WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:15.259 --> 00:00:18.260 The Mawaddah Association is pleased 00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:22.260 to present to you glimpses from the lives of the Companions, 00:00:22.260 --> 00:00:25.260 by Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 00:00:25.260 --> 00:00:27.320 may Allah have mercy upon him. 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:34.350 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr, may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:48.270 --> 00:00:56.450 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr had barely shaken the dust of battle from his hands in the Levant, 00:00:56.450 --> 00:01:01.450 or rested his side after the conquest of Damascus alongside Khalid ibn al-Walid, 00:01:01.450 --> 00:01:09.450 when a letter arrived from the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, to Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, stating: 00:01:09.450 --> 00:01:12.450 "Detach such-and-such a number from your troops, 00:01:12.450 --> 00:01:16.450 and dispatch them swiftly to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas at al-Qadisiyyah. 00:01:16.450 --> 00:01:20.450 And beware of any delay or hesitation." 00:01:20.450 --> 00:01:23.700 Abu 'Ubaydah promptly executed 'Umar's command, 00:01:23.700 --> 00:01:26.700 appointing Hashim ibn 'Utbah to lead the army, 00:01:26.700 --> 00:01:29.700 and placing al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr at the vanguard. 00:01:30.700 --> 00:01:31.700 He said to them both: 00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:33.700 "Haste, haste! 00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:39.700 The Muslims at al-Qadisiyyah are facing the largest force Persia has ever assembled for war, 00:01:39.700 --> 00:01:43.829 and they are in need of every man among you." 00:01:43.829 --> 00:01:46.829 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr set out with the vanguard, 00:01:46.829 --> 00:01:49.829 which consisted of a thousand horsemen. 00:01:49.829 --> 00:01:54.829 He and his men pressed on, traveling through the night and the day, 00:01:54.829 --> 00:01:57.829 until they outpaced Hashim ibn 'Utbah, 00:01:57.829 --> 00:02:03.959 reaching the outskirts of al-Qadisiyyah at dawn on the second day of the battle. 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:05.959 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr knew 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:11.960 that the first day of al-Qadisiyyah had been severely difficult for the Muslims 00:02:11.960 --> 00:02:15.960 due to the enemy's overwhelming numbers and equipment. 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:17.960 The burden upon them was heavy, 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.960 caused by the elephants that had terrified their horses, 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:23.960 striking fear into their hearts 00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:26.960 and causing them to recoil in retreat. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:31.960 He knew they were anxiously awaiting the arrival of reinforcements from the Levant. 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:36.960 Yet, al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr had only a thousand horsemen with him. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:41.960 And what could a thousand do against the massive armies of Persia? 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:43.960 But the inspired commander 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:46.960 made those thousand appear in the eyes of the Muslims— 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:49.960 and in the eyes of their polytheist enemies—as thousands. 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:53.120 Here is the account of how he did it: 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:56.120 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr divided his thousand horsemen 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:58.120 into ten groups, 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:00.120 with one hundred horsemen in each group. 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:05.120 He ordered the first group to charge toward the Muslim lines, 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:09.120 and to intentionally stir up dust all around them, 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:12.120 until the air was thick with it. 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:14.120 Then he ordered the other nine groups 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:16.120 to do as the first had done, 00:03:16.120 --> 00:03:20.120 provided that no group would start from its position 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:23.120 until the one before it was far enough away 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:26.150 to be at the limit of one's vision. 00:03:26.150 --> 00:03:29.150 Then he set out at the head of the first group, shouting the takbir, 00:03:29.150 --> 00:03:32.150 and his voice was worth a thousand horsemen, 00:03:32.150 --> 00:03:35.150 just as al-Siddiq (Abu Bakr), may Allah be pleased with him, had said of him. 00:03:35.150 --> 00:03:38.150 He passed by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas 00:03:38.150 --> 00:03:40.150 and brought him the glad tidings of reinforcements. 00:03:40.150 --> 00:03:42.150 No sooner did the two armies— 00:03:42.150 --> 00:03:45.150 the Persian army and the Muslim army— 00:03:45.150 --> 00:03:48.150 see the horses' hooves kicking up clouds of dust, 00:03:48.150 --> 00:03:52.150 and hear the sounds of the takbir shaking the surroundings, 00:03:52.150 --> 00:03:55.150 and watch the reinforcements arriving, battalion 00:03:55.150 --> 00:03:57.150 after battalion, 00:03:57.150 --> 00:04:00.150 than terror struck the hearts of the Persians, 00:04:00.150 --> 00:04:03.150 while fervor surged in the chests of the Muslims. 00:04:03.150 --> 00:04:06.150 They began to proclaim the oneness of Allah and shout the takbir 00:04:06.150 --> 00:04:10.150 with voices that shattered the hearts of their enemies. 00:04:10.150 --> 00:04:13.280 Al-Qa'qa' proceeded to the field 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:16.279 with the first light of morning, 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:21.279 and stepped forward to challenge the enemies before the battle began. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:24.279 He began to pace his horse between the two lines, 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:27.279 saying, "Is there anyone to duel? 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:30.279 Is there anyone to duel?" 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:33.279 All eyes turned toward the Persian camp 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:36.279 to see who would step out to face al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr. 00:04:36.279 --> 00:04:39.540 Only a few moments passed, 00:04:39.540 --> 00:04:42.540 amidst the boldness and daring of al-Qa'qa', 00:04:42.540 --> 00:04:45.540 before there emerged from the enemy ranks 00:04:45.540 --> 00:04:48.540 a commander fully clad in armor, who said: 00:04:48.540 --> 00:04:51.540 "I am here for you. Do you know who I am? 00:04:51.540 --> 00:04:54.540 I am Bahman Dhu al-Hajib, 00:04:54.540 --> 00:04:57.540 the commander of the Persian armies at the Battle of the Bridge. 00:04:57.540 --> 00:05:00.540 I am the killer of your commander, Abu 'Ubayd 00:05:00.540 --> 00:05:03.660 al-Thaqafi, and his companions." 00:05:03.660 --> 00:05:06.660 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr replied: 00:05:06.660 --> 00:05:09.660 "Oh, for the vengeance of the Day of the Bridge!" 00:05:09.660 --> 00:05:12.660 And the Day of the Bridge had been the most difficult of days. 00:05:12.660 --> 00:05:15.660 "I am the one who was there that day!" 00:05:15.660 --> 00:05:18.860 Bahman Dhu al-Hajib. 00:05:18.860 --> 00:05:21.860 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr drew his sword, 00:05:21.860 --> 00:05:24.860 and attacked Bahman like a lion in its lair. 00:05:24.860 --> 00:05:27.860 When he had gained the upper hand and was poised 00:05:27.860 --> 00:05:30.860 to deliver the final blow, he held back, 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:33.860 to prolong his torment. 00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:36.860 Then he kept repeating the attack, 00:05:36.860 --> 00:05:39.860 charge after charge, and then holding back, 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:42.860 while their eyes were wide with terror. 00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:45.860 The Muslims were shouting: 00:05:45.860 --> 00:05:48.860 "Allahu Akbar! 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:51.860 Finish him off, O Qa'qa'! 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:54.860 Avenge Abu 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi and his companions!" 00:05:54.860 --> 00:05:57.860 So al-Qa'qa' struck him with a blow of his sword 00:05:57.860 --> 00:06:00.860 that cast him to the ground, 00:06:00.860 --> 00:06:03.980 and left him swimming in his own blood. 00:06:03.980 --> 00:06:06.980 The Muslim army roared: 00:06:07.980 --> 00:06:11.180 "Allahu Akbar!" 00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:14.180 Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr did not leave the field, 00:06:14.180 --> 00:06:17.180 but stood calling out in defiance: 00:06:17.180 --> 00:06:20.180 "Bring me another duelist!" 00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:23.180 Two decorated horsemen, champions of the Persians, came out to face him 00:06:23.180 --> 00:06:26.180 at the same time. 00:06:26.180 --> 00:06:29.180 He and al-Harith ibn Dhubyan met them, 00:06:29.180 --> 00:06:32.180 and made them drink from the same cup that Dhu al-Hajib had drunk from, 00:06:32.180 --> 00:06:35.180 in a matter of moments. 00:06:35.180 --> 00:06:38.180 Then al-Qa'qa' called out: 00:06:38.180 --> 00:06:41.180 "O company of Muslims, 00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:44.180 engage your enemies with your swords! 00:06:44.180 --> 00:06:47.180 Fall upon the enemies of Allah and your enemies with your spears! 00:06:47.180 --> 00:06:50.180 And when you close in on them, 00:06:50.180 --> 00:06:53.180 engage them with your swords, 00:06:53.180 --> 00:06:56.180 for souls are harvested by sharp blades." 00:06:56.180 --> 00:06:59.180 The Muslims leaped upon their enemy 00:06:59.180 --> 00:07:02.180 like lions, 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:05.180 and began to call out: 00:07:05.180 --> 00:07:08.339 "Vengeance for yesterday!" 00:07:08.339 --> 00:07:11.339 The Persians did not bring their elephants into the battle that day, 00:07:11.339 --> 00:07:14.339 because the Muslims had, the day before, 00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:17.339 cut their girths 00:07:17.339 --> 00:07:20.339 and smashed the howdahs in which the elephant riders sat 00:07:20.339 --> 00:07:23.339 on their backs. 00:07:23.339 --> 00:07:26.339 The "girths" are the ropes that tie the howdahs onto the elephant, 00:07:26.339 --> 00:07:29.529 in which the riders sit. 00:07:29.529 --> 00:07:32.529 The hand of the night was not able to repair 00:07:32.529 --> 00:07:35.620 what the hand of the day had destroyed. 00:07:35.620 --> 00:07:38.620 So al-Qa'qa' ordered groups of his cousins 00:07:38.620 --> 00:07:41.620 to bring dozens of large camels, 00:07:41.620 --> 00:07:44.620 to drape them in black cloths, 00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:47.620 meaning to cover them with black garments, 00:07:47.620 --> 00:07:50.620 and to mask them with colorful veils, 00:07:50.620 --> 00:07:53.620 and to mount them, 00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:56.660 and to attack the Persian horses with them. 00:07:56.660 --> 00:07:59.660 No sooner did the horses see them approaching than they shied away, 00:07:59.660 --> 00:08:02.660 just as the Muslim horses had shied away from the elephants, 00:08:02.660 --> 00:08:05.660 and they became stubborn in their places, 00:08:05.660 --> 00:08:08.660 meaning they stood still and would not take a step forward, 00:08:08.660 --> 00:08:11.660 nor backward. 00:08:11.660 --> 00:08:14.660 Then they soon turned on their heels, 00:08:14.660 --> 00:08:17.660 fleeing with their riders in retreat. 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:20.660 The Muslims then mounted the backs of the fleeing horsemen, 00:08:20.660 --> 00:08:23.660 and set their swords and spears upon their necks. 00:08:24.750 --> 00:08:27.750 The sun of the second day of al-Qadisiyyah did not set 00:08:27.750 --> 00:08:30.750 until al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr 00:08:30.750 --> 00:08:33.750 had led thirty charges against the Persians, 00:08:33.750 --> 00:08:36.750 and had personally slain thirty of their chieftains. 00:08:36.750 --> 00:08:39.779 When the fighting ceased, 00:08:39.779 --> 00:08:42.779 the Muslims were shouting and cheering: 00:08:42.779 --> 00:08:45.779 "A day for a day!" 00:08:45.779 --> 00:08:48.779 “Those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah - For had it not been for Allah's repelling some men by means of others, cloisters and churches and oratories and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft mentioned, would assuredly have been pulled down. Verily Allah helpeth one who helpeth Him. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty -” (22:40) 00:08:48.779 --> 00:08:51.909 Indeed, Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty. 00:08:51.909 --> 00:08:54.909 That was the trial of al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr 00:08:54.909 --> 00:08:57.909 on the second day of al-Qadisiyyah. 00:08:57.909 --> 00:09:00.909 As for his trial on the third and fourth days, 00:09:00.909 --> 00:09:03.909 you shall hear of it, by the permission of Allah. 00:09:03.909 --> 00:09:11.070 "The voice of al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr 00:09:11.070 --> 00:09:14.070 in the army is better than a thousand horsemen." 00:09:14.070 --> 00:09:17.259 Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, 00:09:26.259 --> 00:09:29.259 in praising them, are they not adorned?