and crossed over to Takrît from which they carried away camels and goats.
"One of the things told me by abu-Masʿûd," said ʿAttâb ibn-Ibrâhîm, "was that an-Nusair and Ḥudhaifah promised security to the people of Takrît and wrote a statement which was carried out by ʿUtbah ibn-Farḳad as-Sulami when he reduced aṭ-Ṭîrhân [or Ṭîrahân] and al-Mauṣil. He also mentioned the fact that an-Nusair, directed by Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd, made a raid against villages in Maskin and Ḳaṭrabbul [or Ḳuṭrubbul] from which he carried off large booty." From ʿAin at-Tamr, Khâlid advanced to Syria and said to al-Muthanna ibn-Ḥârithah, "Return [to al-Ḥîrah?]—may Allah have mercy on thee—to thy Sultan, untired and unfailing."[1]
The departure of Khâlid for Syria took place in Rabîʿ II, according to others, Rabîʿ I, year 13. It is claimed by some that Khâlid came from ʿAin at-Tamr to Dûmah,[2] which he reduced, and after that he proceeded to al-Ḥîrah and thence to Syria. That he departed for Syria from ʿAin at-Tamr, is, however, more reliable.
