The Origins of the Islamic State/Part 9/Chapter 5

by Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyá al-Balādhurī

CHAPTER V

The Battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah

ʿUmar sends Saʿd ibn-abi-Waḳḳâṣ. The Moslems wrote to ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb telling him of the great number of the Persians massing against them, and asked for reinforcements. ʿUmar desired to lead the razzia in person and collected an army for that purpose; but he was advised by al-ʿAbbâs ibn-ʿAbd-al-Muṭṭalib and other sheikhs from among the Companions of the Prophet to stay at home and send out the forces and troops; and ʿUmar did that. ʿAli ibn-abi-Ṭâlib advised him to go himself; but ʿUmar replied, "I have made up my mind to stay." ʿUmar proposed to ʿAli the idea of going; but the latter refused, upon which ʿUmar wanted Saʿîd ibn-Zaid ibn-ʿAmr ibn-Nufail al-ʿAdawi to go. Finally, it occurred to him to send Saʿd ibn-abi-Waḳḳâṣ, which he did. The name of abu-Waḳḳâṣ was Mâlik ibn-Uhaib ibn-ʿAbd-Manâf ibn-Zuhrah ibn-Kilâb. Saʿd was a man of valor and a good shot. Others say that at this time Saʿîd ibn-Zaid ibn-ʿAmr was on an expedition in Syria.

Saʿd proceeded to al-ʿIrâḳ and stayed at ath-Thaʿlabîyah for three months, in the course of which all the troops overtook him. Thence he came, in the year 15, to al-ʿUdhaib. Al-Muthanna ibn-Ḥârithah happened to be ill at that time, and he advised Saʿd to meet the enemy between al-Ḳâdisîyah and al-ʿUdhaib. His case soon became serious and he was carried to his clan among whom he died. Saʿd married his wife.

Rustam. According to al-Wâḳidi, al-Muthanna died before Rustam came to al-Ḳâdisîyah. This Rustam, who was from ar-Rai—or from Hamadhân as others say—came and occupied Burs from which he left for a place between al-Ḥîrah and as-Sailaḥîn, where he stayed for four months without trying measures or fighting with the Moslems. The Moslems, in the meantime, lay camped between al-ʿUdhaib and al-Ḳâdisîyah. Rustam sent ahead of him dhu-l-Ḥâjib, who camped at Ṭîzanâbâdh. The "polytheists" numbered about 120,000, and were accompanied by thirty elephants, and had a great banner called Dirafsh Kâbiyân;^[1] while the Moslems, taken together, numbered between 9,000 and 10,000. When the Moslems were in need of fodder or food, they sent horsemen into the interior of the land who would make raids along the lower course of the Euphrates. From al-Madînah, ʿUmar used to send them sheep and camels for slaughter.

Al-Mughîrah reinforces Saʿd. Al-Baṣrah was built sometime between the battle of an-Nukhailah and al-Ḳâdisîyah by ʿUtbah ibn-Ghazwân. When ʿUtbah asked leave for a pilgrimage, he assigned as successor al-Mughîrah ibn-Shuʿbah, who was confirmed in his position by a letter from ʿUmar. Before long, the charge^[2] that was brought against al-Mughîrah was brought against him, and ʿUmar appointed abu-Mûsa governor of al-Baṣrah and recalled al-Mughîrah to al-Madînah. Later, ʿUmar sent al-Mughîrah back to al-Baṣrah together with those who gave witness against him. Now, on the day of the battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah, ʿUmar wrote to abu-Mûsa, ordering him to reinforce Saʿd; upon which abu-Mûsa sent al-Mughîrah with 800 (others say 400) men. Having taken part in the battle, al-Mughîrah returned to al-Madînah.

Ḳais reinforces Saʿd. In the meantime, ʿUmar wrote to abu-ʿUbaidah ibn-al-Jarrâḥ, and he sent to the reinforcement of Saʿd Ḳais ibn-Hubairah ibn-al-Makshûḥ al-Murâdi, who according to some, took part in the battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah, and according to others, did not arrive until the battle was over. Ḳais commanded 700 men.

The battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah took place at the end of the year 16. Some say that it was ʿUtbah ibn-Ghazwân who (sent al-Mughîrah to the reinforcement of Saʿd, that al-Mughîrah was assigned governor of al-Baṣrah only after he returned from al-Ḳâdisîyah and that ʿUmar, after calling al-Mughîrah back to al-Madînah because of the charge brought against him, never sent him out of al-Madînah except when he assigned him governor of al-Kûfah.

Al-ʿAbbâs ibn-al-Walîd an-Narsi from ash-Shaʿbi:—ʿUmar wrote to abu-ʿUbaidah, "Send to al-Ḳâdisîyah Ḳais ibn-Makshûḥ at the head of the men he invites to join him." Ḳais summoned a body of men and arrived, at the head of 700 of them, to find the victory already won by Saʿd. Ḳais's men asked for a share in the booty. Saʿd wrote to ʿUmar, who wrote back, "If Ḳais arrived before the burial of those that were killed, then thou shouldst give him his share."

Al-Mughîrah's interview with Rustam. Rustam asked Saʿd to send some companions of his to consult with him. Saʿd delegated al-Mughîrah ibn-Shuʿbah. Al-Mughîrah betook himself towards Rustam's throne, in order to sit by him, but was not allowed to do so by the Persian cavalry guard [asâwirah]. Rustam said many things, among which was the following, "I have learned that ye were forced to what ye are doing by nothing but the narrow means of livelihood and by poverty. We are ready to give you what will satisfy you, and to see you leave with certain things that ye choose."^[3] Al-Mughîrah answered, "Allah has sent us his Prophet by following and obeying whom we were made prosperous, and he has ordered us to fight those who differ from our faith 'Until they pay tribute out of hand and in a humbled state'.^[4] We, therefore, call thee to the worship of Allah alone and the belief in his Prophet, which if thou shouldst do, well and good; otherwise, the sword will decide between us." Rustam, snorting with anger, said, "By the sun and by the moon, the day will not break to-morrow before we kill you all." "No strength and no force but in Allah," answered al-Mughîrah, and departed riding a lean horse with a sword broken at its edge and wrapped up in rags.^[5]

ʿAmr and al-Ashʿath interview Rustam. ʿUmar wrote to Saʿd instructing him to send to the magnate of the Persians a delegation to invite him to Islâm. Accordingly, Saʿd sent ʿAmr ibn-Maʿdikarib az-Zubaidi and al-Ashʿath ibn-Ḳais al-Kindi at the head of a delegation. They passed by Rustam, and on being brought before him, he asked them, "To whom are ye going?" to which they replied, "To your chief." A long conversation followed in which they said, "Our Prophet has promised us the conquest of your land," upon which Rustam called for a palm-leaf basket full of soil and said, "This is for you from our land!" ʿAmr ibn-Maʿdikarib immediately arose, spread his cloak and departed, carrying in it some of the soil. When he was asked later, "Why didst thou do that?". ʿAmr replied, "Because I considered it a good omen, indicating that their land will one day be ours, and we will take possession of it." Finally, they presented themselves before the king and invited him to Islâm. The king became angry and ordered them to leave, saying, "Had ye not been envoys, I would have put you to death!" He also wrote and rebuked Rustam for sending them to him.

A Moslem forage expedition. Later, a forage expedition^[6] of the Moslems, headed by Zuhrah ibn-Ḥawîyah ibn-ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ḳatâdah at-Tamîmi—later as-Saʿdi—(others say it was headed by Ḳatâdah ibn-Ḥawîyah^[7]), came across some Persian cavalry, which was the occasion for the final conflict. The Persians rallied to the succor of their cavalry, and the Moslems to those on their expedition; and a fierce battle raged between the two. The time was an afternoon. ʿAmr ibn-Maʿdikarib az-Zubaidi rushed forward and, seizing a Persian chief by the neck, lifted him to the saddle in front of him, saying [to his men], "I am abu-Thaur! Do ye as I do!" He then stabbed the nose of one of the elephants, saying, "Apply your swords to their trunks; the vulnerable point in the elephant is his trunk."

Saʿd slaps his wife. Saʿd ibn-abi-Waḳḳâṣ had, for a special reason, appointed Khâlid ibn-ʿUrfuṭah-l-ʿUdhri, an ally of the banu-Zuhrah, to be commander of the army and director of the affairs of the Moslems. Saʿd lived in Ḳaṣr [tower] al-ʿUdhaib. His wife, Salma, daughter of Ḥafṣah of the tribe of the banu-Taimallâh ibn-Thaʿlabah, and formerly the wife of al-Muthanna ibn-Ḥârithah, often repeated, "O, Muthanna! But there is no more Muthanna to aid the cavalry!" Hearing that, Saʿd slapped her on the face; upon which she said, "Is it jealousy or cowardice, Saʿd?"

Abu-Miḥjan in prison. Abu-Miḥjan ath-Thaḳafi^[8] was alienated to Bâḍiʿ^[9] by ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb in punishment for his being addicted to wine. He somehow managed to run away and followed Saʿd; he, according to al-Wâḳidi, not being one of those who had started with Saʿd. In the army of Saʿd, abu-Miḥjan again drank wine on account of which Saʿd flogged and imprisoned him in al-ʿUdhaib tower. Here he asked Zabrâʾ, a concubine of Saʿd, to release him that he might take part in the fight, promising to return to his fetters.^[10] She made him swear by Allah that he would do so if released. Riding on Saʿd's mare, he rushed on the Persians, pierced through their line and thrust his sword into the nose of the white elephant. Saʿd who was watching him, said, "The mare is mine; but the charge is that of abu-Miḥjan." Abu-Miḥjan then returned to his fetters. Others say that it was Salma, daughter of Ḥafṣah, who gave him the mare; but the former report is more authentic. When the question of Rustam was settled, Saʿd said to abu-Miḥjan, "By Allah, I shall never punish thee for wine after seeing what I saw of thee." "As for me," answered abu-Miḥjan, "by Allah, I shall never drink it again."^[11]

The slayer of Rustam. On that day, Ṭulaiḥah ibn-Khuwailid al-Asadi distinguished himself in fighting, and with a blow, cut the under-helmet of al-Jâlînûs, but did not injure his head. On the same occasion, Ḳais ibn-Makshûḥ turned to the people and said, "To be killed is the fate of the noble. Let not those 'uncircumcised' have more patience or be more anxious to die than yourselves." Saying this, he rushed and fought fiercely. By Allah's help, Rustam was slain and his body was found covered with so many blows and stabs that the one who gave the fatal blow could not be determined. ʿAmr ibn-Maʿdikarib, Ṭulaiḥah ibn-Khuwailid al-Asadi, Ḳurṭ ibn-Jammâḥ al-ʿAbdi and Ḍirâr ibn-al-Azwar al-Asadi had all rushed at him. This Ḍirâr, according to al-Wâḳidi, was killed in the battle of al-Yamâmah. Some say that Rustam was killed by Zuhair ibn-ʿAbd-Shams al-Bajali; others, by ʿAuwâm ibn-ʿAbd-Shams; and still others by Hilâl ibn-ʿUllafah at-Taimi.^[12]

This battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah was fought on Thursday, Friday and the night of Saturday, which last was since called "Lailat al-Harîr".^[13] The night of the battle of Ṣiffîn was also thus called.

Some say that Ḳais ibn-Makshûḥ took no part in the fight at al-Ḳâdisîyah, having arrived there after the Moslems had been through with the fighting.

Salmân ibn-Rabîʿah's part. Aḥmad ibn-Salmân al-Bâhili from certain sheikhs:—Salmân ibn-Rabîʿah invaded Syria in the company of abu-Umâmah aṣ-Ṣudai ibn ʿAjlân al-Bâhili, and took part in the battles fought by the Moslems there. He then went forth to al-ʿIrâḳ together with those who, under great urgency, hastened to al-Ḳâdisîyah as a reinforcement, and took part in the decisive conflict. He settled at al-Kûfah and was killed in Balanjar.

According to al-Wâḳidi, a group of Persians, planting their banner firmly in the ground, said, "We shall not leave our position until we die;" upon which Salmân ibn-Rabîʿah-l-Bâhili made an attack and killed them, carrying their banner away.

Ḳhâlid ibn-ʿUrfuṭah's part. Saʿd sent Khâlid ibn-ʿUrfuṭah at the head of the cavalry charged with pursuing the enemy. Khâlid and his men killed every one they overtook until they arrived in Burs. Here Khâlid was the guest of one, Bisṭâm, who treated him with kindness and loyalty. A canal that ran there was called Nahr Bisṭâm. Khâlid then passed through aṣ-Ṣarâh [canal] and caught up with Jâlînûs. Kathîr ibn-Shihâb al-Ḥârithi charged Jâlînûs and stabbed him, and according to others, killed him. Ibn-al-Kalbi says that it was Zuhrah ibn-Ḥawîyah as-Saʿdi who killed him. The former report is more authentic.

The Persians fled to al-Madâʾin, following Yazdajird [their king]. Saʿd immediately communicated with ʿUmar, announcing the victory and giving the names of those who had fallen.

The Persian arrows. Abu-Rajâʾ al-Fârisi from his grandfather:—The latter said: "I took part in the battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah when I was still a Magian. When the Arabs sent their arrows against us, we began to shout, 'dûk! dûk!'^[14] by which we meant, spindles. These spindles, however, continued to shower upon us, until we were overwhelmed. Our archer would send the arrow from his Nâwakîyah bow, but it would not do more than attach itself to the garment of an Arab; whereas their arrow would tear the coat of mail and the double cuirass that we had on."

According to Hishâm ibn-al-Kalbi, the first to kill a Persian in the battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah was Rabîʿah ibn-ʿUthmân ibn-Rabîʿah of the banu-Naṣr ibn-Muʿâwiyah ibn-Bakr ibn-Hawâzin ibn-Manṣûr.

In this battle, Saʿd ibn-ʿUbaid al-Anṣâri fell a martyr. His death afflicted ʿUmar so much that he said, "His death almost marred the joy of the victory for me."

Footnotes

1. or Dirafshikâbiyân. In Persian: dirafsh-i-Kâwiyân == the royal standard of the Sassanians; see Vullers' Persian Dictionary; Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2175.
2. Of having immoral relations with umm-Jamîl, which is discussed later by al-Balâdhuri. See abu-l-Fida, vol. i, p. 163.
3. Dînawari, p. 127; Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2271.
4. Koran, 9: 29.
5. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2270.
6. Ar. ʿallâfah.
7. Ḥajar, vol. ii, p. 23.
8. Yûsuf, pp. 17–18; Masʿûdi, vol. iv, pp. 213–219; al-ʿIḳd al-Farîd, vol. iii, p. 407.
9. Hamdâni, p. 133, l. 22; p. 41, l. 7: "Nâṣiʿ"; Yâḳût, vol. i, p. 471; Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2480.
10. Dînawari, p. 129.
11. Masʿûdi, vol. iv, p. 219; Athîr, vol. ii, p. 369.
12. Yaʿḳûbi, vol. ii, p. 165.
13. The night of yells of pain. Caetani, vol. iii, pp. 643, 675; Skizzen, vol. vi, p. 75; Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2327.
14. Yûsuf, p. 16: "dûs!" Cf. Ṭabari, vol. i, p. 2236.