returned in time to enable him to capture the camp of the insurgents after a severe battle at Dhu-l-Ḳaṣṣa (Aug.-Sept. 632). Khālid ibn al-Walīd, who had already distinguished himself under Mahomet, was thereupon entrusted with the task of breaking the opposition of the tribes of Central Arabia. Khālid was without doubt a military genius of the first rank. He was somewhat lax in matters of religion and could be as cruel as his master had been before him; but was a brilliant strategist, carefully weighing his chances; yet once his mind was made up, he was endued with an energy and daring before which all had to yield. He is the actual conqueror of the Ridda, and his good generalship secured victory after victory for Islām.
With a force of about 4000 men he again reduced the Ṭayyi' to obedience, and then in rapid succession routed at Buzākha the Asad and Ghaṭafān, who had gathered round a prophet called Ṭalḥa, scoffingly styled by the Muslims Ṭulaiḥa, meaning the little Ṭalḥa. Khālid's success caused fresh troops to flock to his standard. He then at once proceeded further into the territory of the Tamīm, but against the wishes of the Anṣār accompanying him and without the authority of the Caliph. This arbitrary procedure, together with a cruel act of personal revenge which he performed at the last-named place, caused his recall; he was however not only exculpated, but a proposal of his was adopted, to strike a heavy blow at the Banū Ḥanīfa in Yamāma. At this place the prophet Maslama was then ruling, and as in the case of Ṭulaiḥa the Muslims sarcastically formed a diminutive of his name and styled him Musailima. According to tradition this Musailima had maintained friendly relations with Mahomet. Be that as it may, certain it is that he was not in any way subject to Medina in either a political or religious sense, but more probably an imitator of his successful colleague Mahomet. In any case his rule was somewhat firmly established, and it cost Khālid a bloody battle to destroy his power. This memorable battle was fought at 'Aḳrabā and was without doubt the bloodiest and most important during the whole of the Ridda war. We are as yet but poorly informed in regard to the chronology of these events, but it may probably be assumed that the battle of 'Aḳrabā was fought about one year after the death of the prophet.
By the side of these great successes of Khālid the campaigns of other generals in Baḥrain, 'Umām, Mahra, Ḥaḍramaut and Yaman are less important. Moreover the earliest subjection of all these lands under the rule of Islām was not carried out by troops specially sent out from Medina; it may even be doubtful if the commanders, with whose names these conquests are associated, were despatched from Medina. It may be that they were only subsequently legalised and that Muhājir ibn Abī Umayya was the first actual delegate of the Caliph. In any case these districts were unsettled for a long time after the Muslim troops had invaded Syria and the 'Irāḳ. Further, the same districts were in less than
