One of the fewer known great men and Commanders of the Muslim Armies is the Pious and Ascetic Commander Zuhayr bn Qays Al-Balawī. He was considered by some of the Historians and Scholars in our history such as Imām Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalānī and As-Suyūtī as one of the Companions of the Rasūl salallāhu alayhi wasallam, while others placed him in the category of the highest ranking Tābi’ūn.
Zuhayr was a determined Muslim adept in the Battles and eager to please his Lord. He joined the armies of the Sahābī ‘Amr bn Al-‘Ās – radiyallāhu ‘anhu – in the Conquest of Misr (Egypt) and was among it’s Brigadiers. He was of great importance in this historic battle that saw Egypt become a City of Islām for centuries after then.
When ‘Uqbah bn Nāfī – radiyallāhu ‘anhu – led the Muslim Armies Westwards towards the North African Lands, Zuhayr was in his ranks as a Lieutenant. He participated in all the Battles and was particularly active in the establishment and building of the City of Qayrawān in the year 50 A.H.
In the year 63 AH, the Apostate Berber General Kusaylah was leading a rebellious army with the support of the Roman Byzantines to inflict damage on the Muslims and to diminish Islām. These series of attacks led to the martyrdom of ‘Uqbah bn Nāfī radiyallāhu anhu and the sacking and capture of the City of Qayrawān by the Apostate Forces.
In the aftermath of that, ‘Abdulmalik bn Marwān who was the Khalīfah of the Muslims then instructed Zuhayr to take lead of the Muslim Armies and ordered the restoration of Qayrawān and the routing of the Apostate Forces of Kusaylah…
In the year 67 AH, the armies clashed in Mams Westwards from the City of Qayrawān and this Battle became the defining moment for the History of Islām in the Maghrib after it’s initial conquest.
In this Battle, both sides lost many men but ultimately, Allāh granted victory to the Muslim Armies and Kusaylah was killed and his armies routed.
Zuhayr and his armies returned to Qayrawān in Victory and happiness over the Opening from Allāh. Qayrawān was a great City and laden with riches and abundance. Zuhayr feared for himself a pollution with the riches of Qayrawān and decided to appoint someone else as it’s Governor that his heart may not be corrupted and his Dīn weak. He was indeed a Zāhid, rahimahullāh.
Zuhayr lived for Islām and also died for Islām.
When he and a few number of his Zāhid Companions were transversing the eastern Saharan lands in Barqā, news reached them of the Byzantine attacks on the City of Darnah where Muslims were being killed, enslaved and slaughtered. Instead of waiting for reinforcements from the Muslim Cities, Zuhayr and his few men hastened to the defense of the Muslims and attacked the Byzantines in a historical battle of Will and Īmān. Zuhayr and his men were outnumbered and out-weaponed but they stood their grounds and defended as many Muslims as they could until Allāh destined their Shahādah…
Among his Companions who were martyred alongside him were Abdullah bn Barr Al-Qīsī and Abū Mansūr Al-Fārisī who were both known for their Piety and Asceticm… Rahimahullāh…
Our History has shown that the True battles of Islām were won first by the Strength of the Īmān of the Muslim Armies and their Love for Shahādah as a means to earn the Pleasure of Allāh before it was a Battle with the Weapons and Skills of War..
We want Victory for Islām in this Era? We must rise in emulation of Our Predecessors who matched Words with Action and sacrificed their All to see Islām victorious.
Barokallāhu fīkum
