Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 36100 — What I have memorised on al-Yarmuk

Iyad al-Ash'ari said: I took part in the Battle of Yarmuk, and we had five commanders in it: Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah, Sayyiduna Yazid bin Abi Sufyan, Sayyiduna Ibn Hasanah, Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid and Sayyiduna Iyad (may Allah be pleased with them all). This Iyad is not the one from whom Simak narrated. And Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had said: "When there is fighting, hold firmly to obedience to Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah." Then in this battle we were surrounded by severe dangers, so we asked Sayyiduna Umar for reinforcements. He wrote in reply: "Your letter has reached me, in which you ask me for help. I tell you to ask for help from Allah, whose help is more overpowering and whose army is stronger. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) defeated the enemy at the Battle of Badr with fewer than your number. When this letter of mine reaches you, fight them and do not refer back to me." After receiving this letter we fought hard and defeated the enemy. We fought them over a distance of four farsakhs and obtained a great deal of wealth. Then we consulted among ourselves about dividing the wealth, and Sayyiduna Iyad advised that each person be given ten. Then Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah said: "Who will race me?" A young man said: "If you will not be angry, I will race you." Then that young man went ahead. The narrator said: I saw that Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah was behind that young man on his Arabian horse, and his braids of hair were flying.