07/10/2026
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07/10/2026
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An illustrative anecdote about corruption occurred in Lebanon in the 1950s and gained notoriety throughout the Arab world. The tale unfolds as follows: A school principal wed the sister of the janitor at his school. This familial connection prompted the principal to prioritize the interests of his brother-in-law over the welfare of the community. Whenever a teacher was absent, he would instruct his brother-in-law to step in and teach the class. Over time, without oversight or accountability, the principal made the janitor a permanent teacher at the school.
Eventually, the principal was promoted as regional director for education, then he appointed his brother-in-law as the new school principal. As years passed by, the former principal ascended to the Minister of Education position, subsequently promoting his brother-in-law to Director for Education. The ‘janitor’ now has a luxurious office, a car, servants, and a retinue of inspectors and teachers who fawned over him. Newspapers lay on his desk, waiting for him to leaf through them each day. One day, while browsing a newspaper, his eyes fell on the headline: “Minister of Education decides to form committees to evaluate employees’ credentials and their academic qualifications.”
The ‘janitor’ was engulfed in panic and confusion. He was afraid that his secret would be exposed, because he had no degree qualifying him for his current position. He contacted his kinsman, the minister, and said, “You know I have no degree and this decision to evaluate credentials will expose me.” The minister laughed and replied, “Do not worry, Mr. Director, I have appointed you head of the evaluation committees.” When the Arabs defeated the Persian Empire In the year 12 AH (633–634 CE), a remarkable military clash unfolded, marking a pivotal moment in history. An expansive empire, which had wielded its power in the East for centuries, confronted an unstoppable force, which was commanded by a man who had never tasted defeat -- Khalid ibn Al-Walid, known as the ‘Unsheathed Sword of Allah’.
The Sassanids were confident they could overpower the Arabs in their desert homeland, unaware that they were stepping on a meticulously crafted trap set by Khalid. The Persian loss at the Battle of Dhat al-Salasil was not just a temporary setback, it was a devastating blow that alerted the Persian court to an imminent threat encroaching upon the core of their territory. Upon finding out the defeat of his army at Al-Madhār, Ardashir sent a Persian commander named Andarzgar and ordered Bahman Jādhūyah to follow with a second army. Andarzgar gathered a force consisting of locals from Al-Sawād and Arabs loyal to Persia, then advanced toward Al-Walajah.
Persia aimed to stop Khalid before his incursion into Iraq could develop into a more serious danger. Andarzgar, a Persian commander from Al-Sawād, assembled a diverse army, including Iraqis and Persians. Meanwhile, Bahman Jādhūyah was advancing with a separate army on a different route. The plan posed real danger for Khālid’s forces -- two Persian armies and a Persian commander converging in a region they believed would mark the end of the Muslim advancement. When he heard about Andarzgar’s arrival at Al-Waljah, Khālid marched toward the site, anticipating the confrontation. Throughout the field, Andarzgar marshaled his ranks, waiting to see the next move of the commander who unsettled the land of Iraq.
A man renowned for possessing the strength of a thousand warriors stepped out from the Persian ranks. He advanced alone to the center of the battlefield and declared a challenge for one-onone combat. Khālid ibn Al-Walīd stepped forward to meet him and the two men clashed in the middle of the field. The duel ended with the death of the Persian warrior. This encounter marked a turning point in the mood of the battlefield. After the duel, the fighting intensified and both sides were pushed to the limits of their endurance. It was at this point that Khalid’s plan began to unfold. As the Muslims retreated, Andarzaghar—believing the army was weakening—pushed the Persian forces further into the center of the battlefield.
They were unknowingly swallowing the bait and walking straight into a trap. Just as the Persians thought victory was within reach, the moment Khalid waited for came -- ambush forces emerged from both flanks led by Sarim on one side and Sa’id on the other, while Khalid struck from the front. Caught between attacks from the front and the rear, the Persian ranks crumbled and their forces scattered. In the ensuing chaos, soldiers could not even see their comrades falling beside them. It was a total defeat. Andarzaghar fled into the wilderness in search for water, only to die of thirst. This was not the end, but just another step in the long fight. The Battle of Walaja was more than just a battlefield victory, as it demonstrated how a commander could transform the strength of an enemy into fatal weakness.
Khalid fought from the front while concealing his ambush force in the rear. When the decisive moment arrived, the trap snapped. This is one of the most renowned engagements of Khalid ibn Al-Walid during the conquest of Iraq. Yet, Walaja was not the final chapter of the campaign. When many Christian warriors from the Banu Bakr and Banu Wa’il tribes—who fought beside the Persians at Walaja—were killed, their kin gathered at Ullais and sought Persian support. This led to another battle, famously known in historical accounts as the ‘Battle of the River of Blood’.