Sword Of Allah (P2)

On the Road to Madinah

The traveler was riding on alone in the Arabian desert.

Around 629 Christian Era or CE (8 AH or After Hijrah), the Arab region around Makkah and

Madinah used to be terrifying, burning and scorching wilderness. On one hand, the desert had its

inherent difficulties and on the other, there was constant danger of bandits. So, the travelers used

to journey in caravans. But this traveler was going alone. He was mounted on a warhorse of high

breed, his armour tucked to the horse's saddle. A sword was hanging from his waist while a spear

lay in his hand.

In those days, men used to be tall, broad-chested and of sturdy physique. This solitary traveler

too was one of them. Yet the way he sat on the horse's back indicated that he was a seasoned

horseman, not any common Arab. His face didn't show the slightest fear of bandits who could

rob him, seize this warhorse of such a high breed, and force him to travel on foot. But his

countenance was not normal. He was pondering over something. He was pandering his heart

with some memories and trying at the same time to bury some others.

A little later came a plateau. The horse kept climbing. After a considerable ascent, the ground

levelled. The rider stopped the horse, turned it around, stood up on his stirrups and looked back.

He could not see Makkah which had disappeared below the horizon.

"Abu Sulaiman!" He felt a voice calling him. "Don't look back now. Let Makkah recede away

from your mind. Being a warrior, don't let yourself be cut into two. Be steadfast in your

decision. Your destination is Madinah now."

He turned his eyes away from the direction of Makkah, turned his horse once again towards

Madinah and gave a slight jerk to his horse. The horse was well-aware of its rider's gestures. It

recommenced its well-balanced pace. The rider was 43, but he looked quite young. Sulaiman

was his son's name, his father's was Al Walid. However, the rider liked to be called Abu

Sulaiman 1 more than he liked the name Khalid bin Al Walid. He didn't know that history would

remember him as Khalid bin Al Walid, and that this name would become an eponym for Islam's

military traditions and valiant spirit. However, when Khalid was traveling towards Madinah at

the age of 43, he was not a Muslim. In addition to minor skirmishes, he had fought with the

Muslims in two great battles - Battle of Uhud and Battle of Khandaq.

When the first revelation came to the holy Prophet (Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) on

a Monday of 610 AH, Khalid was 24 years old. By then he had become the commander of the

military power of his tribe, Banii Makhziim - a highly respected sub-tribe in the larger tribe of

Quraish. Banii Makhziim was in charge of Quraish's military affairs. Quraish used to obey the judgments and decisions of his father, Al Walid. At the age of 24, Khalid too had got this status.

But now, rejecting this noble status, Khalid Abu Sulaiman was now migrating to Madinah.

At times he would feel like some power within him was trying to pull him back. Whenever he

felt the effect of this power, his neck would turn back, but then a voice within him would rise:

"Look ahead, Khalid. No doubt your are Al Walid's son, but he is dead. Now you are Sulaiman's

father, Abu Sulaiman who is still alive."

Two names had stuck to his mind. One was Allah's Prophet Muhammad's who had brought a

new religion and way of life, and the other being Al Walid's, his father and one of the staunchest

enemies of Prophet Muhammad and his religion. The father had left this world transferring this

enmity to Khalid in heritage.

At the smell of water, Khalid's horse had changed its direction by itself. Khalid looked up to find

some date palms and desert shrubs in a rough circle. The horse was heading there.

Once in the oasis, Khalid jumped down the horse's back. He pulled down his turban, sat at the

bank of water-pond with his knees on the ground. He took water in his palm-cups and poured it

over his head. He splashed the water over his face a few times. His horse was drinking the water.

Khalid drank from that spring which was meant only for the use of humans. It was a small forest.

Khalid took down the horse's saddle, opened up a small carpet tied to the saddle, spread it under

the bushy trees and then he lay down.