Battle of Marj Rahit (634)

The Battle of Marj Rahit (Arabic: معركة مرج راهط) was a minor conflict fought between the Ghassanid Arab allies of Byzantine Empire and the Rashidun army under the command of Khalid bin Walid in April 634. The morning after the Battle of Huwwarin, Khalid moved his army of 9000 towards Damascus.

Approximately 20 miles from Damascus there lies a pass with an elevation of 2000 feet above the surrounding countryside. The associated ridge is part of the range known as Jabal-ush-Sharq, which is an offshoot of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and runs in a north-easterly direction to Tadmur. The pass itself, although not formidable, is quite long. Khalid stopped at the peak and planted his standard. As a result of this action, the pass became known as Saniyyat-ul-Uqab (ثنية العقاب), i.e. the Pass of the Eagle, after the name of Khalid's standard.

From that place, Khalid moved his army to Marj Rahit, a large meadow near the current city of Adra, northwest of Damascus.^[1]