The Tent-Pole at Yarmuk
Khawla bint al-Azwar was the sister of the warrior Dhirar ibn al-Azwar. At the great day of Yarmuk, when the Muslim right wing broke and fled back to the women’s encampment, Khawla and the other women pulled the tent-poles out of the ground and turned them upon the retreating men, driving them back into the fight. Khawla, of all voices, shamed them with verses of poetry:
“Fliest thou, recreant, from virgins pure — / and from flying arrows shalt thou death endure!” 1 Al-Farooq · pp. 209 — Shibli Nomani — Khawla bint al-Azwar shames the retreating men at Yarmuk with verses; the sister of Dhirar.
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Life Timeline
c. 605 CE
Of Banu Asad
Sister of Dhirar ibn al-Azwar.
13 AH
At Yarmuk — rallies the men with verse and a tent-pole
References
- Al-Farooq — Shibli Nomani — at Yarmuk, the women pull up tent-poles; Khawla, sister of Dhirar, rallies the fleeing men with verses pp. 209