MILITARY PERSONNELS from Saudi Arabia

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Saudi Arabian Military Personnels of all time. This list of famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnels is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Saudi Arabian Military Personnels.

1. Khalid ibn al-Walid (592 - 642)

With an HPI of 79.41, Khalid ibn al-Walid is the most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 63 different languages on wikipedia.

Khalid ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughira al-Makhzumi (Arabic: خالد بن الوليد بن المغيرة المخزومي, romanized: Khālid ibn al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra al-Makhzūmī; died 642) was a 7th-century Arab military commander. He initially led campaigns against Muhammad on behalf of the Quraysh. He later became a Muslim and spent the remainder of his career serving Muhammad and the first two Rashidun caliphs: Abu Bakr and Umar. Khalid played leading command roles in the Ridda Wars against rebel tribes in Arabia in 632–633, the initial campaigns in Sasanian Iraq in 633–634, and the conquest of Byzantine Syria in 634–638. As a horseman of the Quraysh's aristocratic Banu Makhzum clan, which ardently opposed Muhammad, Khalid played an instrumental role in defeating Muhammad and his followers during the Battle of Uhud in 625. In 627 or 629, he converted to Islam in the presence of Muhammad, who inducted him as an official military commander among the Muslims and gave him the title of Sayf Allah (lit. 'Sword of God'). During the Battle of Mu'ta, Khalid coordinated the safe withdrawal of Muslim troops against the Byzantines. He also led the Bedouins under the Muslim army during the Muslim conquest of Mecca in 629–630 and the Battle of Hunayn in 630. After Muhammad's death, Khalid was appointed to Najd and al-Yamama to suppress or subjugate the Arab tribes opposed to the nascent Muslim state; this campaign culminated in Khalid's victory over rebel leaders Tulayha and Musaylima at the Battle of Buzakha in 632 and the Battle of Yamama in 633, respectively. Khalid subsequently launched campaigns against the predominantly Christian Arab tribes and the Sasanian Persian garrisons along the Euphrates valley in Iraq. Abu Bakr later reassigned him to command the Muslim armies in Syria, where he led his forces on an unconventional march across a long, waterless stretch of the Syrian Desert, boosting his reputation as a military strategist. As a result of decisive victories led by Khalid against the Byzantines at Ajnadayn (634), Fahl (634 or 635), Damascus (634–635), and the Yarmouk (636), the Muslim army conquered most of the Levant. Khalid was subsequently demoted and removed from the army's high command by Umar. Khalid continued service as the key lieutenant of his successor Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah in the sieges of Homs and Aleppo and the Battle of Qinnasrin, all in 637–638. These engagements collectively precipitated the retreat of imperial Byzantine troops from Syria under Emperor Heraclius. Around 638, Umar dismissed Khalid from the governorship of Jund Qinnasrin. Khalid died in 642, either in Medina or Homs. Khalid is generally considered by historians to be one of the most seasoned and accomplished generals of the early Islamic era, and he is likewise commemorated throughout the Arab world. Islamic tradition credits Khalid with his battlefield tactics and effective leadership during the early Muslim conquests. However, it also recounts incidents where he faced criticism, such as the execution of members of the Banu Jadhima during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad and Malik ibn Nuwayra during the Ridda Wars, as well as allegations of misconduct in the Levant. Khalid's military fame disturbed some pious early Muslims, most notably Umar, who feared it could develop into a personality cult.

2. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (595 - 674)

With an HPI of 71.66, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas is the 2nd most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 41 different languages.

Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas ibn Wuhayb al-Zuhri (Arabic: سَعْد بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاص بْنِ وهَيْب الزُّهري, romanized: Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ ibn Wuhayb al-Zuhrī) was an Arab Muslim commander. He was the founder of Kufa and served as its governor under Umar ibn al-Khattab. He played a leading role in the Muslim conquest of Persia and was a close companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Sa'd was the seventh free adult man to embrace Islam, which he did at the age of seventeen. Sa'd participated in all battles under Muhammad during their stay in Medina. Sa'd was famous for his leadership in the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah and the conquest of the Sasanian capital Ctesiphon in 636. After the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah and the Siege of Ctesiphon (637), Sa'd served as the supreme commander of the Rashidun army in Iraq, which conquered Khuzestan and built the garrison city of Kufa. Due to complaints about his conduct, he was later dismissed from his post by the caliph Umar. During the First Fitna, Sa'd was known for leading the neutral faction that contained the majority of the companions of Muhammad and their followers, who refused to be involved in the civil war. Traditions of Chinese Muslims hold that he introduced Islam to China during a diplomatic visit in 651, though these accounts are disputed. Sunni historians and scholars regard Sa'd as an honored figure due to his companionship with Muhammad, his inclusion as one of the ten to whom Paradise was promised, and his participation in the Battle of Badr, whose participants are collectively held in high esteem.

3. Muhammad bin Qasim (695 - 715)

With an HPI of 65.96, Muhammad bin Qasim is the 3rd most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 35 different languages.

Muḥammad ibn al-Qāsim al-Thaqafī (Arabic: محمد بن القاسم الثقفي; (695-12-31)31 December 695–(715-07-18)18 July 715) was an Arab military commander in service of the Umayyad Caliphate who led the Muslim conquest of Sindh (and Punjab, part of ancient Sindh), inaugurating the Umayyad campaigns in India. His military exploits led to the establishment of the Islamic province of Sindh, and the takeover of the region from the Sindhi Brahman dynasty and its ruler, Raja Dahir, who was subsequently decapitated with his head sent to al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in Basra. With the capture of the then-capital of Aror by Arab forces, Muhammad ibn al-Qasim became the first Muslim to have successfully captured Indian land, which marked the beginning of Muslim rule in South Asia. Muhammad ibn al-Qasim belonged to the Banu Thaqif, an Arab tribe that is concentrated around the city of Taif in western Arabia. After the Muslim conquest of Persia, he was assigned as the governor of Fars, likely succeeding his uncle Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi. From 708 to 711, Muhammad ibn al-Qasim led the Sindh conquest. He established Islamic rule throughout the region, serving as governor of Sindh from 712 until his death in 715. After his last conquest of Multan (Punjab) he returned to Arabia where on the way he died in Mosul, in modern Iraq, though some sources record that his body was buried in Makran, a semi-desert coastal region in Balochistan.

4. Amr ibn al-As (580 - 664)

With an HPI of 65.59, Amr ibn al-As is the 4th most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 46 different languages.

Amr ibn al-As ibn Wa'il al-Sahmi (Arabic: عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ بْنِ وَائِل السَّهْمِي, romanized: ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ ibn Wāʾil al-Sahmī; c. 573 – 664) was an Arab commander and companion of Muhammad who led the Muslim conquest of Egypt and served as its governor in 640–646 and 658–664. The son of a wealthy Qurayshite, Amr embraced Islam in c. 629 and was assigned important roles in the nascent Muslim community by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The first caliph Abu Bakr (r. 632–634) appointed Amr as a commander of the conquest of Syria. He conquered most of Palestine, to which he was appointed governor, and helped lead the Arabs to decisive victories over the Byzantines at the battles of Ajnadayn and the Yarmuk in 634 and 636. Amr launched the conquest of Egypt on his own initiative in late 639, defeating the Byzantines in a string of victories ending with the surrender of Alexandria in 641 or 642. It was the swiftest of the early Muslim conquests. This was followed by westward advances by Amr as far as Tripoli in present-day Libya. In a treaty signed with the Byzantine governor Cyrus, Amr guaranteed the security of Egypt's population and imposed a poll tax on non-Muslim adult males. He maintained the Coptic-dominated bureaucracy and cordial ties with the Coptic patriarch Benjamin. He founded Fustat as the provincial capital with the mosque later called after him at its center. Amr ruled relatively independently, acquired significant wealth, and upheld the interests of the Arab conquerors who formed Fustat's garrison in relation to the central authorities in Medina. After gradually diluting Amr's authority, Caliph Uthman (r. 644–656) dismissed him in 646 after accusations of incompetency from his successor Abd Allah ibn Sa'd. After mutineers from Egypt assassinated Uthman, Amr distanced himself from their cause, despite previously instigating opposition against Uthman. In the ensuing First Fitna, Amr joined Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan against Caliph Ali (r. 656–661) due to promises of the governorship of Egypt and its tax revenues. Amr served as Mu'awiya's representative in the abortive arbitration talks to end the war. Afterward, he wrested control of Egypt from Ali's loyalists, killing its governor Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, and assumed the governorship instead. Mu'awiya kept him in his post after establishing the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 and Amr ruled the province until his death.

5. Usama ibn Zayd (615 - 678)

With an HPI of 64.39, Usama ibn Zayd is the 5th most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Usaamah ibn Zayd ibn Haritha al-Kalbi (Arabic: أسامة بن زيد بن حارثة الكلبي, romanized: ʾUsāma ibn Zayd ibn Ḥāritha al-Kalbī) was an early Muslim and companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was the son of Zayd ibn Haritha, Muhammad's adopted son, and Umm Ayman, a servant of Muhammad. Muhammad appointed Usama ibn Zayd as the commander of an expeditionary force which was to invade the region of Balqa in the Byzantine Empire to avenge the Muslim defeat at the Battle of Mu'tah, in which Usama's father and Muhammad's adopted son, Zayd ibn Harithah, had been killed. This campaign was known as the Expedition of Usama bin Zayd. Usama's campaign was successful and his army was the first Muslim force to successfully invade and raid Byzantine territory, thus paving the way for the subsequent Muslim conquest of the Levant and Muslim conquest of Egypt.

6. Uqba ibn Nafi (622 - 683)

With an HPI of 64.05, Uqba ibn Nafi is the 6th most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 29 different languages.

ʿUqba ibn Nāfiʿ ibn ʿAbd al-Qays al-Fihrī al-Qurashī (Arabic: عقبة بن نافع بن عبد القيس الفهري القرشي, romanized: ʿUqba ibn Nāfiʿ ibn ʿAbd al-Qays al-Fihrī), also simply known as Uqba ibn Nafi, was an Arab general serving the Rashidun Caliphate since the reign of Umar and later the Umayyad Caliphate during the reigns of Mu'awiya I and Yazid I, leading the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb, including present-day Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco and a failed attempt in Nubia. He is credited with establishing Umayyad rule in North Africa. Uqba was the nephew of Amr ibn al-As. He is often surnamed al-Fihri in reference to the Banu Fihr, a clan connected to the Quraysh. His descendants would be known as the ʿUqbids or Fihrids.

7. Abdallah ibn Sa'd (650 - 656)

With an HPI of 63.49, Abdallah ibn Sa'd is the 7th most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Abd Allah ibn Sa'd ibn Abi al-Sarh (Arabic: عبد الله ابن سعد ابن أبي السرح, romanized: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Saʿd ibn Abī al-Sarḥ) was an Arab administrator, scribe, and military commander, who was an early convert to, then later apostate from Islam He was a scriber of the Quran (كاتب الوحي) and governor of Upper Egypt for the Muslim caliphate during the reign of ʿUthmān (644–656). He was also the co-founder (with the future caliph Muʿāwiyah I) of the Islamic navy which seized Cyprus (647–649) and defeated a Byzantine fleet off Alexandria in 652.

8. Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl (598 - 636)

With an HPI of 61.89, Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl is the 8th most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Ikrima ibn Amr ibn Hisham (Arabic: عكرمة بن عمرو بن هشام, romanized: ʿIkrima ibn ʿAmr ibn Hishām; c. 598–634 or 636) was an opponent-turned companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a military commander in the Ridda wars and the Muslim conquest of Syria. In the latter campaign, he was killed fighting the Byzantine forces.

9. Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan ( - 639)

With an HPI of 56.21, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan is the 9th most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan ibn Harb ibn Umayya (Arabic: يزيد بن أبي سفيان بن حرب بن أمية, romanized: Yazīd ibn Abī Sufyān ibn Ḥarb ibn Umayya; died 639) was a leading Arab Muslim commander in the conquest of Syria from 634 until his death in the plague of Amwas in 639. Following the capture of Damascus around 635, he was placed in command of the city and its military district. After the death of the overall Muslim commander of Syria, Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, in 639, he was appointed by Caliph Umar (r. 634–644) the governor of Damascus, Jordan and Palestine. Yazid was the elder half-brother of Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, who was appointed as his successor over Damascus and Jordan by Umar and gradually became governor over all of Syria.

10. Shurahbil ibn Hasana (583 - 639)

With an HPI of 55.57, Shurahbil ibn Hasana is the 10th most famous Saudi Arabian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Abū ʿAbd Allāh Shuraḥbīl ibn Ḥasana (Arabic: شُرَحبِيْل بن حَسَنَة) was one of the earliest Muslim converts, sahaba (companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) and a key commander in the Rashidun army during the Muslim conquest of the Levant.