Superpowers of the Time
What were the two superpowers during the Prophet’s ﷺ time?
The Byzantine Romans and the Persian Sassanians.
What forced the Persians to retreat after their peak success?
A Roman counterattack that defeated them near Cappadocia.
Who did Abu Bakr send to fight the Persians in 633?
Khalid ibn al-Walid.
What battle in 636 CE marked a decisive Muslim victory in Mesopotamia?
Battle of al-Qadisiyyah.
What strategy did the Muslims use at Nahavand to trick the Persians?
Pretended to retreat to lure the Persians from their fortifications.
How long had the Romans and Persians been at war before the Muslims rose to power?
Nearly 700 years.
What major illness devastated Ctesiphon and western Persia?
A plague that killed half the people in modern-day Iraq.
Which caliph continued Abu Bakr’s military efforts and expanded Muslim control?
Umar ibn al-Khattab.
What Persian weapon caused fear among the Muslim troops at Qadisiyyah?
33 war elephants.
What rumor did the Muslims spread to make the Persians overconfident?
That Caliph Umar had died.
What major internal problem weakened the Byzantine Empire around 608 CE?
A Roman general revolted, causing a civil war.
What did the new Persian ruler do after killing his father in a coup?
He killed his brothers and many nobles in the government.
After Khalid left for Syria, who led the Muslims against the Persians?
Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas.
How did the Muslims neutralize the elephants during the battle?
They blinded them and cut off their trunks.
Who suggested the feigned retreat strategy and died in the battle?
Tulayha ibn Khuwailid.
Which lands did the Persians conquer from the Romans during their offensive?
Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, and parts of Anatolia.
What did the new Persian king agree to in order to make peace with the Romans?
Return of all Roman territory and payment of war reparations.
What city did Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas establish as a military base?
Kufa.
Who was the Persian commander killed in the Qadisiyyah battle?
Rustam.
How far east did Muslim expansion reach within ten years after Nahavand?
As far as Azerbaijan and the borders of India.
What Quranic verse predicted the comeback of the Romans after their defeat?
The Romans have been defeated in a nearby land, yet following their defeat they will triumph within only a few years
What happened to the Persian Empire shortly after peace with the Romans?
It fell into civil war between royal families and never recovered.
Why did Umar hesitate to send armies deeper into Persia after al-Qadisiyyah?
He wanted to consolidate control and didn’t know how weak Persia had become.
What was the name of the final battle in 642 that ended the Sassanid Empire?
Battle of Nahavand.
How long did it take for the Persian population to fully embrace Islam?
Nearly 400 years.