Battle of Hazir

Part of the Muslim conquest of Syria
(Arab–Byzantine Wars)

Date	June 637 AD
Location	Qinnasrin, Syria
Result	Decisive victory by the Rashidun

Belligerents

Rashidun Caliphate
(Mobile guard)

Byzantine Empire

Commanders and leaders

Khalid ibn al-Walid

Menas †

Strength

17,000

70,000

Casualties and losses

Minimal

Entire Force

The Battle of Hazir or Ma'arakah al-Haadhir (Arabic: معركة الحاضر‎‎) took place between the Byzantine army and the Rashidun army's elite cavalry, the Mobile guard. It took place in June 637, three miles east of Qinnasrin at Al-Hadher in present-day Syria.

After the conquest of Jerusalem, Caliph Umar went back to his capital city of Madinah and following the Caliph's instructions, Yazeed proceeded to Caesarea and once again laid siege to the port city. Amr bin al-A’as and Sharhabeel marched to reoccupy Palestine and Jordan, which task was completed by the end of the year. Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah and Khalid ibn Walid, with an army of 17,000 men, set off from Jerusalem to conquer all of northern Syria. Abu Ubaidah marched to Damascus, which was already in Muslim hands, and then to Emesa (Homs), which welcomed his return. His next objective was Qinnasrin, towards this, the army advanced with Khalid and the Mobile guard in the lead. After a few days the Mobile Guard reached Hazir, three miles east of Qinnasrin, here it was attacked in strength by the Byzantines. The Byzantine garrison commander at Qinnasrin was a general named Meenas, a distinguished soldier who was loved by his men. Meenas knew that if he stayed in Qinnasrin, he would be besieged by the Rashidun army and would eventually have to surrender, as he could expect no help from the Emperor. He therefore decided to take the offensive and attack the leading elements of the Rashidun army well forward of the city and defeat them before they could be joined by the main body. With this plan in mind, Meenas attacked the Mobile guard at Hazir with a force whose strength was about 70,000 men; he either did not know that Khalid was present with the leading elements of the Muslim army or did not believe all that he had heard about Khalid ibn Walid.

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