The Conquest of Iraq

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Conquest of Iraq as an afterthought Abu Bakr pursued Muhammad's expansionist policy and sent Muslim forces into Syria and Iraq, initiating their eventual conquest. On his deathbed, Abu Bakr appointed Umar b. al-Khattab as his successor. The second caliph Umar continued to send out troops, harnessing the energy of the Bedouin tribes. The conquest of Iraq, was almost by accident. The prophet never sent any expeditions there and so it had a secondary place in the calculations of the Quraysh, its canals and agricultural landscape were not much of an attraction to the nomads as were Syria, or the Jazira. However, it was an area that played a vital and central role in the formation of the Islamic state later on. The participants in the conquest What was different and shocking in the participants of the conquest, is that when reinforcements were needed tribesmen who had joined Ridda against the Muslim community after Muhammad's death, were allowed to participate and establish their position in the Islamic system. The conquest of Iraq was therefore carried out by second class citizens as the elite class focused on conquering Syria. The reason behind the attack of Iraq The first attacks on Iraq were a follow up to the Ridda campaigns. The participants were the Ansar from Medina and Thaqafis from Ta'if. In addition, there were many tribesmen from the neighbouring areas of north east Arabia, Tamims and members of the Bakr b wail confederation, and there were also some from the southern Hijaz, Azdis and Bajalis under the command of their tribal leader, Jarir b. abd allah. The Persian empire was already weak before any muslim army had arrived, it was affected by the following factors: Heraclius's invasion of Iraq The death of khusrau the second in 628 The consequent civil war. Hence leaders were sent to Persia taking advantage of the position of the empire at that
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