Mukhtasar Bukhari

Narrated from Amir al-Mu’minin Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he sent people to the major cities so that they would fight against the polytheists. When Hormuzan (the governor of Mada’in) became Muslim, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, “I want to take your opinion: from which of these (three) places (Persia, Isfahan, and Azerbaijan) should the fighting begin?” Hormuzan said, “Yes, the example of this and the example of the enemies of the Muslims who live here is like a bird that has one head, two wings, and two legs. If one wing is broken, its two legs and head will stand with the other wing. If the second wing is also broken, then the two legs and head will stand. But if the head is broken, then both legs and both wings will become useless, and the head as well. So the head is Kisra (the King of Persia), one wing is Caesar (the King of Rome), and the other wing is Persia. Therefore, order the Muslims to attack Kisra.” So Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) called us and appointed Nu’man bin Muqarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) as our leader, until when we reached the enemy’s land, Kisra’s governor came before us with forty thousand troops. One of his interpreters stood up and said, “Let one of you speak to me.” Sayyiduna Mughirah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Ask whatever you wish.” He said, “Who are you people?” Sayyiduna Mughirah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “We are people of Arabia. We were in severe misery and hardship. Out of hunger, we used to suck on leather and date stones, and we wore clothes of leather and hair, and we used to worship trees and stones. We were in this state when suddenly the Owner of the heavens and the earth sent to us a Prophet from among our own people, whose father and mother we knew. Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, commanded us to fight you until you worship Allah alone or pay jizyah. And our Prophet conveyed to us the message of our Lord: whoever among us is killed will enter Paradise in such comfort as has never been seen, and whoever among us remains will become the master of your necks.” (Sayyiduna Mughirah, may Allah be pleased with him, after finishing this conversation, said to Sayyiduna Nu’man, may Allah be pleased with him, “Begin the battle.”) So Sayyiduna Nu’man (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “You have often participated in battles with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and you have never suffered regret or humiliation (i.e., defeat), even though you do not know the rules of war? But I have often participated in battles with him (peace and blessings be upon him). He would not begin fighting at the start of the day, but would wait until the winds began to blow and the time for prayer arrived, and then he would fight.”