Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1874
The caliphate of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb
يَوْمِ أَرْمَاثَ ولَمَّا عَبَرَ الْفُرْسُ الْعَتِيقَ، جَلَسَ رُسْتُمُ عَلَى سَرِيرِهِ وَضُرِبَ عَلَيْهِ طَيَّارَةٌ، وَعَبَّى فِي الْقَلْبِ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ فِيلًا، عَلَيْهَا صَنَادِيقُ وَرِجَالٌ، وَفِي الْمُجَنِّبَتَيْنِ ثَمَانِيَةً وَسَبْعَةً، وَأَقَامَ الْجَالِينُوسُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ رُسْتُمَ رِجَالًا عَلَى كُلِّ دَعْوَةٍ رَجُلًا، أَوَّلُهُمْ عَلَى بَابِ إِيوَانِهِ وَآخِرُهُمْ مَعَ رُسْتُمَ، فَكُلَّمَا فَعَلَ رُسْتُمُ شَيْئًا قَالَ الَّذِي مَعَهُ لِلَّذِي يَلِيهِ: كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ الثَّانِي لِلَّذِي يَلِيهِ، وَهَكَذَا إِلَى أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى يَزْدَجِرْدَ فِي أَسْرَعِ وَقْتٍ. وَأَخَذَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مَصَافَّهُمْ. مرض سعد بالقادسية سَعْدٌ يَمْرَضُ فِي الْقَادِسِيَّةِ. كَانَتْ وَقْعَةُ الْقَادِسِيَّةِ وَقْعَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِالْعِرَاقِ أَعْجَبُ مِنْهَا ; وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا تَوَاجَهَ الصَّفَّانِ كَانَ سَعْدٌ، ؓ، قَدْ أَصَابَهُ عِرْقُ النَّسَا، وَدَمَامِلُ فِي جَسَدِهِ، فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ الْجُلُوسَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ مُكِبٌّ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ، فِي صَدْرِهِ وِسَادَةٌ عَلَى سَطْحِ الْقَصْرِ يُشْرِفُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَالصَّفُّ فِي أَصْلِ حَائِطِهِ، لَوْ أَعْرَاهُ الصَّفُّ فَوَاقَ نَاقَةٍ لَأُخِذَ بِرُمَّتِهِ، فَمَا كَرَثَهُ هَوْلُ تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامِ شَجَاعَةً، وَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ النَّاسُ، وَعَابَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ: نُقَاتِلُ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ نَصْرَهُ وَسَعْدٌ بِبَابِ الْقَادِسِيَّةِ مُعْصَمُ فَأُبْنَا وَقَدْ آمَتْ نِسَاءٌ كَثِيرَةٌ وَنِسْوَةُ سَعْدٍ لَيْسَ فِيهِنَّ أَيِّمُ فَبَلَغَتْ أَبْيَاتُهُ سَعْدًا فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا كَاذِبًا وَقَالَ الَّذِي قَالَهُ رِيَاءً وَسُمْعَةً فَاقْطَعْ عَنِّي لِسَانَهُ ! فَإِنَّهُ لَوَاقِفٌ فِي الصَّفِّ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَتَاهُ سَهْمٌ غَرْبٌ فَأَصَابَ لِسَانَهُ، فَمَا تَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ حَتَّى لَحِقَ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى. فَقَالَ جَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ نَحْوَ ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا، وَكَذَلِكَ غَيْرُهُ، وَنَزَلَ سَعْدٌ إِلَى النَّاسِ فَاعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَأَرَاهُمْ مَا بِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُوحِ فِي فَخِذَيْهِ وَأَلْيَتَيْهِ، فَعَذَرَهُ النَّاسُ وَعَلِمُوا حَالَهُ، وَلَمَّا عَجَزَ عَنِ الرُّكُوبِ اسْتَخْلَفَ خَالِدَ بْنَ عُرْفُطَةَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَاخْتُلِفَ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَ نَفَرًا مِمَّنْ شَغَبَ عَلَيْهِ فَحَبَسَهُمْ فِي الْقَصْرِ، مِنْهُمْ: أَبُو مِحْجَنٍ الثَّقَفِيُّ، وَقَيَّدَهُمْ. وَقِيلَ: بَلْ كَانَ حَبْسُ أَبِي مِحْجَنٍ بِسَبَبِ الْخَمْرِ، وَأَعْلَمَ النَّاسَ أَنَّهُ قَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ خَالِدًا وَإِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُهُمْ خَالِدٌ، فَسَمِعُوا وَأَطَاعُوا، وَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ يَوْمَئِذٍ، وَهُوَ يَوْمُ الِاثْنَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمِ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ، وَحَثَّهُمْ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ وَذَكَّرَهُمْ مَا وَعَدَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَتْحِ الْبِلَادِ، وَمَا نَالَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنَ الْفُرْسِ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ: وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ. هَذَا مِيرَاثُكُمْ وَمَوْعُودُ رَبِّكُمْ، فَأَنْتُمْ مُنْذُ ثَلَاثِ حِجَجٍ تَطْعَمُونَ مِنْهُ، وَتَقْتُلُونَ أَهْلَهُ، فَإِنْ تَزْهَدُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَتَرْغَبُوا فِي الْآخِرَةِ يَجْمَعِ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ، وَلَا يُقَرِّبُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدًا إِلَى أَجَلِهِ، وَإِنْ تَفْشَلُوا وَتَضْعُفُوا تَذْهَبْ رِيحُكُمْ، وَتُوبِقُوا آخِرَتَكُمْ. وَقَامَ عَاصِمُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو فِي الْمُجَرَّدَةِ، فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ بِلَادٌ قَدْ أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ [لَكُمْ] أَهْلَهَا، وَأَنْتُمْ تَنَالُونَ مِنْهُمْ مُنْذُ ثَلَاثِ سِنِينَ مَا لَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْكُمْ، وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ وَاللَّهُ مَعَكُمْ، إِنْ صَبَرْتُمْ فَالضَّرْبَ وَالطَّعْنَ، وَلَكُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَنِسَاؤُهُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُهُمْ وَبِلَادُهُمْ، وَلَئِنْ فَشِلْتُمْ لَمْ يُبْقِ هَذَا الْجَمْعُ مِنْكُمْ بَاقِيَةً، مَخَافَةَ أَنْ تَعُودُوا عَلَيْهِمْ [بِعَائِدَةِ هَلَاكٍ]، اللَّهَ اللَّهَ، اجْعَلُوا هَمَّكُمُ الْآخِرَةَ. وَكَذَلِكَ فَعَلَ أَمِيرُ كُلِّ قَوْمٍ، وَأَرْسَلَ سَعْدٌ نَفَرًا مِنْ ذَوِي الرَّأْيِ وَالنَّجْدَةِ، مِنْهُمُ: الْمُغِيرَةُ، وَحُذَيْفَةُ، وَعَاصِمٌ، وَطُلَيْحَةُ، وَقَيْسٌ الْأَسَدِيُّ، وَغَالِبٌ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ وَأَمْثَالُهُمْ، وَمِنَ الشُّعَرَاءِ: الشَّمَّاخُ، وَالْحُطَيْئَةُ، وَأَوْسُ بْنُ مَغْرَاءَ، وَعُبَيْدَةُ بْنُ الطَّبِيبِ وَغَيْرُهُمْ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِتَحْرِيضِ النَّاسِ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ، فَفَعَلُوا. وَكَانَ صَفُّ الْمُشْرِكِينَ عَلَى شَفِيرِ الْعَتِيقِ، وَكَانَ صَفُّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَعَ حَائِطِ قُدَيْسٍ وَالْخَنْدَقِ، فَكَانَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ بَيْنَ الْخَنْدَقِ وَالْعَتِيقِ، وَمَعَ الْفُرْسِ ثَلَاثُونَ أَلْفَ مُسَلْسَلٍ، وَأَمَرَ سَعْدٌ النَّاسَ بِقِرَاءَةِ سُورَةِ الْجِهَادِ - وَهِيَ الْأَنْفَالُ - فَلَمَّا قُرِئَتْ هَشَّتْ قُلُوبُ النَّاسِ وَعُيُونُهُمْ وَعَرَفُوا السَّكِينَةَ مَعَ قِرَاءَتِهَا. فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ الْقُرَّاءُ مِنْهَا قَالَ سَعْدٌ: الْزَمُوا مَوَاقِفَكُمْ حَتَّى تُصَلُّوا الظُّهْرَ، فَإِذَا صَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنِّي مُكَبِّرٌ تَكْبِيرَةً، فَكَبِّرُوا وَاسْتَعِدُّوا، فَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَالْبَسُوا عُدَّتَكُمْ، ثُمَّ إِذَا كَبَّرْتُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَكَبِّرُوا، وَلْيُنَشِّطْ فُرْسَانُكُمُ النَّاسَ، فَإِذَا كَبَّرْتُ الرَّابِعَةَ فَازْحَفُوا جَمِيعًا حَتَّى تُخَالِطُوا عَدُوَّكُمْ، وَقُولُوا لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ. فَلَمَّا كَبَّرَ سَعْدٌ الثَّالِثَةَ بَرَزَ أَهْلُ النَّجَدَاتِ فَأَنْشَبُوا الْقِتَالَ، وَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْفُرْسِ أَمْثَالُهُمْ، فَاعْتَوَرُوا الطَّعْنَ وَالضَّرْبَ، وَقَالَ غَالِبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَسَدِيُّ: قَدْ عَلِمَتْ وَارِدَةُ الْمَشَائِحِ ذَاتُ اللَّبَانِ وَالْبَيَانِ الْوَاضِحِ أَنِّي سِمَامٌ بَطَلُ الْمَسَالِحِ وَفَارِجُ الْأَمْرِ الْمُهِمِّ الْفَادِحِ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ هُرْمُزُ، وَكَانَ مِنْ مُلُوكِ الْبَابِ، وَكَانَ مُتَوَّجًا، فَأَسَرَهُ غَالِبٌ، فَجَاءَ بِهِ سَعْدًا وَرَجَعَ، وَخَرَجَ عَاصِمٌ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: قَدْ عَلِمَتْ بَيْضَاءُ صَفْرَاءُ اللَّبَبْ مِثْلُ اللُّجَيْنِ إِذْ تَغَشَّاهُ الذَّهَبْ أَنِّي امْرُؤٌ لَا مَنْ يَعِيبُهُ السَّبَبْ مِثْلِي عَلَى مِثْلِكَ يُغْرِيهِ الْعَتَبْ فَطَارَدَ فَارِسِيًّا فَانْهَزَمَ، فَاتَّبَعَهُ عَاصِمٌ حَتَّى خَالَطَ صَفَّهُمْ، فَحَمَوْهُ، فَأَخَذَ عَاصِمٌ رَجُلًا عَلَى بَغْلٍ وَعَادَ بِهِ، وَإِذَا هُوَ خَبَّازُ الْمَلِكِ مَعَهُ مِنْ طَعَامِ الْمَلِكِ وَخَبِيصٌ، فَأَتَى بِهِ سَعْدًا فَنَفَّلَهُ أَهْلَ مَوْقِفِهِ. وَخَرَجَ فَارِسِيٌّ فَطَلَبَ الْبِرَازَ، فَبَرَزَ إِلَيْهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِيِ كَرِبَ، فَأَخَذَهُ وَجَلَدَ بِهِ الْأَرْضَ، فَذَبَحَهُ وَأَخَذَ سِوَارَيْهِ وَمِنْطَقَتَهُ. وَحَمَلَتِ الْفِيَلَةُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَفَرَّقَتْ بَيْنَ الْكَتَائِبِ، فَنَفَرَتِ الْخَيْلُ، وَكَانَتِ الْفُرْسُ قَدْ قَصَدَتْ بَجِيلَةَ بِسَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ فِيلًا، فَنَفَرَتْ خَيْلُ بَجِيلَةَ، فَكَادَتْ بَجِيلَةُ تَهْلِكُ لِنِفَارِ خَيْلِهَا عَنْهَا وَعَمَّنْ مَعَهَا، وَأَرْسَلَ سَعْدٌ إِلَى بَنِي أَسَدٍ أَنْ دَافِعُوا عَنْ بَجِيلَةَ وَعَمَّنْ مَعَهَا مِنَ النَّاسِ. فَخَرَجَ طُلَيْحَةُ بْنُ خُوَيْلِدٍ، وَحَمَّالُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فِي كَتَائِبِهِمَا، فَبَاشَرُوا الْفِيَلَةَ حَتَّى عَدَلَهَا رُكْبَانُهَا. وَخَرَجَ إِلَى طُلَيْحَةَ عَظِيمٌ مِنْهُمْ، فَقَتَلَهُ طُلَيْحَةُ، وَقَامَ الْأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ فِي كِنْدَةَ فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ كِنْدَةَ لِلَّهِ دَرُّ بَنِي أَسَدٍ ! أَيُّ فَرْيٍّ يَفْرُونَ، وَأَيُّ هَذٍّ يَهُذُّونَ عَنْ مَوْقِفِهِمْ، أَغْنَى كُلُّ قَوْمٍ مَا يَلِيهِمْ، وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْتَظِرُونَ مَنْ يَكْفِيكُمْ، أَشْهَدُ مَا أَحْسَنْتُمْ أُسْوَةَ قَوْمِكُمْ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ. فَنَهَدَ وَنَهَدُوا، فَأَزَالُوا الَّذِينَ بِإِزَائِهِمْ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْفُرْسُ مَا يَلْقَى النَّاسُ وَالْفِيَلَةُ مِنْ أَسَدٍ رَمَوْهُمْ بِحَدِّهِمْ وَحَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَفِيهِمْ ذُو الْحَاجِبِ، وَالْجَالِينُوسُ. وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ يَنْتَظِرُونَ التَّكْبِيرَةَ الرَّابِعَةَ مِنْ سَعْدٍ، فَاجْتَمَعَتْ حَلْبَةُ فَارِسَ عَلَى أَسَدٍ وَمَعَهُمْ تِلْكَ الْفِيَلَةُ، فَثَبَتُوا لَهُمْ، وَكَبَّرَ سَعْدٌ الرَّابِعَةَ، وَزَحَفَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَرَحَا الْحَرْبِ تَدُورُ عَلَى أَسَدٍ، وَحَمَلَتِ الْفُيُولُ عَلَى الْمَيْمَنَةِ وَالْمَيْسَرَةِ فَكَانَتِ الْخُيُولُ تَحِيدُ عَنْهَا. فَأَرْسَلَ سَعْدٌ إِلَى عَاصِمِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو التَّمِيمِيِّ فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ، أَمَا عِنْدَكُمْ لِهَذِهِ الْفِيَلَةِ مِنْ حِيلَةٍ ؟ قَالُوا: بَلَى وَاللَّهِ ! ثُمَّ نَادَى فِي رِجَالٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ رُمَاةٍ، وَآخَرِينَ لَهُمْ ثَقَافَةٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ الرُّمَاةِ، ذُبُّوا رُكْبَانَ الْفِيَلَةِ عَنْهُمْ بِالنَّبْلِ. وَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ أَهْلِ الثَّقَافَةِ، اسْتَدْبِرُوا الْفِيَلَةَ فَقَطِّعُوا وُضُنَهَا، وَخَرَجَ يَحْمِيهِمْ، وَرَحَا الْحَرْبِ تَدُورُ عَلَى أَسَدٍ، وَقَدْ جَالَتِ الْمَيْمَنَةُ وَالْمَيْسَرَةُ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ، وَأَقْبَلَ أَصْحَابُ عَاصِمٍ عَلَى الْفِيَلَةِ فَأَخَذُوا بِأَذْنَابِ تَوَابِيتِهَا، فَقَطَعُوا وُضُنَهَا، وَارْتَفَعَ عُوَاؤُهُمْ، فَمَا بَقِيَ لَهُمْ فِيلٌ إِلَّا أَوَى، وَقُتِلَ أَصْحَابُهَا، وَنُفِّسَ عَنْ أَسَدٍ، وَرَدُّوا فَارِسَ عَنْهُمْ إِلَى مَوَاقِفِهِمْ، وَاقْتَتَلُوا حَتَّى غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ، ثُمَّ حَتَّى ذَهَبَتْ هَدْأَةٌ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ وَهَؤُلَاءِ، وَأُصِيبَ مِنْ أَسَدٍ تِلْكَ الْعَشِيَّةَ خَمْسُمِائَةٍ، وَكَانُوا رِدْءًا لِلنَّاسِ، وَكَانَ عَاصِمٌ حَامِيَةً لِلنَّاسِ، وَهَذَا الْيَوْمُ الْأَوَّلُ، وَهُوَ يَوْمُ أَرْمَاثَ، فَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ شَأْسٍ الْأَسَدِيُّ: جَلَبْنَا الْخَيْلَ مِنْ أَكْنَافِ نِيقٍ إِلَى كِسْرَى فَوَافَقَهَا رِعَالَا تَرَكْنَ لَهُمْ عَلَى الْأَقْسَامِ شَجْوًا وَبِالْحَقْوَيْنِ أَيَّامًا طِوَالَا قَتَلْنَا رُسْتُمًا وَبَنِيهِ قَسْرًا تُشِيرُ الْخَيْلُ فَوْقَهُمُ الْهَيَالَا الْأَبْيَاتِ. وَكَانَ سَعْدٌ قَدْ تَزَوَّجَ سَلْمَى امْرَأَةَ الْمُثَنَّى بْنِ حَارِثَةَ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ بَعْدَهُ بِشَرَافَ، فَلَمَّا جَالَ النَّاسُ يَوْمَ أَرْمَاثَ، وَكَانَ سَعْدٌ لَا يُطِيقُ الْجُلُوسَ، جَعَلَ سَعْدٌ يَتَمَلْمَلُ جَزَعًا فَوْقَ الْقَصْرِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ سَلْمَى مَا يَصْنَعُ الْفُرْسُ قَالَتْ: وَامُثَنَّيَاهْ ! وَلَا مُثَنَّى لِلْخَيْلِ الْيَوْمَ ! قَالَتْ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ ضَجِرٍ مِمَّا يَرَى فِي أَصْحَابِهِ وَنَفْسِهِ، فَلَطَمَ وَجْهَهَا وَقَالَ: أَيْنَ الْمُثَنَّى عَنْ هَذِهِ الْكَتِيبَةِ الَّتِي تَدُورُ عَلَيْهَا الرَّحَا ! يَعْنِي أَسَدًا وَعَاصِمًا. فَقَالَتْ: أَغَيْرَةً وَجُبْنًا ؟ فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا يَعْذِرُنِي الْيَوْمَ أَحَدٌ إِنْ لَمْ تَعْذِرِينِي وَأَنْتِ تَرَيْنَ مَا بِي ! فَتَعَلَّقَهَا النَّاسُ لَمْ يَبْقَ شَاعِرٌ إِلَّا اعْتَدَّ بِهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَكَانَ غَيْرَ جَبَانٍ وَلَا مَلُومٍ.
Translation
✧ The Day of Armāth When the Persians crossed al-ʿAtīq, Rustum sat upon his throne, and a canopy was struck over it, and he arrayed in the center eighteen elephants, upon them howdahs and men, and on the two wings eight and seven, and he stationed al-Jālīnūs between him and Rustum men, for every call one man, the first of them at the door of his portico and the last of them with Rustum, so that whenever Rustum did anything, the one with him said to the one next to him: it was such and such, then the second said to the one next to him, and so on until it reached Yazdajird in the fastest time. The Muslims took their battle positions. Saʿd falls ill at al-Qādisiyya. The battle of al-Qādisiyya was a mighty battle, none more astonishing in Iraq; for when the two ranks faced each other, Saʿd, ؓ, had been afflicted by sciatica and boils on his body, so he could not sit, but lay prone on his face, with a cushion on his chest, on the roof of the palace overlooking the people, while the ranks were at the base of its wall; had the rank been stripped of him for the interval of a camel's milk, he would have been taken whole, yet the terror of those days did not grieve him, out of courage, and the people mentioned that, and some of them censured him for it, saying: We fight until God sends down His victory, while Saʿd at the gate of al-Qādisiyya is bound; So we returned, and many women were widowed, But the women of Saʿd, among them is no widow. His verses reached Saʿd, and he said: O God, if this man is lying, and the one who said it said it for show and reputation, then cut off from me his tongue! For he was standing in the rank that day, and a stray arrow came to him and struck his tongue, and he did not speak a word until he joined God Almighty. Jarīr b. ʿAbd Allāh said something like that as well, and so did others, and Saʿd went down to the people and excused himself to them and showed them what he had of sores on his thighs and buttocks, and the people excused him and knew his condition. When he was unable to ride, he appointed Khālid b. ʿUrfuṭa as his deputy over the people, but they differed against him, so he took a number of those who stirred against him and imprisoned them in the palace, among them Abū Miḥjan al-Thaqafī, and put them in chains. It is said: rather, Abū Miḥjan's imprisonment was because of wine, and he informed the people that he had appointed Khālid as deputy, and that only Khālid commanded them, so they heard and obeyed. He addressed the people that day, which was Monday of Muḥarram in the year fourteen, urging them to jihad and reminding them of what God had promised them of conquering the lands, and what the Muslims before them had attained from the Persians, and he said: God, Mighty and Majestic, says: And We have written in the Psalms, after the Remembrance, that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous servants. This is your inheritance and the promise of your Lord, and for three years you have been eating from it and killing its people. If you renounce this world and desire the Hereafter, God will gather for you this world and the Hereafter, and none of that brings anyone closer to his appointed term; but if you fail and weaken, your wind will depart, and you will destroy your Hereafter. ʿĀṣim b. ʿAmr stood among the armored men and said: These are lands whose people God has made lawful [for you], and for three years you have been attaining from them what they do not attain from you, and you are the uppermost, and God is with you. If you are patient, then striking and thrusting, and theirs are their wealth, their women, their sons, and their lands; but if you fail, this host will leave none of you remaining, for fear that you will return upon them [with the calamity of destruction]. God, God! Make the Hereafter your concern. And so did the commander of every people, and Saʿd sent a number of men of judgment and valor, among them al-Mughīra, Ḥudhayfa, ʿĀṣim, Ṭulayḥa, Qays al-Asadī, Ghālib, ʿAmr b. Maʿdīkarib and their like, and among the poets al-Shammākh, al-Ḥuṭayʾa, Aws b. Maghrāʾ, ʿUbayda b. al-Ṭabīb and others, and commanded them to incite the people to fight, and they did so. The polytheists' rank was on the brink of al-ʿAtīq, and the Muslims' rank was by the wall of Qudays and the trench, so the Muslims and the polytheists were between the trench and al-ʿAtīq, and with the Persians were thirty thousand in chains, and Saʿd commanded the people to recite the Sura of Jihad—which is al-Anfāl—and when it was recited, the hearts and eyes of the people were stirred, and they recognized tranquility with its recitation. When the reciters finished it, Saʿd said: Keep to your positions until you pray the noon prayer, and when you have prayed, I shall say a takbīr, so say takbīr and prepare, and when you hear the second, say takbīr and put on your gear, then when I say the third takbīr, say takbīr and let your horsemen rouse the people, and when I say the fourth takbīr, advance all together until you mingle with your enemy, and say: There is no might and no power except with God. When Saʿd said the third takbīr, the men of valor came forth and joined battle, and their like came out to them from the Persians, and they exchanged thrusting and striking. Ghālib b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Asadī said: The water-bearing women with white chests and clear speech know That I am a deadly hero of the frontier posts, and a reliever of the grave, weighty affair. Hurmuz came out to them, and he was one of the kings of the Gate, and was crowned, and Ghālib took him prisoner and brought him to Saʿd and returned. ʿĀṣim came out saying: The fair one, yellow-breasted, like silver when gold covers it, knows That I am a man whom no flaw of lineage disgraces; one like me against one like you is incited by reproach. He pursued a Persian who fled, and ʿĀṣim followed him until he mingled with their rank, and they protected him, so ʿĀṣim seized a man on a mule and returned with him, and behold, it was the king's baker, with him some of the king's food and a sweet dish, and he brought him to Saʿd, and Saʿd gave him as spoil to the people of his station. A Persian came out seeking single combat, and ʿAmr b. Maʿdīkarib went out to him, seized him, and dashed him to the ground, then slaughtered him and took his two bracelets and his belt. The elephants charged at them and separated the battalions, and the horses bolted, and the Persians had aimed at Bajīla with seventeen elephants, and the horses of Bajīla bolted, so Bajīla was on the point of perishing because of the flight of their horses from them and from those with them, and Saʿd sent to Banū Asad: Defend Bajīla and those with them of the people. Ṭulayḥa b. Khuwaylid and Ḥammāl b. Mālik came out with their battalions, and they engaged the elephants until their riders turned them aside. A great one of theirs came out against Ṭulayḥa, and Ṭulayḥa killed him, and al-Ashʿath b. Qays stood among Kinda and said: O company of Kinda, for God's sake, how excellent are Banū Asad! What cutting they cut, and what swift destruction they pour upon their station! Each people suffices for what is before them, and you are waiting for someone to suffice you. I witness that you have not set a good example for your people among the Arabs. He advanced, and they advanced, and they displaced those facing them. When the Persians saw what the people and the elephants were suffering from Asad, they threw their sharp edge at them and charged them, among them Dhū al-Ḥājib and al-Jālīnūs, while the Muslims were awaiting the fourth takbīr from Saʿd; the whole fighting force of Persia gathered against Asad, with those elephants, and they stood firm against them, and Saʿd said the fourth takbīr, and the Muslims advanced against them, and the mill of war turned upon Asad, and the elephants charged the right wing and the left wing, and the horses shied from them. Saʿd sent to ʿĀṣim b. ʿAmr al-Tamīmī, saying: O company of Banū Tamīm, have you no stratagem for these elephants? They said: Yes, by God! Then he called among men of his people, archers, and others who had culture, and said: O company of archers, drive the riders of the elephants from them with arrows. And he said: O people of culture, get behind the elephants and cut their girths, and he went out protecting them, while the mill of war turned upon Asad, and the right wing and left wing had wheeled not far, and the companions of ʿĀṣim advanced upon the elephants, seized the tails of their howdahs, and cut their girths, and their howling rose, and no elephant of theirs remained but it turned aside, and their riders were killed, and relief came to Asad, and they drove Persia back from them to their stations, and they fought until the sun set, then until a watch of the night passed, then these and those returned. Five hundred of Asad were struck that evening, and they had been a support for the people, and ʿĀṣim was a protector for the people. This is the first day, which is the Day of Armāth. ʿAmr b. Shās al-Asadī said: We brought the horses from the sides of Nīq to Kisrā, and they met flocks; We left for them on the divisions grief, and at al-Ḥaqwayn long days; We killed Rustum and his sons by force, while the horses pointed over them the dunes. The verses. Saʿd had married Salmā, the wife of al-Muthannā b. Ḥāritha al-Shaybānī, after him at Sharāf, and when the people wheeled on the Day of Armāth, and Saʿd could not bear sitting, he began to toss in anguish on the palace, and when Salmā saw what the Persians were doing, she said: Alas for al-Muthannā! And there is no Muthannā for the horses today! She said that in the presence of a man vexed by what he saw in his companions and himself, so he slapped her face and said: Where is al-Muthannā compared to this battalion around which the mill turns!—meaning Asad and ʿĀṣim. She said: Out of jealousy or cowardice? He said: By God, no one will excuse me today if you do not excuse me, while you see what is with me! So the people made much of it; no poet remained but counted it against him, yet he was no coward and not blameworthy.
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