and professed Islam during Muhammad's lifetime. Arfajah narrated a Hadith directly from Muhammad.
Ridda Wars
In 633, Abu Bakr dispatched Arfaja bin Harthama and Hudhayfah al-Bariqi to Mahra following the orders of Abu Bakr, then sent Ikrimah to march and join Arfajah. As Arfaja had not yet arrived, Ikrimah, instead of waiting for him, tackled the local rebels on his own. At Jairut, Ikrimah met two rebel armies preparing for battle. He persuaded the weaker to embrace Islam and then joined up with them to defeat their opponents. Then the event following was Arfajah and the caliphate armies continued their march to fight the remnants of Mahranite rebels in violent battles against the Mahranite rebels until they pacified the entire Mahra region.Having re-established Islam in Mahra, Ikrimah moved his corps to Abyan, where he rested his men and awaited further developments. Until further instruction arrived for Arfaja and his Azd army to assist the Al Azdi Ruler, Abd Al-Juland and his brother Jayfar, who ruled the interior of the Oman peninsula and travelled to Medina in 632 to swear fealty to the Caliph Abu Bakr, who received him with pleasure. The leader of the apostates of Oman was Laqit bin Malik Al-Azdi, known as "the one with the crown", or Dhu'l Taj. A natural rival to the Julanda kings, he forced them into retreat before the army from Medina completed its arduous journey through the Rub' al Khali to reach the Oman peninsula. Meeting up with the Madinan army, the forces of the Julanda were bolstered by tribes from the region who deserted Laqit. Then the Omanite and Azd allied army in turn attacked the Sasanian governor Maskan and defeated Maskan's forces at Damsetjerd in Sohar, killing Maskan. Leaving behind all their silver and gold, the Sasanians evacuated the country. The allied forces of Arfajah and the Julandi brothers fought the rebels under Laqit in the final engagement of the Battle of Dibba, where the rebel leader placed his men's families behind their lines in order to encourage them to fight harder. However, the Medinan army prevailed following the arrival of reinforcements, the Beni Abdul Kais and Beni Najia tribes who had formed part of the Caliph's army but who had been delayed during the long journey from Medina. After the rebellion of Laqit was put down, Hudhayfah ibn Muhsin stayed in the area to consolidate the place, while Ikrimah commenced mop-up operations against remnants of rebels left in Mahra, and Arfajah was tasked to escort the spoils of war brought to the Caliphate citadel in Medina.
It is said by Yaqut al-Hamawi that in the aftermath of this conflict Arfajah found and brought a boy named Al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufra, a future famous anti-Kharijites general, to Medina.
Conquest against Persia
First naval campaign
In the year 12 AH, Arfajah led the first Arab-Islamic naval invasions in history, and conquered a large number of islands in the Gulf of Oman. Ahmed Jawdat Pasha, who narrated from the text of Al-Waqidi, pointed that Arfajah did not have trouble to raise an army and ships which needed to mount this naval invasion without the support of central caliphate, due to his notably wealthiness and powerful influence of followers from within his clan. Ahmed Jawdat further narrated that the background of Arfajah naval expedition from Al-Waqidi's book that Arfajah were filled by impetuous Jihad spirit And he disregarded the advice of Al-Faruq, boarded the ships and marched for the conquest in the Sea of Oman. However, Jawdat mistook as he though this campaign occurred during Umar caliphate, while in reality it is occurred during caliphate of Abu Bakr. Tabari narrated that as caliph Abu Bakar learned Arfajah acted without his consent, he immediately dismissed Arfajah.Campaign under Muthanna
As Khalid ibn al-Walid transferred to Levant, Arfajah marched to rendezvous with the army under al-Muthanna ibn Haritha, who are now being in charge of Rashidun forces in Iraq, and served under him in the victorious Battle of Namaraq and the Battle of Kaskar. However the Muthanna and Arfaja experienced major drawback in the Battle of the Bridge, where they suffered heavy losses. responded to this calamity, caliph Umar reacted to send the contingent of Bajila tribe under the leadership of for reinforcement. although there is some minor quarrel between Jarir and Arfajah, in the end they are agree to joint their forces under Muthanna to fight the Persians. then Arfajah and Muthanna, have been replenished by Bajila host of Jarir, marched toward Buwaib, where they fought the Sassanid again, in the victorious Battle of Buwaib, where they even succeeded slaying the Sassanid general, Mihran. which also called by Tabari and Ali ibn al-Athir as "day of tenth", due to the intensity of the battle where each one of Muslim soldiers managed to kill ten of Sassanid soldier. After the battle, Arfajah march to Hirah, and recapture the city, which has been fallen to the Sassanid before after the Battle of the Bridge.Later, in the year 12 AH, Bahrain were suffered from constant naval raids by Persians. Arfajah, who just conquered the town of Sawad immediately goes to Bahrain to reinforce his superior in Bahrain, al-Ala al Hadrami.
Second naval campaign
In the end of the year 13 AH, al Ala ibn Hadrami commanded Arfajah started sending ships and boats for further maritime expedition, as they are ordered by caliph Umar to detach himself from Al-Muthanna ibn Haritha while they are in Hirah. This time, Arfajah, under al Ala, were attacking the island of to exterminate the feeling apostate rebels who flee from mainland of Arabian peninsula toward that island. the Muslim armies began attacking the capital of Darin and killing the rebels there, pacified the eastern Arab coasts. Then, on their own initiative, Arfajah, under instruction from al Ala, started to send ships towards Sassanid coast in Tarout Island. This continued until Arfajah reached the port of Borazjan, where according to Ibn Sa'd Arfajah sunk many Persian navy ships in a battle, Shuaib Al Arna'ut and al-Arqsoussi recorded the words of Al-Dhahabi regarding Arfaja naval campaign during this occasion: "...Arfaja sent to the coast of Persia, destroying many ships, and conquered the island and build mosque". It is said by historians this Arfajah operations in the coast of Persian Gulf secured the water ways for Muslims army and paving the way for the later Muslim conquest of Pars. Ibn Balkhi wrote that Arfajah write his progress to al Ala, who in turn inform to 'Umar. This satisfy 'Umar, who in turn instructed al Ala to further resupply Arfajah who still continued fighting off coast, which Arfajah responds continued the naval campaigns the mainland of Fars. The coastal incursions commenced by Arfajah spans from Jazireh-ye Shif to an Island, which identified by Ahmad ibn Mājid as Lavan Island Then continued to until they reached Kharg Island. Poursharianti recorded this second Arfajah naval adventure were ended with the annexation of Kharg, in month of Safar, 14 AH.| Caliph Umar praise Arfajah in his letter to Utbah ibn Ghazwan. |
However, this time caliph 'Umar disliked Arfajah unnecessarily dragged sea adventures, as the naval forces of Arfajah were originally dispatched to support Utbah ibn Ghazwan to conquer Ubulla. Shortly, 'Umar instructed to dismiss Arfajah from his command and reassign al-Ala ibn Hadrami as his replacement. although, Donnes said in his version that al-Ala died before he could assume the position. Nevertheless, the caliph then later instructed Arfajah to bring 700 soldiers from Bahrain to immediately reinforce Utbah who is marching towards Al-Ubulla. Arfajah manage to rendezvous with Utbah later in the location that will become a Basra city, and together they besiege Ubulla until they managed to capture the port city. Abu Mikhnaf reported in Ali Ibn Athir book, al Kamal, that the conquest of Ubulla by Arfajah and Utbah were bloodless, as the Sassanid garrison somehow terrified by the besiegers so they gave up fighting and leave Ubulla undefended, allowing Utbah and Arfajah to capture it. Then after they take Ubulla and used it as headquarters, Utbah and Arfajah commence operation in south-eastern Iraq, and capturing Maysan Governorate.
Later, Arfajah also witnessed the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah under Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas. Arfajah marched from Basra to Join Sa'd before the battle, while also brought 400 to 700 Azd cavalry under him, which he brought earlier in the conquest of Ubulla. Arfajah then placed under the banner of al Mughira ibn Shu'bah, whose company in total were about 1,500–1,800 soldiers. As the Muslims has emerged victorious from the hard battle in Qadisiyah, they immediately marched towards the Sassanid capital, which are nicknamed by the Arabs as Al-Mada'in. Sa'd lead the Muslim army to cross the river and engaged in the besiege the capital, until Yazdegerd III fled and the capital fallen to the Muslims. Sa'd and his army, including Arfajah stay for while in the conquered capital of Sassanid and manage to establish base there.