ISLAMIC HISTORY: BATTLE OF DZATUS SAWARI

The Battle of Dzatus Sawari – Ma'rakat Dhat al-Sawari – Arabic: معركة ذات الصواري, literally "Battle of the Masts", is the first major sea battle in Islamic history and the battle that ended 700 years of undisputed Byzantine naval supremacy.

1. Why it happened - The need for a navy

For the first 15 years of Islam, Muslims were a land power. The Caliphs Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) initially forbade sea expeditions, fearing for Muslim lives.

That changed under Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (RA):

• In 28H / 649 CE, Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, governor of Syria, was allowed to build a fleet in Acre (Akka) and Tyre, using Coptic and Syrian Christian shipwrights who knew Roman shipbuilding.
• At the same time, Abdullah ibn Sa'd ibn Abi al-Sarh, governor of Egypt, built a fleet in Alexandria.
• The trigger was Byzantine raids on Muslim coasts. Cyprus in 649 and Rhodes, Crete, were raided successfully, proving Muslims could fight at sea. This was also a fulfilment of the hadith of Umm Haram bint Milhan (RA), where the Prophet (SAW) said a group of his Ummah would undertake a sea expedition – she later died in the Cyprus expedition, where she fell while riding a mule.

By 654-655 CE / 34 AH, Muawiyah aimed for Constantinople itself. He led a land army through Cappadocia to Chalcedon, while the combined Syrian-Egyptian fleet sailed along southern Anatolia.

The Byzantines could not allow it. Emperor Constans II personally led the imperial fleet – 500 ships according to Muslim sources, 1000 according to Theophanes – to intercept.

2. The Battle

Date: Most historians agree on 34H / 655 CE [Al-Tabari gives 31H and 34H, but Armenian Sebeos and Byzantine Theophanes agree on 654-655].

Location: Off Mount Phoenix (Phoinike), near the harbour of Phoenix - modern Finike, Antalya, Lycia, on the Turkish coast

Commanders: Muslims – Admiral Abu al-A'war al-Sulami under Muawiyah's overall command, with Abdullah ibn Sa' d. Byzantines – Emperor Constans II himself.

Strength: Muslims - 200 ships vs Byzantines ∼500-1000. Muslim sources mention sabotage just before the battle – two Christian brothers from Tripoli, Syria, sabotaged part of the fleet and defected, leaving Muslims heavily outnumbered.

The night before: Theophanes reports Constans II dreamt he was in Thessalonica. His dream interpreter said, "Would that you had not slept" – because Thessaloniki sounds like Greek thes allo nike – "give victory to another".

Tactics: The sea was rough. Both fleets lashed their ships together with chains and ropes to create a stable fighting platform. Al-Tabari describes ships arranged in lines and tied together.

This was Muawiyah's genius - he turned a naval battle into a land battle. Muslim infantry, excellent in close-quarters sword combat, could fight hand-to-hand as if on solid ground. The battle lasted from morning until near noon.

Why is it called Dhat al-Sawari? 

The masts were so dense, and so many ships were tied together that they looked like a forest of masts. Another narration says the sea was so full of blood it looked like the masts were standing in blood.

Byzantine losses were almost total. Emperor Constans barely escaped – Theophanes says he exchanged armour with one of his officers to disguise himself and fled to Constantinople.

3. Aftermath and Significance

Immediate aftermath:

According to traditional Muslim sources, the fleet turned back because news of dissension against Caliph Uthman and the beginning of the First Fitna was spreading among the crews.

According to Armenian historian Sebeos, the Muslim fleet actually continued to Constantinople and attempted a siege of the capital, but a huge storm sank ships carrying siege engines – which the Byzantines attributed to divine intervention.

Strategic impact:

1. End of Mare Nostrum: The Mediterranean had been called a "Roman lake" for centuries. After Dhat al-Sawari, it became a contested sea.
2. Birth of Islamic naval power: This victory proved a desert people could become a sea power. It opened the way for the conquest of North Africa's coast, Sicily, and later Spain.
3. The first decisive conflict of Islam on the deep: Muslim historians call it that because it was the first time Muslims met the Byzantines in open deep water, not just coastal raids.

For Muslims, it remains a lesson – within 25 years of the Prophet's (SAW) death, a community with no naval tradition built 200 warships and defeated the superpower of the time through adaptation, tying ships together and using their core strength – close combat and tawakkul.

ABOUT THE HADITH OF UMMU HARAM BT MILHAN

Umm Haram (RA) herself narrated through Anas ibn Malik (RA):

Arabic text:

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا ذَهَبَ إِلَى قُبَاءٍ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أُمِّ حَرَامٍ بِنْتِ مِلْحَانَ فَتُطْعِمُهُ، وَكَانَتْ تَحْتَ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، فَدَخَلَ يَوْمًا فَأَطْعَمَتْهُ، فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ يَضْحَكُ، قَالَتْ: فَقُلْتُ: مَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ فَقَالَ: "نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَيَّ غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَرْكَبُونَ ثَبَجَ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ، مُلُوكًا عَلَى الْأَسِرَّةِ أَوْ قَالَ: مِثْلَ الْمُلُوكِ عَلَى الْأَسِرَّةِ"، شَكَّ إِسْحَاقُ، قُلْتُ: ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ فَدَعَا، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ، ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ يَضْحَكُ، فَقُلْتُ: مَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: "نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَيَّ غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَرْكَبُونَ ثَبَجَ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ مُلُوكًا عَلَى الْأَسِرَّةِ، أَوْ مِثْلَ الْمُلُوكِ عَلَى الْأَسِرَّةِ"، فَقُلْتُ: ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ، قَالَ: "أَنْتِ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ"، فَرَكِبَتِ الْبَحْرَ زَمَانَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَصُرِعَتْ عَنْ دَابَّتِهَا حِينَ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ فَهَلَكَتْ.

English translation - Sahih al-Bukhari 6283:

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Whenever Allah's Apostle went to Quba, he used to visit Um Haram bint Milhan, who would offer him meals, and she was the wife of 'Ubada bin As-samit. One day he went to her house, and she offered him a meal, and after that he slept and then woke up smiling. She (Um Haram) said, I asked him, 'What makes you laugh, O Allah's Apostle?' He said, 'Some people of my followers were displayed before me as warriors fighting for Allah's Cause and sailing over this sea, kings on thrones,' or said, 'like kings on thrones.' I (Um Haram) said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah that He may make me one of them.' He invoked Allah for her and then laid his head down and slept again and then woke up smiling. I asked, 'What makes you laugh, O Allah's Apostle?' He said, 'Some people of my followers were displayed before me as warriors fighting for Allah's Cause and sailing over this sea, kings on the thrones,' or said, 'like kings on the thrones. 'I (Um Haram) said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah that He may make me one of them.' He said, 'You will be amongst the first ones.'

And the narrator adds:

It is said that Um Haram sailed over the sea at the time of Muawiya, and on coming out of the sea, she fell down from her riding animal and died.

There are two parts in this hadith that scholars note:

The first expedition — "kings on thrones" on the green sea — which was Cyprus 28H, where Umm Haram (RA) was martyred by falling from her mule. This is why she is considered the first martyr of the Muslim Navy.

The second expedition — in the same chapter, Bukhari 2924, the Prophet (SAW) wakes up a second time smiling and says another group will conquer Caesar's city (Constantinople). That is linked to the later naval campaigns, including Dhat al-Sawari 34H.

The tomb of Ummu Haram in Cyprus

The tomb of Umm Haram is in Larnaca, Cyprus, and a mosque is built beside it. The mosque is known as Hala Sultan Tekke.

That's why Hala Sultan Tekke in Larnaca is so important — it marks where that first du'a was fulfilled.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

20 October 2026: 1:37 a.m.

ISLAMIC HISTORY: BATTLE OF YAMAMAH

The Battle of Yamamah was one of the most consequential battles in early Islamic history, fought in December 632 CE / 11 AH.

Context

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in June 632, many tribes in Arabia either left Islam or refused to pay zakat to Medina, and several men claimed prophethood. The first caliph, Abu Bakr, launched a series of campaigns known as the Ridda Wars — the Wars of Apostasy — to re-establish control over Arabia.

The most dangerous opposition came from central Arabia, in the region of Al-Yamamah, modern-day Najd near Riyadh.

There, the leader of the Banu Hanifa tribe, Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab — "Musaylimah the Liar" in Muslim sources — had claimed prophethood even during Muhammad's lifetime. He had a large following, a fortified town, and an army estimated by early sources at 40,000 men.

The Battle

Abu Bakr first sent Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl and Shurahbil ibn Hasana, but they were defeated. He then sent his best commander, Khalid ibn al-Walid, with a large force of Muhajirun and Ansar.

The two armies met at Aqraba Plain in Yamamah.

The first phase was disastrous for the Muslims. Musaylimah's forces pushed them back and nearly broke into Khalid's tent. The Banu Hanifa fought with high morale, shouting their war cry.

Khalid reorganised the army — grouping tribes and Muhajirun/Ansar separately so each could see who held and who retreated — and launched a counter-attack. The fighting became hand-to-hand in what became known as the "Garden of Death" — Hadiqat al-Mawt — a walled garden where Musaylimah and his remaining elite had taken refuge.

Its walls were high, and gates were locked from inside. Khalid ibn al-Walid's army had taken heavy losses trying to break in.

The Muslims were stuck outside under a hail of arrows.

Al-Bara Ibn Al-Malik, younger brother of Anas ibn Malik — who was known to be thin, wiry, and fearless — shouted:

“Ya Ahl al-Madina, la Madinata lakum al-yawm, innama huwa Allahu wal-Jannah!”

“O people of Medina! There is no Medina for you after today — there is only Allah, then Paradise!”

He then told his companions, "Put me on a shield, lift me with spears, and throw me over the wall."

In some narrations he asked to be placed in a catapult—"Place me in the catapult, and throw me"—into the garden.

His men did it. He was hurled over the high wall alone into thousands of enemies. He landed, fought his way to the gate, killed the guards holding it, and opened it from inside despite being wounded severely — accounts say he suffered over 80 wounds that day.

"Soon a Muslim soldier, al-Bara' ibn Malik, asked his fellow men to let him climb the wall so that he could open the gate by killing the guards there. The soldier jumped into the garden and opened the gate. The Muslims entered the garden, and the last phase of the Battle of al-Yamama had begun."

Once the gate was open, the Muslims poured in, and the final slaughter took place where Musaylimah was killed.

For this, Khalid praised him, and Umar ibn al-Khattab later said about him, "Do not put al-Bara' in command of an army, for he will destroy them with his recklessness in seeking martyrdom."

Al-Bara' survived Yamamah but carried the scars. He was finally martyred years later at the Battle of Shushtar/Tustar against the Persians, around 20 AH.

Musaylimah was killed in the garden, reportedly by Wahshi ibn Harb, the same man who had killed Hamza at Uhud, and Abu Dujana al-Ansari. With his death, his army collapsed.

Aftermath and Significance

1. End of the Ridda Wars in central Arabia. With Yamamah secured, Muslim control over Arabia was largely restored.
2. Heavy losses of memorisers. Around 70 companions who had memorised the entire Quran — known as huffaz — including prominent companions like Zayd ibn al-Khattab and Salim Mawla Abu Hudhayfa, were martyred.
3. Compilation of the Quran. Alarmed by the loss of so many huffaz, Umar ibn al-Khattab urged Abu Bakr to compile the Quran into a single written codex. Abu Bakr ordered Zayd ibn Thabit to lead the effort. This master copy later became the basis for Uthman's standardised text.

The battle cemented the position of the Medinan state and marked the transition from defending the new community in Arabia to the expansion that followed into Iraq and Syria.

WHO WAS MARTYRED

Early sources say about 1,200 Muslims were martyred, most of them in or near the wadi, and half of them from the Ansar and Muhajirun — the closest companions. It is also said the martyrs included 300 who knew the whole Quran by heart.

Among the most well-known:

• Zayd ibn al-Khattab — elder brother of Umar ibn al-Khattab, commander of the right wing. He carried the banner and was a famous companion.
• Abu Hudhayfa ibn Utba — commander of the left wing
• Salim Mawla Abu Hudhayfa — freed slave of Abu Hudhayfa, renowned as one of the best Quran reciters. He was martyred after his arms were cut off.
• Abu Dujana Simak ibn Kharasha — famous for his red bandana at Uhud. He was martyred in 12 AH in the Battle of Yamamah.
• Tufayl ibn Amr al-Dawsi — chief of the Daws tribe, the one who brought Abu Hurayra to Islam. He fell as a martyr at Yamamah.

On the other side, about 21,000 of Musaylimah's men were killed, including Musaylimah himself inside the "Garden of Death" — Hadiqat al-Mawt.

Were any women involved?

Yes, on both sides.

1. On the Muslim side — Nusaybah bint Ka'ab al-Ansariya, known as Umm Amarah:

She is the most documented woman at Yamamah. Already famous for defending the Prophet at Uhud, she was in her late 50s at Yamamah.

She had a personal motive — her son Habib ibn Zayd had been sent as an envoy to Musaylimah, who tortured and dismembered him when he refused to accept him as a prophet.

She went to Abu Bakr and asked permission to join Khalid ibn al-Walid's army. He said, "Nothing can stop a woman like you from going to participate in the battle. Go forth in the name of Allah.”

At Yamamah she fought alongside her son Abdullah ibn Zayd:

She participated in the Battle of Al-Yamaamah... Her hand was cut off in this battle, and she received fourteen wounds in her body.

Other reports say eleven wounds. Her son Abdullah is credited as one of those who struck Musaylimah.

2. On the opposing side — Sajah bint al-Harith:

She was a Christian Arab woman from the Banu Taghlib who also claimed prophethood around the same time. She marched with her followers to Yamamah and made a political alliance with Musaylimah, even marrying him according to some accounts, but her troops left before the actual battle, so she was not present when the fighting started.

Early historians also mention women of the Banu Hanifa inside the fortified garden urging their men to fight, but the only Muslim woman named in the battle reports as a combatant is Umm Amarah.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

20 October 2026: 12:37 a.m.

MY PHOTO COLLECTION (SARAWAK)

1983/84: REJANG RIVER, SIBU

Sungai Rejang, the longest river in Malaysia, 563 km of brown, muddy water from Kapit to the sea at Sibu, Sarawak.

I was assigned to the River Patrol Boat at KD Sri Rejang in 1983/84. The only permanent Royal Malaysian Navy forward riverine base ever, operating under the RASCOM (Rajang Area Security Command). RASCOM itself was created on 25 March 1972 as a tri-service command to fight the communist insurgency. Officially commissioned on 28 March 1973 and decommissioned on 3 November 1991, it became Kem Sri Rejang under Askar Wataniah. 

Patrolling the Rejang River during Ops Jala Aman 1, I worked jointly with 24 RAMD, 8 RRD, 11 RGK Commando, 17 PPH (now PGA), artillery and Sarawak Border Scouts. 

The area of operations covers Kanowit, Song, Sarikei, Bintangor, Kapit, Belaga, etc. I was at the tail end of the Sarawak communist insurgency against NKCP/PARAKU, which ended on 17 October 1990 with a peace agreement in Kuching, and RASCOM was disbanded on 9 November 1994. 

Ref: 

1. Zulheimy Maamor: KD Sri Rejang - Memoir seorang Veteran.
2. Zulheimy Maamor: The Brown Water Navy, Life on Bot Lancang.

SIBU

About 60 km inland at the confluence of the Rejang and Igan Rivers, the heart of the old 3rd Division.

Wikipedia: Sibu

About the photo:

Top-left: The blue Fajar building, the area of Jalan Kampung Nyabor and the Sarawak House as seen in the photo. 

Top-right: Opening ceremony of Masjid An-Nur, Sibu on 15 August 1983. 

Bottom-left: Jalan Pedada junction

Bottom-right: Hospital Lau King Howe; this was Sibu's main hospital before it converted to Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum, officially opened on 3 August 1996. It was Malaysia's first and only medical museum. 

BELAGA AND BINTANGOR

Belaga and Bintangor (formerly Binatang), two very different ends of my Rejang patrol in 1983/84.

Belaga, the uppermost navigable point of Sungai Rejang, heart of Kapit Division, is only accessible by river or small airfield then. Our riverine boat resupplies the army, the Police Field Force and the Border Scouts and cuts communist supply lines coming down from the upper jungle. 

Bintangor in Meradong Division, lower Rejang, formerly called Binatang. Officially renamed Bintangor by Tan Sri Taib Mahmud after the Bintangor tree (Calophyllum). 

The photo of the long red-white express boat is the civilian lifeline in Belaga, and behind it you can see it is an RCP, the craft we crewed. 

KAPIT, SARAWAK

Capital of Kapit Division, comprising 4 districts: Bukit Mabong, Belaga, Song and Kapit itself, the last major town before the river becomes untamed. Our patrol boat had to pass Song (Katibas junction) to get there. All logistics – 105mm ammo, rations, and troops – had to pass through Kapit to go further to Nanga Gaat and Belaga. 

In the photo above, show the Nanga Gaat Memorial for those members of the British Security Forces who lost their lives while serving at Nanga Gaat, Sarawak, during the Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation (1963-66).

Nanga Gaat was history, a reminder that the British Royal Navy had secured the same brown water 18 years before we did. 

Fort Sylvia, a historical landmark in Kapit, stands as a testament to the region's colonial past. Built in 1880 by Rajah Charles Brooke, named after his wife, Ranee Sylvia Brett, it served as a strategic outpost for the Brooke administration, overseeing the Rejang River and its surrounding territories.

From the deck of our River Patrol Boat, the fort's imposing structure is a constant reminder of the area's rich history and the role it played in maintaining order during turbulent times. Its walls have witnessed countless stories, from the early days of colonial governance to the more recent efforts in securing peace during the communist insurgency.

Whether under the bright sun or shrouded in mist, Fort Sylvia remains a significant point of reference, embodying the blend of history and nature that defines the region.

SARIKEI

Located in central Sarawak, known nationwide as the Fruit Basket of Sarawak for its sweet pineapples. But for us, it was a main logistic hub under RASCOM. 

Photo above: The Payang Puri Hotel is in the background, with troops from the army loading meal kits/rice boxes for Ops Jala Aman. Civilians mixed with soldiers on the boat, as the jetty was also a civilian boat jetty. The troops boarded at Sarikei Jetty to go to Song, Kanowit, Kapit, Nanga Gaat, etc. The photo in 1983/84 is the old jetty before it was rebuilt. 

KANOWIT

A town between Sibu and Song, about halfway up Rejang from Sibu, where the Kanowit River meets the Rejang River. Dominated by the Iban community

The photo above shows the Kanowit Memorial with the hornbill (burung Kenyalang) on top. The memorial lists the names of police and soldiers killed during fighting the communists. It is the location of the historic "Tragedi Pendam Bungkang", recounted by veteran Sarawak Border Scouts. 

SONG & GAWAI FESTIVAL

Song, a quiet riverside town, capital of Song District in Kapit Division, sits between Kapit and Kanowit as the Katibas River junction. 

The Gawai Dayak is the Iban Day of harvest thanksgiving, every 1st June every year. During Ops Jala Aman 1, RASCOM orders were not just to patrol but to protect longhouses. We were invited while anchored near a longhouse during Gawai 1984. Meet the Iban girl in full Ngepan Iban, a silver coin headdress, and a marik empang beaded yoke with red pom-poms. 

BINTULU

Located 610 km northeast of Kuching, 216 km from Sibu and 200 km from Miri. The first time setting foot in Bintulu was in 1990 while serving aboard KD Lekir, the Royal Malaysian Navy Corvette class, alongside the Bintulu Port. 

Then again in 2012, during Health Screening Programme organised by the Yayasan Jantung Malaysia from 18 to 20 May 2012 at Park City Mall, Bintulu. 

Ref: 2012-Bintulu, Sarawak

Bintulu Port at Tanjung Kidurong in 1990

Park City Mall, the main mall in Bintulu then, with the big curved roof. 

Restoran Seribu Bintang in Bintulu in 2012 was a famous ikan bakar/seafood restaurant on the waterfront. Having dinner with my niece, Cikgu Intan Ernany, who was a teacher at S.K. St Anthony, Bintulu. I met her on the first day I arrived at Bintulu and had dinner with her that night. 

The old Bintulu Airport, just next to S.K. St Anthony. It was opened from 1937 until 30 March 2003; it was closed after the new airport opened in Kidurong, 23 km from town. 

In 1990, when I was onboard KD Lekir alongside the Bintulu Port, I would have seen this airport from the port, with aircraft landing low over the port area. 

TUKAU OIL RIG, MIRI

Tukau Fields, about 40 km offshore Miri, Sarawak, was first discovered by Sarawak Shell in 1968 and has been producing since the early 70s. KD Lekir, a Kasturi class Corvette, regularly patrolled the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and offshore oil assets in Sabah and Sarawak. 

KUCHING, SARAWAK

The capital of Sarawak, located on the Sarawak River at the southwestern tip of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. 

From landing in Kuching Airport in 1983 as a young Navy for river patrol in Sibu to standing as a veteran in front of Cat City in 2012 – almost 30 years with Sarawak. 

The old terminal of Kuching Airport

Among the photos from my album of Sarawak, each image tells a story, capturing the essence of the places and experiences that shaped my time there.

From the bustling streets of Sibu, where the Rejang River flows gracefully, to the serene landscapes of Belaga, every snapshot evokes memories of camaraderie and duty. The vibrant colours of the Gawai Festival remind me of the warmth of the Iban community, while the historical landmarks like Fort Sylvia stand as silent witnesses to the region's rich past.

Each photograph serves as a portal, transporting me back to moments of laughter, challenges, and triumphs. They encapsulate not just the beauty of Sarawak but also the spirit of the people who call it home.

As I flip through the pages of my album, I am reminded of the friendships forged and the lessons learned during my service. These images are more than just memories; they are a testament to a time when I was part of something greater, a chapter in the ongoing story of Sarawak.

I look forward to sharing these memories with others, hoping to inspire a deeper appreciation for this remarkable region and its history.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

19 October 2026: 11:18 p.m.

ISLAMIC HISTORY: BATTLE OF MUT'AH

The Battle of Mu'tah - Ghazwat Mu'tah / Ma'rakat Mu'tah معركة مؤتة - was fought in September 629 CE, 1 Jumada al-Awwal 8 AH, near the village of Mu'tah, east of the Jordan River in what is now Karak Governorate, Jordan. It was the first major encounter between the Muslims and the Byzantine Empire (Romans).

Background - Why it happened 

1. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sent an emissary, al-Harith ibn Umayr al-Azdi, with a letter to the ruler of Busra (Bostra).
2. On his way, at the village of Mu'tah, he was executed on the orders of the Ghassanid official Shurahbil ibn Amr al-Ghassani. The Ghassanids were Arab Christian vassals of Byzantium. In Arab custom, killing an envoy was a grave violation.
3. The Byzantines were also re-occupying the area after their peace with the Sasanians in July 629. Their sakkellarios, Theodore, was in command in the Balqa region with local Arab tribal allies.

In response, the Prophet mobilised an army.

The Two Armies

Muslims: 3,000 men

Led by three commanders appointed in order: 

1. Zayd ibn Harithah - the Prophet's adopted son
2. Ja'far ibn Abi Talib – cousin of the Prophet, brother of Ali
3. Abdullah ibn Rawahah

The Prophet ﷺ said, "If Zayd is martyred, Ja'far will take the flag. If Ja'far is martyred, Abdullah will take it. If Abdullah is martyred, let the Muslims choose a commander from among themselves."

Byzantines and Ghassanids: 10,000, according to modern historians like Walter Kaegi. Early Muslim sources like al-Waqidi and Ibn Ishaq report 100,000 or even 200,000, which modern historians consider greatly exaggerated. The overall commander was Theodore, and the Arab vassal leader was Malik ibn Zafilah.

How the Battle Unfolded

The Muslim army marched to Ma'an. There they learned the size of the Byzantine coalition and wanted to wait for reinforcements from Medina. Abdullah ibn Rawahah rallied them, reminding them that what they sought was shahadah (martyrdom), and they continued.

They first engaged at Musharif, then withdrew toward Mu'tah, where the main fighting took place in a valley between two heights, which helped negate the Byzantines' numerical advantage.

One by one, the three appointed commanders fell as martyrs: 

• Zayd ibn Harithah took the flag and fought until he was martyred.
• Ja'far ibn Abi Talib took it. His hands were cut off while holding the banner; he held it with his arms until he was martyred. For this he is known as Ja'far al-Tayyar – the one who flies – as the Prophet said, 'Allah gave him two wings in Paradise.'
• Abdullah ibn Rawahah then took the flag and was also martyred.

The army was on the verge of being routed. Thabit ibn Aqram took the banner to save the army from collapse and handed it to Khalid ibn al-Walid.

Khalid, who had only become Muslim months earlier, showed his military genius:

He reorganised the army overnight. He swapped the right wing with the left, the vanguard with the rear, and brought up new units from the back, making the Byzantines think fresh reinforcements had arrived. He then launched aggressive hit-and-run attacks and then gradually disengaged in good order, saving the bulk of the 3,000 from annihilation.

According to Muslim sources, 12 martyrs fell – though modern historians note the casualty count for ordinary soldiers is disputed. They include: Zayd, Ja'far, Abdullah, Mas'ud ibn al-Aswad, Wahb ibn Sa'd, and others.

Aftermath

When the army returned to Medina, some people berated them for retreating, calling them furrar - those who fled. The Prophet ﷺ defended them, saying, "They are not furrar; they are kurrar – those who will return to attack again."

It was after this battle that the Prophet gave Khalid the title Saifullah – The Sword of Allah.

The graves of Zayd, Ja'far, and Abdullah are in al-Mazar near Mu'tah in Jordan today, where a mausoleum was built.

Three years later, the Prophet appointed Usama ibn Zayd - the son of Zayd ibn Harithah - to lead an expedition to the same area to avenge Mu'tah. That campaign became the first successful Muslim raid into Byzantine territory and paved the way for the later conquests of al-Sham.

Why Muslims remember it

1. Sacrifice and obedience: The three commanders knew they would likely die, yet accepted command without hesitation.
2. Leadership under pressure: The lesson of Thabit ibn Aqram and Khalid – saving the Ummah's army is more important than personal glory.
3. It set the stage: Mu'tah was not a conquest, but it was the first time the young Islamic state measured itself against the superpower of its age, the Byzantine Empire.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

19 October 2026: 7:45 a.m.

ISLAMIC HISTORY : BATTLE OF YARMOUK

The Battle of Yarmouk (Yarmuk) — August 15-20, 636 AD — is considered one of the most decisive battles in world history. It ended 700 years of Roman-Byzantine rule in Syria and the Levant and opened the Middle East to the Rashidun Caliphate.

The Basics

When: 15–20 August 636 AD — fought over 6 days

Where: Near the Yarmouk River, a tributary of the Jordan River, on what is today the tri-border of Syria, Jordan, and Israel / Golan Heights — east of the Sea of Galilee. A rocky plateau cut by deep wadis and gullies, with only one good crossing — a bridge over the ravines.

Who: 

• Byzantine Empire and Arab Christian allies (Ghassanids, Tanukhids)
• Rashidun Caliphate

Commanders: 

• Byzantines: Emperor Heraclius in Constantinople directed the campaign. In the field — Armenian General Vahan, plus Theodore Trithyrius (Sakellarios), Buccinator, Gregory, and Jabalah ibn al-Aiham of the Ghassanids
• Muslims: Overall commander Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, with field command given to Khalid ibn al-Walid — known as Saifullah, "Sword of God

Strength:

Modern historians estimate very different numbers from mediaeval chronicles: 

• Byzantine: 50,000 - 100,000+ (some older sources say up to 150,000)
• Rashidun: 20,000 - 40,000

Despite being outnumbered at least 2-to-1, the Muslims won decisively.

Why It Happened

By 634, the Byzantines had just survived a devastating 26-year war against Sassanid Persia. Emperor Heraclius had won brilliantly in 628, but the treasury was empty and the army exhausted.

At the same time, Arab tribes united under Islam had taken Arabia and began raiding Syria and Palestine. After Muslim victories at Ajnadayn (634) and Fahl, Heraclius realised this was not a raid but an invasion. He assembled a massive coalition army from across the empire — Anatolians, Armenians, Arabs, and his elite imperial guard — to crush the Muslim forces once and for all.

The Muslims, who had been operating in smaller columns, merged all their forces in the Yarmouk Valley to force one decisive battle.

How the Battle Unfolded — 6 Days

Both sides formed up in four divisions. The Byzantines anchored their line on heavy infantry with cavalry behind; Khalid did the same but kept a powerful mobile cavalry reserve in the centre rear under his own command.

The armies stared at each other for months before fighting. Then:

• Day 1: Champions duelled in single combat — Arab tradition. Skirmishing along the line.
• Day 2-3: Vahan tried to envelop the Muslims, attacking hard on the flanks. The Byzantine right and left pushed the Muslim wings back into their own camps. There, according to Arab sources, Muslim women — like Hind bint Utbah — drove the retreating men back with tent poles, stones, and shaming songs. Khalid then committed his cavalry reserve first to the right, then to the left, restoring the line by nightfall.
• Day 4: Another Byzantine general assault. This time their cavalry and infantry lost coordination. Khalid exploited the gap and seized the northern high ground.
• Day 5: Vahan asked for a truce. Khalid refused. During the pause, Khalid massed all his remaining cavalry into a single strike corps — about 8,000 horsemen.
• Day 6 — The Rout: At dawn, Khalid launched infantry along the whole line, while his massed cavalry swept around the northern end and smashed into the Byzantine left flank.

As the Byzantines fell back, they were funnelled into a narrow peninsula between the Yarmouk ravine and the Wadi ar-Ruqqad. A small detachment under Zarrar ibn al-Azwar had already seized the bridge over Wadi ar-Ruqqad — the only good escape route. Trapped, exhausted, and in disarray, the Byzantine army collapsed. Panic turned retreat into a slaughter.

Why the Byzantines Lost

1. Khalid's tactics: Classic use of mobile light cavalry to blunt attacks and then deliver a concentrated flank blow.
2. Cohesion vs. Division: The Muslim army was highly motivated and unified. The Byzantine coalition suffered command rivalries and the defection of Ghassanid Arabs mid-battle.
3. Geography: Vahan camped with ravines at his back. Once the bridge was lost, there was nowhere to go.
4. Exhaustion: The empire was bankrupt and religiously divided after the Persian War, with Monophysite populations in Syria less loyal to Constantinople.

Aftermath

Yarmouk was not just a tactical win — it was strategic annihilation.

After Yarmouk, Byzantium made no serious attempt to retake Syria. Damascus fell again, Antioch in 636, Jerusalem in 637, all of Syria and Palestine by 640, and Egypt by 642 under Amr ibn al-As.

For Byzantium, it lost its richest provinces — the grain of Egypt, the silk of Syria, and the trade of the Levant — and shrank from a Mediterranean empire into an Anatolian-Balkan Greek state that would survive another 800 years behind the walls of Constantinople.

For the Islamic world, Yarmouk and its sister battle al-Qadisiyyah against Persia in the same year (636) drew the map of the modern Middle East: until then, Greco-Roman and Persian-Zoroastrian; after that, predominantly Arabic-speaking and Muslim.

Military historians still study Yarmouk as a masterpiece of defensive resilience followed by a single decisive offensive — holding with infantry, winning with cavalry.

A MARTYRED

At Yarmouk there were about 1,000 Sahaba present, according to Ibn Ishaq — including 100 veterans of Badr. The total Muslim shuhada at Yarmouk is reported as about 3,000.

Most famous among the Sahaba martyred are the group of Banu Makhzum who died together, remembered in the story of Ithar (preferring others over oneself):

The 3 who died thirsty

After the battle, three wounded Mujahideen were lying on the field:

1. Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl (RA)

2. Al-Harith ibn Hisham (RA) — uncle of Ikrimah, brother of Abu Jahl

3. Ayyash ibn Abi Rabiah (RA)

Al-Harith asked for water. When it was brought, Ayyash looked at him. Al-Harith said, "Give it to Ayyash." By the time they got to Ayyash, he had breathed his last. When they returned to al-Harith and Ikrimah, they found they too had passed away. All were martyred before drinking the water.

Ikrimah's story is especially remembered — he was the son of Abu Jahl, Pharaoh of this Ummah, who became one of Islam's fiercest warriors after accepting Islam at the Conquest of Makkah. On Day 6 of Yarmouk, after the Muslim lines had wavered, he is reported to have shouted for men to pledge death and charged with 400 horsemen deep into the Byzantine lines.

Other prominent Sahaba martyred at Yarmouk

Classical sources list:

• Suhayl ibn Amr (RA)—the famous orator of Quraysh, negotiator of Hudaybiyyah. Al-Mada'ini reported that Suhayl died as a martyr in the Battle of Yarmuk.
• Abu Jandal ibn Suhayl (RA) — his son, who had been tortured in Makkah and escaped to join the Muslims. He is reported by Ibn Sa'd to have been martyred at Yarmouk alongside his brother Abdullah.
• Abdullah ibn Suhayl (RA) — brother of Abu Jandal.
• Salama ibn Hisham (RA)—brother of Al-Harith ibn Hisham.
• Amr ibn Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl (RA) — son of Ikrimah, martyred on the same field as his father.
• Hisham ibn al-As (RA) — brother of Amr ibn al-As.
• Dhirar ibn al-Azwar (RA) — according to some reports, the elite cavalryman who blocked the Byzantine retreat at Yarmouk. Other reports place his death later at Yamama or in the plague of Amwas.

Many other companions from Quraysh and Ansar were martyred, but these names from Banu Makhzum and Banu Amir are the ones most frequently cited in Seerah books because their families lost multiple martyrs in one battle — a family that had once been the hardest enemy of Islam became among its greatest sacrifices.

The survivors present included Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Amr ibn al-As, Abu Sufyan and his wife Hind bint Utbah, Sa'id ibn Zayd, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abu Hurairah, Ammar ibn Yasir, Miqdad, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and others.

WOMEN'S INVOLVEMENT

Women played a very direct role at Yarmouk. It was not just men on the front line.

The Muslim army placed its camp directly behind the battle lines, and the families were in those camps. When the Byzantine wings broke through on Days 2 and 3, the retreating Muslim infantry fell back into the camps — and were met by their wives and mothers.

The general role of women

Historians like al-Waqidi in Futuh al-Sham describe: 

• Women stood behind the army with tent poles in their hands and stones piled ready.
• They collected stones, brought water, tended wounded, beat drums, and sang Rajaz poetry to encourage the men.
• When men fled, they shamed them: "Where are you going? You will not find refuge with us!" and physically drove them back to the line with poles. This rallying is credited with saving the Muslim wings on Day 2.

Waqidi also notes many women from the tribes of Lakhm, Judham, and Kholan took part.

Famous Sahabiyat at Yarmouk

1. Hind bint Utbah (RA) — wife of Abu Sufyan, mother of Muawiya.

Already in her 50s at Yarmouk. Sunni sources praise her military role under Umar. She was in the camp, encouraging, singing:

"Cut the limbs of these barbarians with your swords" and beating retreating men back into battle.

2. Umm Hakim bint al-Harith ibn Hisham (RA) — wife of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, and one of the most celebrated.

Her story: Ikrimah was martyred at Yarmouk. On the same day, she married Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-As (RA) — her walimah was that night in the camp. The next morning, Byzantine soldiers surrounded her wedding tent. Still in her bridal dress, she pulled out the tent pole (amud al-khaimah) and killed seven Byzantine soldiers by herself.

After Khalid ibn Sa'id was martyred that day, the place was named Qantarat Umm Hakim — the Bridge of Umm Hakim. She later married Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) and bore him a daughter Fatima.

3. Khawla bint al-Azwar (RA) — daughter of Azwar al-Asadi, sister of the cavalry commander Dhirar.

She is famous for fighting disguised in black armour. At Yarmouk: 

• On the 4th day, one of the hardest days for Muslims, she led a group of women against the Byzantine army, killed several fighters, and was wounded fighting a Greek soldier.
• She fought side by side with her brother Dhirar in many battles including Yarmouk
• Other reports say she was captured by Byzantines and escaped, and her fierce counterattack turned the tide.

4. Others mentioned:

Khawla bint Tha'labah? 

• No — Khawla bint al-Azwar, Umm Aban bint Utbah, Afra bint Ghifar — Al-Hidayah research notes Khawla killed five infidels on one occasion, Afra killed four, and Umm Hakim and Umm Iban were narrated in Futuh al-Sham for their bravery.

So at Yarmouk, women were not just supporters — they were the last line of defense, nurses, motivators, and in the cases of Umm Hakim and Khawla, front-line fighters who killed Byzantine soldiers with tent poles and swords.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

19 October 2026: 4:13 a.m.

MY PHOTO COLLECTION (SABAH)

CROCKER RANGE

Taman Banjaran Crocker in Malay, a mountain range that divides Sabah's West Coast (Kota Kinabalu and Papar) from the interior (Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom). 

The road that we used from Kota Kinabalu to Keningau: KK > Papar > Kimanis > Crocker Range > Keningau. It's the steepest highway in Malaysia with spectacular views. It was upgraded and opened as a highway in 2006. 

Ref: From Kota Kinabalu to Kimanis and Keningau

KOTA KINABALU

The Capital of Sabah, formerly known as Jesselton. Located on the northwest coast of Borneo, facing the South China Sea. It is named after Mount Kinabalu, which is situated about 50 km east-northeast of the city. 

Top Left / Right – Waterfront, the jetty and harbour in Kota Kinabalu

Bottom Left - Suria Sabah shopping complex where we had our event. 

Bottom right - Masjid Negeri Kota Kinabalu with the distinctive gold patterned dome and 16 small golden domes with palm trees in front.

Best Western Kinabalu Daya Hotel, where I and my colleague stayed during our event at Kota Kinabalu in 2013, just a walking distance to Suria Sabah Shopping Complex for our Health Screening Programme. 

Graceville Condo, where my brother, who is a manager at Sime Bank Kota Kinabalu, stayed with his family. Located at Jalan Pantai Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu is where we stayed during our visit to Kota Kinabalu in 1997. 

Sime Bank was originally UMBC (United Malayan Banking Corporation), Malaysia's first commercial bank. By 1996 it became part of Sime Darby and was renamed Sime Bank. 

THE DOUBLE SIX TRAGEDY

An air crash involving a GAF-N-22B Nomad of Sabah Air, which took place on 6 June 1976 at Kota Kinabalu, killing 11 people onboard, including several local political leaders, the Chief Minister of Sabah, Tun Fuad Stephens, and Datuk Peter Mojuntin.

Tun Fuad Stephens, @ Donald Stephens, and the Double Six Memorial Monument, located next to Graceville, are just 2-3 minutes' walk from my brother's house. 

TANJUNG ARU BEACH

About 6 km from Kota Kinabalu city centre, named for the Aru trees lining it, as in the photo. Also known as the best sunset spot in KK. Local picnic beach, not a tourist-only beach. 

WARISAN SABAH / MUZIUM SABAH

Pusat Warisan Tumbuhan Sabah, the Ethnobotanical Garden, is part of the Sabah Museum Complex, a 17-hectare site at Bukit Istana Lama, Kota Kinabalu. 

In 1997, the museum was in its main growth phase; the original museum started in a Gaya Street shophouse on 15 July 1965, then moved to this bigger Bukit Istana Lama site. 

TAMAN AIR PANAS PORING

Located 136 km from Kota Kinabalu, 40 km from Kinabalu Park HQ. 'Poring' comes from Kadazan dusun - a local bamboo species that grows here. 

The hot sulphur springs were first noticed and used by the Japanese during WWII occupation of Sabah. It was formally developed as a visitor facility in the 1960s. The water is naturally hot, sulphurous, and believed to be therapeutic – same then and now.

PONDOK TIMPOHON

Also known as Timpohon Gate, it is the main starting point for climbing Mount Kinabalu, 5 km from the Kinabalu Park HQ entrance. 

There are 7 pondok along the summit trail; Timpohon is Pondok #1 at 0 km. 

In 1997, Mount Kinabalu was resurveyed with satellite technology – the height was corrected from 4,101 m to 4,095 m (Low's Peak).

PETAGAS MEMORIAL GARDEN

Located at Petagas, Putatan, just south of KK, near Putatan Airport, on Jalan Kepayan. It is a WWII memorial for the Kinabalu Guerillas, also called the Double Tenth Revolt. 176 members led by Albert Kwok planned an uprising against Japanese occupation on 10 October 1943. 

13 leaders and many others were executed by the Japanese at this spot on 21 January 1944. The park marks the exact execution site. 

KG. NABALU, KUNDASANG

OTW to Kundasang; stop by at Kg. Nabalu is a pit stop for travellers heading towards Kundasang or Mount Kinabalu via Jalan Tuaran and the Ranau-Tamparuli highway. 

It is famous for Nabalu Market, the handicraft and vegetable market with a direct view of Mount Kinabalu. 

KUNDASANG, SABAH

A hill town in Ranau District, about 6 km from Kinabalu Park HQ, in Kundasang Valley in the Crocker Range. 

Kundasang town, the new double-storey shoplots and the view down the valley kampungs with blue zinc roofs. Classid 90s Kundasang before Desa Farm and modern hotels.

Kundasang War Memorial, established in 1962, is one of the first memorials in Sabah. Built in honour or the Australian and British POWs who died in Sandakan and during the infamous Sandakan Death March to Ranau in WWII. Only 6 Australians survived out of 2,400. 

It also remembers the people of North Borneo who risked their lives to help the prisoners of war. 

TM Resort at Kundasang (now Kinabalu Pine Resort), opened in 1995, is owned by Telekom Malaysia (hence TM Resort) as a highland holiday resort for staff and the public. 

Located along Kundasang-Ranau Highway, 0.5 km or 10 minutes' walk from the War Memorial.

MANGGATAL, SABAH / KOMPLEKS KARAMUNSING

Manggatal is a town north of Kota Kinabalu on the way to Tuaran, surrounded by villages and light industrial areas. 

Top Left: Kompleks Karamunsing, one of KK's earliest malls, along with Centre Point and Wisma Merdeka. Opened in the late 90s. View taken from Bukit Signal Hill looking down. 

Top Right: Mount Kinabalu Restaurant, the main restaurant at Kinabalu Park HQ Kundasang. Every tour group in the 90s ate there before going to Poring/Timpohon.

Bottom Left / Right: Rafflesia Seafood at Manggatal on 3 June 1997. It was a famous spot for nightly cultural dance performances from 7.45 p.m. to 8.45 p.m., showing Sabah's largest indigenous ethnic groups. 

TAMPARULI, SABAH

Tamparuli, located in the Tuaran District of Sabah, approximately 38 km northeast of Kota Kinabalu, is known for its scenic landscapes. On my trip from Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang, I have driven through Tamparuli, the gateway town before Kiulu and Nabalu. 

The Tamparuli Suspension Bridge spans Sungai Tuaran/Sungai Kiulu. The bridge in the photo below is the new bridge built in early 1999. The original bridge was built by the British in the 1930s-1960s. 

The Kadazandusun folk song "Jambatan Tamparuli" by Justin Lusah (1977) is about a man who lost his high-heeled shoe into the river on Tamu (market) and walked home in socks. 

There is also a legend behind the bridge, the legend of Solungkoi, the love triangle between a British officer named Robinson and a young local girl named Solungkoi. A local young man named Intang was jealous. You can read the whole story below:

Zulheimy Maamor: Jambatan Tamparuli - The Legend of Sulongkoi.

2013: KK TO KOTA MARUDU

My journey from Kota Kinabalu to Kota Marudu in 2013, northbound on Kudat Highway. Distance is about 128 km, a 2-3 hour drive. 

Top Left: Tuaran Bypass, view of Gunung Kinabalu. It's just after Inanam/Telipok.

Top Right: Teluk Sepanggar – dual carriage away down to Sepanggar Bay Container Port. The cranes you see on the horizon are the port. The new Sepanggar Tunnel was built to shorten the lorry time from port to KK. 

Bottom Left: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) – the iconic twin towers with red roofs on the hill, connected by bridge – UMS main campus at Sepanggar Bay, Lipat Bay. 

Bottom Right: Straight road to Kota Marudu; after Kota Belud, you can see the electricity pylon and Mt Kinabalu in the distance. About 30-40 km before Pekan Kota Marudu. 

KK - Kota Marudu trip, the stretch before Tamparuli. All three towns are on Jalan Tuaran Lama. 

Tuaran, a district town about 34 km north of KK, is home of Dusun Lotud people. Tuaran is famous for Tuaran Mee and as a gateway to Kiulu dan Tamparuli. 

Inanam: 10 km from city centre, During WWII, Inanam was the base for the Kinabalu Guerillas, the resistance led by Albert Kwok against the Japanese. The Inanam-Menggatal-Telipok area was the guerilla HQ, with Hakka Chinese support. 

Telipok: 15 km north of KK, 5 km of Menggatal, Sepanggar and Tuaran. The Vietnam War film "BBat 21" (1988) was shot around Menggatal, Telipok, and Kayu Madang. 

KOTA BELUD

Kota Belud means "Fort on the Hill" a Sama/Bajau language. The nickname was "Cowboy Town of the East", because the local Bajau people are Sabah's only horsemen, famous for rearing and training horses for centuries. 

About 70 km from KK – it's the cultural heartland of the Bajau – Kadazan-Dusun.

KOTA MARUDU

About 130 km north of KK, the town where my KK-Kudat highway ends before Kudat. 

Top Left: Kota Marudu roundabout with a fish statue, as the Kota Marudu district is fishing and a paddy town. The name Marudu itself was first mapped by a Dutch sailor in 1595 who sailed from Brunei, and the area was home to Balanggi sea troops of the Brunei/Sulu Sultanates. 

Top Right: Dewan Komuniti Kota Marudu where we had our Health Screening Programme. It's a multi-purpose hall for government events.

Bottom Left: Hotel Season 2, where we stay during our event at Kota Marudu. Above BSN, it's the main hotel for travellers doing KK-Kudat. 

Bottom Right: Old shoplot street, the original Kota Marudu old town. 

Kota Marudu is historically famous for the Battle of Marudu Bay in the early 19th century, where Sharif Usman vs. the British. 

My August 2013 route complete > KK > Teluk Sepanggar > UMS > Inanam > Tuaran > Telipok > Tamparuli > Kota Belud > Kota Marudu. 

KK - KIMANIS - KENINGAU

Route KK-Kimanis-Keningau, over Crocker Range. Elevation goes from sea level to Gunung Alab (1964 m) and Dimie Pendalaman Resort at 1371 m. 

Ref: Zulheimy Maamor: From Kinabalu to Kimanis and Keningau.

Keningau, "Land of the Wakid" – Wakid is a basket, the identity of Keningau. It's a traditional Dusun backpack-basket, woven from rattan or bamboo, with shoulder straps. Worn on the back, used for carrying paddy, vegetables, firewood, babies, and everything in interior life. 

Info Photo:

Top-left: Dewan Tan Sri Joseph Kurup in Keningau district. Named after Tan Sri Josep Kurup, a veteran Sabah politician from Sook, former MP for Keningau and founder of the PBRS Party of Sabah. 

Top-right: S.K.Sook, about 40 km south of Keningau town, on the way to Nabawan.

Bottom-left: Roundabout Monument in Keningau, the iconic Wakid Monument,the black stone with golden Wakid (traditional Dusun Basket) on top and two spears. Wakid is Keningau symbol, famous for its rattan and bamboo basket weaving.

Bottom-right : Taman Ternakan Sebrang, Livestock Park Keningau. An agricultural/livestock station across from Keningau town. 

KALABAKAN 

A town in Tawau District, about 5 km west of the town of Tawau. This is the famous junction where Tawau - Sepulut - Keningau highway splits. The roundabout is near the Kalimantan Border, the gateway to Maliau Basin, Sabah's lost world. 

The bottom-right photo, is the Kalabakan Memorial for the 1963 confrontation incident.During Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation, Indonesian forces infiltrated at Kalabakan in December1962. The Royal Malay Regiment fought here - several soldiers killed. The memorial in the photo honors those soldiers, their names on the plaques.

MALIAU BASIN

Maliau Basin, 34 km from the Kalabakan roundabout. Known as Sabah's Lost World. A huge almost-circular crater basin, 390 sq km, surrounded by 1,600 m high rim. Never permanently inhabited - too remote, too difficult. 

Discovered by British pilot in 1947 who saw the crater from air. Inside: untouched rainforest, with over 80 species of orchids, pygmy elephants, clouded leopards, banteng.The centre has Maliau Falls, 7-tier waterfall, 28 m high. 

It was managed by Yayasan Sabah. To enter you need permit, guide, 4x4 from Kalabakan. That's why it have the 54 km sign - it's logging road, muddy. 

LAHAD DATU, SANDAKAN & TAWAU

1. Lahad Datu Airport - small domestic airport managed by Malaysia Airports.This is the gateway to east coast, near Danum Valley and the site of the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion (Sulu militants). Lahad Datu is halfway between Sandakan and Tawau, on Darvel Bay. 

2. Sepilok, Sandakan : The Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. Located near Sandakan, 26 km west of town. Founded in 1964, oldest Orangutan rehab centre in world. Orphaned baby Orangutans are taught to survive wild.This is Sabah's most famous wildlife attraction, alongside Kinabalu Park. 

3. Tawau : The waterfront promenade at Tanjung Batu, Tawau. Tawau is Sabah's third largest city after KK and Sandakan. I had been here earlier, in the 90s when my ship alongside the KD Sri Tawau Jetty, RMN base at Tawau. It is the Eastern Fleet, Wilayah Laut 2. It guards the east of Sabah coast (ESSZONE) against piracy and intrusion from Sulu Sea.  

Wonderful Sabah, I had completed a full loop. Almost 2,000 km of Sabah covered as from my time in the Navy (1980-1996), 1997-2013. 

KK > Kimanis > Keningau > Kalabakan > Maliau Basin > Tawau > Lahad Datu > Sandakan > Sepilok > Kundasang > Kota Marudu

While not everyone had the opportunity to complete a full loop of Sabah, the experiences shared by those who did are truly remarkable. Each journey through this beautiful state reveals unique landscapes, rich cultures, and unforgettable encounters.

From the bustling streets of Kota Kinabalu to the serene heights of Kundasang, every stop along the way offers a glimpse into the diverse heritage of Sabah. The vibrant markets, stunning natural parks, and historical sites tell stories that resonate with both locals and visitors alike.

For those who missed out on the full loop, there are still countless adventures to be had. Exploring the hidden gems of Sabah, such as the tranquil beaches of Tanjung Aru or the lush trails of Crocker Range, can provide a taste of the beauty that awaits.

Whether it's a short trip or a grand tour, Sabah's charm is undeniable, and each journey contributes to the tapestry of memories that make this region so special. So, while not everyone may have completed the full loop, the spirit of exploration and discovery continues to thrive in every corner of Sabah.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

18 October 2026: 1:30 a.m.