Editing Najd (section)

==== Ridda wars ====
{{More citations needed|section|date=February 2025}}
{{further|Ridda wars}}
After Prophet Muhammad's death, previously dormant tensions between the Meccan [[Immigration|immigrants]], the [[Muhajirun]], and the Medinan converts, the [[Ansar (Islam)|Ansar]], threatened to split the [[Ummah]]. Other Arabian tribes also wished to revert from Islam to local leadership and split from Medina's control; in some places, people such as [[Al-Aswad Al-Ansi]] and [[Musaylima]] claimed [[prophet]]hood and started to establish leaderships in opposition to Medina.<ref name="Donner">Fred M. Donner, [https://books.google.com/books?id=qBzRj7OajmEC&pg=PP1 ''Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam''], Harvard University Press, 2010; {{ISBN|978-0-674-05097-6}}.</ref>

The [[Ansar (Islam)|Ansar]], the leaders of the tribes of Medina, met in a hall or house called [[saqifah]], to discuss whom they would support as their new leader. When Abu Bakr was informed of the meeting, he, [[Umar]], [[Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah]] and a few others rushed to prevent the Ansar from making a premature decision. During the meeting Umar declared that Abu Bakr should be the new leader, and declared his allegiance to Abu Bakr, followed by Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, and thus Abu Bakr became the first [[caliph]].

Apostasy and rebellion in central Arabia were led by [[Musaylima]] in the fertile region of [[Yamamah]]. He was mainly supported by the powerful tribe of [[Banu Hanifa]]. At Buzakha in north central Arabia, another claimed prophet, [[Tulayha]], a tribal chief of [[Banu Asad]], led the rebellion against Medina, aided by the allied tribes of [[Banu Ghatafan]], the [[Hawazin]], and the [[Tayy]]. At Najd, [[Malik ibn Nuweira]] led the tribes of [[Banu Tamim]] against the authority of Medina.<ref>''The Encyclopaedia of Islam''. New Edition. Vol. 1, p. 110. Peter Hellyer, Ibrahim Al-Abed, Ibrahim Al Abed, "The United Arab Emirates, A New Perspective", London: Trident Press, 2001, pp. 81–84; {{ISBN|1-900724-47-2}}.</ref>

[[File:Mohammad adil rais-conquest of Arabia.PNG|thumb|right|Map detailing the route of Khalid ibn Walid's conquest of Arabia]]
On receiving intelligence of the Muslims' preparations, Tulayha too prepared for a battle, and was further reinforced by the contingents of the allied tribes. Before launching [[Khalid ibn al-Walid|Khalid ibn Al-Walid]] against Tulayha, Abu Bakr sought ways and means of reducing the latter's strength, so that the battle could be fought with the maximum prospects of victory. Nothing could be done about the tribes of [[Banu Asad]] and [[Banu Ghatafan]], which stood solidly behind Tulayha, but the [[Tayy]] were not so staunch in their support of Tulayha, and their chief, [[Adi ibn Hatim]], was a devout Muslim. Adi was appointed by Abu Bakr to negotiate with the tribal elders to withdraw their contingent from Tulayha's army. The negotiations were a success, and Adi brought with him 500 horsemen of his tribe to reinforce Khalid's army.

Khalid next marched against another apostate tribe, [[Jadila]]. Here again, [[Adi ibn Hatim]] offered his services to persuade the tribe to submit without bloodshed. Bani Jadila submitted, and their 1000 warriors joined Khalid's army. Khalid, now much stronger than when he had left Zhu Qissa, marched for [[Buzakha]]. There, in mid-September 632, he defeated Tulayha in the [[Battle of Buzakha]]. The remaining army of Tulayha retreated to [[Ghamra]], 20 miles from Buzakha, and was defeated in the [[Battle of Ghamra]] in the third week of September.<ref name="A.I. Akram, 1970">A. I. Akram (1970), ''The Sword of Allah: Khalid bin al-Waleed, His Life and Campaigns'', Rawalpindi: National Publishing. House; {{ISBN|0-7101-0104-X}}.</ref>

Several tribes submitted to the [[Abu Bakr|Caliph]] after Khalid's decisive victories. Moving south from Buzakha, Khalid reached [[Naqra]] in October, with an army now 6000 strong, and defeated the rebel tribe of [[Banu Saleem]] in the [[Battle of Naqra]]. In the third week of October, Khalid defeated a tribal chieftess, Salma, in the [[battle of Zafar]].<ref name="A.I. Akram, 1970"/>

Afterwards, he moved to Najd against the rebel tribe of [[Banu Tamim]] and their [[Sheikh]] [[Malik ibn Nuwayrah]]. At Najd, getting the news of Khalid's decisive victories against [[Apostasy in Islam|apostates]] in Buzakha, many clans of Banu Tamim hastened to visit [[Khalid ibn al-Walid|Khalid]], but the [[Banu Yarbu']], a branch of Banu Tamim, under their chief, [[Malik ibn Nuwayrah]], hung back. Malik was a chief of some distinction: a warrior, noted for his generosity, and a famous poet. Bravery, generosity, and poetry were the three qualities most admired among the Arabs. At the time of Muhammad, he had been appointed as a tax collector for the tribe of Banu Tamim. As soon as Malik heard of the death of Muhammad he gave back all the tax to his tribespeople, saying "Now you are the owner of your wealth."{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} Moreover, he was to be charged because he signed a pact with the anti-Islamic prophet [[Sajjah]]. This agreement stated that first, they would deal with local enemy tribes together, and then they would confront the state of [[Madinah]].{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

His riders were stopped by Khalid's army at the town of [[Buttah]]. Khalid asked them about the signing of pact with [[Sajah|Sajjah]]; they said it was just because they wanted revenge against their terrible enemies.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} When Khalid reached Najd he found no opposing army. He sent his [[cavalry]] to nearby villages and ordered them to call the [[Adhan|Athaan]] to each party they meet.

[[Dhiraar ibn al-Azwar|Zirrar bin Azwar]], a squadron leader, arrested the family of Malik, claiming they did not answer the call to prayer. Malik avoided direct contact with Khalid's army and ordered his followers to scatter, and he and his family apparently moved away across the desert.<ref>{{Harvnb|Al-Tabari|915|pp=501–502}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2024}} He refused to give [[zakat]], hence differentiating between prayer and zakat. Nevertheless, Malik was accused of rebellion against the state of Medina. He was also to be charged for his entering in an anti-Caliphate alliance with the anti-Islamic prophetess Sajjah.<ref>{{Harvnb|Al-Tabari|915|p=496}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2024}} Malik was arrested along with his clansmen.<ref>{{Harvnb|Al-Tabari|915|p=502}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Malik was asked by Khalid about his crimes. Malik's response was "your master said this, your master said that", referring to Abu Bakr. Khalid declared Malik a rebel apostate and ordered his execution.<ref name="ReferenceA">Tabari: Vol. 2, p. 5.</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2024}} [[Khalid bin Walid]] killed [[Malik ibn Nuwayra]].

[[Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl]], one of the corps commanders, was instructed to make contact with Musaylima at [[Al-Yamama|Yamamah]], but not to engage in fighting until Khalid joined him. Abu Bakr's intention in giving Ikrimah this mission was to tie Musaylima down at Yamamah. With Ikrimah on the horizon, Musaylima would remain in expectation of a Muslim attack, and thus not be able to leave his base. With Musaylima so committed, Khalid would be free to deal with the apostate tribes of north-central Arabia without interference from Yamamah. Meanwhile, Abu Bakr sent [[Shurahbil ibn Hasana|Shurhabil]]'s corps to reinforce Ikrama at Yamamah.

However, [[Ikrimah]] attacked Musaylima's forces in early September 632 and was defeated. He wrote the details of his actions to Abu Bakr, who, both pained and angered by the rashness of Ikrimah and his disobedience, ordered him to proceed with his force to [[Oman]] to assist [[Hudaifa]]; once Hudaifa had completed his task, to march to [[Mahra Sultanate|Mahra]] to help [[Arfaja]], and thereafter go to [[Yemen]] to help Muhajir.<ref name="John Glubb 1963, p. 112">John Glubb (1963), ''The Great Arab Conquests'', p. 112.</ref>

Meanwhile, [[Abu Bakr]] sent orders to Khalid to march against Musaylima. Shurhabil's corps, that was stationed at Yamamah, was to reinforce Khalid's corps. In addition to this Abu Bakr assembled a fresh army of [[Ansar (Islam)|Ansar]] and [[Muhajireen]] in Medina that joined Khalid's corps at [[Butah]]. From Butah Khalid marched to Yamamah to join with Shurhabil's corps. Though Abu Bakr had instructed Shurhabil not to engage Musaylima's forces until the arrival of Khalid, shortly before the arrival of Khalid, Shurhabil engaged Musaylima's forces and was defeated too.

Khalid joined with the corps of Shurhabil early in December 632. The combined force of Muslims, now 13,000 strong, defeated Musaylima's army in the [[Battle of Yamama]]h, which was fought in the third week of December. The fortified city of Yamamah surrendered peacefully later that week.<ref name="John Glubb 1963, p. 112"/> Khalid established his headquarters at Yamamah, from where he despatched columns to all over the plain of [[Aqraba (region)|Aqraba]] to subdue the region around Yamamah and to kill or capture all who resisted. Thereafter all of central Arabia submitted to Medina. What remained of the [[apostasy]] in the less vital areas of Arabia was rooted out by the Muslims in a series of well-planned campaigns within five months.