YAZDEJERD B. SHEHRYÂR SENDS RASTAM TO ATTACK THE MUSALMÂNS, AND SA’D B. WOQQÂSS MARCHES TO QÂDESYAH.

When Yazdejerd B. Shehryâr had been established on the throne, he ordered the army to be concentrated, whereon such multitudes assembled in Madâin that the plains and mountains could scarcely hold them. When all the forces had been united at the residence of the king of Persia, Yazdejerd appointed Rastam Farrahzâd to be their commander-in-chief, ordered the doors to the treasures which had accumulated in Madâin during past centuries to be opened, distributed largesses to the simple and the gentle according to their various ranks, and sent letters to the inhabitants of the plain of E’râq, ordering them not to spare the life of a single Arab they could get hold of. The land­holders and farmers of that country, having obtained cog­nizance of the state of affairs, left off negotiating for peace with the Musalmâns, and began to kill them. The position of the Persians having thus gained strength, while that of the Arabs was somewhat weakened, Jaryr and Mothanna despatched a courier to Madinah, asking O’mar for instruc­tions. O’mar was just about to start for Mekkah, and sent a reply to Mothanna and Jaryr, the contents of which were as follows: ‘Your report has arrived, and the true state of the events in those parts has become known. If God the Most High and Glorious pleaseth, I shall, after my return from the Hejâz, do my utmost to reinforce the Musalmâns and those who are in the Arabian E’râq engaged in com­bating the Persians.’ When O’mar had arrived in Mekkah and had terminated the ceremonies of the pilgrimage, he made haste to return to Madinah, and held a consultation, concerning the evil intentions of the opponents, with men of experience and firmness, whether he ought in his noble person himself to lead an army to Madâin, or to send it in command of a man of authority skilled in war. A’bbâs and A’li and Ttolhah—may Allah be pleased with them— who in the beginning of events foresaw the end of them, were of the latter opinion, and with their approval S´ad B. Abu Woqqâss was selected from among the blessed com­panions [of the prophet] to be the commander-in-chief of the Musalmân forces. Taking leave of Sa’d, O’mar advised him, saying: ‘Thou art in every place where thou haltest, and in every locality from which thou startest, to send me information of the true state of affairs; and when thou reachest Qâdesyah thou art to encamp there, because that district is fertile and well fortified.’ According to one tradition, Sa’d marched with four, and according to another with six, thousand men, and, having travelled from station to station, reached Qâdesyah. After Sa’d had departed, O’mar wrote a letter to Mûsa Asha’ri, who was the governor of some districts, to despatch reinforcements to Sa’d, whereon he sent Moghyrah B. Sha’bah with one thousand cavalry to Qâdesyah, and also Qays B. Hobyrah with as many men, despatching in his company also Hâshem B. O’tbah B. Abu Woqqâss and Sha’th B. Qays and Mâlek Ashtar.—It is on record that twenty-nine men who had been present at Bedr were in the camp of Sa’d; moreover, three hundred warriors who had been in attendance on his holy and prophetic lordship at the time he conquered Mekkah; the sum total of the noble companions—m. A. b. pl. w. t.—amounting to nine hundred men.—It is narrated that Mothanna B. Hârethah Shaybâny had died before the arrival of Sa’d in Qâdesyah, and that the latter married his relict, whose name was Solma.

Most of the trustworthy historians narrate that when Yazdejerd B. Shehryâr had been informed of the arrival of the army of Islâm in Qâdesyah, he despatched an envoy to Sa’d B. Abu Woqqâss, asking him to send some of his notables to Madâin to tell him what they had to say. The request having been complied with, the following men, accompanied by many others, were sent to Madâin: Loqmân B. Moqarn, and Hanttalah B. Alrabyi’ Alyamani, and Farhat B. Hasân, and A’dy B. Alsohal, and U’ttârid B. Alhajâb, and Asha’th B. Qays, and A´assum B. A’mru, and Moghyrah B. Shybah, and A’mru B. Ma’di Karab. These men arrived in due time at their destination. When they had reached the pavilion of Yazdejerd B. Shehryâr and the Persians had ascertained what they wanted, he admitted them to his presence. The Arabs thereon entered, dressed as they were in Yemeni cloaks, with small whips in their hands and nice sandals on their feet. According to the best-known tradition, the interpreter asked, by order of Yazde­jerd, Moghyrah B. Shybah, whom Sa’d had appointed spokesman, what they were holding in their hands, and he replied: ‘Whips.’ This word [sûtt] means, however, in Persian, ‘he is burnt’ [sûkht]. Therefore Yazdejerd said: ‘They have burnt Persia; may God the Most High and Glorious burn them!’ In some books on the religious wars it is recorded that he thereon asked about the name of the sandals [na’lyn], and the interpreter said that in Persian this word means lamentation [nâlah]. Yazdejerd said: ‘They have thrown lamentation into our country’; and, addressing the Arabs, continued; ‘O ye Arab people, the Lord Most High has in the exuberance of His favour exalted us, and given us supremacy over the denizens of the world. The stiff-necked people of various portions of the inhabited quarter* have placed their heads upon the line of our behests, and have not withdrawn their feet from the circle of obedience to us. You were in our sight the smallest, the most despicable, and the basest of all nations. Some of you have been frequenting our realm as envoys, some as merchants, as mendicants, and destitute persons on account of famines, troubles, poverty, and the want of livelihood prevalent among them. When the Arabs, who live in deserts and feed on lizards, ate our wonderfully delicious victuals, drank our sweet water, and had worn our nice garments, they returned to their country and conveyed this information to the other Arabs, who have now entered our land in crowds, desirous of spreading the tenets of a new religion, and depriving us of the wealth which the Giver of all gifts has bestowed on us. The Arabs resemble the fox who had entered the garden of a man and delighted in eating his grapes. The owner of the garden took no notice of this depredation, saying to himself: “What damage can one fox do to this garden, which con­tains plenty of grapes and an abundance of fruit?” This fox departed at last from the garden, and informed his companions of the good luck which had befallen him, whereon multitudes of foxes entered the garden and began to ruin it. When the master of the garden became aware of this fact, he immediately blocked every outlet, and, punishing the foxes for their evil deeds, killed them all. I do not know any nation more wretched and uncivilized than you. If I like, I can deal with you as the owner of the garden has dealt with the foxes; but I am unwilling to act in the same way, because I am aware that misery, hunger, and the calamities of poverty have impelled you to undertake this bold enterprise. Now it will be proper for you to return to your country. I shall by way of mercy present you with corn sufficient to load all your animals; I shall give plenty of money and clothing to the Arabs, to send them back with glad hearts [to their country]. If they, however, demur to this proposal, my wrath will befall them in such a manner that not one of them will be able to escape alive from this country.’ When Yazdejerd had terminated this harangue, Moghyrah B. Shybah said: ‘I swear by God that the misery of the Arabs had attained such a height as to compel them to feed on the flesh of lizards, and that to avoid being starved to death they were burying each other alive. Some of them maintained life by eating carrion and drinking blood. If one of these persons was able to get hold of his own cousin, he would slay him to obtain possession of his property, considering the opportunity as great good luck. Our food was of the kind reported to the sovereign of the world [i.e., to your majesty], while our garments consisted of the hair of camels and wool of sheep. We made no distinction between what is forbidden or allowed, nor between what is true or false. This was the state of affairs until God the Most High vouchsafed to bestow on us a noble prophet, with a book worthy of honour. Be furthermore aware that some of us accused him [i.e., the prophet] of falsehood, whilst others believed in him. Both parties contended with each other, first in speech and then with scimitars. At last, however, the professors of truth and sincerity vanquished their foes; those, however, of them who had escaped death followed the example of the saved portion, and made profession of the faith of his lordship. The command of this prince, based on the command of God, is that we should wage war against the opponents of our religion; he has also pro­mulged with his wonderfully eloquent tongue that whoever of us is slain fighting for the religion, his dwelling will be in the paradise above, and that whoever remains alive will become the possessor of the treasures of this world. We invite thee to accept the brilliant [religious] law, and if thou assentest, no one shall invade thy country without [our] permission, and nothing will be exacted from thee except the legal alms and one-fifth of any booty gained [for the public treasury]. If, however, the grace [of professing the faith] is not bestowed upon thee, thou must be prepared to pay the capitation tax, or else to fight.’

It is related in the ‘Tarjumat’ [translation] of Aa’thum Kûfi that, conversing with Yazdejerd, Moghyrah said to him also these words: ‘The humiliation is, that when thou payest the capitation tax, thou wilt be standing with a whip above thy head.’ Yazdejerd, incensed by these words, said: ‘I never imagined that I would live long enough to hear such words from persons like you. It was my inten­tion to be beneficent and liberal towards you, but as you are speaking in this manner to my face, I can give you nothing but earth.’ Then he ordered a slave to bring a little earth into the assembly, but he brought a basket full. He told the boy after that to place the basket upon the head of the greatest and most respected of them, adding: ‘Say to your commander: “I shall soon despatch an army which will slay thee with thy friends, and will bury you in the moat of Qâdesyah.”’ A´assum B. Amru Altamymy took the basket, whereon all the Arabs departed from the assembly of Yazdejerd, went back to their camp, and reported to Sa’d B. Abu Woqqâss everything they had heard.—It is recorded in the ‘Ghoniah’ and in the abridg­ment of Ebn Jauzy, that the above conversation had taken place between No’mân B. Mundhar and Yazdejerd B. Shehryâr; according to the ‘Tarjumat Mostaqassa,’ how­ever, and according to the history of Abu Hanifah Dinwari, conversations like the above had taken place between Moghyrah B. Shybah and Rastam Farrahzâd. Some his­torians, however, have impugned the correctness of both these traditions.

Abu Hanifah Dinwari and the majority of historians narrate that when Yazdejerd despaired of negotiating for peace, he despatched Rastam Farrahzâd with one hundred and seventy thousand men with lances and daggers to attack the Arabs. It is recorded in the history of Abu Hanifah Dinwari, that when Rastam arrived in Dyr Aa´ur [monoculous convent] he encamped there, whereon Sa’d despatched Ttolhah B. Khowylad, who has been mentioned before in these pages, to make a reconnaissance with a detachment of other brave Arabs. They obeyed orders, and after marching awhile discovered the army of Rastam in the plain. The companions of Ttolhah said to him: ‘Let us all return from this spot, and thou likewise.’ Ttolhah rejoined: ‘I shall certainly approach the Persian army and reconnoitre it.’ They said: ‘We are of opinion that thou wilt become entangled with the Persian troops, and the result of this affair will be known.’ Ttolhah con­tinued: ‘Fear and misgivings have overpowered your minds. Go wherever you like.’ The detachment accord­ingly returned, and when the night set in Ttolhah entered the Persian camp, and, walking about, caught sight of a warrior whom the Persians reckoned to be equal to a thousand men; but he was asleep, and his horse tied by his side. Ttolhah hereon alighted from his charger, and attaching that of the warrior to his own, mounted again and departed from the camp of Rastam. When the warrior awoke he knew what had taken place, and immediately taking a fleet horse, hastened with two other men after Ttolhah, whom he actually overtook at dawn and attacked; but Ttolhah sent the Persian hero with one blow of his sword to the infernal regions, serving another man in the same way, and capturing the third, whom he mounted behind himself on his horse. When he reached the camp; and the professors of Islâm knew that he had returned safe and sound, they raised a great shout of the Takbyr, and he afterwards related his adventure to Sa’d. It is related that Rastam Farrahzâd had a skilled astrologer, who knew from astronomical indications and from the positions of the stars that the period was at hand for the Persian dynasty to be removed from the important position of sovereignty, and that the turn of the Arabs to occupy it had come; he therefore delayed hostilities, and remained inactive at Dyr Aa´ur during four months, but when he found himself under the necessity of waging war, he prepared his army for it.