Qadisiyya

Qadisiyya, also spelled Qadisiyah or Qadisiya, is a name that refers most prominently to the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah in 636 CE, during the early Muslim conquests. The term is also used for various places in the Arab world, where the name remains common in modern toponyms and institutions.

The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah was fought near the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq between the Rashidun Caliphate and the Sasanian Empire. The Rashidun army, commanded by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, faced the Sasanian forces led by Rostam Farrokhzad. After several days of fighting, the Muslims secured a decisive victory, dealing a severe blow to Sasanian military power and opening the path for further campaigns into western Iran and Mesopotamia. The loss at al-Qadisiyyah contributed to the eventual fall of the Sasanian state, with Ctesiphon falling to Rashidun forces in the following years.

Impact and significance of the battle are widely noted in historical and Islamic histories as a turning point in the conquest of Persia and the expansion of the early Islamic world. The engagement demonstrated the effectiveness of the Rashidun military coalition and helped reshape political and cultural boundaries in the region.

In modern usage, Qadisiyya remains a common toponym in Iraq and other Arab countries, where districts, towns, and institutions bear the name. The term, reflecting the historical event, is often encountered in geographic and cultural contexts. Alternative spellings include Qadisiyah and Qadisiya.