When some days had elapsed after the interchange of messages, and the countenance of pacification had remained hidden under the veil of concealment, Abu O’baydah drew out his victorious army one morning, after the world-illuminating sun had torn off the cover of darkness from the body of the earth, and took up his position in the centre with Khâled B. Alwolyd and a number of valiant Arabs, appointing Zaid B. Abu Sofiân over the right and Shorahbil B. Hasnah over the left flank. The Byzantine Battâryqah also arranged their troops, raised their standards, displayed their crucifixes; and both armies being ready for the contest, a number of valiant Byzantines made an onslaught upon Zaid B. Abu Sofiân, but were, despite all their efforts, unable to make him budge from the spot on which he had taken up his position. Another crowd attacked Shorahbil B. Hasnah, but was equally unsuccessful. Thereon ten thousand other warriors, ready to sacrifice their lives, hastened to the centre and attacked Khâled B. Alwolyd and the Musalmâns who surrounded him, but they were received with a shower of arrows which staggered them, so that after contending for awhile they retreated, astonished at the bravery of their antagonists. When Abu O’baydah B. Jurrâh had witnessed the bravery of the defenders of the religion, he shouted: ‘Musalmâns, the Lord and Bestower of gifts undoubtedly aids those who fight for the religion and those who walk on the straight path! The professors of hypocrisy and opposition have made repeated onslaughts, and would have moved an iron mountain if they had attacked it; but they have fled from the battle-field and left their place to you! It will now be proper to make a unanimous onslaught! Know it for a certainty that whoever of you attains martyrdom in battle will be eagerly received in the front ranks of paradise, and whoever remains alive will earn praise, comfort and vast booty.’ Khâled and all the Musalmâns, approving of these words, said: ‘The proposal of the Amir is fraught with eternal and temporal advantages!’ When Abu O’baydah rushed forth with the centre, the right and the left flank of the army also sallied forth, and, using their swords, arrows, lances and daggers, broke the lines of the Byzantines, separating them from each other, and sending many to the infernal regions; but those who had fled, returning again, beat their drums, blew their fifes, raised shouts to the skies, and encouraged each other till they again attacked the Musalmâns; and after both parties had commingled in battle the number of the slain became so considerable that horses could no longer move quickly. The Byzantines then retreated from the battle to their former position, but drew out their lines in array, and remained standing. On this occasion Qays B. Hobayrah, who was one of the champions of the victorious army, hastened to the lines of the enemy and fought till his lance broke, whereon he used his sword till it became notched, and it is on record that during this contest Qays broke ten lances, two of his sabres were notched, and that his precious body was wounded forty-seven times; but as the fate of that alligator in the ocean of contest was delayed, he was spared and defended from the effects of the evil eye.* When, however, Qays had well-nigh expired from the multitude of his wounds, Khâled B. Alwolyd, with Hâshem B. O’tbah Abu Woqqâss sallied forth with a troop of brave men and assailed the Byzantines, breaking up their lines, slaying some of the enemies, wounding others, and thereon returning to their own lines. After the return of Khâled and of Hâshem, the valiant Byzantine leaders set about reorganizing their lines, and after having drawn out seventy of them, they laid poisoned arrows on their bows, and very slowly advanced towards the army of Islâm. Meanwhile, Khâled B. Alwolyd harangued his troops, inciting them to fight, and shouting in a loud voice, said: ‘Be aware that as soon as you hear me uttering the Takbyr [magnification of Allah] I have attacked the foe, whereon you are to reinforce me. I entertain hopes that the zephyr of victory will soon blow upon the standards of Islâm, and the opponents will be at once annihilated.’ One hour afterwards Khâled, having bared his head, rushed against the Byzantines, and so intimidated the Byzantines by his furious shouting that they preferred flight to permanency; and when the world-conquering army overtook them much bloodshed took place. On that battlefield eleven thousand of the enemy were slain, who were devoured by wild beasts and dogs, whilst some of the fugitives took shelter in the fort, and others, fleeing in the direction of Antioch, reached the abode of the Qayssar. Immense booty fell into the hands of the victorious army, and Abu O’baydah, having set apart one-fifth of the property, sent it with a despatch describing the victory to Madinah, and distributed the rest in conformity with the law among the troops. According to the tradition of historians, the forces of Heraclius amounted on that occasion to sixty thousand, but those of the Musalmâns to not more than thirty-seven thousand men. When the rumour of this glorious victory had spread in the surrounding country near and afar, awe of the adherents of Islâm took possession of the minds of the population.