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90-549: The two sets of arches mark the entrances to an area known as Zawra Park . In 1986 (two years before the war's end) the government of Iraq began the construction of a festival and parade ground in Zawra Park, near the extensive presidential complex in the center of Baghdad. Known as Grand Festivities Square , it comprised a large parade ground, an extensive review pavilion and a large reflecting pool. The surrounding grassy areas hosted Iraqis during military parades. Adding to

180-548: A hadith prophesied by Muhammad during the Hegira , Muhammad promised Suraqa the bracelets of Yazdegerd. Shortly after Sa'd conquered al-Mada'in, Umar ordered him to stabilize the conquered area before chasing down the Sassanid forces that fled to the mountains. Sa'd heard that the people of Mosul had gathered at Tikrit under a figure named al-Antioch. Al-Antioch had gathered some Byzantine men as his allies, along with

270-561: A hunger strike until he left Islam, but he did not heed her threat and she finally yielded due to his insistence. Chroniclers reported that Muhammad told Sa'd that God praised his firmness in his faith, but also told him to be kinder to his mother, as filial piety is an important virtue in Islam . Sa'd's brother Amir also converted, prompting their mother to undergo another hunger strike, which likewise failed to deter her son. According to Ibn Hisham 's version of Ibn Ishaq's sira , Sa'd and

360-590: A minor reconnaissance operation under Ubayda ibn al-Harith in Rabigh shortly before the Battle of Badr , the team caught the attention of opposing Qurayshi fighters that began to chase them. Sa'd and his team immediately ran away, with some accounts stating that he performed a Parthian shot as he retreated. The team returned to Medina unscathed, and Sa'd prided himself on allowing the Muslim scouts to survive. During

450-480: A 20 year closure. Al-Mansour Cinema , al-Mansour Theater and the Fine Art Hall, which were cultural locations in the square before it was closed in 2003, were rehabilitated and opened to the public. Over time, the square attracted a more artistic legacy. The restoration of the square was in hopes of returning of the cultural role that Baghdad used to play in the past, specifically before 2003. The square will be

540-642: A captive to bring back to Sa'd. According to Tulayha, the horses belonged to Rostam. He rejoined ibn Ma'adi and they returned to Sa'd to tell him about the number of enemy forces. The major battle in al-Qadisiyyah was preceded by a successful minor engagement against a portion of Sassanids in Uzaib. While the Battle of Qadisiyyah occupies an important place in Islamic history for its symbolism in Persia's fall to

630-413: A concept sketch made by president Saddam Hussein. The design consists of a pair of massive hands emerging from the ground, each holding a 43-metre-long (141 ft) sword. However, al-Rahal died in 1987, before the monument was completed, and another eminent Iraqi sculptor, Mohammed Ghani Hikmat , assumed control of the project. Both sculptors worked in close collaboration with Saddam Hussein. The monument

720-569: A dozen men, including Sa'd, the muhajirun warrior Talha , the Medinan swordsman Abu Dujana , and about six or seven Ansari soldiers. The group was surrounded by enemy cavalry under Khalid as the Muslim fighters formed a close defensive formation and Sa'd shot his arrows next to Muhammad, who suffered an injury to his shoulder. The outnumbered and encircled Muslims fought until most of them were killed, except Muhammad, Talhah, Abu Dujana, and Sa'd, who tried to assist his comrades with his bow, despite

810-585: A group of Sassanid forces on the plain of Masabzan  [ fa ] . Sa'd informed Umar of this, and Umar sent an army led by Dhiraar ibn al-Khattab , Al-Hudhayl Al-Asadi, and Abd Allah ibn Wahb al-Rasibi . This force successfully defeated the Sassanids in Masabzan and captured one of their commanders. Sa'd named Dhiraar an administrator of the Masabzan area. Umar then ordered the troops in Kufa to assist

900-466: A heavy tide at the time and crossing it without boats was impossible for the Rashidun forces. Sa'd was forced to wait until they could cross the river. He grew frustrated, as he was informed by locals that Yazdegerd III was going to move the treasury from al-Mada'in to Hulwan . That morning, Sa'd changed his mind and told the army that he was willing to take the risk, and the entire force should cross

990-431: A large parade ground, an extensive review pavilion and a large reflecting pool. The surrounding grassy areas hosted Iraqis during military parades. Adding to the festive appeal of the grounds were three refreshments booths that sold ice cream, cold beverages, and candy. The then leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein commissioned three major public artworks for the area. These artworks were to be memorials to Iraq's fallen soldiers,

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1080-434: A man named Syaharijah and Arab Christian warriors from the tribes of Iyad , Taghlib , and an-Nimr. Sa'd wrote a letter to Umar about this news, and Umar replied by ordering him to launch a preemptive attack on Mosul. Sa'd appointed Abdullah ibn Mu'tam as the commander of the forces set to attack Mosul, with Rib'i bin al-Afkal al-Inazi as the vanguard. Sa'd appointed Al-Harith ibn Hassan on the right wing, Furat ibn Hayyan on

1170-433: A model for the design of the hands. Toward the end of the project, after Ghani had taken over, the sculptor personally took an impression of one of Saddam's thumbs, and the resulting fingerprint was added to the mold for one of the arches' thumbs. At the time, Iraq did not have a foundry sufficiently large to cast the sculpture, leading to much of it being made abroad. The arches were made by an international consortium led by

1260-487: A new garrison city or misr . The new misr was formally called Jund al-Kufah, which was a complex for the Muslim soldiers who settled in that area permanently along with their families. Sa'd made Kufa his permanent headquarters. After Sa'd settled into Kufa, he instructed Hashim ibn Utbah to bring his forces towards locations in Khuzestan centered around Ahvaz to face Hormuzan , a fugitive commander who survived

1350-771: A number of other Muslims were criticized by a group of polytheists in Mecca . This criticism prompted Sa'd to wound one of the polytheists with a camel bone, which Ibn Ishaq deems "the first blood to be shed in Islam". According to the Fath al-Bari of Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani , Sa'd migrated to Medina before Muhammad along with Ibn Umm Maktum and Mus'ab ibn Umayr , where he continued to practice Islam. As Sa'd and his siblings arrived in Medina, they immediately pledged allegiance to Muhammad. The Meccan migrants were termed muhajirun , while

1440-508: A pair of outstretched arms which appear to be exploding out of the ground, each holding a sword which meet at a central point. The swords, which are made of stainless steel, are based on the weapons carried by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas , the Arab leader at the Battle of Qadisiyya. A small flagpole rises from the point where the swords meet, about 40 metres (130 ft) above the ground. Al-Rahal used photographs and plaster casts of Saddam's forearms as

1530-452: A public citadel next to his own house. The noise from the nearby market was so deafening that Sa'd had locked the gate to the citadel, which prompted the caliph to send ibn Maslamah to destroy the gate, which he did by setting fire to it. He refused all of Sa'd's offers of hospitality, and handed him a missive from Umar reminding him that the citadel should be available to the public, suggesting that he move his house. According to Asad Ahmed,

1620-586: A remembrance of Iraq's pain and suffering as a consequence of the Iran-Iraq war and symbols of Iraq's victory in the war. The Monument to the Unknown Soldier , based on a concept by Iraqi sculptor, Khaled al-Rahal , and situated just beyond the perimeter of the square, had already opened in 1982. Hussein commissioned another monument and a major work, the Victory Arches , another concept by

1710-469: A sack loaded on a mule. They were immediately confiscated by Zuhra, who brought them to Sa'd. They found the palace abandoned. Sa'd sent Salman to preach Islam in the subdued megalopolis . In the month of Safar, he gathered his troops to carry out Friday prayers in the palace. According to Ibn Shamil, this was the first Friday prayer established in country of Iraq, as Sa'd had intended to live in this palace. Sa'd appointed Amr ibn Amr al-Muzani to manage

1800-472: A sense of national pride, and at the same time immortalize Saddam Hussein's reputation as a powerful leader. In 2007, the new Iraqi government wanted to demolish the Victory Arch monuments and the decision was approved by former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki , however, this decision drew strong backlash from protestors. Al-Maliki's approval was challenged by US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad , who blocked

1890-530: A triumphalist narrative in relation to the Iran-Iraq war, has assumed a broader symbolism and represents those Iraqis who fell in any war throughout the country's history. The monument was not destroyed during the Gulf War , though General Norman Schwarzkopf wanted to remove it. The arches remain standing in what is now the International Zone of Baghdad . In February 2007, it was reported that

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1980-629: A unit. The official name of the arches, the Swords of Qādisiyyah , is an allusion to the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah in 636 CE, when Arab armies defeated the Sasanian Empire and captured their capital of Ctesiphon , where an arch marks the entrance to the ancient imperial palace. Zawra Park was home to the Museum of Gifts to the President and a performing arts center. The museum was located on

2070-471: A vow to kill his own brother, Utbah ibn Abi Waqqas, who fought on the side of the enemy, as Utbah had injured Muhammad during the encirclement. Along with Abu Bakr, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh , Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Bilal ibn Rabah , Abbad ibn Bishr , and Abu Ayyub al-Ansari , Sa'd was a member of the Haras (personal bodyguard) unit of Muhammad. When Muhammad and Aisha participated in military expeditions, Sa'd

2160-467: Is also featured on the 100 dinar banknote for 1991. 33°18′18.6″N 44°23′11.27″E  /  33.305167°N 44.3864639°E  / 33.305167; 44.3864639 Grand Festivities Square Great Celebrations square ( Arabic : ساحة الاحتفالات الكبرى , romanized :  Sahat al-Ahtifalat al-Kubra ) is the main square for public celebrations in Baghdad with a stadium for

2250-430: Is depicted as causing Rostam to lose his patience, causing him to prepare his army for battle. As Rostam's army marched to the battlefield, Sa'd sent a dozen horsemen as scouts, led by Tulayha and Amr ibn Ma'adi Yakrib , who disguised themselves as Iraqi locals. They were to ride deep into Sassanid territory and to the outskirts of Ctesiphon to gather intel regarding Rostam's forces. After two days of traveling,

2340-424: Is one of Baghdad's most photographed monuments. Visitors who stand in a specific location can be photographed as if their own hands are holding the swords. The hands, which are hollow, present visitors with another photo opportunity- many troops and other coalition visitors have climbed up inside them to look out from the point at which the swords meet the hands, generally to have souvenir pictures taken. The monument

2430-460: The Banu Tamim . The date of the battle and the size of the forces involved both vary from source to source; modern historians only assert that the Sassanids outnumbered the invaders. Scholars have proposed that the battle took place in 636 or 637, with some suggesting an earlier date of 634 or 635. While the details of the battle are unlikely to be historically accurate, the different versions of

2520-452: The Battle of Burs . Sa'd met a force of Firuzan , which the caliphate army defeated easily. Then the forces under Sa'd marched again until they met more Sassanid resistance in Sawad . The Sasanids were defeated after their leader, Syahriyar, was defeated in a duel by a Muslim soldier named Abu Nabatah Naim al-Raji, who was given the crown and bracelets of Syahriyar as spoils of war. After

2610-528: The Battle of Jalula . Al-Qa'qa was appointed as vanguard, Malik ibn Si'r as right wing, Amr ibn Malik on the left, and Amr ibn Murrah al-Juhani as rearguard. The Rashidun troops sent to Jalula numbered 12,000 soldiers, which included veteran warriors from the muhajirun and Ansar from the tribal chiefs of the interior Arabs. It is said that the Muslims managed to seize spoils in the form of treasures, weapons, gold and silver which amounted to almost as much as

2700-399: The Battle of Yarmuk . The first envoy was Asim ibn Amr al-Tamimi , who was humiliated when Rostam gave him a basket filled with dirt, to which Asim responded with mocking commentary that the Sassanids "agreed to give their lands to Muslims" before returning to the Muslim army to report. Sa'd then sent al-Mughira , who gave Rostam three choices: embrace Islam, surrender peacefully, or meet on

2790-866: The Expedition of Tabuk , Sa'd was recorded as participating in all battles under Muhammad, including the Battle of the Trench , the Expedition of al-Muraysi' , the Siege of Khaybar , the Conquest of Mecca , the battles in Hunayn and Awtas , and the Siege of Ta'if . When Muhammed died and Abu Bakr was named the first caliph, the Ridda Wars broke out throughout the Arabian Peninsula . Abu Bakr dispatched his elite forces under Usama ibn Zayd to pacify

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2880-742: The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah. Utbah ibn Gahzwan also prepared his troops from Basra to the assist forces of Hashim. They won the battle and forced Hormuzan to flee from the area. Later, Umar learned that Yazdegerd mustered another army to attack the city of Basra. The caliph ordered Sa'd to send his troops to Ahvaz under the command of Al-Nu'man ibn Muqrin to confront this threat. Umar ordered Sa'd to appoint Jarir ibn Abdillah al-Bajili, Jarir ibn Abdillah al-Humairi, Suwaid ibn al-Muqarrin, and Abdullah bin Dzi as-Sahmain as field commanders. Umar wrote another letter to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari in Basra to send troops to Ahvaz under

2970-645: The German foundry H+H Metallform. The blades of the stainless steel swords weigh 24 tons each. Cast in Iraq, they are partly composed of metal from guns and tanks of Iraqi soldiers killed in the Iran-Iraq war. The hands and arms of the monument are of bronze, cast in the United Kingdom at the Morris Singer foundry. The arms rest on concrete plinths , the form of which make the arms appear to burst up out of

3060-487: The Muslim army, Islamic sources provide little information about the battle itself, focusing instead on heroic tales of fighters and tribes. Modern scholars hold that most details in works like al-Tabari 's History of the Prophets and Kings consist of embellishments, with narrators recounting legendary tales of their fellow tribesmen, such as Sayf ibn Umar 's emphasis on the heroics of al-Qa'qa , both of them members of

3150-459: The Muslims formed a phalanx . A hadith states that in the midst of battle Sa'd prayed for his arrow to hit the enemy while stringing his bow, with Muhammad also praying for God to grant Sa'd's wish. Biographers noted that Sa'd's archery skills were troublesome for the Qurayshi forces during the Battle of Badr. According to another hadith, he also joined the close combat during the final phase of

3240-464: The Rasidun army attempted to cross the torrent without boats. The Sassanids attempted to intercept the crossing by sending their cavalries, but Asim on the vanguard easily repelled them by instructing his archers to aim for their horses' eyes, causing the blinded horses to move uncontrollably. The Sassanids abandoned their horses and ran on foot. As they ran, Asim commanded his forces to catch them. By

3330-418: The Sassanid capital Ctesiphon . He rearranged his army again to the five-division formation. He appointed Zuhra ibn Hawiyah to the vanguard, which marched first to the north, and replaced Khalid ibn Arfatha with Hashim ibn Utbah, his step-nephew, as his deputy. Khalid was reappointed as the rear guard commander. As the vanguard reached Borsippa , Zuhra defeated the remnants of Sassanid army under Busbuhra in

3420-444: The Sassanid commander who led a massive army to confront the caliphate, deliberately marched slowly as a strategy to cause Sa'd's army to lose their patience and incite a battle. However, al-Muthanna advised Sa'd to move to the periphery of Iraq's desert and avoid moving their army deep into Sassanid territory. Sa'd agreed, and he instructed his army to move according to al-Muthanna's advice. Sa'd engaged in routine correspondence with

3510-526: The army could be dispatched from Medina, a message from the Iraq front arrived, stating that Abu Ubayd was killed in action during the Battle of the Bridge and the Rashidun soldiers were forced to withdraw to south-west Iraq. This development caused Umar to change his plans, instructing Sa'd to march to Iraq with 6,000 soldiers, while also instructing the Rashidun armies in Iraq to merge with Sa'd's forces,

3600-470: The army in Emesa, where Abu Ubaydah and Khalid ibn al-Walid were besieged by a Christian Arab army under the command of Heraclius . Sa'd sent al-Qa'qa and several thousand cavalries as reinforcements. As the besiegers of Emesa were repelled, Umar ordered al-Qa'qa to return to Iraq. In 638, Umar sent Muhammad ibn Maslamah to Kufa, as he heard of scandals involving Sa'd. Sa'd, the governor of Kufa, had built

3690-509: The army marching towards Dumat al-Jandal to crush several Bedouin rebels there. Khuzestan Central Persia Caucasus Pars Khorasan Other geographies In 636, after the ascension of Umar ibn al-Khattab as caliph , he sent Sa'd to lead a corps towards Iraq to assist Abu Ubayd al-Thaqafi in the Muslim conquest of Persia . Al-Basalamah stated that Umar gathered 12,000 soldiers in Medina to serve under Sa'd. Before

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3780-455: The battle as the Muslims began to gain the upper hand. He killed a Qurayshi champion named Sa'id ibn al-As and retrieved a sword known as Dha al-Kutayfah ( ذا الكُتَيفَة ), which he presented to Muhammad as a prize of war. Sa'd also reportedly managed to capture two Qurayshi soldiers during this battle. Later historians dubbed Sa'd the first Muslim archer for his actions during this battle. His teenage brother Umayr asked to participate in

3870-420: The battle do share a few commonalities, including the absence of Sa'd himself from the battlefield, attributed to hemorrhoids or pox in various sources, and the death of the enemy commander Rostam. Al-Tabari's account of the fighting has formed the basis for many modern-day attempts to reconstruct the events of the battle. According to Sa'd al-Ubaisi's reconstruction of the battle based on al-Tabari's work,

3960-470: The battle occurred over four days, with Sa'd overseeing the battle from a tent overlooking the battlefield and the Sassanids relying upon their elephant corps : Multiple stories about the death of Rostam were presented in Tabari's works. According to one version of his death, there was a heavy sandstorm facing the Sassanid army on the final day of the battle. Rostam lay next to a camel to shelter himself from

4050-435: The battle, but Muhammad refused him due to his young age. Umayr continued to ask for permission to fight and was eventually granted it; he died in the course of the battle. At the Battle of Uhud , Sa'd served in an archer regiment. As the Muslim army gained the upper hand, they were routed by a flanking maneuver by Khalid ibn al-Walid . The Muslim forces scattered, and Muhammad was separated from his soldiers except for about

4140-520: The battlefield. Al-Mughira, trying to provoke Rostam, broke a sword that had been given to him as a gift. Sa'd then sent Rib'i ibn Amir, a Bedouin chieftain with no sense of courtesy, in order to confuse the Sassanids. Rib'i entered Rostam's chamber with his mule, dirtying the tent carpet and shocking Rostam's court. He gave Rostam three choices: embrace Islam, pay jizya to the caliphate, or war. Rib'i stated that his superiors would give Rostam three days to think, and returned to Sa'd. The sending of Rib'i

4230-550: The caliph Umar . During the First Fitna , Sa'd was known for leading the neutral faction that contained the majority of the companions of Muhammad and their followers , who refused to be involved in the civil war. Traditions of Chinese Muslims hold that he introduced Islam to China during a diplomatic visit in 651, though these accounts are disputed. Sunni historians and scholars regard Sa'd as an honored figure due to his companionship with Muhammad, his inclusion as one of

4320-522: The central government in Medina, as Sa'd diligently wrote about all developments, major and trivial, and sent at least two messengers every day to Umar. The caliph responded with a message that forbade Sa'd from preemptive attacks. According to Tabari's account, the Persian faction of the Sassanid civil war that steered the policies of the young Yazdegerd III was at odds with Rostam, the commander of

4410-435: The close combat. Sa'd resorted to firing multiple arrows at once in the dire situation. Realizing how Sa'd was affecting the enemies, Muhammad gathered arrows for him and stood next to him while he continuously shot, allowing the encircled Muslims to retreat. As they managed to escape, Muhammad praised Sa'd for his actions. Later, after Muhammad killed one of the remaining enemy pursuers with his javelin , Sa'd uttered

4500-415: The command of Sahl ibn Adi, and instructed him to include powerful fighters such as al-Bara' ibn Malik , Asim ibn 'Amr, Mujaz'ah ibn Thawr as-Sadusi , Ka'b ibn Sur, Arfajah ibn Harthamah, Hudhayfah al-Bariqi , Abdurrahman ibn Sahl, al-Hushain ibn Ma'bad under the command of Abu Saburah ibn Abi Ruhm. This army successfully defeated the Sassanids and conquered most of Khuzestan. Hormuzan once again gathered

4590-442: The defeat in al-Qadisiyyah. The army of Mihran dug a large ditch around them as a defense and dwelt in that place with a number of troops, supplies, and equipment. Sa'd requested further instruction from Umar, and the caliph ordered Sa'd to stay in al-Mada'in and appoint Hashim ibn Utbah as the leader of the troops to attack Jalula . Sa'd executed these instructions and sent Hashim to lead the Rashidun troops to engage Mihran forces in

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4680-512: The demolition on 21 February. The monument was then restored by the government in 2011 as a sign of reconciliation. The Square has become a place for public demonstrations and protests. In April–May, 2016, following a protracted political struggle between to end sectarianism in politics, a large crowd gathered at Grand Festivities Square in a non-violent protest. In June 2023, the Grand Festivals Square has been reopened after

4770-418: The empire's most powerful army. Rostam urged patience and protracted warfare instead of outright assault on the Arab troops and exchanged letters with Zuhra ibn Hawiyah with the intention of making peace. Zuhra stated that if the Sassanids converted to Islam, the Arab armies would withdraw and return only to Persia as merchants. Parvaneh Pourshariati speculates that this points to trade being a motivation behind

4860-494: The festive appeal of the grounds were three refreshments booths that sold ice cream, cold beverages, and candy. Three monuments were constructed to remember Iraq's pain and suffering as a consequence of the eight-year war. The Victory Arch was the last of the three structures to be built, and it followed on from the construction of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, (1982) and Al-Shaheed Monument (1983). The three monuments form

4950-553: The forces of Arfajah , who brought 400 to 700 Azd cavalry, Jarir ibn Abdullah of al-Bajali and al-Muthanna ibn Haritha of the Banu Shayban , as those three commanders have just defeated the Sassanid vanguard in the Battle of Buwaib . Umar appointed Sa'd as the commander and placed the other three under his command. Sa'd scavenged the Rashidun soldiers left in Iraq during his marches until he managed to collect 30,000 soldiers. According to al-Basalamah, Rostam Farrokhzad ,

5040-552: The fortified Green Zone , and the site was specifically selected for its symbolic value. Iraqis generally believe it is the same location where the Muslim Arabs defeated the Persians in 636 CE and this historic event is seen to be the beginning of Islamic domination of the region. The site was intended to become the place where military parades and national events would be held. Known as Grand Festivities Square , it comprised

5130-494: The ground floor of the grand reviewing pavilion where Saddam was known to review the Republican Guard while firing a weapon in the air. The museum contained ordinary items donated by Iraqis during his rule. Items included cheap plastic ornaments and drawings donated by Iraqi children. Iraq's leading sculptor , Khaled al-Rahal , won the commission to design and execute the construction of the arches, which were based on

5220-417: The ground. Each plinth holds 2500 helmets (a total of 5,000 helmets) which, Saddam claimed, belonged to Iranian soldiers killed during the war; they are held in nets which allow them to spill onto the ground beneath. The monument has a number of elements, each made from different construction materials: The monument has been described as "kitch, totalitarian art." It was restored in 2011. The Victory arch

5310-528: The heads of the state in the center of the Parade avenue. The square is home to three important public monuments created by leading mid-20th century sculptors. In 1986 (two years before the war's end) the Iraqi Ba'athist government began construction of a festival and parade ground in al-Zawra'a Park , near the extensive presidential complex in the center of Baghdad. The square is located near al-Harthiya and in

5400-419: The invasion of Persia. Tabari's narrative states that Rostam was prepared to convert in order to avoid military confrontation, but other factions in the Sassanid government refused to agree to such terms, and battle became an inevitability. Islamic sources state that Sa'd sent a series of hostile emissaries to taunt Rostam while waiting to receive reinforcements sent by Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, who had just won

5490-703: The left wing, and Hani ibn Qais and Arfajah on the cavalry, with Arfajah the first to reach Tikrit. After they were finished in Tikrit, ibn Mu'tam sent Rabi'i ibn al-Afkal and Arfajah to subdue Nineveh and Mosul before the news about Antiqa's defeat in Tikrit spread. Arfajah and ibn Mu'tam forced a surrender from both cities and subjected them to jizya. As Yazdegerd fled to Hulwan, he gathered soldiers and followers in every territory passed until he mustered more than 100,000 soldiers and appointed Mihran as their commander. According to John Paul C. Nzomiwu, Yazdegerd raised this massive army from Hulwan because he could not accept

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5580-533: The local inhabitants of Medina were known as the Ansar . While in Medina, Sa'd was involved in most of the military operations mounted by the Muslims against the Quraysh of Mecca. His first operation occurred nine months after the migration, when he was tasked with leading 20 men to raid a Qurayshi caravan that passed Kharrar , located between Al-Juhfa and Mecca. This expedition failed, as the caravan escaped. During

5670-824: The main hosting spot for festivals and artistic activities. It is also hoped that newer Iraqi generations would be familiar with the cultural aspects of the area. Al-Mansour Cinema was given to the Iraqi Cinema Company, a company established in 2011 to organize cinemas in the country. The cinema includes one hall and hundreds of seats. The Fine Art Hall includes hundreds of artistic works, including plastic art . 33°18′20.46″N 44°22′58.80″E  /  33.3056833°N 44.3830000°E  / 33.3056833; 44.3830000 Sa%27d ibn Abi Waqqas Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas ibn Wuhayb al-Zuhri ( Arabic : سَعْد بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاص بْنِ وهَيْب الزُّهري , romanized :  Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ ibn Wuhayb al-Zuhrī )

5760-505: The march to Badr , Muhammad sent Sa'd, Ali , and Zubayr ibn al-Awwam to scout the enemy's movements, as the Muslim army that marched from Medina originally intended to capture the rich caravan of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb instead of facing the main forces of the Meccan Quraysh under Abu Jahl ibn Hisham . According to a chronicle, Sa'd's first feat of archery occurred during the Battle of Badr, in approximately 624. In this battle,

5850-452: The mission, but Tulayha wished to wait for one more day. Tulayha instigated a one-man raid during the night and infiltrated the rear encampment where Rostam's tent was located. He infiltrated the Sassanid camp under the cover of darkness, cut the ropes of the tents, and used torches to ignite fires within the camp. This created chaos in the camp, killing two Sassanid soldiers. As the confused army plunged into chaos, Tulayha took two horses and

5940-413: The monument away as souvenirs. The decision to remove the monument, made by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki , was challenged by US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad , who blocked the demolition on 21 February. The government of Iraq reversed its earlier plans to demolish the monument. In February 2011, Iraqi authorities began the restoration of the monument as a sign of reconciliation. The monument consists of

6030-601: The new Iraqi government had organized the Committee for Removing Symbols of the Saddam Era and that the Arc of Triumph monument had begun to be dismantled, which drew protests from Iraqi and preservationist groups. The demolition began on Tuesday, 20 February 2007. At that time, 3-metre (10 ft) chunks had been cut out of the bronze monument. Numerous Iraqi bystanders and coalition troops were seen taking helmets and bits of

6120-450: The northern border, while he gathered the rest of the army, including Sa'd, to engage the rebel invaders led by Tulayha in the Battle of Zhu Qissa . Ibn al-Jawzi and Nur ad-Din al-Halabi recorded that Sa'd instead joined the Expedition of Usama bin Zayd along with Umar , Sa'id ibn Zayd , Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah , and Qatada ibn al-Nu'man . After the rebels were routed, Sa'd joined

6210-460: The rift between Shi'a and Sunni Muslims . The monument, although presenting a triumphalist narrative in relation to the Iran-Iraq war, has assumed a broader symbolism and represents those Iraqis who fell in any war throughout the country's history. The three monuments in the vicinity of the square form a visual and symbolic unit. The construction of the three artworks was part of a broader Ba'athist government program to beautify Baghdad, install

6300-582: The river of Ateeq, where they were subject to further slaughter by the Tamim cavalry led by Zahra ibn Hawiyah. News of the battle spread through Iraq, and many cities that had rebelled against the caliphate succumbed to it again. Sa'd immediately sent news of his victory to Medina, where the caliph gathered the city's people to inform them of the victory. Shortly after the victory in Qadisiyyah, Sa'd commanded his forces to march again, as he aimed to subdue

6390-479: The river with their mounts despite the high tide. Sa'd reasoned that they needed to subdue al-Mada'in immediately and deny Yazdegerd any chance to use his wealth to build another army. The soldiers were hesitant, as the river torrents were fierce, but as Sa'd motivated them they complied, and one by one they plunged themselves into the river and crossed it. Ibn Kathir reported that the Sassanids in al-Mada'in castle yelled "Crazy! They are crazy!", unable to believe that

6480-459: The scouts spotted the first vanguards of the army, which they estimated at 70,000. Tulayha and ibn Ma'adi sent the scouts to report their findings to Sa'd, while Tulayha and ibn Ma'adi continued to gather intel by themselves. They managed to trace the second and third waves, which they believed to be the center and rear of the army, numbering 100,000 and 70,000 respectively. Medieval chronicles reported that ibn Ma'adi wanted to return, having achieved

6570-476: The sculptor, Khaled al-Rahal, to be built in the same vicinity and it was inaugurated in 1989. The Victory Arches mark the entrances to the square. On the day the arches were dedicated (8 August, 1989), Saddam rode under the arches astride a white horse. It is generally acknowledged that Hussein intended to cast an allusion to the slain Islamic martyr Hussein , killed in Karbala in 680 CE , whose death caused

6660-427: The seizure of money and instructed the soldiers to instead offer the people a choice between converting to Islam or paying jizya . Sa'd sent Salman the Persian to offer the locals these two choices. This was received well by the locals, except the citizens of Bahurashir, who resisted behind their walls. Sa'd besieged the city and built 20 trebuchets to subdue the suburb. The city garrison sent raiding forces outside

6750-607: The soldiers in al-Mada'in became sick because they were not used to the non-desert climate of al-Mada'in, which was characterized by medieval chroniclers as a highly urbanized megalopolis with dense forest features. Umar sent Ammar ibn Yasir and Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman to assist in Iraq and began searching places fit for the Arab army's settlement. Utbah ibn Ghazwan and Arfajah built a garrison town in Basra , while Sa'd moved towards what would become Kufa. He transported and dismantled walls and military structures from al-Mada'in to build

6840-436: The spoils from Jalula. The complaint caused the caliph to recall Sa'd for questioning, while the caliph ordered a major investigation regarding the accusation towards Sa'd. After the Arab armies had settled in al-Mada'in, Umar learned that many of the soldiers who had settled in Iraq were ill. The soldiers reported that they were sick because they resided "in a place that was not fit for camels". Later historians theorized that

6930-459: The spoils, and Salman to distribute a fifth of the spoils to the soldiers. Because the army consisted of mounted soldiers, each soldier got at least 12,000 silver dirhams . The rest were sent to Medina with Bayir ibn al-Khasasiyah. When the wealth of the Sassanids reached Medina, Umar gave the golden bracelet of Yazdegerd to Suraqa bin Malik , a Kinana tribesman from Banu Midhlaj, as according to

7020-436: The storm, while some weapons, such as axes, maces, and swords had been loaded on the camel. Hilal ibn Ullafah accidentally cut the girdle of the load on the camel, not knowing that Rostam was behind and under it. The weapons fell on Rostam and broke his back, leaving him half-dead and paralyzed. Hilal beheaded Rostam and shouted that he killed Rostam. Ibn Kathir's version also states that Hilal killed Rostam. Another version of

7110-465: The story, attributed to Ya'qubi , states that a group including Dhiraar ibn al-Azwar, Tulayha, and Amr ibn Ma'adi Yakrib discovered Rostam's corpse. After Rostam's death, al-Qa'qa and his Tamim cavalry were surrounded behind enemy lines, while the Muslim army carried out Sa'd's order to advance. Most of the Sassanid forces broke as the Muslim archers attacked them relentlessly. As the Sassanid casualties mounted, they were finally routed and fled towards

7200-490: The ten to whom Paradise was promised , and his participation in the Battle of Badr , whose participants are collectively held in high esteem. Sa'd was one of the first to accept Islam . He was seventeen years old when he accepted Islam, although Ibn Abd al-Barr reported that Sa'd embraced it at age nineteen. It was said by Ibn Ishaq that Sa'd was one of several individuals invited to Islam by Abu Bakr . Sa'd's mother opposed her son's conversion and threatened to go on

7290-416: The time they reached the Sassanid capital, Sa'd recovered from his sickness. When the whole army had crossed the river, they immediately chased after the Sassanids who had fled to al-Mada'in. The army was unable to find them, and Yazdegerd had evacuated his entire family and much of his property from the city. The army managed to secure al-Mada'in 's treasury, and also found Yazdegerd's crown and gown in

7380-432: The town was pacified, Sa'd continued to march again until they pacified one of the Sassanid capital's suburbs, Behrasir . Sa'd used the city as a military headquarters, while he sent smaller companies to gather intel. These small raiding parties did not find any hostile forces but brought 100,000 dirhams seized from local farmers. This prompted Sa'd to inform the caliph about his soldiers' conduct. Umar replied by forbidding

7470-615: The treasures they found in al-Mada'in and more than they received from Ctesiphon. After the operation in Jalula, Umar ordered Hashim ibn Utbah to stay in Jalula, while al-Qa'qa should continue to pursue Yazdegerd to Hulwan. Al-Qa'qa clashed against another Sassanid force in Hulwan led by Kihran ar-Razi, who al-Qa'qa personally slaid in battle, while another Sassanid commander, Fairuzan, managed to escape. As Yazdegerd raised further resistance forces, Sa'd's troops under Arfajah chased them, sending

7560-489: The vanguard led by a Tamim warrior named Hurqus ibn Zuhayr as-Sa'di (known as Dhu al-Khuwaishirah at-Tamimi , the first Kharijite in history. ) to face them. Hurqus managed to crush Yazdegerd's army under Hormuzan in Ahvaz (now known as Hormizd-Ardashir ). The massive spoils of war which were acquired earlier now became a major problem for Sa'd due to complaints received by the caliph regarding Sa'd's uneven distribution of

7650-460: The wall to stop the trebuchets. Their efforts were repelled by Zuhra, who suffered injuries in protecting the machines. The siege continued until the garrison of Bahurashir suffered from supply and food shortages, which caused them to abandon Bahurashir and cross the Tigris River toward al-Mada'in . After the garrison left, Sa'd entered the abandoned Bahurashir. The Tigris was undergoing

7740-474: Was an Arab Muslim commander. He was the founder of Kufa and served as its governor under Umar ibn al-Khattab . He played a leading role in the Muslim conquest of Persia and was a close companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . Sa'd was the seventh free adult man to embrace Islam , which he did at the age of seventeen. Sa'd participated in all battles under Muhammad during their stay in Medina . Sa'd

7830-404: Was built as part of a broader program to beautify the city of Baghdad and to create public works that would help to instil a sense of national pride within the population. Baghdad is now dotted with monuments, including Al-Shaheed Monument and Monument to an Unknown Soldier, and many other statues, fountains and sculptures; all constructed between 1969 and 2003. The site selected for the monument

7920-515: Was famous for his leadership in the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah and the conquest of the Sasanian capital Ctesiphon in 636. After the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah and the Siege of Ctesiphon (637) , Sa'd served as the supreme commander of the Rashidun army in Iraq , which conquered Khuzestan and built the garrison city of Kufa. Due to complaints about his conduct, he was later dismissed from his post by

8010-676: Was the one who guarded their tent at night. Sa'd became one of the most important members of Medina's Muslim political and religious community after he participated in the Pledge of the Tree , as those who participated in the pledge were collectively praised in the Al-Fath . On the same day as the pledge, Sa'd also witnessed the ratification of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah that created a ceasefire or non-aggression pact between Medina and Mecca. Until

8100-560: Was where Arabs defeated the Sasanians, a Persian empire, and is generally seen to be the beginning of Islamic domination of the region . On the day the monument was dedicated in 1990, Saddam rode under the arches astride a white horse. It has been suggested that this was an allusion to the slain Shi'a martyr Husayn ibn Ali , killed in Karbala in 680, whose death caused the rift between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. The monument, although presenting

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