{"id":6546,"date":"2020-03-14T12:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-14T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/6546\/the-most-important-islamic-sources-that-speaks-of-the-art-of-islamic-warfare\/"},"modified":"2020-03-08T16:19:36","modified_gmt":"2020-03-08T16:19:36","slug":"the-most-important-islamic-sources-that-speaks-of-the-art-of-islamic-warfare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/6546\/the-most-important-islamic-sources-that-speaks-of-the-art-of-islamic-warfare\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Important Islamic Sources that speaks of the art of Islamic warfare"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5><strong>The Most Important Islamic Sources that speaks of the art of Islamic warfare<\/strong><\/h5>\n<h5>Despite the fact that the wars of the Prophet (s) were fought over a relatively short period (10 years), his method and style of command and military leadership lasted for a long time; because Muslims and others, within the military and without, have discussed, studied and analyzed this subject from the beginning of the first century A.H. up to this day and have not neglected it.<br \/>\nThe Glorious Qur&#8217;\u0101n is the most important source that speaks of these wars and battles, and we find a lot about this subject in its commentaries. The most important of these commentaries are: Tabari&#8217;s Commentary, Naysh\u0101buri&#8217;s Asb\u0101b al-Nuzul, Qurtubi&#8217;s al-J\u0101mi li Ahk\u0101m al-Qur&#8217;\u0101n, Baydh\u0101wi&#8217;s Anw\u0101r al-Tanzil wa Asr\u0101r al-Ta&#8217;wil and Suyuti&#8217;s al-Itq\u0101n fi &#8216;Ulum al-Qur&#8217;\u0101n. Among these, Tabari&#8217;s commentary, which describes the details of what takes place in the battles and also Naysh\u0101buri&#8217;s commentary, which records the occasion of revelation of specific verses in relation to the battles, are especially important.<br \/>\nMaterial about these issues can [also] be found in various books of history and biography, the most important among which include: Ibn Shih\u0101b al-Zuhri&#8217;s al-Magh\u0101zi al-Nabawiyya, Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q&#8217;s al-Siyar wa al-Magh\u0101zi, al-W\u0101qidi&#8217;s al-Magh\u0101zi al-Nabawiyya, Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi&#8217;s Jaw\u0101mi&#8217; al-Sirah, al-Kal\u0101&#8217;i&#8217;s al-Ihtif\u0101&#8217; and Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s&#8217; Uyun al-Athar. W\u0101qidi was more precise in his historical recordings of all the wars than the others, and by describing the affairs of war and its management, he has been able to tackle the subject better. We cannot find complete references to the organization of the military except in his treatise. After him, Ibn Sa&#8217;d continues his work in the book al-Tabaq\u0101t al-Kubr\u0101 and presents a picture of that which W\u0101qidi had not recorded.<br \/>\nHowever, the most important books of history about this subject are: T\u0101rikh Ibn Khayy\u0101t, Bukh\u0101ri&#8217;s T\u0101rikh al-Kabir, T\u0101rikh Tabari, T\u0101rikh Ibn &#8216;As\u0101kir, Ibn Atheer&#8217;s al-K\u0101mil fi al-T\u0101rikh, Ibn Katheer&#8217;s al-Bid\u0101ya wa al-Nih\u0101ya, and also some biographical commentaries like Suhayli&#8217;s Rawdh al-Unf have also set out to give details of such issues.<br \/>\nBooks of Hadith and Jurisprudence have also devoted specific chapters and sections for these matters. The primary ones among these are: Sahih Bukh\u0101ri (Chapter 9 &#8211; The Book of Battles), Sahih Muslim (Chapter 3 &#8211; The Book of Jih\u0101d and Expeditions), Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Chapter 2 &#8211; The Book of Jih\u0101d), Sunan Ibn D\u0101wud (Chapter 2 &#8211; The Book of Jih\u0101d and Expeditions), Sunan al-Nas\u0101&#8217;i (Chapter 6 &#8211; The Book of Jih\u0101d), Sunan al-D\u0101rimi (Chapter 2 &#8211; The Book of Jih\u0101d and Expeditions), Sunan al-D\u0101rqutni (The Book of Expeditions), Musannaf San&#8217;\u0101ni (Chapter 5), Ibn Hanifa&#8217;s al-Magh\u0101zi wa al-Musnad (The book of Jih\u0101d and Expeditions), Sh\u0101fi&#8217;i&#8217;s al-Umm (Chapter 6 &#8211; The Book of Willful Injury), Humaidi&#8217;s al-Musnad (The Book of Battles and Jih\u0101d), Abi Sulaym\u0101n al-Khit\u0101bi&#8217;s Ma&#8217;\u0101lim al-Sunan and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzi&#8217;s al-Tahdhib.<br \/>\nIn this context, Sahih Bukh\u0101ri is important both historically and militarily as the author has narrated the accounts chronologically and recounts the battles in the order in which they took place, starting from the Battle of al-&#8216;Ashirah to the Battle of Tabuk. Similarly, when he explains the battles, he takes all the angles into account, mentioning numerous narratives about it, such that the reader is able to come to a complete and correct understanding of these battles.<br \/>\nAside from the books that discuss this subject separately, there are various books of history and annals of nations that have also been beneficial in this research. The most important among these are: Arzaqi&#8217;s Akhb\u0101ru Makkah, Qutb al-Din&#8217;s T\u0101rikh Makkah al-Musharrafah, F\u0101si&#8217;s al-&#8216;Aqd al-Tamin, Bakri&#8217;s Mu&#8217;jam Mastu&#8217;jam and Y\u0101qut al-Hamawi&#8217;s Mu&#8217;jam al-Buld\u0101n.<br \/>\nThe most important feature of these histories and chronicles is that they mention the economic situation [at the time], military resources and battle expeditions and similarly give a clear representation of the economic life, which in this age was considered one of the more important issues, and for every discussion on the military it is a necessary factor that needs to be taken into account.<br \/>\nBooks about the character of the Prophet (s) also consist of many points about his &#8216;military management&#8217; and &#8216;qualities of leadership&#8217; the most important among which include: Ibn Sa&#8217;d&#8217;s Tabaq\u0101t al-Kubr\u0101 (vol. 1 Chapter 2), Tirmidhi&#8217;s Sham\u0101il, Faryabi&#8217;s Dal\u0101&#8217;il al-Nubuwwah, Abu &#8216;Ali Ans\u0101ri&#8217;s Sif\u0101t al-Nabi (s), Q\u0101dhi &#8216;Ayy\u0101dh&#8217;s Shif\u0101, Suyuti&#8217;s al-Khas\u0101&#8217;is al-Kubr\u0101, Ibn Hajar &#8216;Asqal\u0101ni&#8217;s al-Maw\u0101hib al-Daniyya, al-Dhahabi&#8217;s T\u0101rikh al-Isl\u0101m (vol. 1), Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzi&#8217;s Z\u0101d al-Ma&#8217;\u0101d fi Hud\u0101 Khayril &#8216;Ib\u0101d (vol. 1 &amp; 2) and his Furusiyyat al-Muhammadiyyah.<br \/>\nBooks of biography are also not empty of material on this subject, rather, in many instances provide detailed accounts about the commanders of battles and wars and about the companions who had the responsibility of commanding the armies. Some of these (books) are: Ibn Habib&#8217;s al-Muhbir, Ibn &#8216;Abd al-Barr&#8217;s al-Isti&#8217;\u0101b fi Ma&#8217;rifat al-Ash\u0101b, Ibn Atheer al-Jazari&#8217;s Usd al-Gh\u0101ba fi Ma&#8217;rifat al-Sah\u0101bah and Ibn Hajar &#8216;Asqal\u0101ni&#8217;s al-Is\u0101ba fi Tamyiz al-Sah\u0101bah.<br \/>\nThe Isl\u0101mic conquests at the time of the Prophet (s) and the companions were studied by those who came later and the various aspects and details were presented in a well organized fashion by them. Books of geography and history expound on the conquests within and without the Arabian subcontinent and also talk of the events after the spread of Isl\u0101m from Madina al-Munawwarah to Damascus, Baghd\u0101d, Mad\u0101&#8217;in, and on the east to India and to Alexandria, Constantinople, Tarablus and Tunis. It could be said that the most important of these works are Ibn Khard\u0101ba&#8217;s al-Mas\u0101lik wal-Mam\u0101lik [vols. 3,4,5 and 6], Ibn Rusta&#8217;s al-A&#8217;l\u0101q al-Nafsiyya [Chapter 8] which talks about Madina, Makkah, Haramayn and the southern lands of Arabia.<br \/>\nIbn Faqih&#8217;s al-Buld\u0101n [Chapter 10 and 11] talks of Makkah and Alexandria while Ya&#8217;qubi&#8217;s al-Buld\u0101n [Chapter 17 and 18] mentions the Maghreb, Baghdad and their historical importance. Balkhi&#8217;s Suwar al-Aq\u0101leem is the first book on geography written in Isl\u0101m and Istakhri&#8217;s al-Mas\u0101lik wal-Mam\u0101lik is also the first book that describes the &#8216;Isl\u0101mic World&#8217;.<br \/>\nIn Ibn Hawqal&#8217;s al-Mas\u0101lik wal-Mam\u0101lik [Chapter 3, 4 and 24] the maps of Egypt, Syria, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula have been drawn and the economical and social situation of Libya has also been portrayed. Muqaddasi has also given a description of Palestine and Syria in his Ahsanu al-Taq\u0101seem fi Ma&#8217;rifatil Aq\u0101leem [Chapter 32 and 34].<br \/>\nMas&#8217;udi&#8217;s al-Tanbih wal-Ashr\u0101f [Chapter 37] speaks of the life of the Prophet (s), battles and expeditions in which he was the commander, military units, horses and mounts, and all that is related to the military transport. Mas&#8217;udi&#8217;s recording of the &#8216;Historical Geography of Battles&#8217;, is considered an original source whose narrations can be relied upon, however, unfortunately most of his writings are lost.<br \/>\nAnother source is Qazwini&#8217;s Ath\u0101r al-Bil\u0101d wa Akhb\u0101r al-&#8216;Ib\u0101d which discusses geographical history and related issues including the situations and conditions of different lands and their inhabitants. After this, we must mention the Muqaddima of Ibn Khaldun and Qalashqandi&#8217;s Subh al-A&#8217;sh\u0101. These two books record geographical and historical information about different kingdoms, especially Egypt and Syria.<br \/>\nIt is noteworthy that more recently books and research works, in both Arabic and English, have been written about the life of the Prophet (s) and his battles with the disbelievers. The most important works in Arabic include: al-Rasul al-Q\u0101&#8217;id (S. Khatt\u0101b), al-Rasul al-&#8216;Arabi wa Fann al-Harb (General Mustafa Tal\u0101s), al-&#8216;Abqariyya al-Askariyya fi Ghazaw\u0101t al-Rasul, &#8216;Ali H\u0101mish al-Sirah (T\u0101h\u0101 Hussain), Hay\u0101tu Muhammad (Muhammad Hasanain Haykal), al-&#8216;Abqariyy\u0101t al-Isl\u0101miyya (&#8216;Aqq\u0101d) and al-Anw\u0101r al-Muhammadiyya (Nabh\u0101ni).<br \/>\nThe foreign books that have been translated into Arabic and discuss the same subject, we can mention: Muhammad in Makkah and Madina (Montgomery Watt), Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Dianna), The Heroes (Thomas Carlayle), The First Hundred (Michael Hart) and others.<br \/>\nMany of these works are only limited to military, institutional or ethical issues that form part of the seerah. Because &#8216;military management&#8217; encompasses all these issues, it is necessary that we discuss all these matters together, taking into consideration their correlation with each other. It is through this that the importance of this subject and its role in revealing the secret of the success of the Holy Prophet (s) and those whom he chose as army commanders, becomes evident.<br \/>\nNow we will take a look at the most important authors and researchers in history who have written on this subject and have left behind important works on the battles and expeditions, and since their importance in relation to this subject varies, we will first study the oldest writings that are relevant and have practical implications and thereafter we will mention others according to their chronology and relevance; in this order: W\u0101qidi, Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q, Ibn Shih\u0101b al-Zuhri, Kal\u0101&#8217;i and Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s.<\/h5>\n<h5><strong>The Most Important Historians (Chronologically)<\/strong><\/h5>\n<h5>1. Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Muslim Bin &#8216;Ubaydallah Bin Shih\u0101b al-Zuhri (51-124 A.H.)<br \/>\nThere is a difference of opinion about his date of birth and death. He was a learned scholar, a memorizer of the Qur&#8217;an[105] and an author who knew how to use the various expressions and idioms and he would use these in his works.[106] He was a poet[107] and a genealogist[108] who would look for the chains of narrators in the traditions.[109] He would strive in the quest for knowledge and would guard it. He kept aloof from the events and turmoil of his time.[110] He believed in the dissemination of knowledge among the people and used to say: &#8216;In the spread of knowledge there is the strengthening of religion and worldly life and in the path of knowledge all this comes together.'[111]<br \/>\nHe studied about the seerah from Sa&#8217;eed bin al-Musayyab, &#8216;Urwa bin Zubayr and &#8216;Ubaydallah bin &#8216;Abdullah bin Utbah, and in his attitude towards his teachers, he displayed exemplary ethics and morals. He would accompany them, serve them and show the utmost reverence to them.[112] Zuhri made efforts to author some works. He would write down what he heard. When his works became known, people turned to him and benefitted greatly from his knowledge.<br \/>\nZuhri started with Hadith, History and Expeditions. He wrote so much that his writings had to be carried on the backs of animals. When he died, he was in such a position that there was none more learned than him in history.[113] His knowledge was disseminated through his narrators. The most famous of them who lived in Haramayn and Hij\u0101z included: &#8216;Umar bin Dinar, Yahya bin Sa&#8217;eed al-Ans\u0101ri, Musa bin &#8216;Uqba and others. From those who lived in Iraq, the most important ones included: &#8216;Abdullah bin &#8216;Umayr, Ism\u0101&#8217;il bin Abi Kh\u0101lid, &#8216;At\u0101 ibn S\u0101&#8217;ib; and from the other places like Syria and Egypt, there were Mansur bin S\u0101dh\u0101n, &#8216;Abd al-Karim Jazari, Thawr bin Yazid and others.[114]<br \/>\nThe merits of Zuhri&#8217;s accounts of the expeditions over other works are as follows:<br \/>\na) They were written with sincerity, honesty, clarity and eloquence. Zuhri had met some of the companions who participated in battles with the Prophet (s) and he has narrated from them about the wars and the strategies of the Holy Prophet (s). The most important of them are: Abdullah bin &#8216;Umar, Anas bin M\u0101lik, Suhayl bin Sa&#8217;d and others.[115] Similarly, in al-Musannaf (vol. 5, the chapter on expeditions), we find numerous traditions that Zuhri has narrated from &#8216;Umar ibn R\u0101shid. He too, was truthful in narration and reliable in transmission.<br \/>\nb) Many of the scholars[116] have praised and criticized the narrators of expedition accounts like Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q and W\u0101qidi, however Zuhri has been praised by all[117] and has been hailed as the most truthful and highly learned of his time. Therefore, we can rely upon what he has recorded or narrated about the battles of the Prophet (s).<br \/>\nc) Zuhri had a longstanding experience in recording expeditions.[118] He is the oldest writer to formulate a systematic and clear method in this field, therefore his recordings are well-grounded, clear and reliable and have been systematically categorized and are far off from the politics of authorship and other various discrepancies.<\/h5>\n<h5><strong>2. Abu &#8216;Abdillah Muhammad Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q Bin Yas\u0101r al-Mutallabi (85-151 A.H.)<\/strong><br \/>\nIbn Is&#8217;h\u0101q was born in Madina and was buried in Baghd\u0101d after his demise. There is a difference of opinion regarding the date of his death.[119] His most important works include: Kit\u0101b al-Khulaf\u0101 and al-Siyar wal-Magh\u0101zi wal- Mubtad\u0101.[120] He was trustworthy and knowledgeable about expeditions and history and was also a memorizer of prophetic traditions.[121] Great scholars have narrated from him and Ibn Shih\u0101b al-Zuhri, Ibn Hanbal and others have praised him.[122] M\u0101lik called him a Dajj\u0101l[123] and accused him of following the Q\u0101diriyya sect[124] and also deemed him to be one who narrates ah\u0101dith with improper and incomplete chains.[125]<br \/>\nThe Seera of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q has only come down to us through the recorders of seera, the most important of whom were: Ibn Hish\u0101m, Tabari, Kal\u0101&#8217;i, Ibn Sa&#8217;d and Ibn Atheer. All of these [people] have not presented the seera of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q in the same manner as the original, rather they have mentioned a summary of his statements and recordings. Ibn Hish\u0101m has himself acknowledged this in the introduction of his al-Seera al-Nabawiyya[126], so it would be correct to say that this work is actually a summary and a selection of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q&#8217;s narrations.<br \/>\nHe is one of the leaders of those who were involved in recording the seerah [of the Holy Prophet][127] and is the first person to collect the accounts of the expeditions and record them.[128] His works are a source of reference for researchers today. The great recorders of expeditions like &#8216;A\u0101sim bin Umar Qat\u0101da who wrote al-Siyar wal-Magh\u0101zi gave the following testimony about him: &#8216;The knowledge that Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q placed at the disposal of the people through his narrations will never disappear.'[129] When Zuhri was asked about Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q&#8217;s accounts of expeditions, he said &#8216;he is the most learned of all people about the expeditions&#8217;.[130]<br \/>\nToday, the narrations of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q that have been passed on by many reliable recorders of the seera like &#8216;A\u0101sim and Zuhri have reached us.[131] It can be said that Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q is from those scholars who recorded the accounts of the expeditions based on old methods. One day this point was raised in front of him, he said: &#8216;I am only a safe keeper and recorder of the knowledge of expeditions.'[132]<\/h5>\n<h5><strong>The Merits of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q&#8217;s Seera:<\/strong><br \/>\na) He is the only person who has narrated the expeditions of the Holy Prophet (s) in its totality,[133] because the other Seera recorders have narrated the expeditions in an incomplete and disjointed fashion. Maybe their lifetimes were not enough for them to complete the work and their students did not expound on the details of their expedition accounts and sufficed with mentioning only a number of battles and wars.<br \/>\nb) The Seera of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q is detailed and contains numerous long narrations and includes mention of dates.[134] Sh\u0101fi&#8217;i says: &#8216;Anyone who wishes to gain expertise about the expeditions needs (to study) Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q.'[135] Through lengthy odes, he has highlighted the narratives of what transpired on the battlefields.[136] All this points to the vastness of the Seera of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q. These odes have immortalized the victories and give important information about works, situations and personalities. Even though it is not possible to give exact details about what takes place on the battlefield, all the military strategies and skills employed, some of the particulars about the battles of the Prophet (s) have been directly reported.<\/h5>\n<h5><strong>3. Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ibn Umar al-W\u0101qidi (130-207 A.H.)<\/strong><br \/>\nW\u0101qidi was born in Madina and died in Baghd\u0101d.[137] He is buried in the Khayzar\u0101n graveyard. He was an author and used to pay special attention in writing [about] the seerah and expeditions (of the Prophet (s)), to such an extent that he became one of the foremost authorities in this field. His most important works are: al-Magh\u0101zi al-Nabawiyya, Fath Afriqiyya, al-Radda, Fath al-&#8216;Ajam, Fath Misr wa Iskandariyya, Akhb\u0101r Makkah, Tabaq\u0101t, Futuh al-Iraq, Seerat Abi Bakr, The Battle between the Aus and Khazraj and others.[138] The merits of W\u0101qidi&#8217;s works can be outlined as follows:<br \/>\na) Precise Information: He has given detailed and precise information about those who participated in the battles, the route taken by the armies, the weapons and modes of transport used, provisions, descriptions of battlefields, the factors that helped in gaining victory or led to them facing difficulties in battle, the location of the martyrdom of soldiers, and anything related to warfare.<br \/>\nb) Extensive Information: He wrote and recorded everything that was related to the battles,[139] such that through his narrations, we learn many of the specifics regarding the military, because he has reported all the different aspects of issues pertaining to warfare and leadership. In this way, the information provided by W\u0101qidi in the areas of the circumstances of war, its location, the type of ground on which it was fought etc. is of great importance. If his writings about the battles were collected together, it would in itself have been a source for the principles of war and battle at the time of the Prophet (s).<br \/>\nc) Recording of Exact Times[140]: In military management, for a commander, time and its determination is of the essence and can make all the difference in the result of the battle; whether it be victory or loss.<br \/>\nd) Recording of Exact Locations[141]: W\u0101qidi also recorded the exact locations of the battles and through this he gave value to the battlefields where the Prophet (s) fought. Many like Ibn Sa&#8217;d, Tabari and Ibn Katheer have narrated from W\u0101qidi about the birth and Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (s) and also his battles and conquests.[142]<br \/>\nIbn Sa&#8217;d&#8217;s Tabaq\u0101t al-Kubr\u0101 stands out in its military reporting because it has been written according to W\u0101qidi&#8217;s style, meaning he has similarly paid a great deal of attention to the recording of exact times and locations and sometimes describes the locations in which the battles took place and adds on to the narrations of W\u0101qidi and then, in another place, he discusses the principles of warfare.[143] From his writings it can be deduced that he is truthful and his narrations are authentic.[144] Many of the important aspects of W\u0101qidi&#8217;s narrations and works were revealed and expounded by his student Ibn Sa&#8217;d.<\/h5>\n<h5><strong>4. Abu al-Rabi&#8217; Sulaym\u0101n Bin Mus\u0101 Ibn S\u0101lim al-Kal\u0101&#8217;i al-Himyari<\/strong><br \/>\nKal\u0101&#8217;i was born in Balans and grew up there and he died in enemy territory (in battle).[145] He has narrated from Ibn Q\u0101sim Hubaysh, Ibn Zarqum, Ibn al-Waleed bin Abi al-Q\u0101sim and others.[146] He was famous for his eloquent oratory and writings[147] and gave great importance to recording and narrating ahadith. His most well known works are: al-Iktif\u0101 bim\u0101 Tadhammanhu &#8216;an Magh\u0101zi al-Rasul (s), Magh\u0101zi al-Khulaf\u0101 (4 volumes), al-Musalsal\u0101t &#8216;an al-Ah\u0101dith and al-Ath\u0101r wal-Ish\u0101r\u0101t.[148]<br \/>\nWhen his works were published and his message was spread, people came towards him and sought to benefit from him and many attended his teaching sessions. The most famous of these was Abdullah ibn al-Ab\u0101rid who has eulogized him after his martyrdom.[149] With regards to the importance of his writing &#8216;al-Iktif\u0101&#8217; it must be said that its chain of transmission is strong and it describes the battles and their various aspects in detail, because Kal\u0101&#8217;i himself was a military person and had tasted the hardships of war. So if he has recorded something in the seera, he has done so truthfully and with total regard of his responsibility and questionability. Furthermore, in his books one senses an enlightening spirituality that none of the previous writers displayed.<br \/>\nKal\u0101&#8217;i al-Balansi was a leader and a courageous commander who was steadfast in battle and in one of the battles he is said to have addressed one of the fleeing soldiers thus: &#8216;Do you flee from Paradise?'[150] He was martyred while he still held the standard in his hand[151] and was encouraging and urging the soldiers to go forth against the enemy. Aside from this, Kal\u0101&#8217;i was a great poet who would compose epics and rouse the emotions of the people.[152]<\/h5>\n<h5><strong>5. Abu al-Fath Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn &#8216;Abdillah Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s[153]<\/strong><br \/>\nHe was popularly known as Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s. There is a difference of opinion regarding his date of birth and death. He died in Cairo. He studied under his father and a group of scholars, the most famous of whom was Ibn Daqiq al-&#8216;Eid.[154] This scholar tutored him in religion, Arabic grammar and poetry.[155] He gained precedence over his contemporaries in the fields of Seera and history. His most important works include: &#8216;Uyun al-Athar fi Funun al-Magh\u0101zi wa al-Sham\u0101il wa al-Siyar, Nur al-&#8216;Uyun, Bushr\u0101 al-Labib fi Dhikr\u0101 al-Habib and Tahsil al-Is\u0101ba fi Tafsil al-Sah\u0101ba.[156]<br \/>\nMany scholars like Q\u0101dhi &#8216;Izz al-Deen Sharif, who has mentioned him in his Wafay\u0101t and Ibn Katheer, Ibn N\u0101sir al-Deen, Suyuti and others have testified to his great knowledge.[157] He compiled the seera in two volumes by narrating what the recorders of the seera before him had written. That which makes his accounts of the expeditions stand out includes:<br \/>\na) Precision and Depth: He would select authentic narrations and leave aside the weak ones. He would take this matter very seriously and would do it very well.[158] An example of this precision of his can be seen when he summarized his own book &#8216;Uyun al-Ath\u0101r and named it Nur al-&#8216;Uyun. In this way it became easy for him to refer to previous works and to present his writings on the seera in a well-documented manner. One of the great scholars has said: &#8220;Ibn Sayyid wrote, compiled and corrected a lot in his beautiful handwriting and he created principles for this [also].&#8221;[159]<br \/>\nb) Following the Method of Zuhri: Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s in his book al-Siyar wal-T\u0101rikh, has followed Zuhri&#8217;s method and has compiled all that which relates to the military. His &#8216;Uyun al-Ath\u0101r is an example of the Magh\u0101zi of Ibn Is&#8217;h\u0101q which has shadowed the Seera of Ibn Hish\u0101m and is formed of a selection from the Magh\u0101zi of W\u0101qidi and a selection from scholars of history such as Tabari and Ibn Khayy\u0101t. That which assisted him in this was his great knowledge of the sources of the seera. Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s was also a specialist in jurisprudence and would benefit from the scholars of his time and gain knowledge from them. Ibn Zubayr says: &#8220;He gained the permission [to narrate traditions] from four-hundred scholars or more.&#8221;[160]<br \/>\nc) Organization, Sequence and Reference: Ibn Katheer has described him thus: &#8220;He occupied himself in the pursuit of knowledge and was better in this than everyone else. After he learnt the seera and history, he compiled them in two volumes. grand poetry, well written prose, complete eloquence and proper writing is what he had and he was attributed with kindness and good morals. He was loyal to the principles and practices of the previous scholars that relied on the traditions of the Holy Prophet (s).&#8221;<br \/>\n<strong>Notes:<\/strong><em><br \/>\n[105] Dhahabi, Tadhkirat al-Huffadh 1:108-113; Ibn Khallik\u0101n, Wafay\u0101t al-A&#8217;y\u0101n wa Anb\u0101&#8217;I Abn\u0101&#8217;iz Zam\u0101n 4:177-178; Ibn Hajar &#8216;Asqal\u0101ni, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 9:488, 450<br \/>\n[106] Abu Na&#8217;im al-Isfah\u0101ni, Hilyat al-Awliy\u0101 wa Tabaq\u0101t al-Asfiy\u0101 3:371<br \/>\n[107] Marzb\u0101ni, Mu&#8217;jam al-Shu&#8217;ar\u0101: 345<br \/>\n[108] Abu Na&#8217;im al-Isfah\u0101ni 3:272<br \/>\n[109] Ibid. 3:365<br \/>\n[110] Ibn Khallik\u0101n 4:177; Abu Na&#8217;im al-Isfah\u0101ni 3:364<br \/>\n[111] Abu Na&#8217;im al-Isfah\u0101ni 3:369<br \/>\n[112] Ibid. 3:371<br \/>\n[113] Ibid. 3:161. Unfortunately all his works and writings are non-extant. However, his narratives were used by later historians and thus can be found in these secondary sources. (Tr.)<br \/>\n[114] Abu Na&#8217;im al-Isfah\u0101ni 2:372-373<br \/>\n[115] Khateeb Baghdadi, Tarikhu Baghd\u0101d 3:13-14; al-Dhahabi, Miz\u0101n al-I&#8217;tid\u0101l fi Naqd al-Rij\u0101l 3:470; Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s 1:7<br \/>\n[116] Abu Na&#8217;im al-Isfah\u0101ni 3:361 onwards; Ibn Shih\u0101b al-Zuhri: 27<br \/>\n[117] Ibn Shih\u0101b al-Zuhri: 30<br \/>\n[118] Abu Na&#8217;im al- Isfah\u0101ni 3:369 onwards<br \/>\n[119] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:232; Ibn Khallik\u0101k 4:277; Y\u0101qut Humayri, Mu&#8217;jam al-Udab\u0101&#8217; 18:8<br \/>\n[120] Ibid.<br \/>\n[121] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:215, Ibn Hajar &#8216;Asqal\u0101ni, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 9:43 onwards<br \/>\n[122] Al-Dhahabi 3:469<br \/>\n[123] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:223<br \/>\n[124] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:225; al-Dhahabi 30:470<br \/>\n[125] Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s 1:7<br \/>\n[126] Ibn Hish\u0101m 1:7<br \/>\n[127] Al-Dhahabi, Tadhkirat al-Huff\u0101dh 1:173<br \/>\n[128] Y\u0101qut Humayri, Mu&#8217;jam al-Buld\u0101n 5:18; Marghliyuth, Dir\u0101s\u0101t &#8216;an al-Muwarrikheen al-&#8216;Arab: 998<br \/>\n[129] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:220; Y\u0101qut Himayari, Mu&#8217;jam al-Udab\u0101&#8217; 6:18; Ibn Khallik\u0101n 4:276<br \/>\n[130] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:219<br \/>\n[131] Y\u0101qut Himyari 6:18, Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:225<br \/>\n[132] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:223<br \/>\n[133] Ibid. 1:214<br \/>\n[134] Ibn Hajar &#8216;Asqal\u0101ni 9:46<br \/>\n[135] Al-Dhahabi, Miz\u0101n al-I&#8217;tid\u0101l 3:472; Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 1:219; Ibn Sayyid al-N\u0101s 1:9<br \/>\n[136] Al-Jumhi, Tabaq\u0101t Fuhul al-Shu&#8217;ar\u0101 1:8; Marghliyuth: 73<br \/>\n[137] Ibn &#8216;As\u0101kir 15:395; al-Dhahabi, Tadhkirat al-Huff\u0101dh 1:348<br \/>\n[138] Y\u0101qut Himyari, Mu&#8217;jam al-Udab\u0101&#8217; 8:281; Ibn Khallik\u0101n 4:348; Ibn al-Nadim, al-Firhrist 1:144. Unfortunately most of W\u0101qidi&#8217;s works are non-extant today. (Tr.)<br \/>\n[139] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 3:6<br \/>\n[140] Marghliyuth: 18<br \/>\n[141] Ibn Sa&#8217;d 5:315<br \/>\n[142] Tabari, T\u0101rikh al-Tabari 1:942,980<br \/>\n[143] Ibn Sa&#8217;d 2:1-137<br \/>\n[144] Khateeb Baghd\u0101di 5:321, al-Dhahabi, Miz\u0101n al-I&#8217;tid\u0101l 3:560. With regards to Ibn Sa&#8217;d&#8217;s reliability, there is a difference of opinion among the various sects of Isl\u0101m. (Tr.)<br \/>\n[145] Ibn &#8216;Im\u0101d Hanbali, Shadhar\u0101t al-Dhahab fi Akhb\u0101r man Dhahab 5:164; al-Kat\u0101ni, al-Ris\u0101la al-Mustadhrafa: 198<br \/>\n[146] Al-Nab\u0101hi, T\u0101rikh Qudh\u0101t Andalus: 119<br \/>\n[147] Ibn &#8216;Im\u0101d Hanbali, Ibid.<br \/>\n[148] Al-Kat\u0101ni, Ibid. He also wrote an important work called Futuh al-Radda (Tr.)<br \/>\n[149] Al-Nab\u0101hi: 120<br \/>\n[150] Ibid. 119<br \/>\n[151] Ibid. Ibn Sh\u0101kir al-Katbi, Faw\u0101t al-Wafay\u0101t 1:366<br \/>\n[152] Kal\u0101&#8217;i was one of the great commanders in the war against the crusaders under Sal\u0101h al-Deen Ayyubi. (Tr.)<br \/>\n[153] Ibn Hamm\u0101d Hanbali 6:108; Suyuti, Tabaq\u0101t al-Huff\u0101dh: 52<br \/>\n[154] Al-Dhahabi, Tadhkirat al-Huff\u0101dh 4:1481<br \/>\n[155] Ibn &#8216;Im\u0101d Hanbali 6:108; Ibn Ily\u0101s, T\u0101rikh Misr 1:171<br \/>\n[156] Al-Dhahabi 4:1451<br \/>\n[157] Ibid. Suyuti: 52<br \/>\n[158] Suyuti: 520<br \/>\n[159] Ibn &#8216;Im\u0101d Hanbali 6:108<br \/>\n[160] Al-Dhahabi 5:1451<\/em><\/h5>\n<h5><a href=\"http:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\">shiastudies.com\/en<\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite the fact that the wars of the Prophet (s) were fought over a  relatively short period (10 years), his method and style of command and  military leadership lasted for a long time; because Muslims and others,  within the military and without, have discussed, studied and analyzed  this subject from the beginning of the first century A.H. up to this day  and have not neglected it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7453,7770],"tags":[7556,18717],"class_list":["post-6546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bank-of-subjects-of-articles","category-culture-and-art","tag-shiastudies","tag-the-most-important-islamic-sources-that-speaks-of-the-art-of-islamic-warfare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6546\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}