'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' "By the help of Allah" means that there is no repelling of His command. For the people of the Book in general, He helped them against the polytheists in the Battle of Badr, which is the specific intended meaning. He also helped the Romans against the Persians to fulfill Allah's promise. He aided those who will become from the people of the final Book, from the polytheists of the Arabs, against the Persians in the Battle of Dhul Qaar. The joy of the victory that should be attributed to Allah, glorified and exalted is He, is the victory of the people of the correct religion in essence, condition, and wealth. The discourse is directed in this manner, which encompasses the three aspects of the wonders of the miraculous nature of the Qur'an. The reason for the occurrence of the Battle of Dhul Qaar was that Abrawiz, who defeated the Romans and was then defeated by them, had become angry with al-Nu'man ibn al-Mundhir, the king of the Arabs. So this al-Nu'man was approached by Hani ibn Mas'ud ibn 'Amir al-Shaybani. He entrusted him with his wealth, family, and children, and a thousand shields, or four thousand shields - and the shield (p-33) is with the broken 'ayn and the emphasis on the kaf: all weapons. He placed valuables with the tribes of the Arabs and then fled to Tayy, for his in-laws among them. He had with him Far'ah, the daughter of Sa'id ibn Harithah ibn La'm, and Zaynab, the daughter of Aws ibn Harithah ibn La'm. They refused to let him enter their protection, and the sons of Rawahah ibn Rabi'ah ibn Abs came to him and said: 'You have chosen the curse! Stay with us, for we will protect you from what we protect ourselves from.' He said: 'I do not wish for you to perish because of me, so may you be rewarded with good.' Then he left until he placed his hand in the hand of Khosrow, and he was imprisoned in a palace. Ibn Miskawayh said: 'In a place of confinement.' He remained in prison until the plague occurred and he died in it. It was said: 'And the people think that he died in the palace, but the truth is what we have narrated.'

When al-Nu'man died, Bakr ibn Wa'il began to raid in the blackness. This angered Khosrow. Then he sent to Hani ibn Mas'ud saying to him: "Indeed, al-Nu'man was my governor, and he entrusted you with his wealth, his family, and his circle. So send them to me and do not burden me to send to you and your people with troops, so that the fighters are killed and the children are taken captive." Hani replied to him that what has reached you is false, and I have nothing. If the matter is as it has been said, then I am one of two men: either a man who has been entrusted with a trust, and he is right to return it to the one who entrusted it, and the free man will not hand over his trust, or a man who is falsely accused, and it is not appropriate for the king to take him based on the words of an enemy or a jealous one. The Persians had strength and forbearance. They had heard of some of the forbearance of the Arabs, and that kingship is present among them. When a letter from Hani reached him with this, compassion moved him to think that this matter had come close to him, so he set out until he crossed the Euphrates and descended at the Ghamr of Banu Muqatil. He was angered by what Bakr ibn Wa'il had done in the blackness and by Hani's refusal to him. Khosrow called for Iyad ibn Qabisa al-Ta'i, who was his governor over Ain al-Tamr and its surroundings. He consulted him about the raid on Bakr ibn Wa'il. Iyad said to him: "The king should not be disobeyed by any of his subjects. If you obey me, no one will know for what reason you crossed and cut the Euphrates, and they will see that the matter of the Arabs has troubled you. But rather, you should return and avoid them and send spies upon them until you see from them a lapse, then you can send at that time a battalion of Persians with some of the tribes that follow them, and they will strike them with a blow of fate, and they will come to you with your request." Khosrow said to him: "You are a man from the Arabs, and Bakr ibn Wa'il are your maternal uncles, so you will be biased towards them and spare no advice to them." Iyad said: "The king has the better opinion." Umar ibn Adi ibn Zayd al-Abbadi, who was his scribe and translator in matters of the Arabs, said: "Stand up, O king, and send to them with troops that will suffice you!" Al-Nu'man ibn Zar'ah from the descendants of al-Saffah al-Thalabi stood up and said to him: "O king! This tribe from Bakr ibn Wa'il, when they are gathered, they rush to a water of theirs called Dhul-Qar, rushing like moths into the fire." Khosrow appointed al-Nu'man ibn Zar'ah over Taghlib and al-Namir, and appointed Khalid ibn Yazid al-Bahrani over Qudaa and Iyad, and appointed Iyad ibn Qabisa over all the Arabs, and with him were his two battalions, al-Shahba and al-Dawsar. The Arabs were three thousand, and he appointed al-Hamurzi over a thousand of the Asawirah, and appointed Khayrazin over a thousand. He sent with them the Latimah, which was a caravan that used to come out of Iraq containing coffee, perfume, and delicacies, to deliver that to Badhan, the governor of Khosrow over Yemen. He said: "When you finish with your enemy, proceed with it to Yemen." He commanded Amr ibn Adi to take it. The Arabs used to belittle them until the Latimah reached Yemen. Khosrow commanded them that when they approached the lands of Bakr ibn Wa'il, they should send to him al-Nu'man ibn Zar'ah. If they bring you the circle and a hundred boys from them to be held as a pledge for what their foolish ones have done, then accept from them; otherwise, fight them.

So when the news reached Bakr ibn Wa'il, Hani' ibn Mas'ud traveled until he arrived at Dhul-Qar. Al-Nu'man ibn Zar'ah came until he settled with his nephew Murrah ibn Abdullah al-Ijli. He praised Allah and extolled Him, then said: "Indeed, you are my maternal uncles and one of my sides. The scout does not lie to his people. What has come to you is beyond your capacity from the free men of Persia and the knights of the Arabs and the two battalions [the Shuhba and the Dawsar]. And indeed, evil is a choice. It is better for some of you to ransom one another than for you to be destroyed. Look at this group and push it away and send with it a pledge from your children to him for what your foolish ones have caused." The people said to him: "We will consider our affairs," and they sent to those who were near them from Bakr ibn Wa'il and they emerged in the plain of Dhul-Qar between the two Jahlat. And the Jahla of the valley is its front, like the Jahla of the head when its hair is gone. Bakr ibn Wa'il, when they sent to those around them from the tribes of Bakr, did not raise a group for them except that they said: "Our chief is in this group," until a group was raised for them in which was Hanzalah ibn Tha'labah ibn Sinan al-Ijli. They said: "O Abu Ma'dan! Indeed, our waiting has been long and we dislike to decide a matter without you. This is your nephew Al-Nu'man ibn Zar'ah who has come, and the scout does not lie to his people." He said: "What is it that your opinion has agreed upon?" They said: "We said that the beard is easier than the revelation, and indeed, in evil there is a choice. It is better for us to ransom one another than for us all to be destroyed." Hanzalah said: "May Allah disgrace this opinion. The free men of Persia do not spin their thread in the plain of Dhul-Qar while I hear a voice." Then he ordered his tent to be pitched in the valley of Dhul-Qar and the people descended and surrounded him. Then he said to Hani' ibn Mas'ud: "O Abu Umamah! Indeed, your obligation is our obligation in general, and it will not reach you until our souls perish. So bring out this group and distribute it among your people. If you succeed, it will be returned to you, and if you perish, then the loss is less significant." He ordered for it to be brought out and it was distributed among them. Then Hanzalah said to Al-Nu'man: "If it were not that you are a messenger, you would not return to your people safely." Al-Nu'man returned to his companions and informed them, and they spent their night preparing for battle. Bakr ibn Wa'il spent their night preparing for war. When they awoke, the Persians approached them, and Hanzalah ordered all the women to be placed behind the people. Then he said: "O gathering of the sons of Bakr ibn Wa'il! Fight for your women or retreat." The Persians approached, moving towards a gathering. On that day, Rabiah ibn Ghazalah al-Sakuti and then al-Tajibi were encamped among the Banu Shayban. He said: "O Banu Shayban! If I were one of you, I would advise you with an opinion like that of Urwah al-Alam." They said: "And you, by Allah, are among our middle ones, advise us." He said: "Do not target these Persians, lest they destroy you with their arrows. Rather, gather together against them so that a group can attack them. When they approach you, let the other group strike." They said: "Indeed, you have seen an opinion," and they acted upon it. When the two armies met and the people drew near, Hanzalah ibn Tha'labah stood and said: "O gathering of Bakr ibn Wa'il! Indeed, the arrows that are with the Persians know you. When they shoot them, they will not miss you. So hasten to meet them and initiate the encounter." Then Hani' ibn Mas'ud stood and said: "O people! A doomed one excused is better than a refuge that is sought. Indeed, caution does not avert destiny, and patience is among the causes of victory. Death is better than disgrace, and facing death is better than turning away from it. O people! Strive, for there is no escape for the people. Victory is certain if there were men who strive. I hear a voice and do not see an escape. O Bakr! Prepare and get ready, for if you do not prepare, you will be repelled." Then Sharik ibn Amr ibn Sharahil stood and said: "O people! You only fear them because you see them at the defenses more than you. Likewise, you are in their eyes, so be patient, for the spears will bring down the reins. O Bakr! Forward, forward!" Then Amr ibn Jabalah al-Yashkuri stood and said:

O my people, do not let this rag deceive you, nor the glimmer of the eggs in a blazing sun. Whoever among you does not fight this neck, then keep him away from the meat and give him the broth. Then Hanzalah ibn Thalabah stood up to the udder of his wife and cut it off. Then he followed the women with the herd, so that the men would not flee from them. The udder is the belly of the she-camel, and that day was called the day of the udder's cutting. Ibn Miskawayh said: When the udder was cut, the women fell to the ground. And the daughter of Al-Qareen Al-Shaybaniyah called out: 'Woe to you, O Banu Shayban, line up after line! If you are defeated, they will dye our necks.' Seven hundred of Banu Shayban cut off their hands from the sides to lighten their hands for striking. And the 'Ajl advanced and showed good valor that day. The armies of the Persians surrounded them, and the people said: 'Ajl is doomed.' Then Bakr carried on and found 'Ajl steadfast in fighting, and a woman among them said: 'If they prevail, they will secure for us the spoils. I sacrifice myself for you, I sacrifice myself for Banu 'Ajl.' And she also said: 'If you advance, we will embrace, and we will spread out the cushions. Or if you flee, we will part, a parting that is not gentle.'

So the Banu 'Ajlan were on the right side opposite Khayrazin, and the Banu Shayban were on the left side opposite the battalion of al-Hamruz. The clans of Bakr ibn Wa'il were in the center. Then came a man from the Persians, adorned with two pearls in his ears, from the battalion of al-Hamruz, challenging the people to a duel. He called out to the Banu Shayban, but no one accepted his challenge until one from Banu Yashkur approached him. It was Bard ibn Harithah, the brother of Banu Thalabah, who charged at him with a spear and stabbed him, breaking his back, and took his adornments and weapons. Ibn Miskawayh said: Al-Hamruz called out when he saw the determination of the people and their steadfastness for battle and their patience for death, saying: What does Bard ibn Harithah the Yashkuri say? It was said: He calls for a duel! He says: One man against another! Bard replied: By your father, he has done justice. Then he faced him, and it was not long before Bard managed to kill al-Hamruz. Ibn Makram, in his summary of the songs, said: Then they fought fiercely throughout the day until the sun set. Al-Hawqaran, whose name was Harith ibn Shariq, charged at al-Hamruz and killed him, and the Banu 'Ajlan killed Khayrazin. Allah struck the faces of the Persians, and they were defeated. Banu Bakr ibn Wa'il pursued them, killing them for the remainder of the day until they reached the evening and entered the darkness, and none of them remained alive. Banu Bakr ibn Wa'il then approached the spoils and divided them among themselves, and they distributed those captives among their women. The first to return to Kisra with news of the defeat was Iyās ibn Qabīṣah. He would not allow anyone to come to him with news of an army's defeat without taking off his shoulders. When Iyās came to him, he asked him about the news, and he said: We have defeated Banu Bakr ibn Wa'il, and we have brought you their women. This pleased Kisra, and he ordered him to be clothed. Then Iyās sought his permission at that time, saying: My brother is ill with the eye of tamarind, and I wanted to go to him. He only intended to distance himself from him, so he was granted permission. Then a man from the people of al-Hirah came and asked: Has anyone entered upon the king? They said: Yes! Iyās. He said: May his mother mourn Iyās! He thought that he had informed him of the news. He entered upon him and informed him of the defeat of the people and their killing, and he ordered for him to be taken away, and his shoulders were removed. The battle of Dhī Qār occurred months after the battle of Badr, while the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, was in Medina. When this reached him, he said: 'This is the first day on which the Arabs have triumphed over the Persians, and by me they were granted victory.'

Al-Tabarani narrated that in the Great Dictionary, it was said that the incident was represented to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, while he was in Medina. He raised his hand and prayed for the Banu Shayban or for the group of Rabiah for victory. He continued to pray for them until he was shown the defeat of the Persians. It was narrated that he, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "O Banu Rabiah, O Allah, grant them victory." To this day, when they go to war, they call upon the banner of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and his supplication. Their caller says: O Messenger of Allah! Your supplication, and when they call upon that, they are granted victory. Al-Tabarani narrated in the Great Dictionary - Al-Haythami said: Its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih except for Khalad ibn Isa, who is trustworthy - from Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-As, from his father, from his grandfather, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "Bakar ibn Wa'il came to Mecca, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him: 'Go to them and present Islam to them!' So he went to them and said: Who are the people? [Then he returned to them a second time and said: Who are the people?] They said: The sons of Dhuhl ibn Shayban. He presented Islam to them, and they said: Until our elder so-and-so comes - Khalad said: I think he said: Al-Muthanna ibn Haritha - When their elder came, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, presented Islam to them. He said: There is a war between us and the Persians, and when we are done with what is between us and them, we will return and see. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him: If you defeat them, will you follow us in our matter? He said: We do not impose this on you, but when we are done with what is between us and them, we will return and consider what we say. When they met on the day of Dhi Qar, they and the Persians, their elder said: What is the name of the man who called you to Allah? They said: Muhammad. He said: Then he is your banner! So they were granted victory over the people. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: 'By me they were granted victory.'

It has ended. Among the poetry regarding the Battle of Dhi Qar is the saying of Abu Kalbah al-Tamimi:

If it were not for the knights, there would be no inclination or retreat From the defeated, you would not have prevailed at Dhi Qar.

Indeed, the knights of 'Ajil are proud To leave Kisra's courtyard.

Dhuhl ibn Shayban has excelled, and they did not match On the day of Dhi Qar, the knights of Ibn Sayyar.

They are the ones who approached them from their flanks As the warlike ones donned their armor.

And Al-A'sha said:

I would sacrifice for the sons of Dhuhl ibn Shayban my she-camel And her companion on the day of the encounter and fled.

They struck with the lances, the lances of Qarqar The forefront of the Hamrz until it retreated.

And when he informed of the victory of the Romans after the victory over them, along with what fell under the meaning of the verse, it was said: Why did the victory of the People of the Book not last? He attributed all of that to his saying: "He grants victory to whom He wills" from the weak and the strong, for there is no one to prevent Him, nor is He questioned about what He does, "and He is the Mighty". So no one is honored who opposes, nor is anyone humiliated who supports. And when this context is for the glad tidings of the believers, he said: "the Most Merciful" meaning He specifically grants His party what brings them closer to pure morals and pleasing deeds.