Khalid Ibn Al Walid (529-642AD), who was a companion of Prophet Mohammed, wrote: “In a battle that took place in Beit Lahia near Ajnadin, I watched a knight brake through the Byzantine ranks like an arrow.” Khalid and the others followed her and joined battle.”

That black-clad knight was the Muslim Arab woman warrior Khawlah bint Al Azwar. Born in the seventh century in the area that today comprises Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, Khawlah’s beauty, bravery and poetry stood the test of time and become the stuff of legend.

“The mysterious warrior pounced on the enemy like a mighty hawk on a tiny sparrow in an attack that wreaked havoc in the Byzantine lines,” wrote the historian.

Khawlah was a daughter of one of the chiefs of the Bani Assad tribe, and had fought in many battles, and one of her more famed conquests is this battle as described by the historian, where she rode over to save her brother, Dirrar ibn Al Azwar, a commander in his own right, after he was captured by the Byzantine forces.

The Arabic and Islamic worlds are rich in tales of martial prowess, nobility, mercy and diplomacy, inspiring me to shine light on their powerful female figures and bring them back from the margins of history.

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01 work, PORTRAIT OF A LADY, Henry Zaidan’s “I watched a knight brake through the Byzantine ranks like an arrow”, with Footnotes. #237

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