Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 35976 — The account of al-Yamamah and those

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In the Battle of Yamamah I was between Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid and Sayyiduna al-Bara (may Allah be pleased with them both). Sayyiduna Khalid sent out a force to fight, and it came back defeated. Then a trembling came over Sayyiduna al-Bara, and I pressed him down to the ground to calm him. He was saying: "My fast has been broken." Then Sayyiduna Khalid sent another group to fight, and it too came back defeated. Sayyiduna Khalid raised his gaze to the sky and then kept looking at the ground for a long time. Sayyiduna Khalid used to do this whenever he intended to do something. Then he said: "O Bara! Attack." Sayyiduna al-Bara asked: "Now?" He said: "Yes, now." So Sayyiduna al-Bara mounted his horse and began striking it with the whip. It is as if that scene were before my eyes, with the horse swishing its tail. He praised and glorified Allah Almighty and said: "O people of Madinah! There is no Madinah for you; there is only Allah alone, and Paradise." Then Sayyiduna al-Bara charged, the people charged along with him, and the people of Yamamah were defeated. Then Sayyiduna al-Bara went to the fortress of the people of Yamamah and came face to face with Muhakkam of Yamamah. He struck at Sayyiduna al-Bara with his sword; Sayyiduna al-Bara warded it off with his leather shield, and the blow landed on the shield. Then Sayyiduna al-Bara struck him and brought him down. Then he took up the sword of Muhakkam of Yamamah and struck him with it until it snapped. Then he said: "May Allah bring ruin upon what remains of you." Then he threw away that sword and took up his own sword.