After
the Defeat of Buwaib
Because of the killing of Mehrân and
the large-scale destruction, there arose a tremendous clamor in the imperial
court as well as throughout the entire Persian territory. The ratio of one
hundred thousand Persians lost to one hundred Muslims was really unbelievable
and shocking to the extreme. The result was a terrible terror and fear of the
Muslims came into the Persians' hearts. Although the real power and administration
lay in the hands of Rustam, the Persian throne had a woman of the royal family
to rule the destiny of its subjects. Now in the wake of the smashing and
ignominious defeat, all lips were moving to say that they had tasted this
defeat because a woman was on the Persian throne. Thus the woman was
immediately dethroned and Yezdgird, a youth was installed on the throne. Rustam
and Firoz were the pillars of the state, but a violent friction raged between
them. Now both of them were persuaded to shake hands in the interest of the
Persian Empire. Other chiefs and nobles also buried their differences and
girded up their lions to serve their country even in the face of death. The
coronation of Yezdgird also infused a new life into those who were disheartened
because of the adverse state of affairs in every field. The provinces and
cities under the possession of Muslim officers began to show signs of unrest
and rebellion. The Persian camps were packed with soldiers and the Persian
forts and military outposts were fortified and strengthened. Many other regions
under the Muslim control broke into revolt and rose in support of the Persians.
Umar
Faruq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)'s Readiness to face
the Persians
Umar Faruq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came to know of these fresh developments
in the month of Dhul-Qa'dah in Al-Madinah. He issued prompt orders for Muthanna
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) together with all
the troops to fall back towards the frontiers of Arabia. He summoned the tribes
of Rabi'ah and Mudar that were scattered throughout Iraq, and strengthened his
forces and vacated the threatened areas to gather close to the frontiers of
Arabia. He also issued orders to the collectors and send warriors to fight in
the way of Allâh. As the season for the pilgrimage had arrived, Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) set off to Makkah.
On returning from the Hajj, he found
Arab tribes pouring in Al-Madinah from all sides. The suburbs of Al-Madinah
were now teeming with groups of warriors. He entrusted the divisional command
of the vanguard to Talhah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
and that of the right wing to Zubair (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ), while Abdur-Rahmân bin Auf (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was appointed to the command of the left wing of the army.
When the army was drawn up, he put Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) in charge of the caliphate, left Al-Madinah, and advanced
towards Persia. At Sirâr, the first halt was ordered.
The fact that the Amir-ul-Mu'minin
(Chief of the believers) himself was leading the army, filled them with
unbounded confidence and enthusiasm. However, Uthmân bin Affân (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) called on the Caliph
and said that it was not expedient that the Chief of the believers should go
personally into the battlefield. Following this advice, Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) convened a general council of war at
Sirâr and invited the opinion of everyone present. All unanimously exclaimed
that the expedition could not terminate successfully unless the Chief of the
believers led it himself.
Thereupon Abdur-Rahman bin Auf (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "I
disapprove of such a suggestion. The Caliph's presence on the battlefield is
too risky. In the case, a commander is killed in action, the Caliph can do the
needful and keep the situation under complete control; but if Allâh forbid, the
Caliph himself is eliminated, it would be extremely difficult to manage the
affairs. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was also called from Al-Madinah to take part in this crucial deliberation. He
and the elite of the Companions lent support to the opinion of Abdur-Rahman bin
Auf (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
Umar Faruq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) got up and made a stirring speech and it
ended up by addressing the people thus: "I had a mind to follow your
counsel, but the elite of the Companions do not agree to this view. Now who
else will do the job?" Following this decision, another problem raised its
head. Who will then play the crucial role of commander of the Muslim army at
this juncture? When Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was proposed to shoulder the responsibility, but he refused to it, Abu Ubaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Khâlid bin Walid
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) were busy with the
expedition in Syria. The people were still in an uncertain frame of mind
arguing about this question when Abdur-Rahmân bin Auf (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) stood up and said: "I have found the
man and there could not be a better one." Saying this he named Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) bin Abu Waqqâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). The entire council
agreed including Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
He was exalted among the Companions of the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) and was his maternal uncle. Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) bin Abu Waqqâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was then working
among the Hawâzins as a collector of Zakât. A letter calling him back was
immediately dispatched. He came to the Caliph of Islam after a few days. Until
then the Muslim army stayed at Sirâr.
After issuing the necessary
instructions and asking him to keep the headquarters aware of all the events
and movements big or small, Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) dispatched the army under his able command. He set forth from
Al-Madinah at the head of a detachment made up of four thousand troops and
halted at Tha'labah after making eighteen marches. Directly after the departure
of Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)'s men, Umar Faruq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent a detachment of
two thousand Yemeni soldiers and two thousand Najdi soldiers to reinforce the
main force. Muthanna (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was awaiting the arrival of Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
at the village of Dhiqâr, where he was encamped with eight thousand men. It was
Muthanna's intention to join Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) and to advance towards the Euphrates, but the wounds which he
had received in the battle of Jasr grew from bad to worse and he finally
succumbed to them.
Saad
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) bin Waqqâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in Iraq
Marching from Tha'labah, Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) pitched his camp at
Sirâf. On route from Tha'labah to Sirâf, three thousand warriors of Banu Asad
joined Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)'s
army under the order of the Caliph of Islam. At Sirâf, he was strengthened by
two thousand fighters under Ash'ath bin Qais.
At the same place, Mu'anna bin
Hârithah Shaibâni (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ),
the brother of Muthanna (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
met Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and communicated to
him the advice bequeathed by his departed brother regarding the enemy forces
and their art of warfare. The eight thousand troops of Muthanna (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) joined Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) there. The troops
were counted in round figures to be between twenty and thirty thousand rank and
file. The army included three hundred Companions, who were present during the
pledge of Ridwân, while seventy of them had taken part in the battle of Badr.
Saad (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was still at Sirâf when he received a fresh order from the
Caliph directing him to proceed towards Qâdisiyah. The order further enjoined
upon him to arrange himself in such a manner as to have the plains of Persia in
front and the hills of Arabia in the rear. In this way, he might advance as far
as he chose in case of victory and take refuge by retreating to the hills in
case of defeat.
Saad (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) bin Abu Waqqâs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) decamped as ordered by the Caliph and nominated Zubair bin
Abdullah bin Qatâdah as the officer of the vanguard. Abdullah bin Al-Mu'tasim
was given the right flank, Shurahbil bin As-Samt Kindi the left, Asim (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) bin Umar At-Tamimi
the rearguard; Salmân Fârisi was the supply officer, Abdur-Rahmân bin Rabi'ah
Al-Bâhili the judge and treasurer, Hilâl Hijri the translator, Ziyâd bin Abu
Sufyân the scribe or secretary.
From Sirâf, Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) headed towards Qâdisiyah and arrived at
Udhaib. Here the Persians kept their arsenal and military stores which the
advancing army confiscated. On reaching Qâdisiyah, they had to wait for the
Persian army for about two months. During this long stay, they would raid the
surrounding Persian areas whenever they ran short of provisions and other
necessities.
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