The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

170 'OMAR [chap. xxhi.
A.II. 16-20. In the followiiit,^ year a dispute as to their boundary
HostiutVof arose between the Bedawi tribe and Al-Hormuzan ;
and the
Al-Hormu- latter, dissatisfied with the Muslim general's decision, again
639' A. D.
raised his hostile standard. He was put to flight by the
Muslims, who reduced the rebellious province, and sought
permission to follow up the victory by a farther advance.
But 'Omar, withholding permission, bade them rather busy
themselves where they were in restoring the irrigation works,
and so resuscitate the deserted fields of Khuzistan. Al-
Hormuzan fled farther east, and was, for the second time,
granted an amnesty.
Ram Hor- Not long after, emissaries from Yezdejird at Merv were
muz and found at work stirring the people up to fresh rebellion. The
lostar
. _ ,
captured, attitude of Al-Hormuzan became once more doubtful ; and
19 A.H. j^j-jg Caliph, suspecting serious opposition, ordered a powerful
army to assemble from Al-Kufa and Al-Basra, of which he
gave command to An-No'man. Al-Hormuzan, with a great
Persian following, was pursued by it ; again routed at Ram
Hormuz, he fled to Tostar, fifty miles north of Al-Ahwaz,
a stronghold which, obstinately defended by the Persians,
kept the Muslims for several months at bay. In the end,
but not without considerable loss, it was stormed, and Al-
Hormuzan, with the garrison, surrendered at the discretion
of the Caliph, and was accordingly sent to the Court at
Medina.
Sus, or Siege was then laid to Siis, the royal Shushan of ancient
Shushan. memory; still a formidable city, it was planted between two
rivers, on a verdant plain with snow-clad mountains in the
distance. The army succeeded here in drawing over a body
of Persian nobles with a large native following
;
these were
at once admitted to confidence, and commands conferred
upon them, with the singular honour of a well-portioned
place upon the tribal list. Still, it was not till after a
protracted siege and conflict that Sus was taken. 'Omar
Tomb of gave orders for the reverential maintenance of the tomb of
Daniel.
Daniel in this the scene of his memorable vision " by the
river of Ulai " ; and here, to the present day, the pious care
of succeeding generations has preserved his shrine through
thirteen centuries of succeeding change.
Jundai- The important city of Jundai-Sabur, with surrounding
Sabur. country, was also reduced by An-No'man, and an advance