Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

Futuhusham
SaUimah bin Khuwaylid narrates:
I was with Qirar's ~ squadron, when bare-chested, he mounted his 'Arabian horse
desiring martyrdom. He advanced and attacked the Romans shouting, "Allahu
Akbar!"
The Muslims responded with shouts of, "Allahu Akbar!" which terrified the
Christians. I saw Qirar ~ riding towards the Roman vanguard where Warden was
stationed with crosses and flags erected near him and a band of warriors encircled
him. They were just as willing to shed their blood for him as they were willing to
shed their sweat for him. Qirar ~ recognised him to be the general and so challenged
the vanguard soldiers, "Is there any challenger?" and then recklessly moved to attack
the centre-wing. Taking careful aim, he pierced the mounted flag-bearer with his
lance. The Roman lost the flag and fell beneath his horse. Qirar ~ then turned to the
right and slew a Roman. Returning his gaze to the centre he saw Warden. Near
Warden there sat a Roman on a dirty white mongrel horse carrying a jewelencrusted
cross. Qirar ~ speared him in the side, reaching his intestines. The cross
fell to the ground while the bearer reeled and went to Hell. Warden saw this as an
omen of his own destruction and so dismounted to pick up the cross. Some Muslims
hastily dismounted and encircled the cross, thus preventing him from reaching it.
Qirar ~ shouted, "0 Muslims! Neither I nor you are yet entitled to that cross so do
not have any desire to pick it up. I will pick it up myself after I have finished off this
Roman dog and his army."
Warden understood' Arabic and so wanted to flee when he heard these words, but the
officers said, "Where are you fleeing to, 0 our general?"
Warden replied, "I am fleeing out of fear of that devil. What a disgusting sight he is.
Have you ever seen anything more ugly and fearful than that?"
The narrator reports that when Qirar ~ saw him turning his back, he understood that
he was fleeing. So shouting loudly at the Muslims, he straightened his spear and
spurred his horse. He was close to reaching Warden, when the Romans attacked so
fiercely that his horse was stopped. At that time he was reciting this poem:
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