The Origins of the Islamic State/Part 9/Chapter 4
CHAPTER IV
The Battle of Mihrân or an-Nukhailah
Jarîr ibn-ʿAbdallâh's campaign in al-ʿIrâḳ. According to abu-Mikhnaf and others, for one year after the calamity that befell abu-ʿUbaid and Salîṭ, ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb refrained from the mention of the name of al-ʿIrâḳ. In the meantime, al-Muthanna ibn-Ḥârithah was staying in the region of Ullais summoning the Arabs to the "holy war". At last ʿUmar invited the Moslems to an expedition to al-ʿIrâḳ, but they kept aloof and hesitated to go there, so much so that he was on the point of carrying the expedition in person. Now, a body of al-Azd came to ʿUmar intent on the invasion of Syria; but he asked them to go to al-ʿIrâḳ and aroused their interest in the spoils to be taken from the Kisra family. They left it for him to choose for them, and he ordered them to start [for al-ʿIrâḳ].
Jarîr ibn-ʿAbdallâh came from as-Sarâh at the head of the Bajîlah[1] tribe, and offered to go to al-ʿIrâḳ, provided one-quarter of what they took possession of be allotted to him and his men. ʿUmar accepted the offer and Jarîr started towards al-ʿIrâḳ. Some claim that he went via al-Baṣrah and had a conflict with the satrap [Marzubân] of al-Madhâr, whom he defeated. Others claim that the conflict with the Marzubân took place when Jarîr was in the company of Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd. Still others assert that Jarîr took the road to al-ʿUdhaib, passing through Paid and ath-Thaʿlabîyah.
ʿAffân ibn-Muslim from ash-Shaʿbi:—After the death of abu-ʿUbaid, who was the first to be directed by ʿUmar to al-Kûfah, ʿUmar directed Jarîr ibn-ʿAbdallâh there, saying, "Wouldst thou go to al-ʿIrâḳ if I allow thee one-third of the spoils after the [usual] fifth has been taken?" and Jarîr said, "I will."
Dair Hind. The Moslems assembled in Dair Hind[2] in the year 14 immediately after the death of Shîrawaih, and the succession of Bûrân, daughter of Kisra, who was to rule until Yazdajird ibn-Shahriyâr came of age. Yazdajird[3] sent against them Mihrân ibn-Mihribundâdh al-Hamadhâni at the head of 12,000 men. The Moslems offered no resistance until he crossed the bridge on the Euphrates and arrived next to Dair al-Aʿwar.[4]
The battle of al-Buwaib. It is reported by Saif that Mihrân, after crossing al-Jisr [the bridge], came to a place called al-Buwaib.[5] It was in this place that he was killed.
Someone has said that the irregularities in the land of al-Buwaib were filled up with bones in the time of the civil war,[6] made level with the surface and covered with powdered soil [and that whenever the soil was removed the bones were seen].[7] The spot lay between as-Sakûn [canal] and the banu-Sulaim [canal].[8] This was the place in which the water of the Euphrates sank in the time of the Kisras and from which it poured into al-Jauf.[9]
The Moslems camped at an-Nukhailah[10] and were led, according to the Bajîlah, by Jarîr ibn-ʿAbdallâh, and, according to the Rabîʿah, by al-Muthanna ibn-Ḥârithah. Others affirm that the Moslems were commanded in turn by the heads of the various tribes. The Moslems met their enemy, and Shuraḥbîl ibn-as-Simṭ al-Kindi distinguished himself in the fight that ensued. Masʿûd ibn-Ḥârithah was slain. So al-Muthanna said, "Fear not, Moslems, because my brother is killed. Such is the fate of the best among you." Upon this, the Moslems charged, as if they were one body, with confidence and patience which resulted, by Allah's help, in the death of Mihrân and the defeat of the "infidels".[11] The Moslems pursued them with slaughter; and few were those who escaped. On this day, Ḳur ibn-Jammâḥ al-ʿAbdi applied his sword until its edge was bent. When the night fell, they returned to their camp. This took place in the year 14.
The death of Mihrân was effected by Jarîr ibn-ʿAbdallâh and al-Mundhir ibn-Ḥassân ibn-Ḍirâr aḍ-Ḍabbi, each one of whom claimed that he had killed him, which led to a fierce dispute.[12] At last, al-Mundhir carried away Mihrân's belt; and Jarîr, the rest of the spoils from him. Some assert that among those who killed him was al-Ḥiṣn ibn-Maʿbad ibn-Zurârah ibn-ʿUdas at-Tamîmi.
Moslem raids. After this victory, the Moslems did not cease to make raids in the regions between al-Ḥîrah and Kaskar, Sûra, Barbîsma [?] and Ṣarâṭ[13] Jâmâsib and between al-Fallûjatain, an-Nahrain and ʿAin-at-Tamr.[14] The Moslems also attacked Ḥiṣn Malîḳiya, which was a watching post, and reduced it. They drove the Persians from other watching posts at aṭ-Ṭaff, the Persians by this time having become emaciated and having become weak and feeble in power. Certain Moslems crossed Nahr [canal] Sûra and came to Kûtha, Nahr al-Malik and Bâdûraiya; some reaching as far as Kalwâdha. The Arabs in these razzias lived on what they plundered.
There are those who say that between the battles of Mihrân and al-Ḳâdisîyah, 18 months elapsed.
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2186; Caetani, vol. iii, p. 155.
- ↑ A convent near al-Ḥîrah. Hamadhâni, Buldân, p. 183; Bakri, pp. 362–364; Yâḳût, vol. ii, pp. 707–709.
- ↑ Cf. Dînawari, p. 125; Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2163.
- ↑ Yâḳût, vol. ii, p. 644.
- ↑ Ibid., vol. i, p. 764.
- ↑ The reference is, perhaps, to the insurrection of Muṣʿab ibn-az-Zubair.
- ↑ The text is corrupt.
- ↑ Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2191.
- ↑ Ibid., vol. i, p. 2187, lines 12–13; cf. Caetani, vol. iii, pp. 256–257.
- ↑ Yâḳût, vol. iv, pp. 771–772.
- ↑ Cf. Masʿûdi, vol. iv, pp. 205–206.
- ↑ Yûsuf, p. 16, lines 16–17.
- ↑ Cf. Dînawari, p. 121.
- ↑ See Le Strange, The Lands of the Eastern Caliphate, p. 25, map.