The Origins of the Islamic State/Part 2/Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI
The Province of the Jordan
Tiberias makes terms. Ḥafṣ ibn-ʿUmar al-ʿUmari from al-Haitham ibn-ʿAdi:—Shuraḥbîl conquered all the province of the Jordan [al-Urdunn] by force, with the exception of Tiberias, whose inhabitants came to terms, agreeing to give up one-half of their homes and churches.[1]
ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi and then abu-ʿUbaidah in chief command. Abu-Ḥafṣ ad-Dimasḥki from abu-Bishr—the muezzin of the mosque at Damascus—and others:—When the Moslems arrived in Damascus, each commander used to direct his forces to a special region which he would make the object of his incursions. Thus ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi used to go against Palestine, Shuraḥbîl against the Jordan province and Yazîd ibn-abi-Sufyân against the province of Damascus. In case the enemy was massed in one group, they would all combine against him, each [commander] hastening to the support and the reinforcement of the other. In the early days of abu-Bakr, when they would join forces, the commander-in-chief would be ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi. This was the case until the arrival of Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd, who became the commander of the Moslems in every battle. Abu-ʿUbaidah ibn-al-Jarrâḥ later assumed the chief command in the whole of Syria, and the commanders acknowledged him as their chief for war and peace in behalf of ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb. This was brought about when ʿUmar was proclaimed caliph and wrote to Khâlid dismissing him and assigning abu-ʿUbaidah.
Shuraḥbîl and then ʿAmr seizes Tiberias. Shuraḥbil ibn-Ḥasanah took Tiberias [Ṭabaraiyah] by capitulation after a siege of some days. He guaranteed for the inhabitants the safety of their lives, possessions, children, churches and houses with the exception of what they should evacuate and desert, setting aside a special spot for a Moslem mosque. Later, in the caliphate of ʿUmar, the people of Tiberias violated the covenant and were joined by many Greeks and others. Abu-ʿUbaidah ordered ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi to attack them, so he marched against them at the head of 4,000 men. ʿAmr took the city by capitulation, the terms being similar to those of Shuraḥbîl. According to others, however, it was Shuraḥbîl also who conquered it the second time.
Shuraḥbîl subdues all the Jordan province. In addition to that, Shuraḥbîl took easy possession of all the cities of the Jordan with their fortifications, which, with no resistance, capitulated on terms similar to those of Tiberias. Thus did he take possession of Baisân, [Bethshean, Scythopolis] Sûsiyah, Afîḳ, Jarash, Bait-Râs, Ḳadas, and al-Jaulân, and subdue the district of the Jordan and all its land.
According to abu-Ḥafṣ on the authority of al-Waḍîn ibn-ʿAṭâʾ, Shuraḥbîl conquered Acre, Tyre and Ṣaffûriyah.
The sea-coasts reduced. It is stated by abu-Bishr, the muezzin, that abu-ʿUbaidah directed 'Amr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi to the sea-coasts of the province of the Jordan. There the Greeks became too numerous for him being recruited by men from the district under Heraclius who was then at Constantinople. ʿAmr, therefore, wrote to abu-ʿUbaidah asking for reinforcements. The latter sent Yazîd ibn-abi-Sufyân who went forth, having his brother, Muʿâwiyah, in the van of the army. The littoral of the Jordan was conquered by Yazîd and ʿAmr to whom abu-ʿUbaidah wrote regarding its conquest. In that campaign Muʿâwiyah distinguished himself and left a great impression.
Muʿâwiyah transplants people. Abu-Alyasaʿ al-Anṭâki from certain sheikhs from Antioch and the Jordan:—A body of Persians were transplanted in the year 42 by Muʿâwiyah from Baʿlabakk, Ḥimṣ and Antioch to the sea-coasts of the Jordan, i. e., Tyre, Acre and other places; and he transplanted in the same year, or one year before or after, certain Asâwirah[2] from al-Baṣrah and al-Kûfah and certain Persians from Baʿlabakk and Ḥimṣ to Antioch. One of the Persian leaders was Muslim ibn-ʿAbdallâh, grandfather of ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ḥabîb ibn-an-Nuʿmân ibn-Muslim al-Anṭâki.
Muʿâwiyah makes repairs in Acre and Tyre. According to a tradition communicated to me by Muḥammad ibn-Saʿd on the authority of al-Wâḳidi, and by Hishâm ibn-al-Laith aṣ-Ṣûri on the authority of certain sheikhs from Syria, when Muʿâwiyah came to sail from Acre to Cyprus he made repairs in Acre [ʿAkka] and in Tyre [Ṣûr]. Later both cities were rebuilt by ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân, after having fallen into ruins.
Hishâm ibn-al-Laith from our sheikhs who said, "When we took up our abode in Tyre and the littoral, there were Arab troops and many Greeks already there. Later, people from other regions came and settled with us, and that was the case with all the sea-coast of Syria."
Artisans settled along the sea-coast. Muḥammad ibn-Sahm al-Anṭâki from contemporaneous sheikhs:—In the year 49 the Greeks left for the sea-coast. Industry at that time was confined to Egypt. Consequently, and in accordance with Muʿâwiyah ibn-abi-Sufyân's orders, certain artisans and carpenters were gathered and settled along the coast. As for the industry of the Jordan province it was all confined to Acre.
Hishâm moves the industry to Tyre. Abu-l-Khaṭṭâb al-Azdi mentioned the case of a descendant of abu-Muʿaiṭ who lived in Acre and ran mills and workshops. Hishâm ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik wanted him to sell them to him; but the man refused. Hishâm therefore moved the industry[3] to Tyre where he ran an inn and a workshop.
Tyre a naval base. According to al-Wâḳidi, the ships used to be in Acre until the time of the banu-Marwân who moved them to Tyre, where they are until to-day.[4] In the year 247, al-Mutawakkil gave orders that the ships be stationed in Acre and all along the coast, and he manned them with fighters.