Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

Part 3: Al - Yarmiik
,A~im bin Rawwah az-Zubaydi narrates from Ibn 'Abdillah ash-Shaybanl who
narrates from Iarfah bin Shaybah al-Khawlani who narrates from his paternal
uncle, Jarir, who was an ally of Khalid .:
There was no intermediary between Khalid • and Bannes. They spoke face-to-face.
Khdlid • : Bannes, I dislike to initiate the dialogue, so you say what you want to.
However, I do not care what you say, I will have an answer for you - whether you
speak first or I do.
Bannes : I begin praising God who made His soul, Christ, His Word, who made our
Emperor the best of all and who made our nation the best nation.
28) Bannes's drivel
Khalid • was upset and cut him short. The translator reprimanded him, "0 'Arab
brother, do not interupt the words of the king. Observe due etiquette." Khalid •
however refused to keep silent.
Khdlid • : Praise be to Allah who made us believers in our Prophet, your Prophet
and in fact all the Prophets and Who made our Commander as but one of us, were he
to claim to rule us we would depose him - we give him no rank over us except if He
fears Allah. We praise Him who made our Ummah that which orders the good,
forbids the bad, confesses sins, seeks forgiveness from sins and worships Allah alone
without ascribing any partner unto Him.
Bannes's face turned yellow but he kept silent for a while.
Bannes : Praise be to God who tested us and found us worthy, who relieved us from
poverty, who helped us against our enemies, who granted us dignity and prevented
all injury from us. We are not of those who become arrogant and proud due to the
blessings of God. 0 'Arabs, a group of you will always prostrate before us, snatch
our hand-outs, follow us and our authority. We were good unto them, honoured them
and their down-trodden ones. We recognised their value and fulfilled our agreements
with them. We thought that all the 'Arab tribes would be aware of these policies and
would be grateful for the wonderful gifts we showered upon them. So when you
people came with all your horses and men we but thought that you were coming to
seek what your brethren always sought, but alas, we were wrong. You came killing
men, enslaving women, plundering wealth, destroying buildings and seeking to drive
us out of your own lands and conquer everything. Others also attempted this before
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