Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

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8) Arrival at al-Yarmflk
The Romans continued their march towards al-Yarmuk until they arrived at the
Mountain Monastery near ar-Ramadah and al-Julan. They kept a distance of three
Farsakh (16.5 km) away from the Muslims. Once all their forces had arrived, the first
division moved in the direction of the -Sahiibah of Rasulullah !ill. Jabalah bin al-
Ayham was leading the vanguard consisting of 60,000 Christian 'Arabs of Ghassan,
Lakhm and Jutham, They were Bannes's vanguard. When the -Sahiibah o:$P saw the
great multitude they exclaimed, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do
good except through Alliih, Most High, Most Mighty."
,A!iyah bin 'Amir narrates:
By Allah! The only way 1 can describe the number of Romans is like a mighty swarm
of locusts. They covered the entire valley. 1 saw the Muslims in great anxiety
continuously reciting, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good and
except through Allah, The Most High, the Most Mighty."
AbU 'Ubaydah * was reciting,
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o our Rabb! Pour patience upon us! Make our feet firm and
help us against the Disbelieving nation! [2:250J
The Muslims fetched their gear and AbU 'Ubaydah * called those Disbelieving spies
serving him and ordered them to enter the Roman army and spy on the number of
their soldiers, equipment and weapons. He said, "I hope that Allah will grant it all to
us as booty."
Bannes remained facing the Muslims for several days without any fighting. He had
refrained from attacking because a messenger arrived from Caesar saying, "Do not
attack the Muslims until we send an envoy to them promising a great annual amount
and gifts for their leader, 'Umar bin al-Khagab, and all their chiefs. They may keep
all the territory from al-Jabiyah to al-Hijiiz."
Bannes : It is absolutely preposterous that they will ever accept that.
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