Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 36003 — The affair of al-Qadisiyyah

Abu Wa'il said: Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) reached al-Qadisiyyah with his army. I think we were no more than seven or eight thousand, while the polytheist enemy were sixty thousand or thereabouts. They also had elephants with them. When they came down onto the field, they said to us: "Go back! You have neither numbers, nor strength, nor weapons. Go back!" We said: "We will not go back." They would even laugh at the sight of our arrows and compare them to spindles. When we refused to accept what they said and to go back, they said: "Send us a sensible man who can make clear to us the purpose of your coming, for we see neither numbers nor strength in you!" At this Sayyiduna al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I will go to them." Sayyiduna al-Mughirah went to them, and on arriving he sat with Rustam on his throne. Rustam and his companions found this extremely offensive. Sayyiduna al-Mughirah said: "My sitting here has neither added to my honour nor diminished the standing of your king." Rustam said: "Tell me why you have come here from your land, for I see neither numbers nor strength in you?" At this Sayyiduna al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We were a people in wretchedness and misguidance. Allah Almighty sent among us a Prophet through whom Allah Almighty granted us guidance. Allah Almighty also granted us provision through him. Among the provision that came to us through him was a grain which people believe grows in this land. When we ate it and fed our families with it, the people said: 'There is no good for us until we go to this land and eat this grain.'" Rustam said: "Then we will kill you." Sayyiduna al-Mughirah said: "If you kill us we will enter Paradise, and if we kill you, you will go to Hell. If there is no fighting, you will have to pay the jizyah." When Sayyiduna al-Mughirah said that they would have to pay the jizyah, they began to shout and show intense anger, and they said: "There will be no peace between you and us." Then Sayyiduna al-Mughirah said: "Will you advance toward us, or shall we advance toward you?" Rustam said: "We will come toward you." So the Muslims drew back, and those of them who were to advance came forward, and the Muslims attacked them, killed them and defeated them.