Khalid b. Sa'id: Difference between revisions

'''Khālid b. Sa'īd b. 'Āṣ b. Umayya b. 'Abd Shams''' (Arabic: خالد بن سعید بن عاص بن امیة بن عبدشمس) was one of the first people who converted to Islam. He was a scriber ([[katib]]) of [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]]. He was the Prophet (s)’s agent in [[Yemen]]. After the Prophet (s)’s demise, he resigned from this position and preferred not to work for the [[caliphs]]. Khalid b. Sa'id was one of the 12 people who did not pledge their allegiance with [[Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa]]. And this led to [['Umar b. Khattab]], the second caliph, standing against him. There is a disagreement among historians over the date and place of his [[martyrdom]].

===The Prophet (s)’s Scribe===

According to historians, Khālid b. Sa'id was a scribe of the Prophet (s). He worked as a scribe in [[Mecca]], before [[Hijrat]] or migration to Medina. He is said to be the first person who wrote the phrase, “Bism Allah al-Rahman al-Rahim” (in the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful). After migration to Medina, he transcribed the Prophet (s)’s letter to people of [[Ta'if]] and their representatives, and submitted the letter to the delegates of Thaqif. He also mediated peace negotiations between the delegates and the Prophet (s) in Medina until they converted to Islam.

After his return from Abyssinia, Khalid b. Sa'id accompanied the Prophet (s) and other Muslims in the [[hajj]] of 'Umrat al-Qada', the [[Conquest of Mecca]] and battles of [[Battle of Hunayn|Hunayn]], [[Battle of Ta'if|Ta'if]] and [[Battle of Tabuk|Tabuk]]. Khalid was frequently sent by the Prophet (s) to carry out various missions; for example, when 'Amr b. Ma'di Yakrib apostatized Islam and rioted against Muslims, the Prophet (s) sent [['Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]] and an army of [[Muhajirun]], including Khalid b. Sa'id as the leader of the army, to 'Amr and his people. After suppressing the riots and the escape of 'Amr b. Ma'di Yakrib, 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a) commissioned Khalid to receive and collect charities, taxes and [[zakat]] from people there, and told him to give a safety conduct and refuge to any fugitive who comes back and converts to Islam. After 'Ali (a)’s return to Medina, 'Amr b. Ma'di Yakrib went to Khalid b. Sa'id and converted to Islam again.

===The Prophet (s)’s Representative in Abyssinia===

According to some [[hadiths]], in Abyssinia, Khalid b. Sa'id was the the Prophet (s)’s representative to marry Umm Habiba to him. This shows the respect the Prophet (s) had for Khalid b. Sa'id.

===The Prophet (s)’s Agent in Yemen===

In the last years of the Prophet (s)’s life, Khalid b. Sa'id was appointed as the ruler of the area between Najran and Zubayd by the Prophet (s) after Badhan or Badham, the Iranian Muslim ruler of Yemen, died. This appointment seems to have occurred in 10 AH (631), because Farwa b. Musayk al-Muradi and a delegate went to the Prophet (s) in Medina in this year, and the Prophet (s) appointed Farwa as the ruler of his tribe (Murad) and Zubayd as well as the Madhhij tribe, and sent Khalid b. Sa'id b. 'As to Yemen together with him as an agent for the collection of charities.

On one account, Khalid b. Sa'id was commissioned by the Prophet (s) to collect taxes in Yemen, and on another account, he was commissioned to collect taxes in Madhhij and was appointed as the agent of [[Sana'a]]. However, he was the Prophet (s)’s agent in Yemen until the demise of the Prophet (s).

After the Prophet (s)’s demise, Khalid b. Sa'id and his brothers, Aban and 'Amr, one of whom was the Prophet (s)’s agent in Bahrain and other his agent in Tayma' and Khaybar, returned to Medina, announcing that they would not work for anyone after the Prophet (s).

Khalid b. Sa'id arrived in Medina after the story of [[Saqifa]] and [[Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa]]’s election as the [[caliph]]. He was one of the 12 people who refused to pledge their allegiance to Abu Bakr. His brother, Aban, joined him in doing so. Khalid b. Sa'id said that “we will follow the [[Banu Hashim]]”. He believed in the caliphate of 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a) and wanted to pledge his allegiance to him, addressing him by the saying: “I swear to God that no one among people is more competent as the Prophet (s)’s successor than you”.

==='Umar’s Hostility to Khalid===

Khalid b. Sa'id’s refusal to pledge his allegiance to Abu Bakr made 'Umar b. Khattab hostile to him. Later in many cases, 'Umar appealed to his refusal and dismissed him from different positions. For example, in 13 AH (634), when Abu Bakr wanted to send the army of Islam to [[al-Sham]], he appointed Khalid b. Sa'id as the commander of the army and gave him the flag. But 'Umar reminded Abu Bakr of Khalid’s refusal to pledge his allegiance to him and his remarks in opposition to Abu Bakr and insisted that Khalid should be dismissed. Abu Bakr dismissed Khalid before the army departed. Khalid returned the flag with self-esteem and said: “I swear to God that your appointment did not make me happy and being dismissed by you did not make me sad”.

Khalid b. Sa'id wrote a letter in this regard to Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr ordered him to move forward cautiously. Khalid b. Sa'id launched an attack and dispersed those tribes and camped in their location. All people in those tribes converted to Islam. A Roman commander, called Bahan, fought Khalid b. Sa'id. In this battle, some Romans were killed and the rest were defeated. Khalid b. Sa'id asked Abu Bakr for aids. Abu Bakr sent aid forces to him under the commandership of Dhu l-Kila' and 'Akrama b. Abi Jahl. He was also aided by [[Walid b. 'Uqba]]’s army.

There are different historical accounts of when and where Khalid b. Sa'id was martyred. On one account, he was martyred in the [[Battle of Ajnadayn]] with Romans and people of al-Sham (13 AH/ 634) in the period of Abu Bakr. On another account, he was martyred in the [[Battle of Marj al-Suffar]] in al-Sham. This battle occurred in the early period of 'Umar’s caliphate in 14 AH (635) or in the period of Abu Bakr in 13 AH (634).

On another account, it was Khalid’s son who was martyred in the event of Marj al-Suffar and Khalid himself escaped the battlefield. When Khalid fought the Romans and chased Bahan to Marj al-Suffar near Damascus, he was surrounded by Bahan’s army. Bahan attacked him and killed Sa'id, Khalid’s son, and his companies. When Khalid heard this, he escaped and retreated to Dhu l-Marwa. Abu Bakr told them to stay there so that he can take care of everything. There are different accounts of the dates of the battles of Ajnadayn and Marj al-Suffar and Yarmuk. According to ibn Qutayba, Khalid died in the [[Battle of Yarmuk]].