HIS SACRED LORDSHIP A’LI THE COMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL — U. W. P. — AND MOA’WIAH MARCH TO SSAFYN, AND ACCOUNT OF SOME EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE.

When it became evident to the world-adorning mind of the Khalifah of the period that the ardour of the dark-hearted people of Syria could not be appeased except by the bright scimitars of blood-drinking warriors, and that the enmity and hostility of Moa’wiah B. Abu Sofiân could not be put an end to except by using the sword and the lance, he despatched couriers into all parts of the country, ordering all valiant and bold men to hasten to the threshold of the Khalifate and court of Emâmship. Thus numbers of troops assembled in a short time in the district of Kûfah, the like of which had seldom congregated in past ages. It being the intention of A’li the Commander of the Faithful to attack the professors of schism and enmity, he mounted the pulpit after the Friday prayers, praised the Omnipotent Sovereign, addressed greetings to the prophet, and poured forth limpid streams of admonition and advice to irrigate the gardens of the hopes of sincere believers. When he had finished his brilliant sermon, the like of which the best orators of the bright religion confessed their inability to produce, he addressed the nobles and prominent men who were present in the cathedral mosque as follows: ‘O men, set your minds on the annihilation and extirpation of the rebels and enemies, and hasten to wage war against them, because they are the foes of religious ordinances and of the Qurân; they are the slayers of Mohâjer and Anssâr, the assassins of good and of righteous men. Some of them have professed Islâm from fear, and some to gain worldly advantages; some possess very little knowledge of the religion, and some none at all.’ On this occasion a man of the Bani Qorârah, Azyd by name, turned towards the Amir of the Faithful, and said: ‘O A’li, thou desirest us to wage war against the people of Syria, who are our brothers in Islâm, in the same way as we have fought with the troops of Bossrah and the mother of the faithful; I swear by God that we shall never do such a thing.’ Incensed at the words of Azyd, Mâlek Ashtar impatiently said: ‘Take hold of this man, for what he has said is bad.’ Azyd then ran away from the mosque, but was pursued, and struck down with blows of sandals in such a manner that he died on the spot, but as it could not be ascertained who had killed him, A’li the Commander of the Faithful paid the blood-ransom to his heirs from the public treasury. After Azyd had been slain, Mâlek Ashtar spoke in the same meeting as follows: ‘O Amir of the Faithful, think not that we shall, on account of these foolish words which have reached thy noble audition, take off our hands from the skirt of loyalty to thee, and incur the blame of tardiness in serving and aiding thee, because the people here assembled, whom thou hast honoured with thy regard and favour, are thy well-wishers, and do not consider it permissible to abandon thy heaven-aspiring retinue, and they do not wish to live one moment after thy death, which God forbid. We must proceed to extirpate the foes with pure intentions and a firm determination to do our utmost to annihilate them.’ After the notables of the government and the buttresses of the religion, such as A’mmâr B. Yâser, and Sohayl B. Hanyf, and Qays B. Sa’d, and A’dy B. Hâtim Ttây, and many others whose names are registered in works of biography and of campaigns, had corroborated the declaration of Mâlek, and professed their eagerness to combat the foes of the victorious government, the representatives of the tribes who were present in that assembly accepted the invitation of his sacred lordship the Commander of the Faithful, excepting only a small party of the companions of A’bdullah B. Masu’d and the readers of the words of the affectionate Sovereign,* who said: ‘O Emâm of the Musal­mâns, although we admit thy perfect and laudable qualities, we cannot see how we might wage war against our tribes­men; if thou orderest us to guard some frontiers of Islâm, and allowest us to fight unbelievers, it will be a great favour.’ His lordship assented to their request, ordered them to march in the direction of Qazwyn and Ray; and having tied a flag for those men, appointed Rabyi’ B. Khusha’m to be their commander. On this occasion it reached the most noble audition of the Shah of the Vicariate that a number of leaders of the troops, such as Hajar B. A’dy and Muhammad B. Alhamy, had lengthened their tongues with reprobations and curses against Moa’wiah: but this information displeased his august nature, and he prohibited them from using such language, but they replied: ‘The right is on our side, and Moa’wiah with his adherents being wrong, why should we be hindered [to curse him]?’ His lordship replied: ‘I swear by the Lord of the Ka’bah that the case is such; I do not want you, however, to curse and swear, but you must raise your hands in prayer, and say: “O God, spare their blood, and vouchsafe to bring on peace between them and us. Guide those who are walking on the path of error to the straight road. Change their folly and ignorance into knowledge, and convey those, who are thirsting in the desert of hostility, to the fountain-head of grace.”’

The U’lamâ who wrote histories have recorded that when the magnates of the country had determined to march to Syria, his sacred lordship A’li the Commander of the Faithful issued orders for a proclamation to the troops to assemble in the locality of Nakhylah, commanding Habyb Alyarbuu’y, who was the quartermaster-general of the army, to assign a suitable place to each of the chiefs, appointing Abu Masu’d, the Anssâry, to be his own lieutenant in Kûfah. Then he started himself with the magnates of Kûfah and some of the great companions of the apostle of Allah to Nakhylah, where he remained several days, till he was joined by Ebn A’bbâs and the troops from Bossrah, and according to one tradition, ninety thousand warriors tried in battle assembled under the victory-boding standards of the Amir of the Faithful. It is related that on this occasion eighty men who had been present at Bedr, and eight hundred of those blessed individuals who attended on his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. bl.—when he marched to Mekkah, and had attained felicity by paying him allegiance under the tree at Hodaybiah, were enrolled among the companions of A’li the Commander of the Faithful.—It is known to be true that, when the Emâm of the pious A’li B. Abu Ttâleb marched to Ssafyn, Awys Qarn, whom it is not necessary to make known, sought the company of his lordship and considered it a great blessing, and also the Lion of Allah, being much pleased with his arrival, showed him much respect and honour, listening during that march to the blessed utterances of Awys, who on his part likewise greatly profited by learning from him the arcana of science, until he departed to paradise from the wounds which he had received from the enemies in the battle of Ssafyn—may Allah have mercy on him.

In short, Ali the Commander of the Faithful marched with his army in good order from Nakhylah. When the time for the anterior prayers had arrived, he alighted at a mosque which was on the road, and held short orisons, whereon he continued to march on the wings of celerity till he arrived at the convent of Abu Mûsa, and having recited the afternoon prayers on the bank of the Euphrates, departed. He held the sunset prayers at Madâin-Sâbâtt where also the troops allied to victory encamped, and the landholders of the place arrived with gifts, which were, however, not accepted. After having spent the night there, he marched again till he entered the metropolis of Kesra Naushirwân, from which he continued his march from stage to stage till he arrived on the frontiers of Jazirah Arab, at a monastery which had a steeple on the top of it, and was inhabited by one monk. His lordship halted there and shouted to the monk, who, having heard the dreadful voice, made his appearance on the top of his cell. He was a lean man of sallow complexion, dressed in black, and A’li the Amir of the Faithful asked him: ‘Hast thou any water, for my people are thirsty?’ The monk replied: ‘Wait a moment, and I shall bring a bucket of sweet water.’ The Amir continued: ‘That quantity of water will not suffice.’ The monk said: ‘I shall bring water enough for twenty persons.’ The Amir of the Musalmâns continued: ‘I have a great multitude with me.’ The monk replied: ‘I have three vessels full of water, all of which I shall present to you, pouring out at your feet whatever I possess.’ The Amir of the Faithful continued: ‘O monk, near this steeple there is a spring, of which six men of the sons of Israel drank water; that fountain is, however, not visible at present, but concealed, like the Water of Life.’* The monk having heard these words, came down from the roof and said: ‘I have a tradition from my father, which he had from his, that there is a concealed spring in this place, which no one can open except the prophet or his legatee, namely, his lordship the Amir.’ The Commander of the Faithful replied: ‘I shall discover this spring if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.’ The monk asked: ‘What is thy name?’ He replied: ‘A’li, the son of Abu Ttâleb.’ The monk continued: ‘I possess a writing of my father, wherein the name of the prophet of latter times, and the name of him who will discover this fountain, is written; and if this problem is solved by thy efforts, I shall make my profession of Islâm at thy hands.’ Then the Amir of the Faithful walked to the east side, and drew a circle of about twenty cubits in circumference, the interior of which he ordered to be dug up. When the people had begun excavating, they found a big stone, which the strongest of them were unable to move from its place. The Amir of the Faithful hereon said: ‘If God—who be exalted and glorified—is willing, I shall remove this stone from the spring.’ The monk asked: ‘How canst thou undertake such a task, since a number of strong men doing their best were unable to move the stone?’ A’li the Commander of the Faithful said: ‘O monk, one day I was walking with the apostle of Allah, when the eye of that prince suddenly alighted on some Qoraish chiefs who were unable to move a stone by their combined efforts. The apostle then addressed them as follows: “You imagine that this is strength, whereas that is strength which when you are overpowered by anger enables you to subdue it.” After that he mounted to the top of the hill Abu Qabys, and rolled down a big stone?? When that stone remained fixed on the ground, he asked with his wonderfully eloquent tongue: “Who will lift up this stone?” They replied: “No one is strong enough to do it.” The apostle of Allah continued: “Let all of you rise [and try], except my uncles Hamzah and Abbâs and my cousin A’li.” The accursed Abu Jahl laughed at these words, and asked: “Who is this child, that thou hast not reckoned him among thy uncles?” When the prophet— u. w. bl.—had observed the sneering of Abu Jahl, he said: “I know something which you do not know;” and continued: “O A’li, utter the words, ‘Lâ haul wa lâ quwat,’* and raise the stone.” I spoke these words and lifted the stone in the easiest manner.” O monk, we are the keepers of Divine treasures and heirs of celestial revelations.’ Having said these words, Ali the Commander of the Faithful placed his breast against the stone, made an effort, and having lifted the stone in spite of its size, threw it to a distance, whereon pure whole­some water gushed, and the soldiers as well as the cattle having quenched their thirst, the faith of the people in the Vicariate of his lordship increased on account of that miracle. After the monk had seen what took place, he donned the garment of Islâm, and asked permission to show the writing which had descended to him from his ancestors to his lordship. That document, which was in the Syriac language and has been translated, bore the following information: ‘Shima’ûn has a tradition that the Messiah—p. o. h.—said: “After me God the Most High, who is to be praised, will send a prophet who is to be the seal [i.e., the last] of the prophets and apostles. He will be kind and never harsh; will not raise his voice in public thoroughfares, will not requite evil, but pardon it, and pass over it in mercy. His people will be secretly and openly engaged in praise of the Lord—who be blessed and exalted. When he departs from this perishable world, his adherents will, after contending, again harmonize with each other. Some time afterwards, hostilities will a second time arise among them, and an individual of his nation will pass near the shores of this sea with people from the east, with the intention of attacking the people of the west. That individual will resemble the said prophet—u. w. bl.—in form and character more than any other person. That individual will judge according to truth and righteousness; he will abstain from intrigues and bribery in the transac­tion of affairs, and will consider the accumulation of wealth more despicable than that of rubbish. Death will be more acceptable and easier to him than water flowing into a thirsty throat. He will fear God secretly and openly, deal equitably and justly, and let everyone living in his time obey him, because who pleases him will also gain the approbation of the Lord Most High, and blessed is he who will live to see him.”’ After his sacred lordship Ali the Commander of the Faithful had obtained cogni­zance of this document, he opened his propitious mouth in laudations to the Self-existent,* and said: ‘How shall I render thanks for this favour, that I am in His sight one of the recorded, and not of the excluded?’ The monk said: ‘O Amir of the Faithful, I shall never leave thy service and shall attend on thy heaven-aspiring stirrup all my life in prosperity or calamity, despite any trouble or injury which may befall me in this world.’ Hâbybat Alghurby states that this youth remained with the Amir of the Faithful until he attained martyrdom in the battle of Ssafyn, where his lordship held general funeral prayers over his corpse, and said: ‘He is one of my family.’

It is recorded in certain histories that when A’li the Amir of the Faithful departed from Madâin he left Sa’d B. Masu’d, who was the uncle of Mukhtâr B. Abu O’baydah Thaqfy, in charge of that locality, and sent Moa’qal B. Qays with three thousand cavalry towards Maussul, order­ing him to join his lordship at Raqqah, while he himself marched [directly] to that town; the people of which, however, who were the well-wishers of O’thmân and adherents of Moa’wiah, openly manifested enmity, and refused to construct a bridge across the Euphrates which they had been ordered to make for the army to cross the river, whereon the Amir of the Faithful went to another ferry. Mâlek Ashtar then threatened the inhabitants of Raqqah, saying: ‘If you disobey the order of the Khalifah of the period to which obedience is due, I shall cause the sharp sabre and blood-shedding scimitar to be your judge, shall take possession of your children and property, ravaging and devastating your country.’ This menace caused the people of Raqqah to tremble in all their limbs, so that, placing their heads upon the line of submission, they constructed a bridge over the Euphrates, whereon A’li the Commander of the Faithful returned and crossed the river by means of that bridge with his victory-allied army.

Some chroniclers state that when Moa’wiah received the news that A’li the Commander of the Faithful had crossed the bridge at Raqqah, he convoked the officers of his army and addressed them as follows: ‘Be it known unto you, that the lion of the army, and incomparable warrior, A’li B. Abu Ttâleb, has, with the champions of E’râq, the troopers of the Hejâz, the braves of Kûfah, the strife-seeking men of Bossrah, the Anssâri lancers and valiant swordsmen, marched forth and is bent on destroying you. He has also brought with him every one whom he considered to possess some valour and boldness. If the vagabond Arab tribes, greedy to plunder and to devastate Syria, also join his army, it is certain that they will be ready to wage war against you. If you are inclined to fight, you must take firm hold of the handle of patience in order to gain the victory.’ After Moa’wiah B. Abu Sofiân had spoken these words, Merwân B. Alhukum and Dhu-l-kalâgh, the Hemyarite, and Hausheb Dhi Ttelym, and Abu-l-a´ur Salmy, with all the officers, willingly and gladly exclaimed: ‘We shall fight in attendance on thee and sacrifice our lives, doing our utmost to wreak vengeance on the enemies of O’thmân. Not only ourselves, but the whole population of Syria, the simple and the gentle, are waiting for thy orders, to which obedience is due.’ On that occasion the informa­tion arrived that A’li the Commander of the Faithful had cast his anchor of permanency on the bank of the river Euphrates, opposite to the town of Raqqah, making that locality the camp of his army. This information excited the ardour of Moa’wiah, and he ordered Abu-l-a´ur to march in that direction with numerous troops, so as to gain some advantage when an opportunity presented itself. When A’li Murtadza had been informed of the approach of Abu-l-a´ur, he despatched Zyâd B. Nassar and Sharykh B. Hâny, with a portion of the army, to attack those ill-starred men. Zyâd and Sharykh obeyed orders, marched, reached the vicinity of the camp of Abu-l-a´ur, and having ascertained that his troops were numerous, they halted in the place they were in, and asked the Amir of the Faithful for reinforcements. When the ray of this news had touched the front of his lordship’s luminous mind, he knew that none of the Amirs and notables of the army would go to their assistance except Mâlek Ashtar, therefore he said to him: ‘Zyâd and Sharykh have sent a courier with the message: “Abu-l-a´ur has girded his loins for war with a large army, imposing like the revolving sphere, and is ready to fight; we, however, apprehending that the Evil Eye* might affect us, have delayed hostilities until we are reinforced by a trustworthy and brave company of warriors.” Now, O Mâlek, the aversion of a catastrophe depends upon thy far-seeing discernment and strong arm! Thou must quickly march to aid and reinforce them with thy friends according to thy disposition, but do not forestall the enemy in the conflict; if, however, thou perceivest them to be bent thereon, thou art first to give them salutary advice and invite them to pay me allegiance. If they accept thy proposal, so much the better; in the contrary case, however, thou must implore aid at the Court of Monotheism in thy conflict with the partisans of schism and opposition, and must, trusting in Divine favour, do thy utmost to annihilate them. Inform me of the results of the battle which will take place, and shouldst thou stand in need of assistance, fail not to let me know it without delay, because we shall not hold ourselves excused from promoting thy interests and fulfilling thy hopes.’ Mâlek Ashtar having cheerfully accepted the instructions of the Shâh and refuge of the Vicariate, marched with a number of brave men, and never halted in any place till he reached the vicinity of the enemy’s camp.

Some of the U’lamâ of histories have recorded that A’bdullah B. Abbâs, having left Abu-l-aswad Dylamy as his lieutenant in Bossrah, joined A’li the Commander of the Faithful at Nakhlah [supra Nakhylah] with the troops of that district. Then his lordship ordered Zyâd B. Nassar and Sharykh B. Hâny, each in command of six thousand cavalry, to march in advance of the victory-allied army to Syria. The said two officers of high dignity departed from Nakhlah in conformity to the orders to which obedience was due, and sent, on the third day after their departure, information to the troops, that the next day A’li the Amir of the Faithful would follow, marching after this vanguard, and that no man was to lag behind. On the fourth day the drum of departure was struck, and the [main body of the] army started from Nakhlah, and when it had reached the neighbourhood of the city of Bâbel [Babylon], A’li the Commander of the Faithful said: ‘This is a town which has many times been by turns populated and deserted; you must quickly impel your quadrupeds, so that we may hold our second prayers outside this locality.’ Accordingly the people marched in haste, and alighting from their beasts, after passing through Bâbel, held their afternoon prayers under the leadership of the Emâm of the Musal­mâns. Then they started again, and, passing the monastery of Ka’b, halted in Sâbâtt-Madâin, where they spent the night. The next day A’li the Commander of the Faithful mounted, and eighty thousand cavalry started with him besides camp-followers and servants. When Madâin had become the camping-ground of the victory-boding army, he ordered Moa’qal B. Qays to march to Nassibyn by way of Maussul, and to join his lordship at Raqqah, as has already been recorded above. When Moa’qal had reached the vicinity of Maussul, which was at that time very populous, he beheld two companies fighting, but neither of them inclined to give way till an individual arrived who separated them. A man of the Bani Khusha’m, who was with Moa’qal and had witnessed this scene, said: ‘In this march we shall conquer and not be conquered.’ Moa’qal replied: ‘May the end be prosperous! thy omen will be fulfilled if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.’ But when it reached the most noble audition of the Amir of the Faithful what the Khusha’my had said, he reproved him.

When the exalted banners, which are the signs of victory, had passed across the Euphrates, the noble order was issued to Zyâd B. Nassar and Sharykh B. Hâny to march in the vanguard, whereon they, hastening their march, encountered Abu-l-a´ur in a place called Sûd´am, but refrained from hostilities, and sent information to A’li the Commander of the Faithful that the enemies were extremely numerous. His lordship then appointed Mâlek Ashtar to the com­mand of a force of three thousand men to fight Abu-l-a´ur, and sent after him Hâshem B. O’tbah B. Abu Woqqâss. When Mâlek Ashtar had joined Zyâd and Sharykh, he remained quiet and dignified, sending, according to the command of the Amir of the Faithful, a letter to Abu-l-a´ur, inviting him to pay allegiance. The bearer of the letter was Abu Najdah Alarzâny, who enjoyed great honour and respect with his sacred lordship the Amir of the Faithful and lion of God, on account of his asceticism, piety, and scorn of mundane wealth. A certain individual named Dâud states: ‘At the time when I was in the vanguard of the army of Abu-l-a´ur, I perceived Abu Najdah suddenly making his appearance, and imagined him to be an Arab vagabond; I therefore intercepted his way, desiring to joke with him. When Abu Najdah perceived my intention, he said: “O ye brothers of Satans, it was not enough for you to obstruct the way of the religion to those who have attained certainty, and you must forsooth now bar the road to all Musalmâns.” I replied: “The way is broad.” He continued: “There is an opening in Hind [i.e., India] and in Sind; why do you not obstruct the way of unbe­lievers?” I asked: “Who art thou, and what is thy intention?” He replied: “I am the envoy of Mâlek Ashtar, who commands the army of the Amir of the Faithful.”’ Dâud continues: ‘When I learnt who he was, I showed him the way, and he reached the camp of the army.’ There is a tradition of Abu Najdah that he said: ‘When I had come near the tent of Abu-l-a´ur, I saw two drunken men issuing from it; I saw also a carpet close thereto, and drove my horse on to it, whereon some persons exclaimed: “O mannerless fellow, alight!” I replied: “Humility towards profligates is not permitted.” When I entered the assembly of Abu-l-a´ur I forbore to salute him, but said: “O Abu-l-a´ur, thou, with thy companions, enjoyest for­bidden things, and I have seen some of them coming out from thy tent drunk!” Abu-l-a´ur said: “Deliver thy message.” Then I gave him the letter of Mâlek with some advice, which was rejected; he wrote, however, a reply, praising Moa’wiah and the Bani Ommyah, which he handed to me, and dismissed me. When I reached Mâlek I gave him the letter of Abu-l-a´ur, which he handed to his son, saying: “Take good care of this letter that it may be an argument for me with the Amir of the Faithful.” Then he began to draw out his army, placing Zyâd B. Nassar in charge of the right, and Sharykh B. Hâny of the left wing. Then he ordered the drums to be beaten, and marched forthwith against the enemy. Abu-l-a´ur, on his part, likewise prepared for the contest, and inciting A’bdullah B. Mundhar Alshaukhy, who was a renowned warrior, to attack Mâlek, said to him: “No one can vanquish him except thyself. Make haste to slay Mâlek, because he was the murderer of O’thmân, and by killing him thou wilt rise greatly in the estimation of Moa’wiah.” A’bdullah replied: “I am reluctant to come in contact with Mâlek, but if a thousand like him encounter me, I shall vanquish them.” Abu-l-a´ur said: “His death will be a great relief to me.” After the solicitations of Abu-l-a´ur had exceeded all bounds, A’bdullah entered the list of combat, and Zyâd B. Nassar wanted to fight a duel with him, but Mâlek prohibited him, and stepped out of the line himself, approached A’bdullah, and asked: “What is thy name?” His opponent replied: “My thrusts and blows will imme­diately apprise thee thereof.” Mâlek continued: “Thou art one of the fools of Syria, and not my peer! Return.” Then A’bdullah revealed his personality, whereon Mâlek said: “Thou art a well-known man and a warrior; it is a pity that thou hast gone astray in the desert of aberration, and hast come out to fight against the legitimate Emâm.” A’bdullah asked: “Has not Moa’wiah been engaged during the lifetime of the prince of existences in writing down Divine revelations?” Mâlek replied: “Thou speakest the truth; but one day the apostle of Allah sent for Moa’wiah, who, being lazy, answered that he was just then engaged in eating his food. When this reply of Moa’wiah reached the exalted audition of the best of creatures, he said: ‘O Lord, may his stomach not be filled!’ Afterwards it happened that Moa’wiah retained the man till he took away the food, but said: ‘How long must I eat? for I have got tired.’ And he could by no means eat his fill.”’—Then Mâlek Ashtar enumerated the virtues and exploits of A’li the Commander of the Faithful, and A’bdullah said: ‘O Mâlek, thy words are true and sincere. I have an estate in Syria of the value of two hundred thousand dirhems, as well as a family and children. I shall neither fight with you, nor enter the battlefield for Moa’wiah.’ Having said these words, A’bdullah returned to his army, and Abu-l-a´ur perceiving this, said to himself: ‘I think he has beguiled and sent him back.’ Then Abu-l-a´ur sent a Damascus horseman to A’bdullah, to persuade him by flattery to return, whereon he, deceived by the horseman, again rode up to Mâlek Ashtar, and said: ‘Nothing but the sword can put an end to our hostility.’ Then Mâlek Ashtar placed his hand on his life-destroying spear, and the two warriors fought till they became exhausted. Then they stuck their lances into the ground, rested awhile, and again renewed the combat; at last, however, Mâlek so pierced the breast of A’bdullah with his lance that it came out at the back. Mâlek then capered about on the battle-ground, challeng­ing Abu-l-a´ur to a duel; the latter, however, sent him O’beydullah B. Mundhar, who was the elder brother of A’bdullah, and Mâlek cut off his forearm with the fingers by one blow of his sword. O’beydullah then hastened back to his line, whereon that courageous hero again chal­lenged Abu-l-a´ur, who sent him Hâtum Almundhar, and he was disabled by Mâlek like his predecessors. Muttraf B. A’bdullah Alqurâry then came out to fight Mâlek, who, having recognised him, said: ‘Between me and thee there are duties of acquaintance; why failest thou to observe them?’ He replied: ‘Thou speakest the truth. The duties of companionship and of salt are incumbent on us; and now, abstaining to fight with thee, I shall return.’ When, however, Muttraf turned away his face, Mâlek severed his head with one blow of the sword, and throwing it on the battle-ground, exclaimed:

‘As thou hast acted ill, be not safe from calamities,
Because nature gives an impulse to revenge.’

Afterwards Zyâd B. Nassar asked for an explanation of this behaviour, and Mâlek replied: ‘This accursed fellow entered the list on the day of Jamal, and, when he asked for a champion, was met by Qâsum, the nephew of Zaid B. Ssuhân. On that occasion Muttraf said to him: ‘Return, because thy father is my friend, and therefore I do not wish to fight with thee.’ When Qâsum, desirous to go back, turned his face, that coward slew him with one blow, and now I have repaid him for what he had done to that youth.’ After Muttraf had been killed, his nephew Hamzah stepped out to avenge him, but Mâlek wounded him on the head, so that he fell from his horse and died. After Hamzah had been slain, Abu-l-a´ur sent the following message to Mâlek: ‘In our camp there are one thousand renowned champions; and if they were one by one to enter the battle-field, the contest would be of long duration; it will, therefore, be best that the two armies attack each other.’ Mâlek, having assented to this proposal, ordered the centre, the right and the left wing to be put in motion, whereon a general battle ensued. During this fight Mâlek said to his friends: ‘I should like to see Abu-l-a´ur, to ascertain what kind of a man he is, of whose presence Moa’wiah was boasting so much.’ They replied: ‘Behold him; there he is on a gray horse, opposite to thee on a hill.’ Then Mâlek Ashtar despatched a man, Senân by name, to go and say to Abu-l-a´ur: ‘Mâlek tells thee, “Come forward, that we may caper about on the ground using our swords and lances.”’ Senân asked: ‘Shall I invite him to fight a duel with me, or with thee?’ Mâlek in his turn queried: ‘O Senân, art thou able to cope with him?’ He replied: ‘I swear by God that if thou orderest me to assail this moun­tain, which is opposite to us, I shall do it; I fear nothing.’ Mâlek then praised Senân, and continued: ‘I know thou speakest the truth, but possibly Abu-l-a´ur may tell thee that thou art not his peer, and then thou must tell him that I am challenging him to a duel.’ When Senân had delivered the message to Abu-l-a´ur, the latter said: ‘In the fulness of his ignorance and stupidity, he has blamed the laudable qualities and exploits of O’thmân, manifested enmity towards him, and by his efforts that persecuted Khalifah was at last deprived of the jewel of dominion and of the cask of his life. There is no doubt that he who has slain the legitimate Khalifah is not my peer, and I shall not fight with a man who is not my equal.’ Senân con­tinued: ‘Thou hast had thy say; now listen to mine.’ Abu-l-a´ur, however, replied: ‘What hast thou to do in this matter? Return forthwith, and report what thou hast heard.’ Senân went back and told Mâlek, who smiled at his words, and said: ‘Fear for his life would not allow Abu-l-a´ur to enter the list. Had he met me, he would not have escaped the grasp of death.’ Having been dis­appointed in his wish to fight with Abu-l-a´ur, Mâlek Ashtar ordered the army to make a general onslaught upon the enemy, whereon a sanguinary battle ensued, which lasted the whole day; and when the monarch of luminaries was about to conquer the western realms [i.e., at sunset], Abu-l-a´ur was so frightened and dismayed that he retreated under cover of the night, joined Moa’wiah, and said: ‘It was proper to meet thee before a rout set in.’ Moa’wiah praised him, started in haste, and proceeded, ordering Sofiân B. Am’ru and Abu-l-a´ur to march more quickly than the rest of the army, and to find a suit­able camping-ground for it; and after they had recon­noitred the district, they pitched on the plain of Ssafyn, in which there was a locality containing in ancient times high edifices and royal palaces. In that locality there was, however, only one road by which access could be obtained to the Euphrates; and after both [the contending] armies had reached the said locality, a battle was fought for the possession of the road to the water, as shall be narrated if Allah the Most High willeth.