Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

Futuhusham
'Umar ~ : 0 Ibn 'Amir, when did you leave?
'Uqbah ~ : Friday.
'Umar ~ : What news have you brought?
'Uqbah ~ : Glad tidings which I will announce to AbU Bakr ss,
'Umar ~ : Allah has taken him in a good state. He has gone to His generous Rabb.
'Vmar now bears the burden. Ifhe is just he will be saved, ifhe abandons justice or
confuses matters then he will be destroyed.
I wept and invoked Allah's mercy upon AbU Bakr as.-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased
with him. I handed the letter over to 'Umar who read it, but did not announce its
contents until Salatul Jumu'ah. After the Khutbah and Salah, he ascended the
mimbar. The people gathered around him, and he read out the letter. The Muslims
were overjoyed and called out, "La ilaha illallahl Allahu Akbar!"
He then descended and wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah ~ appointing him as commander and
dismissing Khalid ~: He then handed me the letter, ordering me to return. I returned
to Damascus to find that Khalid had gone in pursuit of Thomas and Herbius. I
delivered the letter to AbU 'Ubaydah ss, who did not announce AbU Bakr's ~ death
and kept quiet about his appointment and Khalid's ~ dismissal. Khalid ~ then
returned from his expedition and wrote a letter describing the conquest of Damascus,
their victory against the enemy, the booty of Brocade Meadow and the release of
Heraclius's daughter.
He then handed the letter to 'Abdullah bin Qurt ~ who delivered it to 'Vmar ~.
When he read the opening, "From Khdlid bin al-Walid to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq" he
disliked it and said, "0 Ibn Qurt, do the people not know of AbU Bakr's death and
my appointment of AbU 'Ubaydah?"
Ibn Qur; ~ : No.
'Vmar ~ got angry, gathered the people, stood on the mimbar and said, "0 people,
I had appointed Abu 'Ubaydah, the Trustworthy Man, because I felt him worthy and
have dismissed Khalid."
A Makhziimi : Do you dismiss such a man through whom Allah has unsheathed a
cutting sword and granted victory? Neither Allah, nor the Muslims will excuse you
if you sheathe this sword and dismiss a commander who is ordered by Allah. You
would be breaking family ties.
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