The dismissal and death of Khalid ibn al-Walid refer to the dismissal of the prominent Muslim commander Khalid ibn al-Walid from the army by Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab around 17 AH (638 CE) and his death in 21 AH (642 CE). Known for his victories in the Ridda Wars and the early Muslim conquests of the Levant and Iraq, Khalid was dismissed due to disputes over his distribution of war spoils and concerns that the Muslim community might rely too heavily on his leadership.

His death, widely attributed to illness, is disputed in historical sources, with accounts placing it in either Homs, Syria, or Medina, Arabia. Despite earlier tensions between them, Umar later recognized Khalid’s vital contributions to Islam, and Khalid’s death was mourned as a profound loss to the early Muslim community.

Khalid was dismissed from his military command in 17 AH (638 CE) by Umar. Historians such as Ibn Asakir and Ibn Kathir, as well as reports preserved in the works of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, attribute this decision primarily to differences in financial administration, particularly regarding Khalid’s handling of war spoils.^[1][2][3] Reports from late 638 CE indicate that Khalid had allocated portions of the spoils from his campaigns in Syria, including a share for Al-Ash'ath ibn Qays.^[4] This distribution raised concerns in Medina, prompting Umar to order Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah to investigate the matter publicly. Although the interrogation found no wrongdoing on Khalid’s part, Umar had already decided to dismiss him regardless of the outcome.^[5] Following the interrogation in Homs, Khalid addressed his troops in Qinnasrin and Homs to bid them farewell before being summoned to Medina.^[6] During a council meeting in Jabiya that same year, Umar apologized and clarified his decision, stating that while Khalid had been instructed to distribute wealth among the less privileged Muhajirun, he instead allocated it to the strong, the noble, and the eloquent.^[2] This decision to dismiss Khalid faced opposition from Khalid’s cousin, Abu Amr ibn Hafs ibn al-Mughirah, who alleged that Umar’s actions stemmed from envy and overlooked Khalid’s military authority as granted by Muhammad. Umar firmly rejected the accusation.^[7][2] According to Ibn Kathir, Khalid’s dismissal was primarily due to his lenient approach to distributing wealth during military campaigns.^[3]

Beyond financial matters, another critical reason for Umar’s decision was his concern that Muslims had grown overly dependent on Khalid's military successes, potentially attributing victories to him rather than to divine support.^[8] To clarify his intentions, Umar later addressed the provinces with the following statement:

I did not remove Khalid out of anger or suspicion of betrayal, but because people had become too enamored with him. I feared they would rely entirely on him and be tested through him. I wanted them to know that Allah is the true doer of all things and to prevent them from falling into temptation.^[9]

This concern became evident during Abu Ubayda’s siege in the Levant, where his forces initially struggled without Khalid.^[10] Later, when Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman brought news of victory, Umar expressed gratitude to Allah but also anticipated that some would regret Khalid’s absence.^[10] This perspective was further underscored during Khalid’s dismissal, when Umar recited a verse to him, acknowledging his achievements while reminding him that all matters are governed by Allah.^[9]

Despite the dismissal, Umar continued to hold Khalid in high regard, contradicting claims by some modern Western historians who suggest his decision stemmed from personal resentment. As recorded by al-Tabari and Ibn Asakir, Umar reassured Khalid: "O Khalid, by Allah, you are honorable in my eyes and beloved to me. From this day on, you will never have cause to blame me for anything."^[9][11][12]

Khalid’s tomb is claimed to be situated within the Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque in Homs, Syria.

The alleged tomb of Khalid, located inside the Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque

Historical records predominantly agree that Khalid succumbed to illness in 21 AH (642 CE), though accounts vary regarding the precise location of his death.^[13][14] This divergence has given rise to two primary narratives, each supported by early Islamic historians and offering distinct perspectives on Khalid’s final moments and burial. Sayf ibn Umar narrates that Khalid remained in Medina until Umar believed that public attachment to Khalid had diminished, after which Umar planned to reinstate him to military command upon his own return from Hajj pilgrimage.^[15] While Umar was away, Khalid fell gravely ill while visiting his mother and returned to Medina, where she cared for him until he passed away. Upon learning of Khalid’s condition, Umar hurried back from Hajj, covering a three-day distance in a single night, but arrived after Khalid had passed away. He mourned his death and remained at his door until the burial preparations were complete.^[15] At the funeral, Abū Ḥudhayfa Isḥāq ibn Bishr Qurashī, and Sayf ibn Umar recount that Khalid's mother recited a eulogy:

Upon hearing her words, Umar proclaimed three times that no woman could give birth to a man like Khalid.^[16] Although certain traditions attribute to Umar a general prohibition against wailing, historical narratives suggest he himself grieved deeply at Khalid’s death. ^[17] The women of the Banu Makhzum, observed a mourning period lasting seven days, during which they expressed their sorrow by tearing their garments and striking their faces. Some even shaved their heads as a mark of grief, actions Umar permitted so long as they refrained from excessive lamentation.^[17]

On the other hand, al-Waqidi, Ibn Sa'd, and Al-Dhahabi assert that Khalid died in Homs. Their accounts describe how Umar, while present at the Quba Mosque in Medina, received news of Khalid’s demise from Yemeni pilgrims who had settled in Homs. These travelers reported that Khalid had passed away on the very day of their departure from the city. Umar wept, repeating the Islamic invocation “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we return” several times, and prayed extensively for Khalid's mercy, then say: "By Allah, he was a shield against the enemy, blessed in his leadership.^[18][19] Ibn Hajar corroborates the existence of these two traditions, noting one view that Khalid died in Homs and another that he passed away in Medina, with Umar attending his funeral.^[20]

According to an authentic narration recorded by Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak and Al-Dhahabi, when death approached, Khalid is reported to have said:

I sought martyrdom on the battlefield, but it was decreed that I would die in my bed. There is no deed of mine that has given me greater hope, after La ilaha illa Allah (There is no God but Allah), than a night spent on my horse, bearing my shield, while the sky rains upon me, waiting for dawn until we attack the Kuffar (disbelievers). When I die, look at my weapons and my horse, and use them in preparation [for Jihad] in the cause of Allah.^[21][22][15]

After Khalid’s death, Umar appeared to reconsider his treatment of him, reportedly regretting either Khalid’s dismissal^[23] or the harsh way he had treated him, realizing he had been wrong. He had dismissed Khalid partly due to his generosity with wealth, but upon learning that Khalid had left behind only his horse, servant, and weapons, he admitted that he had misjudged him.^[19][24] Later, he described Khalid’s death as an irreplaceable loss to Islam, stating: "A great breach has been made in Islam, one that cannot be mended."^[25][26] When someone pointed out that his opinion of Khalid during his lifetime had been different, Umar replied: "I regret what I did to him."^[25] Additionally, he expressed regret that Khalid had not lived longer, saying: "By Allah, if only he had remained alive as long as a single stone remained in al-Hima^[a](the protected grazing land).^[26]

Khalid, however, had already forgiven Umar. During his final illness, he confided in Abu Darda, recognizing Umar’s importance to Islam but also warning that after Umar’s passing, changes would come that Abu Darda would not approve of.^[27] He then added:

At first, I resented Umar for some of the things he did. But as I lay ill and reflected, with the presence of Allah before me, I realized that Umar had only sought Allah’s will in all his actions. I resented him when he sent someone to divide my wealth with me, taking even a single sandal while leaving me with the other. But then I saw that he did the same with others who had precedence in Islam and had fought at Badr. He was harsh with me, yet I saw that he was just as harsh with others. I thought my family ties^[b] to him would matter, but I realized that he cared nothing for kinship or the blame of others when it came to Allah. That was what erased any grievance I had against him. He rebuked me often, but it was always for the sake of the people. I was in the midst of battle, seeing things firsthand, while he was absent, ruling from afar—so I acted differently than he would have. Despite this, I have entrusted my will, my estate, and the execution of my final wishes to Umar ibn al-Khattab.^[28]

Some time after Khalid's death, Hisham ibn al-Bukhtri and a group from Banu Makhzum visited Umar. Umar asked Hisham to recite a poem in Khalid’s honor, but after hearing it, he remarked that the praise was insufficient.^[19] Umar then said:

May Allah have mercy on Abu Sulayman (Khalid). He truly loved to humiliate polytheism and its people. Whoever rejoices at his misfortune exposes himself to the wrath of Allah. What is with Allah is better for him than what he had in this world. He indeed lived as one highly praised and died as one deeply missed...^[29]

According to a narration reported by Ibn Asakir, before Umar's death, he was asked to appoint a successor. Umar replied that if Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Muadh ibn Jabal, or Khalid were alive, he would have chosen one of them as caliph.^[30][31]

• Athamina, Khalil (1994). "The Appointment and Dismissal of Khālid b. al-Walīd from the Supreme Command: A Study of the Political Strategy of the Early Muslim Caliphs in Syria". Arabica. 41 (2): 253–272. doi:10.1163/157005894X00191. JSTOR 4057449.
• Juynboll, Gautier H.A., ed. (1989). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XIII: The Conquest of Iraq, Southwestern Persia, and Egypt: The Middle Years of ʿUmar's Caliphate, A.D. 636–642/A.H. 15–21. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-88706-876-8.