Khālid ibn Saʿīd ibn al-ʿĀṣ (خالد بن سعيد بن العاص; d. 634 CE), often known by his kunya Abu Sa'id, was a prominent Qurayshi companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, hailing from the Banu Umayya clan. Recognized in tradition as one of the earliest converts to Islam, Khalid served Muhammad as a scribe and administrative agent, managing affairs such as the collection of the zakat from the Madhhij tribe. Following Muhammad's death, he initially withheld his allegiance from Abu Bakr over political disagreements regarding the succession before later serving as a military commander during the early campaigns of the Rashidun Caliphate in Syria, where he was ultimately killed.
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Early life and conversion
Khalid was the son of Sa'id ibn al-'As (known as Abu Uhayha) of the Banu Umayya clan, and Hind bint al-Mughira of the Banu Makhzum clan. He migrated to Abyssinia with his wife, Umaymah bint Khalaf, also referred to by the names Amana or Humayma. During their time in Abyssinia, he acted as Umm Habiba's wali (guardian) during her marriage ceremony to Muhammad. He served as a scribe for Muhammad, primarily handling administrative matters. He eventually returned from Abyssinia alongside his brother, Amr, and Ja'far ibn Abi Talib. Following his return, Muhammad appointed him to collect the zakat (alms) from the Madhhij tribe.
Political views and allegiance
Upon returning to Medina from Yemen, Khalid delayed his pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr for one month following the latter's succession. This refusal was based on his view that the rights to the Caliphate belonged to the Banu Abd Manaf, encompassing both the Hashim and Abd Shams clans. His brother, Aban ibn Sa'id, also refused to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr in solidarity with the Banu Hashim, only doing so once they had decided to pledge theirs. In historical and sectarian tradition, Khalid is categorized among the early supporters of Ali ibn Abi Talib; these individuals understood certain statements attributed to Muhammad as indicating that Ali was qualified for the leadership of the Muslim community.
Military career and death
In 633, Khalid was appointed by Abu Bakr as a commander for the expedition into Syria. Khalid dispatched a messenger to inform the caliph of his movements, and Abu Bakr responded with an order for Khalid to advance while avoiding deep infiltration into Byzantine territory to prevent his army from being cut off. Khalid marched towards the border and arrived near Al Qastal, where he met the Byzantine army regrouped under the Armenian general Vahan. In the ensuing engagement, the Muslims gained the upper hand and defeated the Byzantines, though they sustained heavy casualties. Khalid subsequently requested reinforcements, and Abu Bakr dispatched elite warriors from Yemen led by prominent commanders such as Dhu al-Kala and Ikrima ibn Amr.
Once the supplementary Yemeni troops arrived, Khalid sought to exploit his earlier victory and advanced rapidly toward Damascus. When the Rashidun army approached, Vahan feigned a retreat toward Damascus to draw Khalid deeper into Syria. At Marj al-Saffar, Vahan's forces suddenly turned to counterattack while hidden troops emerged to surround the Muslim flanks. During the unexpected ambush, Khalid's son, Sa'id, was killed. Khalid fled the battlefield as his forces routed, but Ikrima rallied 6,000 warriors to execute an effective fighting retreat, preventing total annihilation.
Following the disaster at Marj al-Saffar, Khalid retreated with a small group of survivors to Wadi al-Qura. Abu Bakr subsequently permitted commander Shurahbil ibn Hasana to travel to al-Qura and absorb most of Khalid's surviving troops into his own retinue, effectively ending Khalid's independent command. On the evening preceding a later engagement, Khalid married Umm Hakim bint al-Harith ibn Hisham and was killed in the ensuing battle.
Children and family
Khalid had two children born during his time in Abyssinia: Sa'id and Ama. His daughter, Ama bint Khalid, married Al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, to whom she bore two sons, Amr and Khalid; she was referred to as Umm Khalid. His son, Sa'id ibn Khalid, served as a squadron commander during the later Battle of the Yarmuk. Sa'id and his men were killed by Roman troops while seeking to secure the frontier.