The Battle of Yarmouk in Western Historical and Military Studies:An Analytical Study of Islamic Military Strategy (636 CE)

Abstract

This study examines the Battle of Yarmouk (636 CE) as a pivotal moment in the history of the Islamic conquests and the geopolitical reconfiguration of the ancient Near East. The research is anchored by a central problem: to what extent does modern Western scholarship diverge from classical Islamic historiography in explaining the factors of the Muslim victory, and what methodological contribution does Western scholarship offer to the understanding of Khalid ibn al-Walid's military strategy? The study employs a critical analytical historical methodology following numbered procedural steps, using a systematic comparison matrix between the two narrative traditions, and applying modern military-analytical principles.

The study concludes that the Muslim victory was not the product of any single factor but the outcome of a multidimensional strategy combining intelligent terrain exploitation, flexible coordination between army wings, and adaptive command genius in crisis management. It also reveals that Western scholarship has undergone a qualitative methodological shift from early Orientalist approaches to modern critical historiography that integrates archaeological evidence, Syriac, and Armenian sources alongside Arabic sources. The most significant points of convergence between the two traditions concern the centrality of Khalid ibn al-Walid's role, while major divergences relate to the numerical estimates and the evaluation of the Byzantine command.