History of the Conquest and Fall of Syria

Syria, also known as the “Land of the Prophets,” holds a significant position within the Islamic world, revered after the sacred lands of the Haram. The conquest of this region was achieved through the valor of renowned figures such as Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Amr ibn al-Aas, Shurahbil ibn Hasna—may Allah be pleased with them—and the profound sacrifices made during the battles of Yarmouk and Ajnadin.

Subsequently, Syria became the focal point of the Umayyad Caliphate, dispatching conquest expeditions to both the east and west from its central command in Damascus. It served as the headquarters for military campaigns spanning from Andalusia to Kashgar and the Caucasus, countering threats during the Crusader and Mongol invasions of the Islamic world. Syria stood as the final bastion of the Islamic Ummah, witnessing pivotal moments like the defense against the Crusades by the Zangids and Ayyubids, and Sultan Qutuz’s strategic victory over the Tatar forces, marking the decline of Genghis Khan’s empire.

Beyond its role in conquests and defense, Syria thrived as a hub of intellectual and cultural pursuits, nurturing eminent scholars in various disciplines including hadith, jurisprudence, history, Sufism, and literature, names that resonate with scholarly excellence.

Under Ottoman rule for approximately four centuries, Syria experienced a transformation during the decline of the Ottoman Empire, witnessing the emergence of Arab nationalist sentiments influenced by Western ideologies. This nationalist movement, spearheaded by local intellectuals introduced to Crusader Orientalists’ teachings, gained momentum through cultural societies like the “Al-Nahud Al-Arabi” in Damascus in 1906 and “Al-Arabiya Al-Fatat” in Paris in 1911, later relocating to Damascus until 1920.

In the backdrop of rising nationalist fervor, the inaugural Arab Nationalist Conference convened in Paris in 1913, coinciding with a surge in nationalist sentiments within the ruling Turkish factions embracing Pan-Turkism ideals.

When the First World War erupted in 1914, the Ottoman Caliphate allied with Germany, setting the stage for the “Arab Uprising” led by Emir Hussein bin Ali of Hejaz against the Ottoman rule. The British, aiming to dismantle the Ottoman Empire, found support from the people of Syria, who joined the resistance against the ruling Turks.

The outcome of the conflict led to the defeat of the Ottoman Turks and Germany, with Britain and France emerging victorious. During this period, the Ottoman Turks withdrew from Arab territories, which were subsequently divided between Britain and France as per the Sykes-Picot Agreement and the Balfour Declaration, designating Palestine for Jewish settlement. This division resulted in the partition of Syria into four regions: Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan.

In 1920, the Syrian National Conference declared Faisal bin Hussein as the King of Syria. However, the San Remo Conference in the same year determined that Syria would fall under French control. When France demanded Faisal’s compliance with their occupation and the disbandment of the Syrian army, he refused, prompting France to dispatch troops to Damascus. Faisal retaliated by declaring jihad in solidarity with the populace. Despite a valiant effort led by the Syrian Minister of Defense, Yusuf al-Azma, the French forces emerged victorious in a fierce battle at Meslon and eventually captured Damascus.

Following this defeat, Faisal evacuated Damascus, allowing French forces to assume complete control over Syria. France proceeded to partition Syria into Damascus, Aleppo, the Alawite state, and the Druze state. The Syrian populace resisted these actions, leading to the Druze revolt against the French in 1925. While the French managed to capture certain territories and win battles, suppressing these uprisings posed significant challenges.

Subsequently, the National Government of Syria was established, only to be dissolved by the French in 1930. France eventually granted Syria conditional independence through a treaty in 1936. By 1941, owing to domestic resistance and international pressure, France extended further independence to Syria, albeit retaining its military presence.

In 1943, Shukri al-Quwatli was democratically elected as the first President of the independent Syrian Republic. France withdrew its troops from Syria in 1946, paving the way for Syria’s complete sovereignty.

Post-independence, a series of military coups unfolded in Syria. In 1958, a symbolic union between Egypt and Syria was declared, culminating in its dissolution by a military coup in 1961. Subsequently, on March 8, 1963, the Baath Arab Socialist Party orchestrated a coup, predominantly comprising members from non-Muslim minority groups like Nusayris, Druze, and Christians.

The Baathist leaders overtly proclaimed their opposition to Islam, asserting that Arab nationalism constituted their faith. Following the ousting of Amin al-Hafiz, the influence of the Nusayris and Druze surged under the Baathist regime, leading to the marginalization of the prominent Sunni figures in Syria. The Baathists’ initial setback occurred when they lost the strategically vital Golan Heights to Israel during the 1967 war, a period when Hafez al-Assad held the position of Minister of Defense. Subsequently, with Hafez al-Assad’s ascent to power, Syria—known as Sham—endured a harsh era marked by oppression, atheism, tyranny, and unprecedented brutality.

Hafez al-Assad governed Syria from 1970 to 1998, gradually diminishing the influence of the Sunni majority, which encompassed around eighty percent of the population. Employing intelligence-based governance, Hafez al-Assad ruthlessly quashed any form of dissent with extreme cruelty and violence. Under his reign, Syria rapidly veered towards irreligiosity, atheism, and secularism. Corruption and bribery permeated all facets of political, administrative, judicial, and economic domains, inflicting immense hardships on the populace.

An intellectual resistance movement against Hafez al-Assad’s despotic rule, led by Sheikh Marwan al-Hadid and select Muslim Brotherhood leaders, eventually escalated into a full-fledged uprising. In 1982, Hafez al-Assad brutally suppressed Muslim demonstrations in Hama using tanks and warplanes, resulting in the massacre of over forty thousand innocent Muslims within a span of 14 days. Tens of thousands of Muslims were also unjustly incarcerated during this period. Hafez al-Assad’s reign was stained by shocking atrocities, including the execution of twenty-five thousand Muslims, whose remains were interred in mass graves.

Hafez al-Assad groomed his eldest son, Bassel, to inherit his autocratic legacy; however, Bassel met his demise in a tragic accident. Consequently, Hafez appointed his second son, Bashar al-Assad, as his successor. Bashar al-Assad followed in his father’s footsteps, perpetuating the authoritarian policies, particularly over the past thirteen years. In a bid to uphold his oppressive rule, Bashar al-Assad not only devastated Syria but also caused the deaths, displacement, and suffering of millions. He emerged as a symbol of oppression and animosity within the Arab world, with his downfall appearing inevitable.

The revolts against Bashar al-Assad, which originated 13 years ago during the Arab Spring, have reignited once more. Despite the ruthless suppression of these movements, Tahrir al-Sham, a coalition comprising various jihadist factions, has persisted in their resistance in the northern region of Idlib, Syria. Recently, this coalition initiated an offensive against Bashar al-Assad’s regime under the pretext of defending against aggression.

The outcomes of this offensive surpassed all expectations. Successively, major cities like Aleppo and Hama were captured, and the news of the conquest of Damascus, along with Bashar’s escape, dominated headlines on a Sunday night. Consequently, Syria returned to the hands of its true stewards. Syria reclaimed its essence, with Damascus reverting to its former self. The mere mention of Syria and Damascus will no longer evoke memories of Bashar al-Assad’s atrocities, the Baath Party, or the tragic events in Hama. Instead, it will evoke recollections of the intellectual, jihadi, and cultural grandeur of Islamic Syria.

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the capture of Damascus signify more than a mere shift in governance; it symbolizes the return of a long-lost segment of the Islamic world to the Muslim populace, an area that had been governed by foreign puppets for approximately six decades, leaving its indigenous inhabitants feeling displaced.