The Political Role of the Sons and Grandsons of Khalid ibn al-Walid in the Islamic State from the Era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs until the End of the Umayyad Period (11–132 AH, 632–749 AD)

Abstract

This study aims to elucidate the political roles in the Islamic state of the sons and grandsons of Khalid ibn al-Walid. It highlights the issue of preserving the lineage of Khalid ibn al-Walid and his progeny, and the political roles of his sons: Abd al-Rahman, Sulaiman, and Al-Muhajir, as well as the political roles of his grandsons: Khalid ibn Al-Muhajir, Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman, Khalid ibn Abd al-Rahman, and his cousin Abd al-Rahman ibn Khalid ibn Khalid. The study reached several key findings, including that Abd al-Rahman ibn Khalid ibn al-Walid governed Homs, was appointed by Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, and was well-regarded among them. Despite Khalid ibn Al-Muhajir's dislike for the Umayyads, he was not a political supporter of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr; instead, he aligned with Ibn al-Hanafiyyah, maintaining neutrality between the Umayyads and Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. There was scholarly debate over Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Khalid ibn al-Walid's appointment as governor of Yemen by Ibn al-Zubayr, but the majority opinion was that he was in fact the governor of Yemen. The loyalties of Khalid ibn al-Walid's sons and grandsons were not uniform; some supported Ali ibn Abi Talib, others Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, some were proponents of the Umayyads, and others sided with Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. The study's recommendations include raising awareness of the roles of famous companions' descendants in shaping the policy of the Islamic state, educating our children about the greatness of Khalid ibn al-Walid and his sons, and their political role in state-building. It emphasizes learning from history to build the present, as there is no present without a past.