Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 35999 — The affair of al-Qadisiyyah

Qays said: I took part in the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah on the side of the Muslims. Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) was the commander of the Muslims in this battle. When Rustam came with his army, Sayyiduna Amr bin Ma'di Karib al-Zubaydi (may Allah be pleased with him) passed along the ranks of the Muslims and said to them: "O company of Muhajirun, become brave lions! The true lion is the one who does not care for his own life. It is the nature of the Persians that once they throw down their spears they are like billy goats." With them was a Persian horseman and archer whose arrow never missed. We said to him: "O Abu Thawr, beware of him!" We were still saying this when he shot at us and hit his horse. Then Sayyiduna Amr charged at him, grappled with him, then slaughtered him and took his spoils, which included two golden bracelets, a belt and a silk brocade tunic. A man of Thaqif fled, went to the polytheists and informed them, and pointing toward Bajilah he said: "The people are on this side." So they sent sixteen elephants carrying fighters toward us, and two elephants toward all the other people. Sayyiduna Sa'd was saying that day: "Move back from Bajilah." Qays said: We were one quarter of the people at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gave us one quarter of al-Sawad (the fertile land of Iraq), and we took it for three years. After that, Sayyiduna Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) came in a delegation to Sayyiduna Umar, accompanied by Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Umar said to them: "Will the two of you not tell me about these two dwelling places of yours? Even so, I do travel those routes and can recognise from their aspects which of the two dwelling places is better." Sayyiduna Jarir said: "O Commander of the Faithful, I will tell you. One dwelling place is the nearest of the date palms of al-Sawad to the land of the Arabs, and the other dwelling place is the land of Persia, with its fever, its heat and its gnats, meaning al-Mada'in." He said: Sayyiduna Ammar contradicted me and said: "You have lied." Sayyiduna Umar said: "You are the greater liar." Then he said: "Will you not tell me about this governor of yours: is he sufficient for you?" The people said: "He is neither sufficient, nor does he know the secrets of governance." Then Sayyiduna Umar dismissed him and sent Sayyiduna al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) as governor.