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THE BRUNEI TIMES | Friday, 8 July, 2011

Al-Muthanna ibn Harithah

Muhammad Abdullah N THE beginning of the year 13 AH, Al-Muthanna ibn Harithah Al-Shaibani came from Hirah to the first caliph in Madinah to ask him to send an expedition to fight the Persians in Iraq. However, Abu Bakr was seriously ill and on his deathbed, so he ordered Umar to carry this out later. Subsequently, the first thing Umar did after being chosen caliph

Leading in Humility
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attended with him. Defeat The Muslim army, however, next suffered a defeat at the Battle of the Bridge when the Persians deployed their elephants which scared the Muslim troops horses away. Abu Ubaid was crushed to death by one of the elephants. The number of Muslims at the Battle of the Bridge was nine thousand. Four thousand were killed, two thousand retreated, and three thousand survived with AlMuthanna; whereas six thousand Persians were killed. Umar, the Commander of the Faithful received the news of the Muslims defeat in the Battle of the Bridge calmly, in spite of his grief at their rout. He did not blame them for the retreat but asked them to reinforce Al-Muthanna ibn Harithah in Iraq. Supporting Al-Muthanna Al-Muthanna sent to all the surrounding Arab tribes asking for their help. They advanced to assist him in huge numbers, including Anas ibn Hilal AlNair, who came with a large number of his Christian tribe, the Namir, who said, We will fight with our Arab people. While Al-Muthanna was in a place between Qadisiyah and Khafan, a place near Kufa, he wrote to all the reinforcements telling them to head for Buwaib on the western side of the Euphrates, where they were to meet. Al- Muthanna ordered his troops to break their fast so that they would be able to fight and endure the struggle against their enemies, as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had done in the Battle of Badr. They obeyed the order. The Persians advanced in three rows, each with an elephant. The infantry were leading and making noise. Al-Muthanna said to the Muslims, What you hear is nothing, so keep silent. Al-Muthanna was assuring his army, riding his obstinate horse that he only rode when he intended to fight. He stood by the standard bearers heartening and encouraging them by saying, I hope that the Muslims will not be attacked through your

positions. By Allah, nothing will please me today except what pleases me for the sake of your rank and file. They answered in agreement to his words, for they loved him. He said, I will cry, Allahu Akbar! three times, so be ready and attack on hearing it for the fourth time.

Day of the Tens Al-Muthanna ibn Harithah fought boldly till he defeated the center of the Persian army. When the Muslims on both flanks perceived this, they attacked the right and left flanks of the Persian army till they overcame them. Al-Muthanna preceded them to the bridge and blocked the way of the Persians. The Muslim cavalry attacked and killed them. That day was called the Day of the Tens, for every Muslim killed ten Persians on that day. Nearly a hundred thousand Persians were slain. The war spoils were great, and there were many types of loot consisting of cereals, flour, cows and sheep. Al-Muthanna divided the spoils among the soldiers of his army and those sent by Umar from Madinah as reinforcements.

was to urge the people before the Fajr Prayer to go to Persia with AlMuthanna, as was Abu Bakrs will. However, no one responded, for they feared this destination and were reluctant to face them because of their sovereignty, power and oppression of other people. On the fourth day of his khilafah, conflicts. One of their princes seized the throne by force, then the princess Boran threw him off by a series of bloodshed, revolts and struggles. Boran then called for Rustum, the famous Persian general, who was in Khurasan, to come to her as soon as possible. Rustum came to her with an army and reached Madain. He defeated every troop of his Persian opponents in their struggle in Madain, and crowned Boran. She then ordered him to lead the Persians. When Al-Muthanna arrived at Hirah, Abu Ubaid ibn Masud AlThaqafi caught up with him after a month. Al-Muthanna stayed in Hirah for fifteen nights. Rustum

Picture: WarHorse

Umar called the people for the fourth time. Abu Ubaid ibn Masud Al-Thaqafi said, I will go. He was followed by Sad ibn Ubaid and Sulait ibn Qais. Then people joined them one after the other. Umar dispatched a thousand men from Madinah and its surroundings under the command of Abu Ubaid ibn Masud, who took the standard. This was the first army mobilised by Umar ibn AlKhattab. Battle of Namariq Al-Muthanna ibn Harith AlShaibani returned to Hirah after an absence of one month. During this time, the Persians were distracted from the Muslims by some internal

sent an army to encounter AlMuthanna in Hirah. When the news reached him, AlMuthanna advanced with a company till he camped in Khafan, a place on the western Euphrates, and stayed there till the army of Abu Ubaid ibn Masud Al-Thaqafi joined him. The Muslims fiercely attacked and defeated the Persians in Namariq by Allahs will. Abu Ubaid ibn Masud Al- Thaqafi he crossed the Euphrates and took the second Persian general, Narsi, by surprise. He seized his camp and spoiled great quantities of superb dates called Narsyan. The neighboring tribes came and offered jizyah willingly. They also invited Abu Ubaid to a glorious banquet, but he refused to go without his army, so the troops all

Gold and Silver Al-Muthanna ibn Harith advanced through the greater part of Iraq and left Bashir ibn Al-Khasasiyah behind to rule Hirah. He camped in Alis, a village of Anbar. This battle was called the Last Battle of Alis or the Last Battle of Anbar. Al-Muthanna prepared to raid the city on the market day and defeated it. The people in the market ran away and Al-Muthanna told the Muslim soldiers, Dont take anything but gold and silver. Dont take baggage except what one can load unto his animal. Al-Muthanna said to his people, People! Depart and fulfill your desires, then be ready to leave thanking Allah and asking Him for His grace. He heard them whispering to each other, They will pursue us quickly. Al-Muthanna said, Whisper good words and dont whisper bad speech among yourselves. Think about things and estimate them, then talk. He then added, If the guards chase you from eyesight they could not seize you till you reach your camps and people. If they seize you, I would fight them for two reasons: to be rewarded by Allah and to win victory. Trust and think good of Allah, for He has granted you victory several times, though they were more than you in number. *From various sources Islamia/The Brunei Times