The Bani Asad tribe’s chief’s daughter, Khawla bint al-Azwar, and her family were early converts to Islam. Either Malik or Tariq Bin Aws is her father’s name. Her nickname was Al-Azwar. Her brother, Dirar, was the tribe’s poet and knight and was renowned for his sage advice. He was renowned for his sister’s accomplishments and for his devotion for her. The sister and brother were indeed so close that she travelled with him wherever he went. He taught her all the swordsmanship techniques, and she too developed into a flawless knight. Khawlah also had a talent for poetry, a noble skill.

Prior to the battle of Ajnadin, which took place not far from Jerusalem and during which Drear was captured after losing his spear and falling off his horse, little was known about her. She put on the armour of a male knight, took her arms, and rode her mare through the ranks of the Romans, using her sword deftly on anyone who attempted to stop her. She was admired greatly by the Muslim warriors, including their commander Khalid, who assumed she was a guy.

The Arab Historian, Al Waqidi, narrates in his book “The conquering of Al Sham (Greater Syria)”

Khalid observed a black-clad knight engaged in combat in Bayt Lahyah, close to Ajnadin, with a huge green scarf wrapped around his waist and concealing his breast. As an arrow, that knight flew through the Roman defences. Khalid and the others pursued the unidentified Knight, who they were curious about, and they engaged in combat.

A fighter was Rafe’ Bin Umayrah Al-Ta’if. He explained how the knight dispersed the opposing ranks by vanishing in the middle of them and then reappearing later with blood dripping from his spear. He swerved once more and repeatedly performed the act courageously. He was on the minds of the entire Muslim army, which was praying for his protection.

Khalid observed a black-clad knight engaged in combat in Bayt Lahyah, close to Ajnadin, with a huge green scarf wrapped around his waist and concealing his breast. As an arrow, that knight flew through the Roman defences. Khalid and the others pursued the unidentified Knight, who they were curious about, and they engaged in combat.

One of the fighters was Rafe’ Bin Umayrah Al-Ta’if. He explained how the knight dispersed the opposing ranks by vanishing in the middle of them and then reappearing later with blood dripping from his spear. He swerved once more and repeatedly performed the act courageously. He was on the minds of the entire Muslim army, which was praying for his protection.

Rafe and others believed he was Khalid, who achieved fame for his valour and brilliant military strategies. But all of a sudden, Khalid and other knights showed up. Rafe enquired of the leader:

“Who is that knight? By God, he has no regard for his safety!”

Khalid said that he didn’t know the man but that he was a man of great courage. They gazed in awe as the knight emerged, being pursued by other Roman knights. He would then circle around and finish off the closest before continuing his assaults.

The Romans ultimately lost the battle and left the area, leaving a large number of dead and wounded. Khalid searched till he located the knight. He was now bathed in blood. He requested him to take off his veil while praising him for his bravery. However, the knight remained silent and made an attempt to flee. The troops forbade him from doing that. And everyone pressed him for information about himself.

The knight responded in a feminine voice after realising there was no getting around that:

“My prince, I am shy thus I didn’t respond. You are a fantastic leader, and I am just a lady with a burning heart.”

“Who are you?” Khalid insisted.

“Khawlah Bint Al-Azwar is my name. I was among the women who were accompanying the army when I learned that the enemy had taken my brother, which prompted me to take the necessary action.”

Khawlah led the charge as Khalid gave the order to pursue the retreating Roman Army, frantically searching for her brother but to no avail. The outcome was clear by midday. The majority of the Roman soldiers died.

Since he knew the prisoners had to be somewhere, Khalid sent Khawlah and many knights to look for the prisoners. They were able to catch up with a Roman unit that was transporting the prisoners to their headquarters after a frantic chase. Following another conflict, all of the Roman guards were executed but the prisoners were kept alive.

Khawlah’s spear broke during another battle in Ajnadin, killing her mare and making her a prisoner. She was shocked to learn that the Romans had invaded the women’s camp and taken several of them prisoner. They were carried into Khawlah’s tent after their leader surrendered the detainees to his commanders. She became enraged and concluded that dying would be more respectable than continuing to live in shame. She urged the other ladies to stand together as one and fight for their freedom and honour, or perish. The others enthusiastically supported her plan. As she had directed, they formed a tight circle and attacked the Roman guards with the poles and pegs from the tents.
The other ladies followed Khawlah, who led the charge and used her pole to murder the first guard. Al Waqidi claims that they killed 30 Roman knights while being encouraged by Khawlah’s verses, which actually made the enemy’s blood boil.

The Roman Leader was furious about what had transpired and, after tempting the women with numerous promises, led a group of his knights in battle against them. He revealed to Khawlah his intention to wed her and elevate her to the position of first lady of Damascus. But she spoke to him coolly and with considerable disdain:

“I wouldn’t even accept you to be the shepherd of my camels! How do you expect me to degrade myself and live with you? I swear that I’ll be the one to cut off your head for your insolence.”

The ladies proved their mettle in the subsequent combat, holding their ground for a while, supporting one another, and pushing the assailants away with their long poles. Khalid and the troops arrived on the battlefield all of a sudden. The ensuing battle resulted in the deaths of almost 3000 Romans. The female warriors were happy to proclaim that Khawlah had slain five knights, including the one who had insulted her.

The Muslims were defeated by a far larger Roman army in a different battle. However, they did not run away for very long. When the troops tried to run away, Khawlah and the other ladies confronted them, questioned their bravery, and coerced them into rejoining the fight. The moment Khawlah drew her blade and took the lead in a counterattack, the men gasped in shock.

They swung their horses around and entered the fight, which was ultimately successful.

On that occasion, one of the knights present said:

“Compared to the Romans, our women were much rougher with us. We believed that returning to the battle and dying was far simpler than later having to deal with the wrath of our wives “.

Khawlah rose to fame during her lifetime and continues to do so today. She served as an example for both men and women of how to stand up for what they believe in and never give up.

, and her family were early converts to Islam. Either Malik or Tariq Bin Aws is her father’s name. His name was Al-Azwar. Her brother, Dirar, was the tribe’s poet and knight and was renowned for his sage advice. He was renowned for his sister’s accomplishments and for his devotion for her. The sister and brother were indeed so close that she travelled with him wherever he went. He taught her all the swordsmanship techniques, and she too developed into a flawless knight. Khawla bint al-Azwar also had a talent for poetry, a noble skill.

Prior to the battle of Ajnadin, which took place not far from Jerusalem and during which Drear was captured after losing his spear and falling off his horse, little was known about her. She put on the armour of a male knight, took her arms, and rode her mare through the ranks of the Romans, using her sword deftly on anyone who attempted to stop her. She was admired greatly by the Muslim warriors, including their commander Khalid, who assumed she was a man.

The Arab Historian, Al Waqidi, narrates in his book “The conquering of Al Sham (Greater Syria)”

Khalid observed a black-clad knight engaged in combat in Bayt Lahyah, close to Ajnadin, with a huge green scarf wrapped around his waist and concealing his breast. As an arrow, that knight flew through the Roman defences. Khalid and the others pursued the unidentified Knight, who they were curious about, and they engaged in combat.

One of the fighters was Rafe’ Bin Umayrah Al-Ta’if. He explained how the knight dispersed the opposing ranks by vanishing in the middle of them and then reappearing later with blood dripping from his spear. He swerved once more and repeatedly performed the act courageously. He was on the minds of the entire Muslim army, which was praying for his protection.

Rafe and others believed he was Khalid, who achieved fame for his valour and brilliant military strategies. But all of a sudden, Khalid and other knights showed up. Rafe enquired of the leader:

“Who is that knight? By God, he has no regard for his safety!”

Khalid said that he didn’t know the man but that he was a man of great courage. They gazed in awe as the knight emerged, being pursued by other Roman knights. He would then circle around and finish off the closest before continuing his assaults.

The Romans ultimately lost the battle and left the area, leaving a large number of dead and wounded. Khalid searched till he located the knight. He was now bathed in blood. He requested him to take off his veil while praising him for his bravery. However, the knight remained silent and made an attempt to flee. The troops forbade him from doing that. And everyone pressed him for information about himself.

The knight responded in a feminine voice after realising there was no getting around that:

“My prince, I am shy thus I didn’t respond. You are a fantastic leader, and I am just a lady with a burning heart.”

“Who are you?” Khalid insisted.

“Khawlah Bint Al-Azwar is my name. I was among the women who were accompanying the army when I learned that the enemy had taken my brother, which prompted me to take the necessary action.”

 

Khawla bint al-Azwar led the charge as Khalid gave the order to pursue the retreating Roman Army, frantically searching for her brother but to no avail. The outcome was clear by midday. The majority of the Roman soldiers died.

Since he knew the prisoners had to be somewhere, Khalid sent Khawlah and many knights to look for the prisoners. They were able to catch up with a Roman unit that was transporting the prisoners to their headquarters after a frantic chase. Following another conflict, all of the Roman guards were executed but the prisoners were kept alive.

Khawlah’s spear broke during another battle in Ajnadin, killing her mare and making her a prisoner. She was shocked to learn that the Romans had invaded the women’s camp and taken several of them, prisoner. They were carried into Khawlah’s tent after their leader surrendered the detainees to his commanders. She became enraged and concluded that dying would be more respectable than continuing to live in shame. She urged the other ladies to stand together as one and fight for their freedom and honour, or perish. The others enthusiastically supported her plan. As she had directed, they formed a tight circle and attacked the Roman guards with the poles and pegs from the tents.

The other ladies followed Khawla bint al-Azwar, who led the charge and used her pole to murder the first guard. Al Waqidi claims that they killed 30 Roman knights while being encouraged by Khawlah’s verses, which actually made the enemy’s blood boil.

The Roman Leader was furious about what had transpired and, after tempting the women with numerous promises, led a group of his knights in the battle against them. He revealed to Khawlah his intention to wed her and elevate her to the position of the first lady of Damascus. But she spoke to him coolly and with considerable disdain:

“I wouldn’t even accept you to be the shepherd of my camels! How do you expect me to degrade myself and live with you? I swear that I’ll be the one to cut off your head for your insolence.”

The ladies proved their mettle in the subsequent combat, holding their ground for a while, supporting one another, and pushing the assailants away with their long poles. Khalid and the troops arrived on the battlefield all of a sudden. The ensuing battle resulted in the deaths of almost 3000 Romans. The female warriors were happy to proclaim that Khawla bint al-Azwar had slain five knights, including the one who had insulted her.

The Muslims were defeated by a far larger Roman army in a different battle. However, they did not run away for very long. When the troops tried to run away, Khawla bint al-Azwar and the other ladies confronted them, questioned their bravery, and coerced them into rejoining the fight. The moment Khawlah drew her blade and took the lead in a counterattack, the men gasped in shock.

They swung their horses around and entered the fight, which was ultimately successful.

On that occasion, one of the knights present said:

“Compared to the Romans, our women were much rougher with us. We believed that returning to the battle and dying was far simpler than later having to deal with the wrath of our wives “.

Khawla bint al-Azwar rose to fame during her lifetime and continues to do so today. She served as an example for both men and women of how to stand up for what they believe in and never give up.

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