Editing Abu Bakr (section)

=== Expedition of Usama bin Zayd ===
{{Main|Expedition of Usama bin Zayd}}

In 632, during the final weeks of his life, Muhammad ordered an expedition into Syria to avenge the defeat of the Muslims in the [[Battle of Mu'tah]] some years previously. Leading the campaign was [[Usama ibn Zayd]], whose father, Muhammad's erstwhile adopted son [[Zayd ibn Harithah]], had been killed in the earlier conflict.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ahmad |first=Fazl |title=Heroes of Islam Series - Abu Bakr, the first caliph of Islam |date=1961 |page=42}}</ref> No more than twenty years old, inexperienced and untested, Usama's appointment was controversial, becoming especially problematic when veterans such as Abu Bakr, [[Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah]] and [[Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas]] were placed under his command.<ref name=PowersP27>{{Cite book |last=Powers |first=David S. |title=Muhammad Is Not the Father of Any of Your Men - The Making of the Last Prophet |date=2011 |page=27 |publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania Press]] |isbn=9780812205572 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KH2FUBSOQ8kC&pg=PA27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |first=Hasan M. |last=Balyuzi |author-link=Hasan M. Balyuzi |title=Muḥammad and the Course of Islám |date=1976 |page=151}}</ref> Nevertheless, the expedition was dispatched, though soon after setting off, news was received of Muhammad's death, forcing the army to return to Medina.<ref name=PowersP27/> The campaign was not reengaged until after Abu Bakr's ascension to the caliphate, at which point he chose to reaffirm Usama's command, which ultimately led to its success.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 March 2016 |title=The Expedition Of Usama Bin Zayd |url=https://discover-the-truth.com/2016/03/21/the-expedition-of-usama-bin-zayd/ |access-date=22 June 2024 |website=discover-the-truth.com |language=en}}</ref>