Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

1) March on Baytul Muqaddas (Jerusalem)
Part 4
Baytul Muqaddas
After the Muslim armies had been in Damascus for a month, AbU 'Ubaydah •
summoned all the generals and said, "Advise me as to what I should do and where I
should turn my attention to."
It was decided between either Caesarea or Baytul Muqaddas.
AbU 'Ubaydah ~ : So which of the two should it be? .
Generals: You are the trusted one. Wherever you go we will follow.
Mu 'ath bin Jabal. :Write to 'Umar bin al-Khagab, the Commander of the Believers.
Go wherever he tells you to and seek Allah's help.
AbU 'Ubaydah ss- ; 0 Mu'ath, your view is sound.
So he wrote to him to inform him that he had resolved upon going either to Caesarea or
Baytul Muqaddas and asked which of the two he should invade. 'Umar ss read the
letter out to the Muslims and asked for their views.
'Ali. :0 Commander of the Believers, order your man to go to Baytul Muqaddas
to besiege her and fight her people. This is the best option. Thereafter, if Allah Most
High wills, He will conquer Caesarea, This is what Rasulullah 8told me.
'Umar es :You have spoken the truth, AbU al-Hasan,
He then wrote the following letter:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
From: Allah s slave, 'Umar bin al-Khatjdb
To: His governor over Syria, AbU 'Ubaydah
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