The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

90 'OMAR [chap. xil.
A.H. 13-14- deserve. That he did not belong to the Nobility of Islam
was the misfortune which kept him in the background,
Jarir declined to serve under him, a common iJedawi like
himself,—not even a Companion of the Prophet ; and complained
accordingly to the Caliph. 'Omar, as we shall see,
listened to the appeal, and eventually appointed another
Commander over both. But before entering on a new
chapter in the Persian war, we must revert in our next to
the course of events in Syria.
Muthanna. The character of Al-Muthanna, however, deserves more
than a passing notice. Among the generals who secured
the triumph of Islam, he was second only to one. Inferior
to Khalid in dash and brilliancy of enterprise, he did not
yield to him in vigour and strategic skill. Free from the
unscrupulous cruelty of that great Leader, we never hear of
his using victory to gratify private ends. It was due alone
to the cool and desperate stand which Al-Muthanna made
at the Bridge, that the Muslim force was not utterly annihilated
there ;
while the formation so rapidly afterwards of
a fresh army by which, with the help of Christian tribes (rare
mark of Muslim liberality in contrast with the bigotry of
later days) a prodigious host was overthrown, showed powers
of administration and generalship far beyond his fellows.
The repeated supersession of Al-Muthanna cost the Caliphate
much, and at one time even rendered the survival of Islam
in Al-'Irak doubtful ; but it never affected his loyalty to
'Omar. The sentiment of the day may have rendered it
difficult for the Caliph to place a Bedawi of obscure origin
in command of men who as Companions, had fought under
the Prophet's very banner. But it is strange that no
historian, jealous for the honour of the heroes of Islam,
has regretted the supersession of one so distinguished in its
annals, or sought to give Al-Muthanna his deserved place
as one of the crreat Generals of the world.