A literary history of Persia

196 THE ARAB INVASION'reached thee, and what dost them intend ? Then 'Umar called thepeople to public prayer, and they assembled round him, and heannounced the news to them, and exhorted them, and urged themto attack the Persians, making light of the enterprise ;and they allconsented willingly. Then they asked him to go with them inperson, and he answered, ' I will do so unless a better plan thanthis should appear.' Then he sent for those who were wisest incouncil and most eminent among the Companions and most prudent,and summoned them before him, and sought counsel of them, andthey advised that he should remain and should send one of the chiefmen of the Companions, remaining behind himself to strengthenhim with support. Then, should they be victorious, the end wouldbe attained, while if the man perished, he would send another."So when they had agreed to this plan, 'Umar ascended thepulpit for it was their custom, when they wished to address the;that one of thempeople collectively, should ascend the pulpit andharangue them on that subject whereon he desired to speak. So'when 'Umar had mounted the pulpit he said, O people, verily Iwas resolved to march forth with you, but the wise and prudentamongs't you have turned me from this plan, suggesting that I shouldabide here and send one of the Companions to undertake the conductof the war.' Then he asked their advice as to whom he should send ;and at this juncture a letter was handed to him from Sa'd ibn AbiWaqqas, who was absent on some employ and; they recommendedhim to 'Umar, saying, He ' is a very lion in attack.' And thisproposal met with 'Umar's approval, and he summoned Sa'd, andconferred on him the chief command in 'Iraq, and entrusted untohim the army."So Sa'd marched forth with the people, and 'Umar accompaniedthem for some parasangs ;then he exhorted them and incited themto the holy war, and bade them farewell, and returned unto Madina.But Sa'd, continuing his march, shifted his line of advance into thedesert which lies between the Hijaz and Ki'ifa, seeking intelligence,and receiving constant messages and letters from'Umar, who keptadvising him with plan after plan and strengthening him withsuccessive reinforcements, until he finally decided to march onQadisiyya, which was the gate of the Persian Empire.Now when Sa'd halted at Qadisiyya, he and those who were withhim were in need of provisions, so he sent out some of his men, commandingthem to bring in some sheep and cattle. The people ofSawad feared their advance, but they found a man and questionedhim about sheep and cattle. But he replied, ' I have no knowledgeconcerning this '; and behold, he was himself a herdsman who had