Hazrat Saad Ibn Abi Waqas (RA) was the maternal uncle of theProphet (AS) one of the most eminent of Suhaba [companions of Prophet (pbuh].In spite of such an exalted status, doubts were expressed about his commandingabilities, though he was a fair manager of men, a safe administrator and on anindividual basis, a valiant fighter. It is worth noting that stress was onsound administration of territories coming into the Islamic fold rather thanspectacular victories in the battlefield. Hazrat Saad Ibn Abi Waqas (RA) tookover from where Masna ibn Haris Al-Shybani of Banu Bakr tribe in Basra(erroneously got typed as Bahrain in last week’s column) left.
Qadisiyyah: Umm-ul-Hur’r [Mother of Battles (14 A.H/636A.D)] is recorded in history, as one of the two greatest battles, the Muslimsforces fought in the Caliphate of Hazrat Omar Farooq [RA] the other beingYarmouk on the Syrian front. Qadisiyyah had the plains of Persia in front andthe hills of Arabia in the back. The area, with a network of bridges and canalswas situated about 30-40 miles away from the Iranian capital, Median (twin cityacross Tigris). Hazrat Omar Farooq (RA) had visited the place and was wellversed with its topography ideally suited to be the battlefield. By selectingQadisiyyah, where he wanted his troops to camp, he had the advance, as well asthe retreat in view. Advance, in case of victory and retreat, in case of areverse. Lest he might have forgotten with the passage of time certain salientfeatures, he ordered the commander of the forces in Iran, Hazrat Saad ibn Waqas(RA) to furnish fresh maps. That done and diplomatic option exhausted, withRustam, the Iranian CNC swearing to annihilate Islamic forces, the epic battlesstarted, with the commander of Islamic forces, incapacitated.
Hazrat Saad ibn Waqas (RA) was suffering from sciatica, saysShubli Nomani, while as some accounts relate, painful boils. Hence the valiantwarrior was forced to direct the movement of his forces, seated on the upperfloor of an old royal palace on the fringes of the battlefield. Entrusting onthe field movements to Hazrat Khalid ibn Arfatah (RA) he chose to direct thebattle by passing on written instructions. As was the routine of the times, theorators and the poets warmed the hearts of their troops by recounting pastdeeds of valour and what was expected of them in the battle ahead. On’Yam-ul-Armah’ as the first day of Umm-ul-Hur is recorded in Arab chronicles,the Persian elephants posed a formidable challenge to Islamic forces. The lightfooted Arab cavalry, used to charge on horses of the finest breed stood dazedby the movement of huge elephants. The elephants had long been the main cavalryformation of Persians in their almost unstoppable fights with Romans for globalsupremacy, the twosome constituted the superpowers of the past. And they werebeing put to effective use against Arabs, who had no idea, how to tackle themenace. The tribesmen of ‘Tamim’ famous archers and lancers of Arabia did knockthe riders with a volley of arches and lances, even turned the canopied seatson the elephants upside down; however an effective strategy to combatelephants, remained to be worked out. By desk, as the darkness descended, theArabs and the Iranians withdrew to their respective camps, the fate of battle hangingin balance.
On the day two of the battle, while the dead were beingburied, the wounded nursed by ladies in the camp, as the battle was about tocommence, a cloud of dust was seen to arise from the direction of Syria. Sixthousand additional troops had been diverted from the Syrian front led byHazrat Hisham ibn Utbah (RA) with Hazrat Q’aqa (RA) commanding the vanguard.Hazrat Q’aqa (RA) was a legendary fighter, albeit with a scientific mind. Hewould study keenly the battle technique of the enemy up to the minutest detailand then workout, how to combat it. Hazrat Q’aqa (RA) planned three significantmoves on the day. First he had the re-enforcement columns from Syria enter thebattlefield in stages throughout the day, so as to give Persians the impressionof a huge army coming to the front, what was merely a force of 6000 men.Second, he announced his arrival, by proclaiming ‘if anyone of you wants totest his courage, let him come out and try it with me’. One of the Persiangenerals Bahman emerged; he was the one who had slain the one of theex-commanders, Hazrat Abu Obaidah Tahqifi (RA) in the battle of Jasar, a majorreverse for Muslim forces. Hazrat Q’aqa remembered him. ”Here comes the slayerof Abu Obaidah, see that he does not escape” so said the valiant warrior. Hemade short work of the Iranian general thus settling the score. Third, byclothing the camels and covering their heads, the Muslim cavalry was investedwith as fearsome moving columns as the Persian elephants. Moreover, this retainedan element of surprise, as completely draped camels could not be figured out.
On this day, the finest of high bred horses and the sharpestof swords came from Hazrat Omar Farooq (RA) with instructions to be awarded tothe most deserving amongst fighters. The recipients of these Caliphate giftswere: Hama ibn Malik, Rabil ibn Amr, Taliah ibn Khuwailad and Asim ibn Omaral-Tamimi. They received a sword each from Hazrat Q’aqa (RA); the horses wereawarded to four warriors of Yarbu clan.
Herein, we close recounting the second day, recorded as’Aghwath’ on which two thousand Muslims and ten thousand Iranians lost theirlives. The battle remained undecided, as we move to day third of the battle ofQadisiyyah, the week next.
Yaar Zinda, Sohbat Baqi [Reunion is subordinate to survival]