Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

Futu!lushdm
Khdlid ~ :As for my prisoner, I shall not leave him until I have killed him and I do
not care what happens to me afterwards. As for you threatening us with your great
numbers, it is most unjust. You are so many and we are just thirteen.
You have surrounded us with your horse's bridles, spear's points and long swords. If
you want to be fair then let one horseman take on another horseman while your
patrician stays here. If you kill us then he is obviously free and if Alliih grants us
victory over you - for indeed victory comes only from Alliih - then you will not be
concerned about the prisoner dying for you will have been killed before him.
labalah lowered his head and went to report Khiilid's ~ reply to the governor of
Amorium who became intensely angry and unsheathed his sword. Khiilid ~
understood that he intended to launch an attack, but labalah stopped the governor,
and made him stand underneath his cross.
labalah returned to Khiilid ~ and said, "0 brother of Banu MakhzUm, your proposal
appeals to justice. These Romans are sheep who do not understood the justice of
duelling. I told them what you said and they have. now accepted the duel, so
whoever of you wants should come out and duel."
27) ,Abdura!lman .• fights Jabalah
Raft' bin 'Umayrah narrates:
Khiilid ~ wanted to duel, but' Abdurahmiin bin Abl Bakr ~ stopped him, saying, "0
AbU Sulaymiin! None will go and duel them besides me. I will strive to the utmost
against them. Perhaps I will meet AbU Bakr ~."
Khiilid ~ let him go and said, "Go. May Alliih grant appreciation for your words and
recognition for your actions."
He went out riding the horse which 'Vmar ~ had received from the booty of
Ajniidayn. The horse was from the Christian 'Arabs of Banu Lakhm and lufuam and
was like a huge mountain. He was virtually drowning in iron and layered chain-mail
and bore a long spear in his hand. Roving between the Roman army and Ghassiinl
army, he challenged them to duel him, saying, "Come and fight. I am the son of a~-
Siddlq." Then he recited the following poem before challenging them again to duel
him:
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