Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

Futuhusham
Paulus: You foretell no good. Does fear of the' Arabs sit so firmly in your heart that
you now dream of them? Have no fear. I shall make their commander your attendant
and his companions shepherds and pigheads.
Wife: It is your choice, I have given my advice.
Paulus ignored her and left riding accompanied by 6,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry
from Damascus, all of them highly experienced. Khalid ~ had withdrawn the army,
so Paulus targeted AbU 'Ubaydah ~ who was with the women, children and booty.
30) The Battle of Shakhura
Abu 'Ubaydah ~ and his men were mounted on camels when one of them saw a
dust-cloud rising in the distance. He informed him and said, "As far as I can tell it is
the dust of the enemy."
Abu 'Ubaydah ~ replied, "It is certainly the Damascenes, who seeing us few in
number, have come to attack us." He waited until the women's litters and the sheep
had all arrived. At the same time, the dust was increasing and voices rising. AbU
'Ubaydah.ss called out, "0 Muslims, be alert. The enemy have arrived." He had
hardly said this when the enemy descended upon them like pitch black darkness.
Paulus was leading the 6,000 strong cavalry. When he saw AbU 'Ubaydah ~, he led
them against him. Simultaneously, his brother, Peter, led the infantry to the women
where he captured some and then headed back for Damascus. When he reached the
Istiryaq River, he stopped to receive news on Paulus.
When AbU 'Ubaydah ~ saw this disaster he said, "Khalid was right in wanting to
stay." Paulus advanced with marks and crosses hanging on his head. At that time, the
Muslim women were very anxious while the boys were shrieking. Although 1,000
men were present, they had left to engage the Romans. Allah's enemy, Paulus,
attacked AbU 'Ubaydah ~ who fought back. The battle between the S-ii!J.iibiih~ and
the Romans heated, dust was rising, swords were flashing so viciously that Shakhura
became a bed of tulips (fallen heads like tulips red with blood? - translator's note).
AbU 'Ubaydah ~ was in a difficult situation, but remained firm.
Suhayl bin S-abbil! narrates:
I was riding a Yamani horse with white marks on its forehead and legs. I pulled the
reins and let go so that it sped like a flash oflightning and, before I knew it, was close
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