Why did Umar ibn Al-Khattab dismiss Khalid ibn Al-Waleed (May Allah be pleased with the both)?
Author: Ibrahim bin Muhammad Al-Huqail from ‘Min Zaakiratit-Tareekh (From The Memoirs of History)’. Translated by: Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna (slightly adapted). [Taken from Islamweb.net Qatar]
The status of the Sahabah (the companions of Prophet Muhammad), may Allah be pleased with them all, is exalted in the sight of Allah Almighty. Allah chose them from among the world to accompany the best of messengers and the seal of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him). Allah established the true religion (of Islam) through their hands across the earth. They hold a status with Allah that none can attain, except the Prophets and Messengers (who are higher than the Sahabah). Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him, as Allah says: “And the foremost to embrace Islâm of the Muhâjirûn (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansâr (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhâjirûn ) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allâh is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” [Quran, Surah At-Tawbah 9:100].
They hold a special place among the Muwahhidoon (the pure monotheists) amongst the Muslims that is not shared by others. Muslims recognize their virtues and the high status that Allah Almighty has granted them. Therefore, they love and ally with them, and they hate those who hate them, and they oppose those who oppose them.
The love of the believers for the Sahabah (May Allah be pleased with them) is part of their love for the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). Similarly, the hatred of the misguided, such as disbelievers, hypocrites, and innovators, towards the Sahabah, is part of their hatred towards the Prophet (Sal-Allahu ‘Alaihi Wa-Sallam) whether they intend it or not, and whether they are aware of it or not.
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “Evaluate people by their companions.”
Imam Malik (May Allah have mercy on him) said: “These people wanted to slander the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) but they could not do so; therefore, they slandered his companions so that it would be said: ‘He was a bad man, for if he had been righteous, his companions would have been righteous.'”
Hatred and belittling of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, is in reality of the matter, hatred and belittling of the religion from two aspects:
- They follow the religion of the Prophet (Sal-Allahu ‘Alaihi Wa-Sallam); they are his companions and close friends. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A person is on the religion of his close friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends.” Their religion is the religion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and belittling them is belittling their religion.
- They are the carriers and transmitters of the religion to us.
Abu Zur’ah Ar-Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “If you see a man belittling any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, know that he is a heretic. That is because the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, is true, the Quran is true, and what was conveyed to us through the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is also true. They only want to criticize our witnesses (i.e. the Sahabah) to nullify the Quran and the Sunnah, and the criticism applies more to them. And they are the heretics (in reality).”
Among the greatest ways to make people lose interest in Allah’s Shariah is to criticize its transmitters. We have seen how the enemies of Islam, from malicious ‘Orientalists’ to infiltrating hypocrites, do not dare to directly criticize the Shariah, so as not to provoke people or repel them from their heretical opinions. Instead, they aim their criticism at the Sahabah highlighting unreliable and fabricated narrations and summarizing Islamic history through them. They then present this distorted view to people as the essence of Islamic history and the reality of the early Muslims, including the Sahabah, the Taba’een (Followers and students of the Sahabah), the guided Imams, and the leaders of the Mujahidoon, often in the form of stories, novels, historical studies, or similar formats.
These writings, which criticize the Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them, are often presented under the guise of neutrality and historical objectivity. The authors claim to approach their writings about the Sahabah free from any pre-existing biases that might affect their judgment of the transmitted narrations, either positively or negatively. The purpose of these introductions in their critical writings about the best of people after the prophets is to gain the reader’s trust and acceptance of what they write.
There is no good in someone who writes about the virtuous figures of the Ummah while openly declaring his non-allegiance to this Ummah. Instead, he has chosen the enemies of Islam, from Orientalists and innovators, as his preferred associates, aligning with them in thought and writing. He then claims objectivity and neutrality in his writings, as if saying: “Take (from) me!”
Over the past few years, I have encountered several writings, including articles, studies, and stories that highlight the issue of Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s dismissal of Khalid ibn Al-Waleed from leading the Muslim armies (Radi Allahu ‘Anhuma). These writings focus on narrations and accounts that do not befit the esteemed status of the Sahabah and neglect the widely known reports that demonstrate their faith, piety, and sincerity in their words and deeds. Many have woven a web of illusions and absurdities based on unreliable and false narrations, adding a thousand lies from their sick minds and deep-seated malice, like soothsayers. I have also heard of some who spread these views through television discussions and seminars.
The reality is not as those misguided in their religion and cursed for their criticism of the Sahabah portray. It was simply an Ijtihad (a personal judgment based on sound and proper reasoning) where Umar saw a benefit for the Muslims. This Ijtihad was a result of actions taken by Khalid, who also acted based on his own Ijtihad, getting some right and some wrong. Both of them, may Allah be pleased with them, are between one reward and two rewards.
[Added by translator: The author is alluding to the Hadith- Amr ibn Al-‘As reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If a judge makes a ruling, striving to apply his reasoning and he is correct, he will have two rewards. If a judge makes a ruling, striving to apply his reasoning and he is mistaken, he will have one reward.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 7352, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1716) Hadith translated by Abu Amina Elias.]
Reasons for Umar’s Dismissal of Khalid (Radi Allahu ‘Anhuma, May Allah be Pleased with Them Both):
Scholars of history and Maghazi (battles) have differed on the reason that led Umar to dismiss Khalid from leading the Muslim armies (as a commander-in-chief). They have summarized the reasons into three main ones:
- Due to Khalid’s severity (in dealing with issues): Umar was known for his severity (meaning strictness in matters) and did not want both the Caliph and the army commander to be equally severe. Abu Bakr was lenient, so it was appropriate for his army commander to be severe. When Umar became Caliph, he dismissed Khalid and appointed Abu Ubaidah, who was lenient, which suited Umar’s severity. Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “When the Khilafah (Caliphate) passed on to Umar (after the death of Abu Bakr), he dismissed Khalid and appointed Abu Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarrah, ordering him to consult Khalid; thus, he combined the trustworthiness of Abu Ubaidah with the bravery of Khalid.”
Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Likewise, Abu Bakr, the successor of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), continued to employ Khalid in the wars against the apostates, even though he was told that Khalid had a certain inclination (towards severity), but he did not dismiss him (i.e. Khalid) because the benefit of keeping him outweighed the harm. Moreover, there was no one else to take his place. The main ruler (Caliph) should balance his severity with the leniency of his deputy. If the ruler is lenient, the deputy should be severe, and if the ruler is severe, the deputy should be lenient, to strike a balance. Therefore, Abu Bakr preferred to appoint Khalid, while Umar preferred to dismiss him and appoint Abu Ubaidah because Khalid was as severe as Umar, while Abu Ubaidah was as lenient as Abu Bakr. Each appointed the one who would best balance their own character.”
Supporting what Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned is that Umar sought to dismiss Khalid during Abu Bakr’s time, saying: “Dismiss him, for there is recklessness in his sword.” Abu Bakr replied: “I will not sheathe a sword Allah has unsheathed against the disbelievers.”
Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The point is that Umar continued to urge Abu Bakr to dismiss Khalid, saying that there was recklessness in his sword, until Abu Bakr summoned Khalid to Madinah. He arrived wearing his armour, stained with blood…”
Khalid’s severity (harshness in dealing with issues) is also evidenced by his killing of captives when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to the Banu Jadhimah tribe. They said: “Sabana-Sabana (which may mean ‘We have left our religion, we have left our religion’),” but Khalid did not understand that they meant they had embraced Islam (by leaving their former religion of idol worship). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) paid blood money for them and said: “O Allah, I disassociate myself from what Khalid has done.”
Al-Khattabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The wisdom behind the Prophet’s disassociation from Khalid’s actions, despite not punishing him because he (Khalid) was making an Ijtihad, was to make it known that he (the Prophet) had not permitted it, lest anyone think it was done with his approval, and to deter others from similar actions in the future.”
Ibn Battal (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The sin is waived for the one making Ijtihad in judgment if it turns out to be contrary to the consensus of scholars, but the liability (to recompense the loss because of the Ijtihad) remains (to be fulfilled) according to the majority, with a difference of opinion on whether it is borne by the ruler’s treasury or the state treasury.”
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) commented: “It appears that disassociation from the action does not imply sin for the doer or require compensation, as the sin is lifted for the one making Ijtihad, even if the action is not praiseworthy.”
Similarly, his (may Allah be pleased with him) killing of Malik bin Nuwayrah Al-Yarbu’ee, and the summary of his story is: Malik had allied with Sajah At-Tamimiyyah who had claimed prophethood. Later, Malik regretted his actions (of joining Sajah). Khalid headed to Al-Bitaah where Malik was stationed. Khalid sent detachments (of his army) to Al-Bitaah to call people (to Islam and obedience to the Caliph). The leaders of Banu Tameem met him with obedience and paid their Zakath, except for Malik bin Nuwayrah, who was confused about the matter, and withdrawn away from the people. The detachments captured Malik bin Nuwayrah and his companions. There was a disagreement among the detachments (regarding Malik’s Islam); Abu Qatadah Al-Harith bin Rab’i Al-Ansari – testified that they performed the prayer, while others said they neither called to prayer (i.e. did not give the Adhan) nor prayed. It is said that the captives spent the night in chains during a cold and harsh night. And a caller from Khalid’s camp announced to ‘keep their captives warm’, which was misunderstood as a command to kill them, leading to their execution (the execution of Malik bin Nuwayrah and his companions). When this news reached Khalid, he said: “If Allah wills something, it happens.” [End of Part-1.]
[Continuing from the previous article, Professor Ibrahim Al-Huqail mentions the reasons for Umar’s dismissal of Khalid (may Allah be pleased with them both). After mentioning the first reason in the previous article, he continues with the remaining reasons as follows:] [The following is Part-2]
The Second Reason: Umar dismissed Khalid because he spent (distributed) the spoils of war without consulting the Caliph. Az-Zubayr bin Bakkar (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “When Khalid received money, he distributed it among the Ahlul-Ghanaim (people who ought to receive the spoils of war) and did not report it to Abu Bakr. He acted ahead of Abu Bakr, doing things Abu Bakr did not agree with.”
Al-Zubayr bin Bakkar also reported Malik bin Anas’s statement: “Umar said to Abu Bakr: ‘Write to Khalid that he should not give anything without your order.’ Abu Bakr wrote to him accordingly, but Khalid replied: ‘Either let me do my work, or you can take over.’ Umar suggested his dismissal, to which Abu Bakr responded: ‘Who can do what Khalid does?’ Umar replied: ‘I can.’ Abu Bakr said: ‘Then you will.’ Umar prepared to depart, but the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to Abu Bakr and said: ‘Why is Umar leaving when you need him? And why have you dismissed Khalid when he suffices you?’ Abu Bakr said: ‘What should I do?’ They said: ‘Command Umar to stay and write to Khalid to continue his work.’ Abu Bakr did so. When Umar became Caliph, he wrote to Khalid: ‘Do not give away a sheep or a camel without my order.’ Khalid responded similarly as he had to Abu Bakr. Umar said: ‘I have not been honest with Allah if I advised Abu Bakr on something and did not implement it.’ He then dismissed him. Umar would call Khalid to work, but Khalid refused unless he was free to do as he wished.”
This is supported by what Umar said: “I only blamed Khalid for his forwardness and what he did with the money.”
Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir mentioned: “It is said that he dismissed him because he granted ten thousand to (the poet) Al-Ash’ath bin Qays. When Khalid was dismissed and entered upon Umar, Umar asked him: ‘Where did you get this wealth from which you grant ten thousand?’ Khalid replied: ‘From the spoils and shares.'”
Imam Ahmad narrated with a good chain that Umar apologized to the people in Al-Jabiya, saying: “I apologize to you for Khalid bin Al-Walid. I commanded him to withhold this money for the weak among the emigrants, but he gave it to the strong, the noble, and the eloquent. Therefore, I dismissed him and appointed Abu Ubaidah.”
The Third Reason: Umar dismissed Khalid out of fear that people might be tempted by him. Khalid had never been defeated in battle, neither in the pre-Islamic period nor in Islam. Allah had combined in him courage, strength, wisdom, and skill in warfare, qualities rarely found in one person.
This is indicated by:
- Umar’s letter to the Governors of the provinces: “I did not dismiss Khalid out of dissatisfaction or betrayal, but because people were tempted by him. I wanted them to know that it is Allah who is the doer of deeds.”
- What Saif bin Umar narrated that Umar said when he dismissed Khalid from Syria and Al-Muthanna bin Haritha from Iraq: “I only dismissed them so people would know that Allah grants victory to the religion, not by their help, and that all strength belongs to Allah.”
- Ibn Awn’s statement: “When Umar took office, he said: ‘I will remove Khalid so people know that Allah grants victory to His religion, not by Khalid.'”
Umar might have dismissed Khalid for one of these reasons or a combination of them, seeing the benefit in his dismissal.
Regarding Khalid’s forwardness with the Caliph and his distribution of wealth without consulting him, it was his Ijtihad (independent reasoning). He might have seen it as winning the hearts of those he gave to, especially since he was experienced in war and knowledgeable about his enemy’s tactics. One would not think he would give except to those whose aid benefited Islam or to ward off their harm. Similarly, his severity was for Islam and its victory. He intended to instill fear in the enemies of Allah, both the polytheists and apostates. He made mistakes in some of his Ijtihad, but he is excused and rewarded, even though he was not confirmed in his mistakes nor deemed sinful in his reasoning. This is exactly what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did; he did not confirm Khalid’s actions with Banu Jadhima, nor did he deem him sinful or punish him. Likewise, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reproached him for his mistakes in Ijtihad but did not dismiss or deem him sinful, unlike Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), whose Ijtihad led him to dismiss Khalid and appoint Abu Ubaidah (may Allah be pleased with them all).
Doubts and Refutations: Some historians have narrated accounts suggesting Umar’s dismissal of Khalid was driven by personal feelings or dislike, mentioning an old wrestling match where Khalid overpowered Umar and broke his leg, which Umar held against him and dismissed him when he became Caliph.
These accounts are false for several reasons: - The fundamental principle regarding the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) is the purity of their hearts towards one another, as described by Allah in His depiction of the people of Hudaybiyyah: “Harsh against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves” [Quran, Surah Al-Fath 48:29]. Umar was one of the people of Hudaybiyyah, so how could he bear ill feelings towards a believing warrior like Khalid?
Allah also described the followers of the Companions with excellence: “And those who came after them say, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not place in our hearts any resentment towards those who have believed'” [Quran, Surah Al-Hashr 59:10]. If this description applies to the followers, it is even more fitting for the Companions themselves, especially those from the early emigrants like Umar and the Mujahideen leaders like Khalid.
This strong principle should not be abandoned for mere historical narratives passed down by storytellers and chroniclers without any proper chain of transmission.
Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “For those whom Allah the Almighty informed us that He knew what was in their hearts and was pleased with them, and He sent down tranquillity upon them; it is not permissible for anyone to hesitate in their matter or to doubt them at all.” - It is well known and widely accepted that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the most sincere people to the Ummah, known for his asceticism, justice, and his life full of numerous examples and evidence of this. It is inconceivable that he would deceive the Ummah and dismiss a needed leader unless he saw a greater benefit in doing so, without any personal interest.
- Umar was one of the senior Sahabah and one of the rightly guided Caliphs whose Sunnah the entire Ummah was commanded to follow. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “You must follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after me; cling to it with your molar teeth” (narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud). If Umar was a person who followed his own whims over the interest of the Ummah, would the Prophet (peace be upon him) praise him and command the Ummah to follow his Sunnah? Would Allah affirm this praise? This clearly shows the falsehood of these historical narratives that tarnish the image of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
Any Muslim who reads a story or comes across a report that discredits the Companions should not accept it immediately. Instead, they should refer to the established texts in the Qur’an and Sunnah and judge these reports accordingly. Most of these narratives come from people of innovations and misguidance or contain unknown narrators or unaccepted reports, or lack chains of transmission altogether. Anyone who follows this approach will have the correct methodology, prioritizing the established over the unestablished.
This does not mean that the Sahabah are infallible; they are human and make mistakes, but they are closer to being right, especially those who were the earlier ones to enter into Islam. The accusation that Umar acted out of personal desire implies betraying the Ummah, prioritizing personal whims over public interest, and depriving Muslims of a leader who never lost a battle. This accusation is unacceptable against the rightly guided Caliph, the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). - Numerous historical narratives indicate that Khalid’s actions, which neither Abu Bakr nor Umar approved of, were based on his Ijtihad. They also indicate Umar’s Ijtihad in dismissing him for a greater benefit than his remaining in command. These narratives show the continued love between them even after the dismissal, disproving any accusations against Umar of acting on personal whims.
And among those narrations, in addition to what I have mentioned earlier, are the following:
1. That Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was determined to appoint Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) as the caliph after him. It is well-known that the position of Caliph is greater than merely leading the armies in Shaam (Greater Syria); however, Khalid passed away before Umar. The evidence for this is what Al-Shaasi narrated in his Musnad from Abu Al-Ajfa’ As-Salami, who said: “It was said to Umar: If only you would appoint a successor, O Commander of the Faithful! He said: If I had met Abu Ubaidah and appointed him, and then I went to my Lord and (if) He asked me: Why did you appoint him? I would have said: I heard Your servant and Your friend (Prophet Muhammad) say: ‘Every nation has a trustworthy (Ameen) one, and the trustworthy one of this nation is Abu Ubaidah.’ And if I had met Khalid bin Al-Walid and appointed him, and then I went to my Lord, I would have said: I heard Your servant and Your friend (Prophet Muhammad) say: ‘Khalid is one of the swords of Allah, He unsheathed him against the disbelievers.'”
2. Saif bin Umar mentioned that when Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw that the fear he had of people being tempted (being carried away by the victories of Khalid on the battlefield) by Khalid had subsided, he decided to appoint him (Khalid) again (to the post of the commander-in-chief) after he returned from Hajj. However, fate intervened, and Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away before that could happen.
3. That Umar ordered Abu Ubaidah to consult Khalid (may Allah be pleased with them all) in matters of war even after dismissing him. If Umar had any resentment towards Khalid, he would not have made him a consultant to Abu Ubaidah.
4. That when Khalid was on his deathbed, he entrusted Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and Umar carried out his will. This indicates the love between them because a person only entrusts someone they love, trust in their integrity, decisiveness, and piety. Likewise, the executor of the will only accepts it out of love because fulfilling it involves effort and difficulty.
5. Khalid’s praise of Umar to Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with them), and informing him that Umar is a closed door against tribulations and evils. Khalid said to Abu Darda: “By Allah, O Abu Darda! If Umar dies, you will see things you disapprove of.”
In the Musnad, it is mentioned that a man said to Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him: “O Abu Sulaiman! Fear Allah; tribulations have appeared.” He replied: “While Ibn Al-Khattab is alive? They will only occur after him.” If Khalid knew that Umar dismissed him out of personal desire and not for a perceived benefit, would he have praised him so highly?
6. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was deeply affected by Khalid’s (may Allah be pleased with him) death, mourning him and praising him as he deserved.
Thalabah bin Abi Malik narrated that when Khalid died, Umar repeatedly uttered words of mourning, lowered his head, and frequently prayed for mercy upon him, saying: “By Allah, he was a shield against the enemy and blessed in his undertakings.” Ali then asked, “Why did you remove him?” Umar replied, “I removed him because he was generous with money to the nobles and eloquent people.” Ali responded, “You should have removed him from managing money and kept him with the army!” Umar said, “He would not have accepted that!” Ali then said, “Why did you not test him first?”
The Hafidh (scholar) reported that when Khalid was prepared for burial, the women mourned him, and it was said to Umar: “Will you not prevent them?” He replied: “What harm is it for the women of Quraish to weep over Abu Sulaiman as long as it is not accompanied by loud wailing or clamour?”
These numerous narrations demonstrate the extent of the love the companions had for one another, may Allah be pleased with them, and also show that Umar’s dismissal of Khalid, may Allah be pleased with them, was a judgment in which Umar saw the benefit of the Ummah. This dismissal did not affect the enduring love and harmony between them until Khalid’s death, after which Umar carried out his will.
And Allah knows best. [End of the article.]
[Arabic source:
Part:1- https://www.islamweb.net/ar/article/77085/%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B2%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8B%D8%A7-%D8%B1%D8%B6%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%87%D9%85%D8%A7-1-2-
Part:2- https://www.islamweb.net/ar/article/77409/%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B2%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8B%D8%A7-%D8%B1%D8%B6%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%87%D9%85%D8%A7-2-2-]
[Completed on: 3rd July 2024.]
Saheehus-Seerah 