Battle of Chains

Part of Muslim conquest of the Persian Empire

Map showing the location of Kazima, Uballa and Hufeir in present Kuwait and Iraq respectively.

Date	April 633 AD/possibly 629
Location	Kuwait (Kazima)
Result	Rashidun Caliphate victory.

Belligerents

Rashidun Caliphate

Sassanid Persian Empire
Christian Arab allies .

Commanders and leaders

Khalid ibn al-Walid

Hormozd †
Qubad
Anoshagan

Strength

18,000

20,000(primary sources) 17,000 (modern sources)

Casualties and losses

Low

Heavy

The Battle of Sallasil (Dhat al-Salasil) or the Battle of Chains was the first battle fought between the Rashidun Caliphate and the Sassanid Persian Empire. The battle was fought in Kuwait (Kazima) soon after the Ridda Wars were over and Eastern Arabia was united under the authority of Caliph Abu Bakr. It was also the first battle of the Rashidun Caliphate in which the Muslim army sought to extend its frontiers.

Muthana ibn Haritha Shaybani was a tribal chief in north Eastern Arabia, residing close to the Persian border. After the wars of apostasy, Muthana raided the Persian towns in Iraq. The raids were successful, with a considerable amount of booty being won. Muthana ibn Haritha went to Madinah to inform Caliph Abu Bakr about his success, and Abu Bakr appointed him as the commander of his people; after this he began deeper raids into Iraq. Using the mobility of his Light cavalry he could easily raid any town near the desert and disappear again in to the desert, leaving the Sassanid army unable to chase him. Muthana’s actions made Abu Bakr decide to conquer Iraq and liberate it from the Sassanids. To make certain of victory, Abu Bakr decided on two measures: the army would consist entirely of volunteers, and it would be commanded by his best general, Khalid ibn Walid. After defeating the self-proclaimed prophet Musailima in the Battle of Yamama, Khalid was still in the Yamama district when Abu Bakr sent him orders to fight the Sassanid Persian Empire. Making Al-Hirah (an area in Iraq) the objective of Khalid's mission, Abu Bakr sent reinforcements and ordered the tribal chiefs of northeastern Arabia Muthana ibn Haritha, Mazhur bin Adi, Harmala and Sulma to operate under the command of Khalid. In approximately the third week of March 633 AD (first week of Muharram 12th Hijrah) Khalid set out from Yamama with an army of 10,000 men. But before doing so he wrote to Hormozd, the Persian governor of the frontier district of Dast Meisan:

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