Revision as of 07:15, 14 September 2008

In 628, After the defeat and death of Khosrau, Heraclius came as victor into Jerusalem. The Jews of Tiberias and Nazareth, under the leadership of Benjamin of Tiberias, changed sides and joined him as allies. It is said that the Emperor would have kept peace with them had not fanatic monks instigated him to a massacre. Only a few Jews escaped into Egypt or sought refuge in caves and in forests.^[1] In atonement for the violation of an oath to the Jews, the monks pledged themselves to a fast, which the Copts still observe.^[2] Heraclius is said to have dreamed that destruction threatened the Byzantine Empire through a circumcised people. He therefore proposed to destroy all Jews who would not become Christians; and he is reported to have counseled Dagobert, king of the Franks, to do the same.^[3] In the Tiburtine Sibyl said that the Jews of the Byzantine Empire would be converted in one hundred and twenty years (by 628 CE).^[4]

In 630 CE, the Prophet, with 10,000 Islamic warriors, captured Mecca without resistance. After claiming the religious center of the Ka'aba, the Prophet was now the spiritual and military leader of all Arabia and all muslims. For the first time, the various militias of Arabia were able to gather together under one leader, not even under Dhu Nuwas was there this amount of unity. It might have ended here, but with increased pressure from the Judaic tribes of Arabia, and constant assurances from Shallum, that the Exilarch's people would come to the aid of the Prophet, the horizons of Islam began to grow.

The first goal outside Arabia was to save the Jews of Israel from Byzantine slaughter.^[5] Shallum may also have dreamed of Jerusalem as his capital. The troops assembled "from Havilah to Shur."^[6] All the remnants of the sons of Israel assembled and united with the Arabs and became a large force. Under the command of Ali and Shallum, they entered the Sinai, opposite Egypt. The Byzantine army was encamped in Arabia (trans-Jordan). The Muslims fell upon them suddenly, struck them with the sword and put to flight Emperor Heraclius' brother, Theodosius. Then the Muslims turned and encamped in Arabia (trans-Jordan).^[7] After this first victory against an international army, the Prophet sent letters to all rulers of the world explaining Islam. In his letter to Heraclius, he demanded that he relinquish Israel. He dispatched a message to the Byzantine emperor, saying: "God gave that country as the inherited property^[8] of Abraham and of his sons after him. We are the sons of Abraham. It is too much that you hold our country. Leave in peace…" The Emperor rejected this. He did not provide a fitting response to the message but rather said: "The country is mine. Your inheritance is the desert [Arabia]. So go in peace to your country."^[9] Just before he fell sick, the Prophet had given orders for an expedition to Israel. Usama ibn Zeid led a contingent of soldiers as far as Yavneh near modern day Tel Aviv.^[10]

References

1. ↑ Eutychius, ii. 241
2. ↑ While the Syrians and the Melchite Greeks ceased to keep it after the death of Heraclius; Elijah of Nisibis ("Beweis der Wahrheit des Glaubens," translation by Horst, p. 108, Colmar, 1886) mocks at the observance.
3. ↑ Pertz, "Monumenta Germaniæ Historica," i. 286, vi. 25; compare Joseph ha-Kohen, "'Emeḳ ha-Baka," tr. Wiener, p. 5
4. ↑ Sackur, "Sibyllinische Texte," p. 146, Halle, 1898, seems to refer to these occurrences, since about one hundred and twenty years elapsed from the time of the Persian war under Anastasius, in 505, to the victory of Heraclius in 628. It has been thought that several Jewish apocalypses refers to this expedition of Heraclius against the Jews.
5. ↑ Sefer Zerubavel
6. ↑ "Sebeos' History", Chapter 30. The text is corrupt here. The citation is from Genesis 25.18], and they set out from the P'arhan desert [being] twelve tribes [moving] in the order [of precedence] of the Houses of the patriarchs of their tribe. They were divided into 12,000 men, of which the sons of Israel were in their own tribes, 1,000 to a tribe, to lead them to the country of Israel. They travelled army by army in the order [of precedence] of each patriarchy: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah [Genesis 25. 13-16]. These are the peoples of Ishmael. They reached Moabite Rabbath, at the borders of [124] Ruben's [land].
7. ↑ "Sebeos' History", Chapter 30
8. ↑ "Sebeos' History", Chapter 30. [i kaluats zharhangut'ean]
9. ↑ Ibid.
10. ↑ Al-Tabari