Battle of Fahal

Irbid

A battle took place between the Muslims and the Romans in the northern Jordan Valley near the town of Al Mashara, at a place called Tabaqat Fahal, east of Al Mashara. This battle is part of the Syrian conquests and occurred in the year 13 AH. It is called by the Romans the Battle of "Bella." After the defeat the Romans suffered at the Battle of Ajnadayn, they began to gather their forces in one of their strongholds at Tabaqat Fahal, overlooking the Jordan Valley, approximately 50 km south of the Yarmouk River. The Roman concentration in this area posed a direct threat to the Muslim army advancing northward, as any attack by the Romans eastward would cut off supply lines from the Arabian Peninsula. Therefore, Abu Obaida bin al Jarrah decided to withdraw south from central Syria to address the threat in the Jordan Valley, and the two armies met there. Khalid bin al Walid was placed at the front, with Shurhabil bin Hasana in charge of the people, while Abu Obaida and Amro bin al As were in charge of the flanks. On the cavalry was Dhirar bin al Azur, and in charge of the infantry was Iyad bin Ghanm. The Romans approached, and the Muslims were cautious. Shurhabil would not go to sleep or wake up without being prepared for battle. When the Romans attacked, they did not engage in direct confrontation, and the fighting became intense, lasting the entire night and day until nightfall. The darkness made things more confusing for the Romans, and they were defeated, confused, and scattered. Their leader, Siklar, and his second-in-command, Nestor, were both killed, and the Muslims achieved victory. The Romans suffered heavy losses, with eighty thousand casualties, and none managed to escape except for those who fled. The Muslims seized their wealth and divided it among themselves. Abu Obaida, Khalid, and the others withdrew to Homs. Among those who were killed in this battle was Al Saib bin al Harith bin Qays bin Adi al Sahmi, who was a companion of the Prophet. This victory marked a decisive moment for the Muslims, leading to the conquest of Baysan. However, it did not completely cripple the Roman forces, as they continued to pose a threat until the two armies met again in a decisive battle a year and a half later at the Battle of Yarmouk.