English Translation

Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz informed us > Abu al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub > Ahmad ibn Abd al-Jabbar > Ibn Bukayr > Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar, regarding the story of Khalid ibn al-Walid when he finished with al-Yamamah: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Khalid ibn al-Walid while he was in al-Yamamah: 'From the servant of Allah, Abu Bakr, the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), to Khalid ibn al-Walid and those with him from the Muhajirun, the Ansar, and the followers in goodness — peace be upon you. I praise Allah to you, the One besides Whom there is no deity. To proceed: Praise be to Allah who fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, honored His ally, humiliated His enemy, and defeated the Confederates alone. For indeed Allah, besides Whom there is no deity, said: {Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession upon the earth as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has preferred for them} [24:55] — and he wrote the entire verse, reciting it as a promise from Him with no breach and a statement in which there is no doubt. And He made jihad obligatory upon the believers, saying: {Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you} [2:216] — until he finished the verses. So seek the fulfillment of Allah's promise to you and obey Him in what He has imposed upon you, even if the burden is great, the calamity is severe, the hardship is far, and you are afflicted with losses of wealth and lives, for that is little in comparison to Allah's great reward. So go forth, may Allah have mercy on you, in the way of Allah {whether light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives} [9:41] — he wrote the verse. Indeed, I have ordered Khalid ibn al-Walid to march to Iraq and not to leave it until my order comes to him. So march with him and do not lag behind him, for it is a path in which Allah magnifies the reward for the one whose intention is good and whose desire for good is great. When you reach Iraq, stay there until my order comes to you. May Allah suffice us and you the concerns of this world and the Hereafter, and peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.' The Shaykh said: Then the histories record the arrival of his letter ordering the march to Syria and the reinforcement of the commanders of the armies there, and the victory of the Muslims on the day of Ajnadayn during the time of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and Heraclius's departure towards the Romans, and the conquests in Syria, Iraq, and the land of Persia, and the destruction of Chosroes and the transport of his treasures to Madinah during the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).