Abdurrahman b. Khalid's Life, Personality and Activities

Abstract

Abdurrahman b. Khalid was the son of a famous companion Khalid b. Walid. He was one of the companions who attracted attention both for his usefullness in the Islamic conquests on the Syrian front in his young years, for his support in the struggle for power carried out by Mu’awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan in the following years, and for his succeses in the campaigns against Byzantium in Anatolia. However, his life and activities were overshadowed by other events and individuals in the history of Islam, and for this reason he became one of the lesser-known companions today. Abdurrahman, who spent his childhood in Mecca and part of his youth in Medina, grew up with the Prophet (pbuh) when he was eleven years old and became a companion. As soon as he was able hold a gun, he participated in the Islamic conquests with his father. At the age of eighteen in the battle of Yarmouk in 636, was aasigned to command a small military unit. It is understood that in the yars after the death of his father, he always stood by Mu’awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan. He took place on the side of Muawiya in the internal turmoils during the Caliphate Osman period and in the power struggle against Caliphate Ali, as a faithful person to Muawiya and he become one of his prominent men. Abdurrahman, who did not leave Mu’awiyah’s command throughout his life, commanded many raids that were sent to the Byzantine lands in Anatolia during Muawiya’s caliphate and put up a successful attacks. However, his successes later caused Muawiya to see him as a potential rival, and he was poisoned and killed on Muawiya's orders. In this study, based on the rumors about Abdurrahman, his historical identity will be tried to be revealed.