Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

Futuhushdm
I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and convey
salutations upon His Prophet.
I have received your letter which asks as to which direction you
should advance in. The cousin ofRasululldh f3 recommends that
you march on Baytul Muqaddas for Allah, Most Pure and High
will conquer her through you.
Was-Saldm 'alayka.
He folded the letter and handed it for delivery to 'Arfajah.
The messenger met AbU 'Ubaydah ~ at al-Jabiyah where he gave him the letter. AbU
'Ubaydah ~ read it out to the Muslims who rejoiced at going to Baytul Muqaddas.
He called Khalid ~, gave him a flag and sent him with 5,000 elite cavalry to Baytul
Muqaddas. He then ordered Yazid bin Abi Sufyan ~ to meet Khalid ~ at Baytul
Muqaddas with another 5,000. He said, "0 Ibn Abi Sufyan, I only know you to be a
well-wisher. When you reach Ayla (Roman name for Baytul Muqaddas - translator s
note) raise your voices with, "La ilaha illallah," and "Allahu Akbar". Ask Allah,
through the intercession of His Prophet f3 as well as the other prophets and pious
people who dwelt in Baytul Muqaddas, to make her conquest easy for the Muslims."
Yazid ~ took the flag and went.
AbU 'Ubaydah ~ then summoned Shurahbil bin Hasanah ~ and gave him 5,000
Yarnani horsemen, saying, "Take these men to Baytul Muqaddas but when you reach
there do not mix your troops with the other armies who arrived there before you."
Then he called al-Mirqal bin Hashim bin 'Utbah bin Abi Waqqas. He sent him behind
Shurahbil ~ with 5,000 horsemen of mixed tribes and said, "Camp at the fort of
Baytul Muqaddas and remain separated from the other Muslim armies."
The fifth flag was for al-Musayyib bin Najiyah with 5,000 cavalry from Nakha' and
other tribes. The sixth flag was for Qays bin Hubayrah with 5,000 cavalry and the
seventh for 'Urwah bin Muhalhil bin Zayd al-Khayl with 5,000 cavalry.
AbU 'Ubaydah ~ thus sent a total of 35,000 men to Baytul Muqaddas. Each day a
different one of the seven generals departed for the city. This was to terrify Allah's
enemies.
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