Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Administration of Syria
During the time of Hazrat Umar (Rad.A) Amir Mu’awiya (Rad.A) was the governor of Damascus controlling a part of Syria. Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) after combining three provinces viz Syria, Palestine and Jordan into one, appointed Amir Mu’awiya (Rad.A) as the governor of the whole Syria. During the late period of Hazrat Urnar (Rad.A). Heraclius, the Emperor of Byzantium died at Constantinople in 641 A.D. and his son, Constans (641-668) after some confusion became the Emperor of Byzantine Empire which was reduced to Anatalya (now a part of Turkey) and Asia Minor besides some state in the Eastern Europe, with Constantinople as its capital.
The Romans (Byzantines) were having a covetous eye on the part conquered by the Muslims, specially Syria and Alexandria (in Egypt). They again started raising a big army against Muslims and incited the people to rebel against the Islamic Government after the death of Hazrat Umar (Rad.A). Roman Invasion of Alexandria
In the year 25 A.H. (645 A.D.) there was a big rebellion in Alexandria, and in 26 A.H., the Roman army took possession of city after a fight with the Muslims. Hearing this Hazrat Usman (Rad.A)
Hazrat Usman (Rad. A.)
267
directed Amr bin al A’s (Rad.A) to crush the rebellion and back the Roman invasion. Hazrat Amr (Rad.A) again attacked the city and drove the Romans out, and recovered the port city of Alexandria. Administration of Egypt
During the time of Hazrat Umar (Rad.A) there was no full pledged governor in Egypt. The powers of the governor were divided. Hazrat Amr bin al A’s was the commander-in-chief of the forces and Hazrat Abdullah bin Sarah (Rad.A) was incharge of revenue. But Amr had more say in the matters of administration. There arose a dispute between Hazrat Amr and Sarah in year 27 A.H. Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) investigated the case and found that Hazrat Amr was not right, so he recalled him to Medina and Hazrat Abdullah bin Sarah was appointed as governor of Egypt. Hazrat ’Amr was not pleased with the decision. During the time of ’Amr (Rad.A), the annual amount of taxes was two million dinars. Conquest of Anatalya and Cyprus
Constan II, the Byzantine Emperor tried to take over Syria and ordered his army to march on the Muslims. Seeing the Roman invasion, Hazrat Amir Muawiya (Rad.A) led an army to Asia Minor where the Romans were gathered. He defeated the Romans and took over the city of Amuria. Within a short period of time he conquered a vast part of Asia Minor.
Following these victories Hazrat Amir bin Muawiyah (Rad.A) turned his attention to Mediterranean. The island of Cyprus was very important from the defence point of view. He sought Usman’s (Rad.A) permission for sea fighting. The Khalifah approved his plan. For the first time in the history of Islam, a naval force was built and in the year 28 A.H. Mu’awiya sent a fleet of 500 ships under the command of Hazrat Abdullah bin Qais Harthi. After some fighting, the island of Cyprus was occupied and the inhabitants of the island agreed to pay the same tribute to Muslims as they did to the Romans. Later on in the year 33 A.H. (653 A.D.) Hazrat Amir Mu’awiya also conquered the great fort of Anatalya. He also attacked Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, in the year 34 A.H. (654 A.D.) but was not successful in conquering it. (It was really in the lot of Sultan Muhammad Fatih who conquered it on 20 Jumadiul Awwal

857 A.H. i.e. 29 May 1453 A.D.).2