Milestone·Prophetic era
Khalid ibn al-Walid Gains the Title 'Sword of Allah'
- Date
- 629 CE8 AH1,397 years ago
- Place
- Arabia
- People
- Khalid ibn al-Walid, Prophet Muhammad
Khalid ibn al-Walid was a Quraysh commander who converted to Islam before the conquest of Mecca. Later sources say Prophet Muhammad gave him the title Sayf Allah, the Sword of Allah, after the Battle of Mu'tah in 8 AH (629 CE). Other accounts place the title earlier, at the time of his conversion. Khalid went on to lead many campaigns, including the Ridda Wars and the conquest of Iraq.
Why it matters
Khalid became one of the best-known early Muslim commanders, and his campaigns extended Muslim control into Iraq and Syria.