Usama ibn Zayd

Usama bin Zayd (Arabic: أسامة بن زيد‎‎) was the son of Zayd ibn Harithah, Muhammad's freed slave, who he adopted as his son. His mother was Umm Ayman (Barakah).

Usama ibn Zayd was born in the seventh year before Hijra (615 on the Christian calendar). Because of his father's status as the adopted son of Muhammad , and his mother's closeness to Muhammad's own mother, Usama was considered almost a grandson, and Muhammad treated him the same way he did the sons of his daughter Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, . During Usama's youth, Muhammad was presented with an expensive thawb (the long gown the Muslim men wear). After wearing it once to the Friday Jumu'ah Prayer, he gave it to Usamah as a gift. When Usama was ten years old, he asked to join his elders in defending the faith in the Battle of Uhud, but was not allowed. His first experience participating in a battle was when he was seventeen, in the Battle of the Trench. During the Battle of Hunayn, in which the Muslim army was ambushed, Usama was among the few men who continued to fight with Muhammad , helping turn the near-defeat into victory.

He was the youngest person ever to be appointed a general by Muhammad.

Muhammad started to mobilize a great Army to Syria 'Byzantine Empire' in the month of Safar 11 A.H, under the command of Usama ibn Zayd. This was the last expedition in the life of Muhammad. Muhammad had ordered his followers to go with Usama and obey his commands.

His father, Zaid bin Haritha, died in the Battle of Mu'tah, 629. He is considered a martyr (shahid).

Although Usama was the son of a freed slave, and only seventeen years of age, he was appointed by Muhammad as the commander of the army sent to Sham. This army was the second Muslim army to encounter the Romans. The Muslims had faced a stalemate with the Byzantines at the Battle of Mu'tah and had lost their leader Zayd ibn Harithah. A follow up defensive expedition had been initiated by Muhammad to safeguard the northern approaches to Madina.

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