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Glad tidings during digging Al-Khandaq (the trench)

Question

When the rock was hit by the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, in the Battle of the Trench, what were the sparks for each area that will be conquered, and who were the ones that conquered them?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is confirmed that An-Nasaa'i and others  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them reported that when the Companions  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them were digging Al-Khandaq (i.e. the trench), they found a rock which was too immense for their spades to break up. So, they sought the help of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) struck the rock three times, and each time he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) would strike it, a bright light would spark – and in another narration it was like a light in the middle of a dark night. This is evidence that the three sparks came up with each strike. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) took the spade, and struck the rock uttering: "Allaahu Akbar (i.e. Allaah is The Greatest)! The keys of ancient Syria are granted to me, I swear by Allaah, I can see its palaces at the moment”; on the second strike he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Allaahu Akbar (i.e. Allaah is The Greatest), Persia is granted to me, I swear by Allaah, I can now see the white palace of Madain"; on the third strike he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Allaahu Akbar (i.e. Allaah is The Greatest), I have been given the keys of Yemen, I swear by Allaah, I can see the gates of Sana' while I am in my place.” [Ahmad].

All these countries were conquered exactly as the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) informed us, but they were not all conquered at the same time. The first city to be conquered in Ancient Syria was Busra, it was conquered in a peace treaty during the reign of Abu Bakr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him as stated by Ibn Katheer  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him. 'Umar  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him continued its conquest and conquered Persia as well.

Ibn Sa'd  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him when speaking about the conquests of 'Umar  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said, “He conquered the entire Iraq, Azerbaijan, Al-Basra, Persia, and ancient Syria.”

As regards Yemen, Islam spread in it during the reign of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and Mu'aath ibn Jabal  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him was sent there by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) to rule over it. Then, Al-Aswad Al-'Ansi took power over it until Fayrooz  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him killed him during the last period of the reign of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

Allaah Knows best.

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