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Abd al-Rahman ibn Rabi'a | |
|---|---|
| Native name | عبدالرحمن بن ربيعة |
| Nickname(s) | Dhu'l-Nun or Dhu'l-Nur |
| Died | 652 Balanjar |
| Allegiance | Rashidun Caliphate |
| Battles / wars | Muslim conquest of Persia Arab–Khazar wars † |
| Relations | Salman ibn Rabiah |
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Rabīʿa al-Bāhilī (Arabic:عبد الرحمن بن ربيعة الباهلي) was a prominentArab general of theRashidun Caliphate, who led the Arab forces during theFirst Arab–Khazar War and the early Islamic conquests of the 7th century. He served under the Rashidun Caliphate and led expeditions that aimed to expand Muslim control northward. He led significant battles and encounters with the Khazar Khaganate. His campaigns in the Caucasus were marked by both military successes and setbacks, reflecting the challenges of warfare in the mountainous terrain. Abd al-Rahman's died in 652 along with 4,000 of his men, following a siege on the city ofBalanjar.
A member of theBahila tribe, Abd al-Rahman ibn Rabi'a was also known asDhu'l-Nur orDhu'l-Nun after his sword.[1] He was the older brother ofSalman ibn Rabi'a.[1] He served withSa'd ibn Abi Waqqas at theBattle of Qadisiyya against theSassanid Persians, and then as aqadi at the Arabgarrison town ofKufa until 641.[2]
From 642 until his death in 652, Abd al-Rahman was active in the Muslim advances into theCaucasus region.[2] In the sources, his activities there are often confused with those of Salman, who also served in the area.[2] In 642, he led the vanguard of Suraqa ibn Amr, who was charged with the conquest of the strategically located Persian fortress ofDerbent.[2] According to theHistory of the Prophets and Kings ofal-Tabari, the Persian governor of Derbent, Shahrbaraz, offered to surrender the fortress to the Arabs and even to aid them against the unruly native Caucasian peoples, if he and his followers were relieved of the obligation to pay thejizya tax. The proposal was accepted and ratified by CaliphUmar (r. 634–644).[3]
Suraqa died soon after, and Abd al-Rahman remained in command at Derbent, which became an Arab base of operations against the powerfulKhazarKhaganate to the north.[2][1] Against the advice of Shahrbaraz, over the following years, he led raids north of Derbent, into the vicinity of the Khazar town ofBalanjar and against various tribes of theNorth Caucasus, of which few details are recorded.[4][5] Al-Tabari reports that in 643, Abd al-Rahman advanced as far as al-Bayda on the Volga, which in later times was the Khazar capital. Both this dating and the improbable claim that the Arabs suffered no casualties have been disputed by modern scholars.[6]
In 652, he led a major assault on Balanjar, and besieged the city. Abd al-Rahman and his army were met by a large Khazar force and wereannihilated. Abd al-Rahman and 4,000 of his men died, the rest fleeing toDerbent under the command of his brother, Salman.[7][8] This defeat marked the end of theFirst Arab–Khazar War.[1]
After his death, the Khazars reportedly kept his body in a cauldron and venerated it, claiming that it could be used to bring rain or drought, and ensured victory in war.[1][5] In later local tradition, Abd al-Rahman and Salman became known as Ibrahim and Salman Bahili, who in 661/2 fought against the "Emperor of China".[2]
