Dalil
العربية

Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1926

The caliphate of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb

وَقْعَةِ نَهَاوَنْدَ سَنَةُ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ وَقِيلَ: كَانَتْ سَنَةَ ثَمَانِي عَشْرَةَ، وَقِيلَ سَنَةَ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ. هِيَ وَقْعَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ جِدًّا لَهَا شَأْنٌ رَفِيعٌ وَنَبَأٌ عَجِيبٌ، وَكَانَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ يُسَمُّونَهَا فَتْحَ الْفُتُوحِ. قَالَ سَيْفٌ وَغَيْرُهُ: وَكَانَ الَّذِي هَاجَ هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةَ أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لَمَّا افْتَتَحُوا الْأَهْوَازَ، وَمَنَعُوا جَيْشَ الْعَلَاءِ مِنْ أَيْدِيهِمْ، وَاسْتَوْلَوْا عَلَى دَارِ الْمَلِكِ الْقَدِيمِ مِنْ إِصْطَخْرَ مَعَ مَا حَازُوا مِنْ دَارِ مَمْلَكَتِهِمْ حَدِيثًا، وَهِيَ الْمَدَائِنُ وَأَخَذُوا تِلْكَ الْمَدَائِنَ وَالْأَقَالِيمَ وَالْكُوَرَ وَالْبُلْدَانَ الْكَثِيرَةَ، فَحَمُوا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ، وَاسْتَجَاشَهُمْ يَزْدَجِرْدُ الَّذِي تَقَهْقَرَ مِنْ بَلَدٍ إِلَى بَلَدٍ، حَتَّى صَارَ إِلَى أَصْبَهَانَ مُبْعَدًا طَرِيدًا، لَكِنَّهُ فِي أُسْرَةٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَى نَاحِيَةِ نَهَاوَنْدَ وَمَا وَالَاهَا مِنَ الْجِبَالِ وَالْبُلْدَانِ، فَتَجَمَّعُوا وَتَرَاسَلُوا حَتَّى كَمُلَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْجُنُودِ مَا لَمْ يَجْتَمِعْ لَهُمْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ. فَبَعَثَ سَعْدٌ إِلَى عُمَرَ يُعْلِمُهُ بِذَلِكَ. وَثَارَ أَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ عَلَى سَعْدٍ فِي غُبُونِ هَذَا الْحَالِ. فَشَكَوْهُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى قَالُوا: لَا يُحْسِنُ يُصَلِّي. وَكَانَ الَّذِي نَهَضَ بِهَذِهِ الشَّكْوَى رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ: الْجَرَّاحُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ الْأَسَدِيُّ. فِي نَفَرٍ مَعَهُ، فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوا إِلَى عُمَرَ فَشَكَوْهُ إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ لَهُمْ عُمَرُ: مِنَ الدَّلِيلِ عَلَى شَرِّكُمْ نُهُوضُكُمْ فِي هَذَا الْحَالِ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ مُسْتَعِدٌّ لِقِتَالِ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ، وَقَدْ أَجْمَعُوا لَكُمْ، وَمَعَ هَذَا لَا يَمْنَعُنِي أَنْ أَنْظُرَ فِي أَمْرِكُمْ. ثُمَّ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مَسْلَمَةَ - وَكَانَ رَسُولَ الْعُمَّالِ - فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ الْكُوفَةَ طَافَ عَلَى الْقَبَائِلِ وَالْعَشَائِرِ وَالْمَسَاجِدِ بِالْكُوفَةِ، فَكُلٌّ يُثْنِي عَلَى سَعْدٍ خَيْرًا إِلَّا نَاحِيَةَ الْجَرَّاحِ بْنِ سِنَانَ، فَإِنَّهُمْ سَكَتُوا، فَلَمْ يَذُمُّوا وَلَمْ يَشْكُرُوا، حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى بَنِي عَبْسٍ، فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ: أَبُو سَعْدَةَ أُسَامَةُ بْنُ قَتَادَةَ. فَقَالَ: أَمَّا إِذْ نَشَدْتَنَا، فَإِنَّ سَعْدًا لَا يَقْسِمُ بِالسَّوِيَّةِ، وَلَا يَعْدِلُ فِي الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَلَا يَغْزُو فِي السَّرِيَّةِ. فَدَعَا عَلَيْهِ سَعْدٌ، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ قَالَهَا كَذِبًا وَرِيَاءً وَسُمْعَةً، فَأَعْمِ بَصَرَهُ، وَأَكْثِرْ عِيَالَهُ، وَعَرِّضْهُ لِمُضِلَّاتِ الْفِتَنِ. فَعَمِيَ وَاجْتَمَعَ عِنْدَهُ عَشْرُ بَنَاتٍ، وَكَانَ يَسْمَعُ بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَلَا يَزَالُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهَا فَيَجُسَّهَا، فَإِذَا عُثِرَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ: دَعْوَةُ سَعْدٍ الرَّجُلِ الْمُبَارَكِ. ثُمَّ دَعَا سَعْدٌ عَلَى الْجَرَّاحِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ، فَكُلٌّ أَصَابَتْهُ قَارِعَةٌ فِي جَسَدِهِ، وَمُصِيبَةٌ فِي مَالِهِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ. استنفار محمد بن مسلمة أهل الكوفة لغزو نهاوند وَاسْتَنْفَرَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ أَهْلَ الْكُوفَةِ لِغَزْوِ أَهْلِ نَهَاوَنْدَ فِي غُبُونِ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَمْرِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ. ثُمَّ سَارَ سَعْدٌ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ وَالْجَرَّاحُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَتَّى جَاءُوا عُمَرَ، وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ أَهْلَ فَارِسَ اجْتَمَعُوا مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ بِأَرْضِ نَهَاوَنْدَ حَتَّى اجْتَمَعَ مِنْهُمْ مِائَةُ أَلْفٍ وَخَمْسُونَ أَلْفَ مُقَاتِلٍ، وَعَلَيْهِمُ الْفَيْرُزَانُ، وَيُقَالُ: بُنْدَارٌ. وَيُقَالُ: ذُو الْحَاجِبِ. وَتَذَامَرُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَقَالُوا: إِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا الَّذِي جَاءَ الْعَرَبَ لَمْ يَتَعَرَّضْ لِبِلَادِنَا، وَلَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الَّذِي قَامَ بَعْدَهُ تَعَرَّضُ لَنَا فِي دَارِ مُلْكِنَا، وَإِنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ هَذَا لَمَّا طَالَ مُلْكُهُ انْتَهَكَ حُرْمَتَنَا وَأَخَذَ بِلَادَنَا، وَلَمْ يَكْفِهِ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى أَغْزَانَا فِي عُقْرِ دَارِنَا، وَأَخَذَ بَيْتَ الْمَمْلَكَةِ، وَلَيْسَ بِمُنْتَهٍ حَتَّى يُخْرِجَكُمْ مِنْ بِلَادِكُمْ. فَتَعَاهَدُوا وَتَعَاقَدُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَقْصِدُوا الْبَصْرَةَ وَالْكُوفَةَ ثُمَّ يَشْغَلُوا عُمَرَ عَنْ بِلَادِهِ، وَتَوَاثَقُوا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَكَتَبُوا بِذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابًا. فَلَمَّا كَتَبَ سَعْدٌ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى عُمَرَ - وَكَانَ عَزَلَ سَعْدًا فِي غُبُونِ ذَلِكَ - شَافَهَ سَعْدٌ عُمَرَ بِمَا تَمَالَئُوا عَلَيْهِ وَقَصَدُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَأَنَّهُ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَ مِنْهُمْ مِائَةٌ وَخَمْسُونَ أَلْفًا. وَجَاءَ كِتَابُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عِتْبَانَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ إِلَى عُمَرَ مَعَ قَرِيبِ بْنِ ظَفَرٍ الْعَبْدِيِّ، بِأَنَّهُمْ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا، وَهُمْ مُتَحَرِّقُونَ مُتَذَامِرُونَ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَأَهْلِهِ، وَأَنَّ الْمَصْلَحَةَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ نَقْصِدَهُمْ فَنُعَالِجَهُمْ عَمَّا هَمُّوا بِهِ وَعَزَمُوا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَسِيرِ إِلَى بِلَادِنَا. فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لِحَامِلِ الْكِتَابِ: مَا اسْمُكَ ؟ قَالَ: قَرِيبٌ. قَالَ: ابْنُ مَنْ ؟ قَالَ: ابْنُ ظَفَرٍ. فَتَفَاءَلَ عُمَرُ بِذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ: ظَفَرٌ قَرِيبٌ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ فَنُودِيَ: الصَّلَاةُ جَامِعَةٌ. فَاجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ، وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ لِذَلِكَ سَعْدُ بْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، فَتَفَاءَلَ عُمَرُ أَيْضًا بِسَعْدٍ، فَصَعِدَ عُمَرُ الْمِنْبَرَ حَتَّى اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ هَذَا يَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا بَعْدَهُ مِنَ الْأَيَّامِ، أَلَا وَإِنِّي قَدْ هَمَمْتُ بِأَمْرٍ فَاسْمَعُوا وَأَجِيبُوا وَأَوْجِزُوا، وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ، إِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ أَسِيرَ بِمَنْ قِبَلِي حَتَّى أَنْزِلَ مَنْزِلًا وَسَطًا بَيْنَ هَذَيْنَ الْمِصْرَيْنِ فَأَسْتَنْفِرَ النَّاسَ، ثُمَّ أَكُونَ لَهُمْ رِدْءًا حَتَّى يَفْتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ. فَقَامَ عُثْمَانُ وَعَلِيٌّ وَطَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ فِي رِجَالٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الرَّأْيِ، فَتَكَلَّمَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمْ بِانْفِرَادِهِ فَأَحْسَنَ وَأَجَادَ، وَاتَّفَقَ رَأْيُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ لَا يَسِيرَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَلَكِنْ يَبْعَثُ الْبُعُوثَ وَيَحْضُرُهُمْ بِرَأْيِهِ وَدُعَائِهِ. وَكَانَ مِنْ كَلَامِ عَلِيٍّ، ؓ، أَنْ قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَصْرُهُ وَلَا خِذْلَانُهُ بِكَثْرَةٍ وَلَا قِلَّةٍ، هُوَ دِينُهُ الَّذِي أَظْهَرَ، وَجُنْدُهُ الَّذِي أَعَزَّ، وَأَمَدَّهُ بِالْمَلَائِكَةِ، حَتَّى بَلَغَ مَا بَلَغَ، فَنَحْنُ عَلَى مَوْعُودٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَاللَّهُ مُنْجِزٌ وَعْدَهِ، وَنَاصِرٌ جُنْدَهُ، وَمَكَانُكَ مِنْهُمْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَكَانُ النِّظَامِ مِنَ الْخَرَزِ يَجْمَعُهُ وَيُمْسِكُهُ، فَإِذَا انْحَلَّ تَفَرَّقَ مَا فِيهِ وَذَهَبَ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجْتَمِعْ بِحَذَافِيرِهِ أَبَدًا، وَالْعَرَبُ الْيَوْمَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا قَلِيلًا فَهُمْ كَثِيرٌ عَزِيزٌ بِالْإِسْلَامِ، فَأَقِمْ مَكَانَكَ وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ فَهُمْ أَعْلَامُ الْعَرَبِ وَرُؤَسَاؤُهُمْ، فَلْيَذْهَبْ مِنْهُمُ الثُّلُثَانِ وَيُقِيمُ الثُّلُثُ، وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ يَمُدُّونَهُمْ أَيْضًا. وَكَانَ عُثْمَانُ قَدْ أَشَارَ فِي كَلَامِهِ بِأَنْ يَمُدَّهُمْ فِي جُيُوشٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْيَمَنِ وَالشَّامِ. وَوَافَقَ عُمَرُ عَلَى الذَّهَابِ بِنَفْسِهِ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ الْبَصْرَةِ وَالْكُوفَةِ. فَرَدَّ عَلِيٌّ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ فِي مُوَافَقَتِهِ عَلَى الذَّهَابِ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ الْبَصْرَةِ وَالْكُوفَةِ، كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ، وَرَدَّ رَأْيَ عُثْمَانَ فِيمَا أَشَارَ بِهِ مِنِ اسْتِمْدَادِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ خَوْفًا عَلَى بِلَادِهِمْ - إِذَا قَلَّ جُيُوشُهَا - مِنَ الرُّومِ، وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْيَمَنِ خَوْفًا عَلَى بِلَادِهِمْ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ. فَأَعْجَبَ عُمَرَ قَوْلُ عَلِيٍّ وَسُرَّ بِهِ - وَكَانَ عُمَرُ إِذَا اسْتَشَارَ أَحَدًا لَا يُبْرِمُ أَمْرًا حَتَّى يُشَاوِرَ الْعَبَّاسَ - فَلَمَّا أَعْجَبَهُ كَلَامُ الصَّحَابَةِ فِي هَذَا الْمَقَامِ، عَرَضَهُ عَلَى الْعَبَّاسِ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ خَفِّضْ عَلَيْكَ، فَإِنَّمَا اجْتَمَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْفُرْسُ لِنِقْمَةٍ. يَعْنِي: تَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِمْ. تولية النعمان بن مقرن إمارة الجيش ثُمَّ قَالَ عُمَرُ: أَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ بِمَنْ أُوَلِّيهِ أَمْرَ الْحَرْبِ، وَلْيَكُنْ عِرَاقِيًّا. فَقَالُوا: أَنْتَ أَبْصَرُ بِجُنْدِكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَأُوَلِّيَنَّ رَجُلًا يَكُونُ أَوَّلَ الْأَسِنَّةِ إِذَا لَقِيَهَا غَدًا. قَالُوا: مَنْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟ قَالَ: النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ. فَقَالُوا: هُوَ لَهَا. وَكَانَ النُّعْمَانُ قَدْ كَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَرَ وَهُوَ نَائِبٌ عَلَى كَسْكَرَ، وَسَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَعْزِلَهُ عَنْهَا وَيُوَلِّيَهُ قِتَالَ أَهْلِ نَهَاوَنْدَ، فَلِهَذَا أَجَابَهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ وَعَيَّنَهُ لَهُ. ثُمَّ كَتَبَ عُمَرُ إِلَى حُذَيْفَةَ أَنْ يَسِيرَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ بِجُنُودٍ مِنْهَا، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي مُوسَى أَنْ يَسِيرَ بِجُنُودِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى النُّعْمَانِ - وَكَانَ بِالْبَصْرَةِ - أَنْ يَسِيرَ بِمَنْ هُنَاكَ مِنَ الْجُنُودِ إِلَى نَهَاوَنْدَ، وَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ فَكُلُّ أَمِيرٍ عَلَى جَيْشِهِ، وَالْأَمِيرُ عَلَى النَّاسِ كُلِّهِمْ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ، فَإِذَا قُتِلَ فَحُذَيْفَةُ بْنُ الْيَمَانِ، فَإِذَا قُتِلَ فَجَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فَإِذَا قُتِلَ فَقَيْسُ بْنُ مَكْشُوحٍ، فَإِنْ قُتِلَ قَيْسٌ فَفُلَانٌ ثُمَّ فُلَانٌ. حَتَّى عَدَّ سَبْعَةً، أَحَدُهُمُ الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ. وَقِيلَ: لَمْ يُسَمَّ فِيهِمْ. فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَصُورَةُ الْكِتَابِ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عُمَرَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِلَى النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ مُقَرِّنٍ، سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكَ، فَإِنِّي أَحْمَدُ إِلَيْكَ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلّ?ا هُوَ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ جُمُوعًا مِنَ الْأَعَاجِمِ كَثِيرَةً قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ بِمَدِينَةِ نَهَاوَنْدَ، فَإِذَا أَتَاكَ كِتَابِي هَذَا فَسِرْ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَبِعَوْنِ اللَّهِ وَبِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ، وَبِمَنْ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَلَا تُوطِئْهُمْ وَعْرًا فَتُؤْذِيَهُمْ، وَلَا تَمْنَعْهُمْ حَقَّهُمْ فَتُكَفِّرَهُمْ، وَلَا تُدْخِلْهُمْ غَيْضَةً، فَإِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ مِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ، فَسِرْ فِي وَجْهِكَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ مَاهَ، فَإِنِّي قَدْ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ أَنْ يُوَافُوكَ بِهَا، فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْكَ جُنُودُكَ فَسِرْ إِلَى الْفَيْرُزَانِ وَمَنْ يَجْتَمِعُ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْأَعَاجِمِ مِنْ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، وَاسْتَنْصِرُوا اللَّهَ، وَأَكْثِرُوا مِنْ: لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ. وَكَتَبَ عُمَرُ إِلَى نَائِبِ الْكُوفَةِ - عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ - أَنْ يُعَيِّنَ جَيْشًا وَيَبْعَثَهُمْ إِلَى نَهَاوَنْدَ، وَلْيَكُنِ الْأَمِيرَ عَلَيْهِمْ حُذَيْفَةُ بْنُ الْيَمَانِ حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ مُقَرِّنٍ، فَإِنْ قُتِلَ النُّعْمَانُ فَحُذَيْفَةُ، فَإِنْ قُتِلَ فَنُعَيْمُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ، وَوَلِّ السَّائِبَ بْنَ الْأَقْرَعِ قَسْمَ الْغَنَائِمِ. فَسَارَ حُذَيْفَةُ فِي جَيْشٍ كَثِيفٍ نَحْوَ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ مُقَرِّنٍ لِيُوَافُوهُ بِمَاهَ، وَسَارَ مَعَ حُذَيْفَةَ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ أُمَرَاءِ الْعِرَاقِ، وَقَدْ أَرْصَدَ فِي كُلِّ كُورَةٍ مَا يَكْفِيهَا مِنَ الْمُقَاتِلَةِ، وَجَعَلَ الْحَرَسَ فِي كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ، وَاحْتَاطُوا احْتِيَاطًا عَظِيمًا، ثُمَّ انْتَهَوْا إِلَى النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ مُقَرِّنٍ حَيْثُ اتَّعَدُوا، فَدَفَعَ حُذَيْفَةُ بْنُ الْيَمَانِ إِلَى النُّعْمَانِ كِتَابَ عُمَرَ، وَفِيهِ الْأَمْرُ لَهُ بِمَا يَعْتَمِدُهُ فِي هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ. فَكَمُلَ جَيْشُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فِي ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا مِنَ الْمُقَاتِلَةِ. فِيمَا رَوَاهُ سَيْفٌ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، فِيهِمْ مِنْ سَادَاتِ الصَّحَابَةِ وَرُءُوسِ الْعَرَبِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ وَجَمٌّ غَفِيرٌ؛ مِنْهُمْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَجَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَجَلِيُّ، وَحُذَيْفَةُ بْنُ الْيَمَانِ، وَالْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ الزُّبَيْدِيُّ، وَطُلَيْحَةُ بْنُ خُوَيْلِدٍ الْأَسَدِيُّ، وَقَيْسُ بْنُ مَكْشُوحٍ الْمُرَادِيُّ. فَسَارَ النَّاسُ نَحْوَ نَهَاوَنْدَ، وَبَعَثَ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ الْأَمِيرُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ طَلِيعَةً ثَلَاثَةً؛ وَهُمْ: طُلَيْحَةُ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ الزُّبَيْدِيُّ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي سَلْمَى، وَيُقَالُ لَهُ: عَمْرُو بْنُ ثُبَيٍّ أَيْضًا، لِيَكْشِفُوا لَهُ خَبَرَ الْقَوْمِ وَمَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ. فَسَارَتِ الطَّلِيعَةُ يَوْمًا وَلَيْلَةً فَرَجَعَ عَمْرُو بْنُ ثُبَيٍّ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: مَا رَجَعَكَ ؟ فَقَالَ: كُنْتُ فِي أَرْضِ الْعَجَمِ، وَقَتَلَتْ أَرْضٌ جَاهِلَهَا، وَقَتَلَ أَرْضًا عَالِمُهَا. ثُمَّ رَجَعَ بَعْدَهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ، وَقَالَ: لَمْ نَرَ أَحَدًا، وَخِفْتُ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ عَلَيْنَا بِالطَّرِيقِ. وَنَفَذَ طُلَيْحَةُ وَلَمْ يَحْفِلْ بِرُجُوعِهِمَا، فَسَارَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ نَحْوًا مِنْ بِضْعَةَ عَشَرَ فَرْسَخًا حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى نَهَاوَنْدَ وَبَيْنَ مَوْضِعِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الَّذِي هُمْ بِهِ وَنَهَاوَنْدَ بِضْعَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ فَرْسَخًا. فَقَالَ النَّاسُ: ارْتَدَّ طُلَيْحَةُ الثَّانِيَةَ. فَعَلِمَ كَلَامَ الْقَوْمِ وَرَجَعَ. فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ كَبَّرُوا. فَقَالَ: مَا شَأْنُكُمْ ؟ فَأَعْلَمُوهُ بِالَّذِي خَافُوا عَلَيْهِ. فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ دِينٌ إِلَّا الْعَرَبِيُّ مَا كُنْتُ لِأُجْزِرَ الْعُجْمَ الطَّمَاطِمَ هَذِهِ الْعَرَبَ الْعَارِبَةَ. وَدَخَلَ فِي الْعَجَمِ وَعَلِمَ مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمْ مَا أَحَبَّ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى النُّعْمَانِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِذَلِكَ، وَأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ نَهَاوَنْدَ شَيْءٌ يَكْرَهُهُ. فَسَارَ النُّعْمَانُ عَلَى تَعْبِئَتِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُقَدِّمَةِ نُعَيْمُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ، وَعَلَى الْمُجَنَّبَتَيْنِ حُذَيْفَةُ وَسُوَيْدُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ، وَعَلَى الْمُجَرَّدَةِ الْقَعْقَاعُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، وَعَلَى السَّاقَةِ مُجَاشِعُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى الْفُرْسِ وَعَلَيْهِمُ الْفَيْرُزَانُ، وَمَعَهُ مِنَ الْجَيْشِ كُلُّ مَنْ غَابَ عَنِ الْقَادِسِيَّةِ فِي تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامِ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةِ، وَهُوَ فِي مِائَةٍ وَخَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا. فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَا الْجَمْعَانِ كَبَّرَ النُّعْمَانُ وَكَبَّرَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ ثَلَاثَ تَكْبِيرَاتٍ، فَزُلْزِلَتِ الْأَعَاجِمُ وَرُعِبُوا مِنْ ذَلِكَ رُعْبًا شَدِيدًا، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ النُّعْمَانُ بِحَطِّ الْأَثْقَالِ وَهُوَ وَاقِفٌ، فَحَطَّ النَّاسُ أَثْقَالَهُمْ، وَتَرَكُوا رِحَالَهُمْ، وَضَرَبُوا خِيَامَهُمْ وَقُبَابَهُمْ، وَضُرِبَتْ خَيْمَةٌ لِلنُّعْمَانِ عَظِيمَةٌ، وَكَانَ الَّذِينَ ضَرَبُوا أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ مِنْ أَشْرَافِ الْجَيْشِ؛ وَهُمْ حُذَيْفَةُ بْنُ الْيَمَانِ، وَعُتْبَةُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، وَالْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ، وَبَشِيرُ بْنُ الْخَصَاصِيَةِ، وَحَنْظَلَةُ الْكَاتِبُ، وَابْنُ الْهَوْبَرِ، وَرِبْعِيُّ بْنُ عَامِرٍ، وَعَامِرُ بْنُ مَطَرٍ، وَجَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ، وَجَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَجَلِيُّ، وَالْأَقْرَعُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ، وَالْأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْكِنْدِيُّ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، وَوَائِلُ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، فَلَمْ يُرَ بِالْعِرَاقِ خَيْمَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ بِنَاءِ هَذِهِ الْخَيْمَةِ. وَحِينَ حَطُّوا الْأَثْقَالَ أَمَرَ النُّعْمَانُ بِالْقِتَالِ، وَكَانَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءَ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ وَالَّذِي بَعْدَهُ وَالْحَرْبُ سِجَالٌ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ انْحَجَزُوا فِي حِصْنِهِمْ، وَحَاصَرَهُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فَأَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، وَالْأَعَاجِمُ يَخْرُجُونَ إِذَا أَرَادُوا وَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَى حُصُونِهِمْ إِذَا أَرَادُوا. بعث المغيرة بن شعبة إلى أمير الفرس وَقَدْ بَعَثَ أَمِيرُ الْفُرْسِ يَطْلُبُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لِيُكَلِّمَهُ، فَذَهَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ، فَذَكَرَ مِنْ عَظَمَةِ مَا رَآهُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ لُبْسِهِ وَمَجْلِسِهِ، وَفِيمَا خَاطَبَهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْكَلَامِ فِي احْتِقَارِ الْعَرَبِ وَاسْتِهَانَتِهِ بِهِمْ، وَأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَطْوَلَ النَّاسِ جُوعًا، وَأَقَلَّهُمْ دَارًا وَقَدْرًا، وَقَالَ: مَا يَمْنَعُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَسَاوِرَةِ حَوْلِي أَنْ يَنْتَظِمُوكُمْ بِالنُّشَّابِ إِلَّا تَنَجُّسًا مِنْ جِيَفِكُمْ، فَإِنْ تَذْهَبُوا نُخَلِّ عَنْكُمْ، وَإِنْ تَأْبَوْا نُزِرْكُمْ مُصَارِعَكُمْ. قَالَ: فَتَشَهَّدْتُ وَحَمِدْتُ اللَّهَ، وَقُلْتُ: لَقَدْ كُنَّا أَسْوَأَ حَالًا مِمَّا ذَكَرْتَ، حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ فَوَعَدَنَا النَّصْرَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَالْجَنَّةَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، وَمَا زِلْنَا نَتَعَرَّفُ مِنْ رَبِّنَا النَّصْرَ مُنْذُ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ إِلَيْنَا، وَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ فِي بِلَادِكُمْ، وَإِنَّا لَنْ نَرْجِعَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الشَّقَاءِ أَبَدًا حَتَّى نَغْلِبَكُمْ عَلَى بِلَادِكُمْ وَمَا فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ، أَوْ نُقْتَلَ بِأَرْضِكُمْ. فَقَالَ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ، إِنَّ الْأَعْوَرَ لَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمْ مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ. فَلَمَّا طَالَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ هَذَا الْحَالُ وَاسْتَمَرَّ، جَمَعَ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ أَهْلَ الرَّأْيِ مِنَ الْجَيْشِ، وَاشْتَوَرُوا فِي ذَلِكَ، وَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ حَتَّى يَتَوَاجَهُوا هُمْ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ. فَتَكَلَّمَ عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي سُلْمَى أَوَّلًا - وَهُوَ أَسُنُّ مَنْ كَانَ هُنَاكَ - فَقَالَ: إِنَّ بَقَاءَهُمْ عَلَى مَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَضَرُّ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الَّذِي يَطْلُبُهُ مِنْهُمْ وَأَبْقَى عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ. فَرَدَّ الْجَمِيعُ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالُوا: إِنَّا لَعَلَى يَقِينٍ مِنْ إِظْهَارِ دِينِنَا، وَإِنْجَازِ مَوْعُودِ اللَّهِ لَنَا. وَتَكَلَّمَ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ فَقَالَ: نَاهِدْهُمْ وَكَاثِرْهُمْ وَلَا تَخَفْهُمْ. فَرَدُّوا جَمِيعًا عَلَيْهِ وَقَالُوا: إِنَّمَا يُنَاطِحُ بِنَا الْجُدْرَانَ، وَالْجُدْرَانُ أَعْوَانٌ لَهُمْ عَلَيْنَا. وَتَكَلَّمَ طُلَيْحَةُ الْأَسَدِيُّ فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُمَا لَمْ يُصِيبَا، وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَبْعَثَ سَرِيَّةً فَتَحْدِقَ بِهِمْ وَيُنَاوِشُوهُمْ بِالْقِتَالِ وَيُحْمِشُوهُمْ، فَإِذَا بَرَزُوا إِلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَفِرُّوا إِلَيْنَا هِرَابًا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ، فَإِذَا اسْتَطْرَدُوا وَرَاءَهُمْ وَانْتَهَوْا إِلَيْنَا، عَزَمْنَا أَيْضًا عَلَى الْفِرَارِ كُلُّنَا، فَإِنَّهُمْ حِينَئِذٍ لَا يَشُكُّونَ فِي الْهَزِيمَةِ فَيَخْرُجُونَ مِنْ حُصُونِهِمْ عَنْ بَكْرَةِ أَبِيهِمْ، فَإِذَا تَكَامَلَ خُرُوجُهُمْ رَجَعْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فَجَالَدْنَاهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا. فَاسْتَجَادَ النَّاسُ هَذَا الرَّأْيَ. وَأَمَّرَ النُّعْمَانُ عَلَى الْمُجَرَّدَةِ الْقَعْقَاعَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَذْهَبُوا إِلَى الْبَلَدِ فَيُحَاصِرُوهُمْ وَحْدَهُمْ وَيَهْرُبُوا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ إِذَا بَرَزُوا إِلَيْهِمْ. فَفَعَلَ الْقَعْقَاعُ ذَلِكَ، فَلَمَّا بَرَزُوا مِنْ حُصُونِهِمْ نَكَصَ الْقَعْقَاعُ بِمَنْ مَعَهُ، ثُمَّ نَكَصَ، ثُمَّ نَكَصَ، فَاغْتَنَمَهَا الْأَعَاجِمُ، فَفَعَلُوا مَا ظَنَّ طُلَيْحَةُ، وَقَالُوا: هِيَ هِيَ. فَخَرَجُوا بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ بِالْبَلَدِ مِنَ الْمُقَاتِلَةِ إِلَّا مَنْ يَحْفَظُ لَهُمُ الْأَبْوَابَ، حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى الْجَيْشِ، وَالنُّعْمَانُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ عَلَى تَعْبِئَتِهِ، وَذَلِكَ فِي صَدْرِ نَهَارِ جُمُعَةٍ، فَعَزَمَ النَّاسُ عَلَى مُصَادَمَتِهِمْ، فَنَهَاهُمُ النُّعْمَانُ وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ لَا يُقَاتِلُوا حَتَّى تَزُولَ الشَّمْسُ، وَتَهُبَّ الْأَرْوَاحُ، وَيَنْزِلَ النَّصْرُ، كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، ﷺ، يَفْعَلُ. وَأَلَحَّ النَّاسُ عَلَى النُّعْمَانِ فِي الْحَمْلَةِ، فَلَمْ يَفْعَلْ - وَكَانَ رَجُلًا ثَابِتًا - فَلَمَّا كَانَ الزَّوَالُ، صَلَّى بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَ بِرْذَوْنًا لَهُ أَحَوَى قَرِيبًا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ، فَجَعَلَ يَقِفُ عَلَى كُلِّ رَايَةٍ وَيَحُثُّهُمْ عَلَى الصَّبْرِ وَيَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالثَّبَاتِ، وَيُقَدِّمُ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنَّهُ يُكَبِّرُ الْأُولَى فَيَتَأَهَّبُ النَّاسُ لِلْحَمْلَةِ، وَيُكَبِّرُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَلَا يَبْقَى لِأَحَدٍ أُهْبَةٌ، ثُمَّ الثَّالِثَةَ وَمَعَهَا الْحَمْلَةُ الصَّادِقَةُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْزِزْ دِينَكَ، وَانْصُرْ عِبَادَكَ، وَاجْعَلِ النُّعْمَانَ أَوَّلَ شَهِيدٍ الْيَوْمَ عَلَى إِعْزَازِ دِينِكَ وَنَصْرِ عِبَادِكَ. وَقِيلَ: بَلْ قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُقِرَّ عَيْنِي الْيَوْمَ بِفَتْحٍ يَكُونُ فِيهِ عِزُّ الْإِسْلَامِ وَاقْبِضْنِي شَهِيدًا. فَبَكَى النَّاسُ. ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى مَوْقِفِهِ، وَتَعَبَّتِ الْفُرْسُ تَعْبِئَةً عَظِيمَةً، وَاصْطَفُّوا صُفُوفًا هَائِلَةً، فِي عَدَدٍ وَعُدَدٍ لَمْ يُرَ مِثْلُهُ، وَقَدْ تَغَلْغَلَ كَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي بَعْضٍ، وَأَلْقَوْا حَسَكَ الْحَدِيدِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ حَتَّى لَا يُمْكِنَهُمُ الْهَرَبُ وَلَا الْفِرَارُ وَلَا التَّحَيُّزُ. استشهاد النعمان بن مقرن ثُمَّ إِنَّ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ مُقَرِّنٍ، ؓ، كَبَّرَ الْأُولَى وَهَزَّ الرَّايَةَ فَتَأَهَّبَ النَّاسُ لِلْحَمْلَةِ، ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ الثَّانِيَةَ وَهَزَّ الرَّايَةَ فَتَأَهَّبُوا أَيْضًا، ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ الثَّالِثَةَ وَحَمَلَ وَحَمَلَ النَّاسُ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ، وَجَعَلَتْ رَايَةُ النُّعْمَانِ تَنْقَضُّ نَحْوَ الْفُرْسِ كَانْقِضَاضِ الْعُقَابِ عَلَى الْفَرِيسَةِ حَتَّى تُصَافَحُوا بِالسُّيُوفِ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا قِتَالًا لَمْ يُعْهَدْ مِثْلُهُ فِي مَوْقِفٍ مِنَ الْمَوَاقِفِ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةِ، وَلَا سَمِعَ السَّامِعُونَ بِوَقْعَةٍ مِثْلِهَا، قُتِلَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا بَيْنَ الزَّوَالِ إِلَى الظَّلَامِ مِنَ الْقَتْلَى مَا طَبَّقَ وَجْهَ الْأَرْضِ دَمًا، بِحَيْثُ إِنَّ الدَّوَابَّ كَانَتْ تَطْبَعُ فِيهِ، حَتَّى قِيلَ: إِنَّ الْأَمِيرَ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ مُقَرِّنٍ زَلَقَ بِهِ حِصَانُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الدَّمِ، فَوَقَعَ وَجَاءَهُ سَهْمٌ فِي خَاصِرَتِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَلَمْ يَشْعُرْ بِهِ أَحَدٌ سِوَى أَخِيهِ سُوَيْدٍ، وَقِيلَ: نُعَيْمٍ. وَقِيلَ: غَطَّاهُ بِثَوْبِهِ، وَأَخْفَى مَوْتَهُ، وَدَفَعَ الرَّايَةَ إِلَى حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ. فَأَقَامَ حُذَيْفَةُ أَخَاهُ نُعَيْمًا مَكَانَهُ، وَأَمَرَ بِكَتْمِ مَوْتِهِ حَتَّى يَنْفَصِلَ الْحَالُ، لِئَلَّا يَنْهَزِمَ النَّاسُ. فَلَمَّا أَظْلَمَ اللَّيْلُ انْهَزَمَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ مُدْبِرِينَ وَتَبِعَهُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ - وَكَانَ الْكُفَّارُ قَدْ قَرَنُوا مِنْهُمْ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا بِالسَّلَاسِلِ وَحَفَرُوا حَوْلَهُمْ خَنْدَقًا، فَلَمَّا انْهَزَمُوا وَقَعُوا فِي الْخَنْدَقِ وَفِي تِلْكَ الْأَوْدِيَةِ نَحْوَ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ - وَجَعَلُوا يَتَسَاقَطُونَ فِي أَوْدِيَةِ بِلَادِهِمْ، فَهَلَكَ مِنْهُمْ بَشَرٌ كَثِيرٌ نَحْوَ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ، سِوَى مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي الْمَعْرَكَةِ، وَلَمْ يُفْلِتْ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا الشَّرِيدُ. وَكَانَ الْفَيْرُزَانُ أَمِيرُهُمْ قَدْ صُرِعَ فِي الْمَعْرَكَةِ فَانْفَلَتَ وَانْهَزَمَ، وَاتَّبَعَهُ نُعَيْمُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ، وَقَدَّمَ الْقَعْقَاعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَقَصَدَ الْفَيْرُزَانُ هَمَذَانَ، فَلَحِقَهُ الْقَعْقَاعُ وَأَدْرَكَهُ عِنْدَ ثَنِيَّةِ هَمَذَانَ، وَقَدْ أَقْبَلُ مِنْهَا بِغَالٌ كَثِيرٌ وَحُمُرٌ تَحْمِلُ عَسَلًا، فَلَمْ يَسْتَطِعِ الْفَيْرُزَانُ صُعُودَهَا مِنْهُمْ، وَذَلِكَ لِحِينِهِ فَتَرَجَّلَ وَتَوَقَّلَ فِي الْجَبَلِ فَأَتْبَعَهُ الْقَعْقَاعُ حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ. وَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ يَوْمَئِذٍ: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ جُنُودًا مِنْ عَسَلٍ. ثُمَّ غَنِمُوا ذَلِكَ الْعَسَلَ وَمَا خَالَطَهُ مِنَ الْأَحْمَالِ. وَسُمِّيَتْ تِلْكَ الثَّنِيَّةُ ثَنِيَّةَ الْعَسَلِ. فَتْحِ هَمَذَانَ وَالْمَاهَيْنِ  وَغَيْرِهِمَا وَقَالَ رَبِيعَةُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ: كَانَ فَتْحُ هَمَذَانَ فِي جُمَادَى الْأُولَى عَلَى رَأْسِ سِتَّةِ أَشْهُرٍ مِنْ مَقْتَلِ عُمَرَ، وَجُيُوشُهُ عَلَيْهَا. ثُمَّ لَحِقَ الْقَعْقَاعُ بَقِيَّةَ الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى هَمَذَانَ، وَحَاصَرَهَا وَحَوَى مَا حَوْلَهَا، فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهَا - وَهُوَ خُسْرَوْ شُنُومُ - فَصَالَحَهُ عَلَيْهَا. ثُمَّ رَجَعَ الْقَعْقَاعُ إِلَى حُذَيْفَةَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَقَدْ دَخَلُوا بَعْدَ الْوَقْعَةِ نَهَاوَنْدَ عَنْوَةً، وَقَدْ جَمَعُوا الْأَسْلَابَ وَالْمَغَانِمَ إِلَى صَاحِبِ الْأَقْبَاضِ وَهُوَ السَّائِبُ بْنُ الْأَقْرَعِ. وَلَمَّا سَمِعَ أَهْلُ مَاهَ بِخَبَرِ أَهْلِ هَمَذَانَ، بَعَثُوا إِلَى حُذَيْفَةَ وَأَخَذُوا لَهُمْ مِنْهُ الْأَمَانَ. وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ: الْهِرْبَذُ - وَهُوَ صَاحِبُ نَارِهِمْ - فَسَأَلَ مِنْ حُذَيْفَةَ الْأَمَانَ وَيَدْفَعُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَدِيعَةً عِنْدَهُ لِكِسْرَى ادَّخَرَهَا لِنَوَائِبِ الزَّمَانِ، فَأَمَّنَهُ حُذَيْفَةُ، وَجَاءَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ بِسَفَطَيْنِ مَمْلُوءَتَيْنِ جَوْهَرًا ثَمِينًا لَا يُقَوَّمُ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لَمْ يَعْبَئُوا بِهِ، وَاتَّفَقَ رَأْيُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْثِهِ لِعُمَرَ خَاصَّةً، وَأَرْسَلُوهُ صُحْبَةَ الْأَخْمَاسِ وَالسَّبْيِ، صُحْبَةَ السَّائِبِ بْنِ الْأَقْرَعِ، وَأَرْسَلَ قَبْلَهُ بِالْفَتْحِ مَعَ طَرِيفِ بْنِ سَهْمٍ، ثُمَّ قَسَمَ حُذَيْفَةُ بَقِيَّةَ الْغَنِيمَةِ فِي الْغَانِمِينَ، وَرَضَخَ وَنَفَلَ لِذَوِي النَّجَدَاتِ، وَقَسَمَ لِمَنْ كَانَ قَدْ أَرْصَدَ مِنَ الْجُيُوشِ لِحِفْظِ ظُهُورِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ، وَمَنْ كَانَ رِدْءًا لَهُمْ، وَمَنْسُوبًا إِلَيْهِمْ. وَأَمَّا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَدْعُو اللَّهَ لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا لَهُمْ، دُعَاءَ الْحَوَامِلِ الْمُقْرِبَاتِ، وَابْتِهَالَ ذَوِي الضَّرُورَاتِ، وَقَدِ اسْتَبْطَأَ الْخَبَرَ عَنْهُمْ، فَبَيْنَا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ظَاهِرَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِذَا هُوَ بِرَاكِبٍ، فَسَأَلَهُ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَقْبَلَ ؟ فَقَالَ: مِنْ نَهَاوَنْدَ. فَقَالَ: مَا فَعَلَ النَّاسُ ؟ قَالَ: فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَقُتِلَ الْأَمِيرُ، وَغَنِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ غَنِيمَةً عَظِيمَةً، أَصَابَ الْفَارِسُ سِتَّةَ آلَافٍ، وَالرَّاجِلُ أَلْفَانِ. ثُمَّ فَاتَهُ وَقَدِمَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ النَّاسُ وَشَاعَ الْخَبَرُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَطَلَبَهُ فَسَأَلَهُ عَمَّنْ أَخْبَرَهُ، فَقَالَ: رَاكِبٌ. فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَجِئْنِي، وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ، وَهُوَ بَرِيدُهُمْ، وَاسْمُهُ عُثَيْمٌ. ثُمَّ قَدِمَ طَرِيفٌ بِالْفَتْحِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِأَيَّامٍ، وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُ سِوَى الْفَتْحِ، فَسَأَلَهُ عُمَرُ عَمَّنْ قَتَلَ النُّعْمَانَ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهُ عِلْمٌ، حَتَّى قَدِمَ الَّذِينَ مَعَهُمُ الْأَخْمَاسُ فَأَخْبَرُوا بِالْأَمْرِ عَلَى جَلِيَّتِهِ، فَإِذَا ذَلِكَ الْجِنِّيُّ قَدْ شَهِدَ الْوَقْعَةَ وَرَجَعَ سَرِيعًا إِلَى قَوْمِهِ نَذِيرًا. إخبار عمر بمقتل النعمان وتقسيم الغنائم وَلَمَّا أُخْبِرَ عُمَرَ بِمَقْتَلِ النُّعْمَانِ بَكَى وَسَأَلَ السَّائِبَ عَمَّنْ قُتِلَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ: فُلَانٌ وَفُلَانٌ وَفُلَانٌ. لِأَعْيَانِ النَّاسِ وَأَشْرَافِهِمْ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَآخَرُونَ مِنْ أَفْنَادِ النَّاسِ مِمَّنْ لَا يَعْرِفُهُمْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَجَعَلَ عُمَرُ يَبْكِي وَيَقُولُ: وَمَا ضَرَّهُمْ أَنْ لَا يَعْرِفَهُمْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ! لَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْرِفُهُمْ وَقَدْ أَكْرَمَهُمْ بِالشَّهَادَةِ، وَمَا يَصْنَعُونَ بِمَعْرِفَةِ عُمَرَ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِقِسْمَةِ الْخُمْسِ عَلَى عَادَتِهِ، وَحُمِلَتْ ذَانِكَ السَّفَطَانِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِ عُمَرَ، وَرَجَعَتِ الرُّسُلُ. فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ عُمَرُ طَلَبَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَجِدْهُمْ، فَأَرْسَلَ فِي إِثْرِهِمُ الْبُرُدَ فَمَا لَحِقَهُمُ الْبَرِيدُ إِلَّا بِالْكُوفَةِ. قَالَ السَّائِبُ بْنُ الْأَقْرَعِ: فَلَمَّا أَنَخْتُ بَعِيرِي بِالْكُوفَةِ، أَنَاخَ الْبَرِيدُ بَعِيرَهُ عَلَى عُرْقُوبِ بَعِيرِي، وَقَالَ: أَجِبْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقُلْتُ: لِمَاذَا ؟ فَقَالَ: لَا أَدْرِي. فَرَجَعْنَا عَلَى إِثْرِنَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَيْهِ. قَالَ: مَالِي وَلَكَ يَا ابْنَ أُمِّ السَّائِبِ، بَلْ مَا لِابْنِ أُمِّ السَّائِبِ وَمَالِي. قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ: وَمَا ذَاكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟ فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ، وَاللَّهِ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا أَنْ نِمْتُ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي خَرَجْتَ فِيهَا، فَبَاتَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّهِ تَسْحَبُنِي إِلَى ذَيْنِكَ السَّفَطَيْنِ وَهُمَا يَشْتَعِلَانِ نَارًا، يَقُولُونَ: لَنَكْوِيَنَّكَ بِهِمَا. فَأَقُولُ: إِنِّي سَأَقْسِمُهُمَا بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. فَاذْهَبْ بِهِمَا لَا أَبَا لَكَ فَبِعْهُمَا فَاقْسِمْهُمَا فِي أُعْطِيَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَأَرْزَاقِهِمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَدْرُونَ مَا وُهِبُوا وَلَمْ تَدْرِ أَنْتَ مَعَهُمْ. قَالَ السَّائِبُ: فَأَخَذَتْهُمَا حَتَّى جِئْتُ بِهِمَا مَسْجِدَ الْكُوفَةِ وَغَشِيَتْنِي التُّجَّارُ، فَابْتَاعَهُمَا مِنِّي عَمْرُو بْنُ حُرَيْثٍ الْمَخْزُومِيُّ بِأَلْفَيْ أَلْفٍ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ بِهِمَا إِلَى أَرْضِ الْأَعَاجِمِ فَبَاعَهُمَا بِأَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ أَلْفٍ، فَمَا زَالَ أَكْثَرَ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ مَالًا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ سَيْفٌ: ثُمَّ قَسَمَ ثَمَنَهُمَا بَيْنَ الْغَانِمِينَ، فَنَالَ كُلُّ فَارِسٍ أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ مِنْ ثَمَنِ السَّفَطَيْنِ. قَالَ الشَّعْبِيُّ: وَحَصَلَ لِلْفَارِسِ مِنْ أَصْلِ الْغَنِيمَةِ سِتَّةُ آلَافٍ، وَلِلرَّاجِلِ أَلْفَانِ، وَكَانَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا موقف أبو لؤلؤة المجوسي من سبي نهاوند وعَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ: لَمَّا قُدِمَ بِسَبْيِ نَهَاوَنْدَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ جَعَلَ أَبُو لُؤْلُؤَةَ - فَيْرُوزُ غُلَامُ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ - لَا يَلْقَى مِنْهُمْ صَغِيرًا إِلَّا مَسَحَ رَأَسَهُ وَبَكَى، وَقَالَ: أَكَلَ عُمَرُ كَبِدِي. وَكَانَ أَصْلُ أَبِي لُؤْلُؤَةَ مِنْ نَهَاوَنْدَ فَأَسَرَتْهُ الرُّومُ أَيَّامَ فَارِسَ، وَأَسَرَتْهُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ بَعْدُ، فَنُسِبَ إِلَى حَيْثُ سُبِيَ. قَالُوا: وَلَمْ تَقُمْ لِلْأَعَاجِمِ بَعْدَ هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ قَائِمَةٌ. وَأَلْحَقَ عُمَرُ الَّذِينَ أَبْلَوْا فِيهَا فِي أَلْفَيْنِ تَشْرِيفًا لَهُمْ وَإِظْهَارًا لِشَأْنِهِمْ.

Translation

✧ The Battle of Nahāwand, Year Twenty-One It is said: it was in the year eighteen, and it is said the year nineteen. It is a very great battle with lofty significance and astonishing news, and the Muslims used to call it the Conquest of Conquests. Sayf and others said: What stirred up this battle was that when the Muslims conquered al-Ahwāz, and prevented the army of al-ʿAlāʾ from their hands, and took possession of the abode of the ancient king from Iṣṭakhr along with what they had newly seized of the abode of their kingdom, namely al-Madāʾin, and they took those cities, provinces, districts, and many towns, they were protected at that time, and Yazdajird, who had retreated from one land to another until he reached Iṣbahān as a far-off exile, but he was among a family of his people, his kin, and his wealth, called upon them for aid. He wrote to the region of Nahāwand and the mountains and lands adjoining it, so they assembled and corresponded with one another until they had gathered an army such as had never before assembled for them. So Saʿd sent to ʿUmar informing him of that. The people of Kufa rose against Saʿd during the midst of this situation. They complained about him in everything, until they said: He does not pray well. The one who took up this complaint was a man called al-Jarrāḥ b. Sinān al-Asadī, with a group of companions. When they went to ʿUmar and complained about him, ʿUmar said to them: The proof of your evil is your rising against him in this situation, while he is preparing to fight the enemies of Allah, who have gathered against you. Yet this does not prevent me from looking into your affair. Then he sent Muḥammad b. Maslamah—who was the messenger over the governors. When Muḥammad b. Maslamah arrived in Kufa, he went around the tribes, clans, and mosques of Kufa, and everyone praised Saʿd well except the faction of al-Jarrāḥ b. Sinān, for they remained silent, neither criticizing nor thanking, until he came to Banū ʿAbs. A man called Abū Saʿdah Usāmah b. Qatādah stood up and said: Since you adjure us, Saʿd does not distribute equally, nor does he act justly toward the subjects, nor does he raid in the detachment. Saʿd invoked against him, saying: O Allah, if he said it falsely, hypocritically, and for reputation, then blind his sight, increase his dependents, and expose him to the misguiding trials. So he went blind, and ten daughters gathered around him, and he would hear of a woman and would not cease until he came to her and touched her, and when he was discovered he said: The invocation of Saʿd, the blessed man. Then Saʿd invoked against al-Jarrāḥ and his companions, and each of them was struck by a calamity in his body and a misfortune in his wealth after that. Muḥammad b. Maslamah's call to the people of Kufa to raid Nahāwand Muḥammad b. Maslamah called upon the people of Kufa to raid the people of Nahāwand in the midst of that, by ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb's command. Then Saʿd, Muḥammad b. Maslamah, al-Jarrāḥ, and his companions traveled until they came to ʿUmar. The point is that the people of Persia gathered from every deep pass in the land of Nahāwand until one hundred and fifty thousand fighters assembled among them, commanded by al-Fayruzān—also called Bundār, and also called Dhū al-Ḥājib. They exhorted one another and said: Muḥammad, who came to the Arabs, did not attack our lands, nor did Abū Bakr, who arose after him, attack us in the abode of our kingdom. But this ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, when his reign lengthened, violated our sanctity and took our lands, and it was not enough for him until he raided us in the heart of our abode and took the royal house. He will not stop until he expels you from your lands. So they pledged and contracted to head for Basra and Kufa, then to distract ʿUmar from his lands, and they bound themselves and wrote a document to that effect. When Saʿd wrote of that to ʿUmar—and Saʿd had been dismissed in the midst of that—Saʿd informed ʿUmar face to face of what they had conspired and intended, and that one hundred and fifty thousand of them had gathered. And a letter came from ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿItbān from Kufa to ʿUmar with Qarīb b. Ẓafar al-ʿAbdī, saying that they had gathered and were burning and exhorting one another against Islam and its people, and that the right course, O Commander of the Faithful, is for us to head toward them and deal with them concerning what they have intended and resolved of marching to our lands. ʿUmar said to the bearer of the letter: What is your name? He said: Qarīb. He said: Son of whom? He said: Son of Ẓafar. ʿUmar took it as a good omen and said: A near victory (ẓafar qarīb). Then he ordered the call: Prayer in congregation! The people gathered. The first to enter the mosque for that was Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ, so ʿUmar also took it as a good omen of Saʿd (felicity). ʿUmar ascended the pulpit until the people gathered and said: This is a day after which there will be no other like it. Indeed, I have resolved upon a matter, so listen, respond, and be brief, and do not dispute lest you fail and your strength depart. I have decided to march with those with me until I camp at a place midway between these two garrison cities and call upon the people, then be a reserve for them until Allah grants them victory. ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, Ṭalḥah, al-Zubayr, and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAwf, along with men of sound judgment, stood up. Each spoke separately and spoke well and excellently, and their opinions agreed that he should not march from Madinah, but should send expeditions and support them with his counsel and supplication. Among ʿAlī's ؓ words was: O Commander of the Faithful, this matter's victory or defeat was never by multitude or fewness. It is His religion which He has made manifest, and His army which He has honored, and He reinforced it with angels until it reached what it reached. We are upon a promise from Allah, and Allah fulfills His promise and aids His army. Your place among them, O Commander of the Faithful, is like the string of beads: it gathers them and holds them together; if it loosens, what is in it scatters and is lost, and then never gathers in its entirety again. The Arabs today, though few, are many and mighty through Islam. Stay where you are, and write to the people of Kufa, for they are the banners of the Arabs and their leaders. Let two-thirds of them go and one-third remain, and write to the people of Basra to reinforce them as well. ʿUthmān had suggested in his speech to reinforce them with armies from the people of Yemen and Syria. ʿUmar agreed to go himself to the area between Basra and Kufa, but ʿAlī objected to ʿUthmān's agreement to go to the area between Basra and Kufa, as previously mentioned, and rejected ʿUthmān's suggestion of seeking reinforcements from the people of Syria for fear for their lands—since if their armies were reduced—from the Byzantines, and from the people of Yemen for fear for their lands from the Abyssinians. ʿUmar was pleased with ʿAlī's words and delighted by them—and ʿUmar, when he consulted anyone, would not finalize a matter until he consulted al-ʿAbbās. When the Companions' words in this assembly pleased him, he presented it to al-ʿAbbās, who said: O Commander of the Faithful, take it easy, for these Persians have gathered only for a calamity—meaning one that will descend upon them. Appointing al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin as army commander Then ʿUmar said: Advise me on whom I should appoint to command the war, and let him be an Iraqi. They said: You know your army best, O Commander of the Faithful. He said: By Allah, I will appoint a man who will be the first of the spearpoints when he meets them tomorrow. They said: Who, O Commander of the Faithful? He said: al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin. They said: He is fit for it. Al-Nuʿmān had written to ʿUmar while he was governor of Kaskar, asking him to remove him from it and appoint him to fight the people of Nahāwand, so ʿUmar granted him that and designated him for it. Then ʿUmar wrote to Ḥudhayfah to march from Kufa with troops from it, and wrote to Abū Mūsā to march with the troops of Basra, and wrote to al-Nuʿmān—who was in Basra—to march with the troops there to Nahāwand. When the people gather, each commander is over his own army, and the commander over all the people is al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin. If he is killed, then Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān; if he is killed, then Jarīr b. ʿAbd Allāh; if he is killed, then Qays b. Makshūḥ; if Qays is killed, then so-and-so, then so-and-so—until he named seven, one of whom was al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah. It is said: he was not named among them. Allah knows best. The text of the letter: In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. From the servant of Allah, ʿUmar, Commander of the Faithful, to al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin. Peace be upon you. I praise Allah to you, besides whom there is no god. To proceed: It has reached me that great gatherings of the non-Arabs have assembled against you at the city of Nahāwand. When this letter of mine reaches you, march by Allah's command, with Allah's help, and with Allah's victory, with the Muslims who are with you. Do not make them tread rough ground lest you harm them; do not deny them their right lest you cause them to fall into disbelief; do not lead them into a thicket, for one Muslim man is dearer to me than a hundred thousand dinars. Peace be upon you. March in that direction until you reach Māh, for I have written to the people of Kufa to meet you there. When your troops assemble, march to al-Fayruzān and whoever gathers with him of the non-Arabs from the people of Persia and others. Seek Allah's help, and say often: There is no power and no strength except by Allah. ʿUmar wrote to the governor of Kufa, ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbd Allāh, to equip an army and send them to Nahāwand, and let the commander over them be Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān until he reaches al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin. If al-Nuʿmān is killed, then Ḥudhayfah; if he is killed, then Nuʿaym b. Muqarrin, and appoint al-Sāʾib b. al-Aqraʿ over the division of spoils. So Ḥudhayfah marched in a dense army toward al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin to meet him at Māh, and many commanders of Iraq marched with Ḥudhayfah. He had stationed in every district enough fighters to protect it, placed guards in every direction, and they took great precautions. Then they reached al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin at the appointed place, and Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān handed al-Nuʿmān ʿUmar's letter, which contained the command for him about what to undertake in this battle. The Muslim army was completed at thirty thousand fighters, as reported by Sayf from al-Shaʿbī. Among them were many leaders of the Companions and chiefs of the Arabs, a great and numerous company; among them ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar, [son of] the Commander of the Faithful, Jarīr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Bajalī, Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān, al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah, ʿAmr b. Maʿdīkarib al-Zubaydī, Ṭulayḥah b. Khuwaylid al-Asadī, and Qays b. Makshūḥ al-Murādī. The people marched toward Nahāwand, and al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin, the commander, sent ahead a vanguard of three: Ṭulayḥah, ʿAmr b. Maʿdīkarib al-Zubaydī, and ʿAmr b. Abī Salmā—also called ʿAmr b. Thubayy—to scout out the news of the enemy and their situation. The vanguard traveled for a day and a night, then ʿAmr b. Thubayy returned. He was asked: What made you return? He said: I was in the land of the non-Arabs, and a land kills its ignorant one, and its knowing one kills a land. Then ʿAmr b. Maʿdīkarib returned after him and said: We saw no one, and I feared that the road would be taken against us. Ṭulayḥah went on and paid no heed to their return, and traveled about a dozen farsakhs until he reached Nahāwand, while between the Muslims' position and Nahāwand there were twenty-some farsakhs. The people said: Ṭulayḥah has apostatized a second time. He learned of the people's talk and returned. When they saw him, they said 'Allāhu akbar.' He said: What is the matter with you? They told him what they had feared about him. He said: By Allah, if there were no religion but the Arab, I would not let the barbarous non-Arabs slaughter these pure Arabs. He entered among the non-Arabs, learned what he wished of their news, then returned to al-Nuʿmān and informed him of that, and that there was nothing between him and Nahāwand that he disliked. Al-Nuʿmān marched in battle formation, with Nuʿaym b. Muqarrin over the vanguard, Ḥudhayfah and Suwayd b. Muqarrin over the two flanks, al-Qaʿqāʿ b. ʿAmr over the cavalry detachment, and Mujāshiʿ b. Masʿūd over the rear guard, until they reached the Persians, commanded by al-Fayruzān, and with him from the army were all who had been absent from al-Qādisiyyah in those earlier days, numbering one hundred and fifty thousand. When the two armies came in sight of each other, al-Nuʿmān said 'Allāhu akbar' and the Muslims said 'Allāhu akbar' three times, and the non-Arabs were shaken and struck with great terror. Then al-Nuʿmān ordered the baggage to be set down while he stood. The people set down their baggage, left their saddles, and pitched their tents and pavilions. A great tent was pitched for al-Nuʿmān; those who pitched it were fourteen of the nobles of the army: Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān, ʿUtbah b. ʿAmr, al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah, Bashīr b. al-Khaṣāṣiyah, Ḥanẓalah the scribe, Ibn al-Hawbar, Ribʿī b. ʿĀmir, ʿĀmir b. Maṭar, Jarīr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥimyarī, Jarīr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Bajalī, al-Aqraʿ b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥimyarī, al-Ashʿath b. Qays al-Kindī, Saʿīd b. Qays al-Hamdānī, and Wāʾil b. Ḥujr. No great tent was ever seen in Iraq greater than the construction of this tent. When they set down the baggage, al-Nuʿmān ordered the fighting, and it was Wednesday. They fought that day and the next, and the war was back and forth. When Friday came, they withdrew into their fortress, and the Muslims besieged them and remained against them as long as Allah willed, while the non-Arabs would come out when they wished and return to their fortresses when they wished. Sending al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah to the Persian commander The Persian commander asked for a man from the Muslims to speak with him. Al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah went to him and reported the magnificence he saw of his attire and assembly, and how he addressed him with words belittling the Arabs and showing contempt for them, saying that they had been the longest-suffering of people in hunger and the least in abode and worth. He said: What prevents these horsemen around me from riddling you with arrows except disdain for your corpses? If you go away, we will let you be; if you refuse, we will show you your deaths. He said: I pronounced the testimony of faith and praised Allah, and said: We were indeed in a worse state than you mentioned, until Allah sent His Messenger and promised us victory in this world and Paradise in the next. We have continued to experience victory from our Lord ever since Allah sent His Messenger to us. We have come to you in your lands, and we will never return to that misery until we conquer your lands and what is in your hands, or we are killed in your land. He said: By Allah, the one-eyed man has told you the truth of what is in his heart. When this situation persisted and dragged on for the Muslims, al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin gathered the men of sound judgment from the army, and they consulted about that matter and how they should proceed until they and the polytheists faced each other on a single open field. ʿAmr b. Abī Sulmā spoke first—he was the eldest of those present—and said: 'Their remaining in their current state is more harmful to them than what they seek from us, and it is more conducive to the Muslims' safety.' Everyone rejected his view and said: 'We are certain that our religion will prevail, and that Allah's promise to us will be fulfilled.' Then ʿAmr b. Maʿdīkarib spoke and said: 'Engage them and outnumber them, and do not fear them.' All of them rejected his view too, saying: 'He would have us butt heads against walls, and the walls would be allies helping them against us.' Then Ṭulayḥa al-Asadī spoke and said: 'The two of them have missed the mark. My view is that you should send out a detachment to surround them, skirmish with them, and provoke them. If they come out against them, let the detachment flee toward us as if routed, retreating before them. When they are drawn out in pursuit and reach us, we too will resolve to flee as a whole. At that moment, they will have no doubt that we are defeated, and they will come out of their fortresses to the last man. When their coming out is complete, we will turn back on them and fight them with swords until Allah decides between us.' The people deemed this opinion excellent. Al-Nuʿmān appointed al-Qaʿqāʿ b. ʿAmr over the vanguard, and ordered them to go to the town, besiege them on their own, and flee before them if they came out to fight. Al-Qaʿqāʿ did that. When they came out of their fortresses, al-Qaʿqāʿ retreated with his men, then withdrew again, then again. The Persians seized the opportunity and did what Ṭulayḥa had anticipated. They said: 'This is it! This is it!' So they came out with all their forces, and none remained in the town of the fighting men except those guarding the gates. They advanced until they reached the army, while al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin was in his battle formation, and that was in the forenoon of a Friday. The men resolved to engage them, but al-Nuʿmān forbade them and ordered them not to fight until the sun declined, the winds blew, and victory descended, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to do. The people insisted that al-Nuʿmān attack, but he did not do so—he was a steadfast man. When the sun declined, he prayed with the Muslims, then mounted a dark bay horse of his, close to the ground, and began to stand at each banner, urging them to patience, commanding them to remain firm, and instructing the Muslims that he would pronounce the first takbīr and they should prepare for the charge; he would pronounce the second takbīr and no one should have any equipment left unprepared; then the third takbīr, and with it the true charge. Then he said: 'O Allah, strengthen Your religion, grant victory to Your servants, and make al-Nuʿmān the first martyr today in strengthening Your religion and granting victory to Your servants.' It is also said that he said: 'O Allah, I ask You to delight my eyes today with a conquest in which Islam is exalted, and to take my soul as a martyr.' The people wept. Then he returned to his position. The Persians drew up in a mighty battle formation, arrayed in terrifying ranks, in numbers and equipment the like of which had never been seen. Many of them had intertwined with one another, and they had strewn iron caltrops behind their backs so that they could neither flee nor retreat nor regroup. The martyrdom of al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin Then al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin ؓ pronounced the first takbīr and shook the banner, and the people prepared for the charge. Then he pronounced the second takbīr and shook the banner, and they prepared once more. Then he pronounced the third takbīr and charged, and the people charged against the polytheists. Al-Nuʿmān's banner began to swoop down upon the Persians like an eagle swooping upon its prey, until they met sword to sword. They fought a battle the like of which had never been seen in any of the previous encounters, nor had anyone heard of such a clash. So many polytheists were slain between the sun's decline and nightfall that the face of the earth was covered in blood—the animals were leaving hoofprints in it. It was even said that the commander al-Nuʿmān b. Muqarrin's horse slipped in that blood, he fell, and an arrow struck him in his side and killed him, and no one was aware of it except his brother Suwayd—or, it is said, Nuʿaym. It is also said that he covered him with his garment, concealed his death, and handed the banner to Ḥudhayfa b. al-Yamān. Ḥudhayfa put his brother Nuʿaym in his place and ordered that his death be kept secret until the situation was resolved, lest the people be routed. When the night darkened, the polytheists fled in retreat, and the Muslims pursued them—the disbelievers had bound thirty thousand of their own men together with chains and dug a trench around themselves. When they fled, they fell into the trench and into the valleys of their land, around a hundred thousand of them. They kept falling into the valleys of their country, and a great many of them perished—around a hundred thousand or more—besides those killed in the battle, and none escaped except a scattered remnant. Their commander al-Fayrūzān had been struck down in the battle but escaped and fled. Nuʿaym b. Muqarrin pursued him, sending al-Qaʿqāʿ ahead of him. Al-Fayrūzān headed for Hamadhān, and al-Qaʿqāʿ caught up with him and overtook him at the mountain pass of Hamadhān. Many mules and donkeys loaded with honey were coming down from it, so al-Fayrūzān could not ascend it because of them—and that was his undoing. He dismounted and climbed up the mountain, and al-Qaʿqāʿ followed him until he killed him. The Muslims said that day: 'Allah has armies made of honey.' Then they took that honey and what was mixed with it as booty, and that pass was named the Honey Pass. The conquest of Hamadhān, al-Māhayn, and others Rabīʿa b. ʿUthmān said: The conquest of Hamadhān was in Jumādā al-Ūlā, six months after the death of ʿUmar, while his armies were besieging it. Then al-Qaʿqāʿ caught up with the remainder of those who had fled there, besieged the city, and seized what was around it. Its ruler—Khusraw Shunūm—came down to him and made peace with him over it. Then al-Qaʿqāʿ returned to Ḥudhayfa and the Muslims with him, who had entered Nahāwand by force after the battle, and they had gathered the spoils and booty and brought them to the keeper of the collected spoils, al-Sāʾib b. al-Aqraʿ. When the people of Māh heard what had happened to the people of Hamadhān, they sent to Ḥudhayfa and obtained a guarantee of safety from him for themselves. A man called al-Hirbadh—the keeper of their fire—came and asked Ḥudhayfa for a guarantee of safety, and he would hand over to them a trust that was with him belonging to Kisrā, which he had stored up for the calamities of time. Ḥudhayfa granted him safety, and that man brought two chests full of priceless, invaluable jewels. The Muslims, however, paid no heed to them, and they all agreed to send them to ʿUmar in particular. They sent them along with the fifths and the captives, in the company of al-Sāʾib b. al-Aqraʿ, having sent news of the conquest ahead with Ṭarīf b. Sahm. Then Ḥudhayfa divided the rest of the spoils among those entitled to them, giving special shares and extra grants to the brave, and he allotted shares to those of the armies who had been stationed to guard the Muslims' rear, those who served as reinforcements, and those attached to them. As for the Commander of the Faithful, he had been calling upon Allah night and day for them, with the supplication of a mother about to give birth, and the earnest entreaty of those in dire need. He thought the news from them was long delayed. While a Muslim man was outside Madinah, he saw a rider. He asked him, 'Where have you come from?' He said, 'From Nahāwand.' He said, 'What happened to the people?' He said, 'Allah granted them victory, the commander was killed, and the Muslims gained great spoils: each horseman received six thousand, and each foot soldier two thousand.' Then the rider went on and entered Madinah. The people heard the news and it spread until it reached the Commander of the Faithful. He sent for the man and asked him who had told him. He said, 'A rider.' He said, 'He did not come to me. It was a man of the jinn—he is their messenger, and his name is ʿUthaym.' Then Ṭarīf arrived with news of the conquest a few days later, bringing nothing but the news. ʿUmar asked him who had killed al-Nuʿmān, but he had no knowledge of it, until those bringing the fifths arrived and told the whole story as it truly was. And indeed that jinn had witnessed the battle and returned quickly to his people as a warner. ʿUmar is informed of al-Nuʿmān's death and the spoils are divided When ʿUmar was told of al-Nuʿmān's death, he wept and asked al-Sāʾib about those Muslims who had been killed. He said: 'So-and-so, so-and-so, and so-and-so,' naming the notables and nobles of the people. Then he said: 'And others from the common masses of the people whom the Commander of the Faithful does not know.' ʿUmar began to weep and said: 'What harm is it to them that the Commander of the Faithful does not know them? Allah knows them and has honored them with martyrdom. What need do they have of ʿUmar's knowing them?' Then he ordered the fifth to be divided according to his usual practice, and those two chests were carried to ʿUmar's house, and the messengers returned. When morning came, ʿUmar looked for them but did not find them, so he sent couriers after them, but the courier did not catch up with them until they reached al-Kūfa. Al-Sāʾib b. al-Aqraʿ said: 'When I made my camel kneel at al-Kūfa, the courier made his camel kneel right at my camel's heel and said, "Answer the Commander of the Faithful." I said, "Why?" He said, "I do not know." So we turned back on our tracks until I came to him. He said, "What is the matter between me and you, O son of Umm al-Sāʾib? Rather, what is the matter between the son of Umm al-Sāʾib and me?" I said, "And what is that, O Commander of the Faithful?" He said, "Woe to you! By Allah, it was only that I slept on the night you departed, and Allah's angels spent the night dragging me toward those two chests, which were blazing with fire, saying, "We will brand you with them!" I kept saying, "I will divide them among the Muslims." So take them—may you have no father!—sell them, and divide the proceeds among the Muslims' stipends and allowances. For they do not know what they have been given, and you did not know along with them.'" Al-Sāʾib said: 'So I took them and brought them to the mosque of al-Kūfa, and the merchants surrounded me. ʿAmr b. Ḥurayth al-Makhzūmī bought them from me for two million. Then he took them to the land of the Persians and sold them for four million. After that, he remained the wealthiest man of al-Kūfa.' Sayf said: Then their price was divided among those entitled to spoils, and each horseman received four thousand dirhams from the price of the two chests. Al-Shaʿbī said: A horseman received six thousand from the original spoils, and a foot soldier two thousand. The Muslims numbered thirty thousand. The attitude of Abū Luʾluʾa the Magian toward the captives of Nahāwand From al-Shaʿbī: When the captives of Nahāwand were brought to Madinah, Abū Luʾluʾa—Fayrūz, the slave of al-Mughīra b. Shuʿba—would not encounter any young boy among them without stroking his head and weeping, saying: 'ʿUmar has devoured my liver.' Abū Luʾluʾa's origin was from Nahāwand; the Byzantines had captured him in the days of Persia, and then the Muslims captured him, so he was attributed to the place where he was taken captive. They said: After this battle, the Persians never again rose to resist. ʿUmar enrolled those who had fought valiantly in it among the two thousand, as a mark of honor and recognition of their standing.

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