How Did Amr Ibn ِAl‑As Conquer Egypt?

Who Conquered Egypt

He is Amr ibn al‑As ibn Waʾil al‑Sahmi al‑Qurashi, known as Abū ʿAbd Allāh and one of the renowned strategists of the Arabs. He was decisive, resolute, and astute. Once among the fiercest pagans opposing Islam, God, glorified and exalted, guided him to embrace Islam during the Treaty of Hudaybiyah.

The Prophet ﷺ trusted him so much that he appointed him commander of the “Dhat al‑Salasil” expedition, under whose command were Abu Bakr and Umar, may God be pleased with them.

Amr ibn al‑As, Conqueror of Egypt

Amr ibn al‑As, may God be pleased with him, was one of the foremost commanders of the Islamic conquests. He took part in the conquest of Greater Syria during the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar, may God be pleased with them. After the Muslims conquered Jerusalem and Umar ibn al‑Khattab received its keys, Amr ibn al‑As sat privately with him, urging him to conquer Egypt, extolling how easy it would be. He persisted until Umar, may God be pleased with him, granted permission.

Umar ibn al‑Khattab, may God be pleased with him, placed Amr in command of four thousand fighters and dispatched him, informing him that he would send a letter clarifying whether to proceed or withdraw. If the order was to withdraw but the army had already entered Egyptian territory, he could rely on God and continue. It is said the letter reached Amr just before entry, but he delayed reading it until they had crossed the border and then pressed on.

Reason Amr ibn al‑As Entered Egypt  

What drove Amr ibn al‑As, may God be pleased with him, to convince Umar ibn al‑Khattab, may God be pleased with him, to conquer Egypt was that he had visited it in pre‑Islamic times.

He knew its conditions: political turmoil, the weakness of Roman authority, the frailty of their armies, and the people’s resentment of oppressive rulers, all factors that would ease the conquest. Add to this its abundant resources and fertile land, and above all, seeking God’s pleasure and bringing its people into the true faith.

Amr ibn al‑As’s Treatment of Egyptians and Their Customs After the Conquest

Amr ibn al‑As’s governance of Egypt was marked by justice, tolerance, compassion, and great wisdom. A hallmark was fair judiciary: he established permanent, organized courts and appellate courts. When a case involved both a Muslim and a Copt, Coptic authorities could intervene, something unknown under Roman rule despite shared Christianity.

He greatly respected Egyptian customs and beliefs, forbidding only one cruel practice: annually kidnapping a beautiful girl and throwing her into the Nile to appease the “Nile god” for high floodwaters, an ancient tradition.

His justice extended to allowing Copts to freely choose their patriarch, a policy Umar followed when he conquered Jerusalem, and permitting them to build churches in the new Islamic city he founded.

Most Important Achievements of Amr ibn al‑As in Egypt  

We summarize some of Amr ibn al‑As’s accomplishments in Egypt; they are but a drop in the ocean, for he was the conqueror and first governor, ruling twice for a long period: 

• Spread security and safety throughout the land.
• Granted Copts religious freedom they had lacked, restoring Patriarch “Benjamin” from exile in Wādī al‑Naṭrūn to the “Church of Alexandria,” winning Egyptians’ hearts.
• Implemented financial and administrative reforms across the state apparatus, employing Copts in them.
• Founded the city of al‑Fusṭāṭ, making it Egypt’s Islamic capital, and built his mosque at its center, the first mosque in Africa, still standing today.
• Dug a canal linking the Nile to the Red Sea by order of the Commander of the Faithful Umar, may God be pleased with him, to facilitate travel and trade between Egypt and Arabia; it became known as “Khalīj Amīr al‑Muʾminīn”.