The Gate of Egypt

In the caliphate of 'Umar, 'Amr proposed marching on Egypt, a land he had visited as a merchant before Islam and knew well. 'Umar was hesitant, afraid of risking the Muslims far from their base, but allowed him to go with a small army, and later reinforced it under al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam.

The army crossed Sinai, took al-Arish and Pelusium, and defeated the Byzantine garrison at the fortress of Babylon after a siege, and then took Alexandria. A treaty with the Copts of Egypt secured their lives, property and churches in return for tribute. Many Egyptians welcomed the change from Byzantine rule.

'Amr then founded the garrison-city of Fustat, with a mosque that still bears his name, and governed Egypt for years. A popular story says 'Umar wrote a letter to the Nile in response to a custom of sacrificing a maiden, but this tale has no reliable chain and is likely to be a legend.