Where did the Battle of Qadisiyya take place, and who was victorious in it?
The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah took place in Muharram of the year 14 AH in Iraq, led by Sad ibn Abi Waqqas. The Muslim army comprised more than thirty thousand fighters, while the Persian army, led by Rustam Farrokhzad, numbered one hundred and twenty thousand. The battle lasted four days:
1. The Day of Armāth: Fighting began with Sad ibn Abi Waqqas suffering from a boil, which forced him to manage the battle from his bed. The Muslims faced difficulty due to the Persian elephants, but Asim ibn Amr ordered the cutting of the elephants' howdah straps, causing those upon them to fall, which led to the elephants' retreat. 2. The Day of Aghwāth: Reinforcements for the Muslims arrived from Syria, led by al-Qaqa ibn Amr and Hashim ibn Utbah. Their number was six thousand fighters, which boosted the morale of the Muslims, especially after al-Qaqa's duel and his killing of some Persian leaders. The Muslims were victorious on this day due to the absence of the elephants. 3. The Day of Imās (The Night of al-Harīr): The Persians redeployed the elephants, but al-Qaqa and Asim succeeded in blinding Shapur's elephant and cutting its trunk. Others did the same to another elephant, causing the elephants to turn back on the Persian army. The fighting continued fiercely until night during a night called the Night of al-Harīr, ending in a Muslim victory. 4. The Day of al-Qadisiyyah: The fighting continued in the morning. The Muslims penetrated the Persian ranks, and a storm blew away Rustam's tent. Hilal ibn Alqamah pursued Rustam and killed him, leading to the flight of the Persians and their crushing defeat. Approximately 8,500 Muslim fighters were martyred, and over fifty thousand Persians were killed.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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