Relatıons wıth Byzantıne Empıre Durıng The Prophet’s Tıme (Pbuh)

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Abstract

The period of Muhammad [pbuh] is the most important time period of whole 15-century Islamic history. It is because his sayings and habits had become a source of influence for later periods. As being the head of state of Islam based in Madina, his relations with the two super power states of the world at that time, Sasanids and Byzantines are substantial examples.

The north side of the Arabian peninsula, at the time Muhammad [pbuh] was preaching Islam to the people of Macca, were hosting a power struggle between Sasanids and Byzantines. In this time, the polytheist heathen people of Macca were supporting the Zoroastrian Sasanids’ side, while Muslims who embrace the «tawhid» faith were having a sympathy for Byzantine empire, whom were Christians, the people of the book. In the seventh year of hijra towards Madina [AD 628], the prophet had sent letters to many prominent leaders of his time, inviting them to Islam. One of these prominent leaders were the Byzantine emperor, Heraclius, whom accepted the ambassador Dihya ibn Khalifa al-Kalbi during his visit at Jerusalem. The prophet also sent envoys to Byzantine governor of Egypt and emir of Ghassanids, a Byzantine alley, to invite them to Islam. The emir of Ghassanids’ killing the ambassador of Islamic state who was sent to Bosra governor, led to a new crisis. As the emir had called for Byzantines to help against troops that were sent by Islamic state, Muslims had faced up against the army of Byzantine empire for the first time, during Battle of Mu'tah [8/629]. At this battle, the Islamic army was forced to leave the war area due to Byzantine-Ghassanids’ numerical superiority. In the 9th year of Hijra [AD 630] following the reports of Byzantine empire preparing armies to attack to lands of Islam, Prophet went on an expedition as the head of 30.000 people large army. The army had reached towards Tabuk, however, as Byzantine army have had not seen anywhere, the army had returned. Meanwhile, military units were sent to some of the settlements near and the region was taken under control.