When Al-Andalus is mentioned, it is impossible not to think of the name of one of its first conquerors, Tariq bin Ziyad. The words, actions, attitudes and behavior of this glorious commander are always an important guide for Muslims.
Born in 670 BC, Tariq bin Ziyad belonged to the Berber tribe of Nafzâve or Zenâte. There are also opinions that he came from a tribe that originated in Hemedan and migrated to North Africa or that he was of Arab origin. It is known that he was captured during the conquests of Maghrib. With his talent, Tariq attracted the attention of Mûsâ b. Nusayr, the Umayyad governor of North Africa. After a while he became a Muslim, he was pardoned by Mûsâ b. Nusayr.
He served as the commander of the vanguard troops during the conquests in North Africa. He was the commander of one of Musa ibn Nusayr’s armies that conquered Tangier. Following the conquest, Musa bin Nusayr appointed him as the governor of Tangier.
Meanwhile, the great Conqueror, Moses bin Nusayr, was planning the conquest of Spain and sending expeditions to this continent. Finally, he decided for a permanent conquest in Europe.
He appointed his freedman Tariq as the commander of the troops going to al-Andalus. The majority of the army, consisting of seven thousand men, was composed of Berbers. Reaching the Calpe region in the southernmost part of Spain by ships from Sebte, Tariq established his headquarters in Jabalitârık (Gibraltar), which would be named after him after the conquest (5 Rajab 92/28 April 711).
Tariq bin Ziyad knew that a difficult struggle awaited him. At that time, Spain was dominated by the Visigoths, also called the Western Goths. The Visigoth King Rodrigo was a powerful enemy. At that time, he was struggling with the Franks who were attacking some cities in Northern Spain.
Tariq bin Ziyad anticipated that Rodrigo would immediately head towards him. Therefore, he did not yet know what difficulties he would face in this great continent.
The first thing he did was to have his ships burned in order to prevent the mujahideen from turning back in case of difficulty and to encourage them to jihad.
It’s like this:
As soon as we land
He burned all the ships. His soldiers said alas:
“This is madness! We shall be in trouble, How can we go back now?
You burned all the ships
You have left us helpless!” they said.
Tariq smiled! He gripped his sword and said: “What does it mean to turn back?
The earth is our country! And all countries
It is the property of our Lord!”
Tariq bin Ziyad and King Rodrigo!
This action of al-Ṣāriq bin Ziyad is considered controversial because it is mentioned in some sources but not in others. However, the fact that some sources do not mention it does not mean that it does not exist and is weak. Stating that he symbolically burned two or three ships is a completely made up thesis that is not found in any source.
The first target of the landing attack was the city of Qurtuba (Cordoba). King Rodrigo was in the city of Arbune (Narbonne) when Tariq headed north towards Cordoba. This was about 1000 miles away from Qurtuba.
In this respect, the victorious serdar Tariq continued on his way without encountering any significant resistance at first. He defeated Rodrigo’s nephew, Bencio, who appeared before him several times. The Spanish were terrified. While they were struggling against the Franks in the north, they had been hit in the south, where they had never expected to be and where they felt most secure. Their fortresses were falling one by one.
King Rodrigo immediately made a treaty with the Franks and returned. He set out to meet Tariq bin Ziyad with a large army. It is said that his army was between 60 thousand and 100 thousand people.
Tariq bin Ziyad was aware of the difficulty of fighting against such an army with seven thousand men. He wrote a letter to Mûsâ b. Nusayr and asked for help. Mûsâ sent another relief force of 5,000 men. Thus, Tariq bin Ziyad’s army had reached 12,000 men. Nevertheless, there was a terrible difference.
Finally, the two armies came face to face in the valley of Lekke (Rio Guadalete) near the city of Sedona. Here, the glorious commander Tariq bin Ziyad made a very effective speech to the army. This speech was a testimony to his superior oratory skills.
It goes like this:
“You are like orphans at the table of wolves!”
“Praise be to Allâhu ta’âlâ.
I testify that there is no Lord but Allah. And He has no equal and likeness, nor is there anyone who deserves to be worshipped other than Him. I also testify that Prophet Muhammad is His servant and Messenger and the most honored of the prophets. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and upon the people who follow his Sunnah, the people of salvation.
O Humans!
Tell me where is the way out? Behind you is the sea and in front of you is the enemy… By Allah, there is no way out for you except righteousness and patience. For only these two are invincible soldiers. There is no harm in being outnumbered as long as you continue to struggle with patience and zeal. And your numbers will not benefit you as long as there is laziness, failure, strife and arrogance.
You should know that on this island you are in a worse state than orphans at a wolf’s table! Your enemy has met you with his army, ammunition and plenty of weapons. You, on the other hand, have nothing but what you can snatch from the hands of your enemy and the swords you carry. If days pass since you left your homes and you do not achieve any success, your strength will be gone, your enemy’s fear of you will dissipate and be replaced by courage that will turn against you.
I have not exempted myself from these things that I am warning you about. I start with myself in every plan that I guide you to, where the soul is the cheapest commodity. Know that if you have a little patience with hardship, you will enjoy long-lasting peace and prosperity. Do not turn away from what I desire for myself. We are no different from each other in dying or being killed.
The Emir of the believers (Walid b. ‘Abd al-Malik) chose you as ‘heroes’. He chose you because he trusted in the power of your sword and the fact that you are heroic cavalrymen. His only expectation from you is the reward he will receive from you for glorifying the name of Allah and revealing His religion in this island. He preferred you to himself and to the believers other than you, and wished that the booty to be obtained should be for you alone. Allah will be your helper in this world and the Hereafter and will glorify your glory.
I am on my way to capture and kill the cruel king of this island or to be martyred for this cause. If I am martyred, do not be weak and scatter. So that you do not lose your strength and have to flee backwards. Otherwise, some of you will be killed and some of you will be captured. Do not settle for humiliation. Ask for the dignity and honor that awaits you instead of inferiority and humiliation.
Know that I will be the first to lead you in what I have instructed you. When the two armies encounter, I will be the first to step forward and I will fight the tyrant commander of this people. You should be with me. If I stay after him, I will have saved you from his evil. If I die before reaching him, then continue my desire and march on him. Let your conquest of this island end by killing him. For then they will be doomed to defeat.
O Allah, make us glorious! Give us strength! Grant us the honor of the Caliphs, the wisdom of the great ones, and the wisdom of the pious… Turn our countries into green gardens of paradise. Grant us peace between relatives and brothers, and open for us the gates of the heavens…
And our final prayer is to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, worthy of all praise.”
When the letter is properly evaluated, it will be seen that it contains all the elements such as a strong faith, sincerity, sincerity, courage, and love of expedition and jihad.
When this is the case, success will come with it. We will continue to write about the life of this great commander…
REFLECTION
Today I am the serdar of the braves of the path of love,
No matter how many enemies there are, I will never bow my head.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Şimşirgil
10th May 2024
Türkiye Gazetesi