EL DEBER DE ASISTENCIA

When they went behind the city walls, we stopped chasing them to assess the army's condition. Finding men to be missing, we found their bodies lying in the battlefield. 320 men, mostly from Bujaylah and Hamdan were martyred. Amongst the chiefs Badr bin Hamlah (ally of Thafiq), 'Ali bin Rifa'ah, Mazin bin 'Awf, Sahl bin Nashi], Jabir bin Murarah, Rabi' bin Hamid and 'Abbad bin Bishr were martyred. Booty was gathered. Khalid ~ led the Salatul Janazah and ordered the martyrs to be buried.

One night later' Abdurahrnan and Ma'mar bin Rashid and 100 youths were patrolling the camp when suddenly the horses raised their forelegs and neighed. The Muslims became alert and began investigating until they spotted a cloaked figure. When 'Abdurahman ~ wanted to seize him, he shouted, "Wait! I am the governor of Busra, So he arrested him and took him to Khalid ~ who recognised him and laughed.

Romanus : 0 Commander, my people have reviled me and ordered me to remain at home or else they will kill me. I stayed at home, but because my house is joined to the city wall, I managed to escape under cover of darkness and come to you. I wish that you send some youths with me to capture the city.

Khalid ~ prostrated out of thanks and ordered 'Abdurahman ~ to take 100 men and go with Romanus.

I

!!irar bin al-Azwar .• narrates:

I was amongst those who entered the city with Romanus. When we reached his house, he opened the storeroom, distributed weapons and said, "Wear Roman clothes." We dressed in Roman garb and split into four groups of twenty-five horsemen each in every direction of the city. 'Abdurahman ~ said, "When you hear us saying, 'Allahu Akbar' then you too call out 'Allahu Akbar' immediately."

We arrived in our appointed place and awaited the attack.

Reliable narrators state that after' Abdurahman ~ appointed their places and he and Romanus donned their armour, Romanus offered him a sword which he accepted. Romanus then took him by the hand to the tower where Darian and his companions stayed. When they approached, the courtiers and guards bunched together. Darian asked, "Who are you people?"

Romanus : I am Lord Romanus.

Darian : Why have your unlucky feet come here and who is that person with you?

Darian wanted to attack but instantly lost heart so 'Abdurahman ~ unsheathed his sword and struck him violently on the shoulder so that he fell. He then led Romanus in proclaiming, "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!"

Futuhushdm

Romanus : This is my friend who wishes to meet you. Darian : You wretch! Who is he?

Romanus : This is 'Abdurahman, the son of the Khalifah of Rasulullah

It.,

who has come to despatch your soul to the dungeons of Hell!

The Muslims heard the raised cries of "Allahu Akbar!" in the four comers of Busra; the sound which the stones, mountains, trees, birds and Allah- fearing people made into their melody. All pious people began expressing thanks.

When the Mujahidin started proclaiming, "Allahu Akbar!" their swords began drinking Roman blood. Khalid ~ and his men responded by entering the city with shouts. When the Romans saw their city being invaded they shouted out sounds of grief. Women and children cried while youths shouted something in their language. Khalid ~ asked Romanus to translate. He said that they were begging for safety, so Khalid ~ ordered all swords to be immediately sheathed and they obeyed.

In the morning, the people all gathered around Khalid ~ and said, "If only we had made peace then this would not have befallen us."

Khdlid ~ : Whatever the Eternal Distributor distributes must be received and what Fate is written must come to pass.

Romans: Who guided you in invading our city?

Khalid ~ felt embarrassed to mention Romanus, so Romanus himself got up and said, "0 enemies of Allah and His Messenger, I am the person who performed that deed for Allah's pleasure as Jihad in His Path."

Romans : Have you left our religion?

Romanus : By Allah! I deny the Cross and those who worship it. Do not associate me with it. I am pleased to accept Allah as my Rabb, Islam as my Din, Muhammad

It.

as Prophet and Messenger, the Ka 'bah as my direction of prayer, the Quran as Guide and the Muslims as brothers.

The Christians were furious and tried to discredit him. He sensed this and so said to Khalid ~, "I do not intend staying here, but will go with you until Allah grants you

the conquest of all Syria. Then I will return, for everyone is naturally inclined to his homeland. "

Ma'mar bin Salim narrates from his grandfather, Lujayjah bin Mafra!!:

Romanus was with us in every battle. He fought severely against our enemies and was earnest in the Path of Allah until Allah granted the conquest of all Syria. Then on AbU 'Ubaydah's • request, the Khalifah 'Urnar

ss

appointed him as governor of Busra, He governed for a short while and then went to his Eternal Abode leaving behind a son who kept his memory fresh.

13) Story of Romanus's wife

After the conquest, Khalid • appointed some men to help gather Romanus's belongings. Upon reaching his home, they found him arguing with his wife who was demanding a divorce. He said, "What do you want?" She replied, "The leader of your army will make the decision." So they took her to Khalid • to whom she started complaining. A Roman who knew 'Arabic translated for them and said that she was laying a complaint against Romanus. When Khalid ~ asked the cause, she replied, "I dreamt last night that an extremely handsome man whose face shone like the full moon came and said, 'The 'Arabs will conquer this and all of Syria and 'Iraq.' I said, 'Who are you?' He replied, 'Muhammad Rasulullah.' He then offered me Islam which I accepted and then taught me two chapters of the Quran."

Everyone was amazed and Khalid ~ told the translator that she must recite those chapters. So she recited Surahs al-Fatihah and al-Ikhlas and renewed her declaration of Islam to Khalid ~. She said to Romanus, "Become Muslim or divorce me."

Khalid • laughed and said, "Pure is He Who guided her."

Then he said to the translator, "Tell her that her husband embraced Islam before her."

This gladdened her.

Khalid • then imposed an amount of tax on the people of Busra that was agreeable to them and after consulting them, appointed a governor oftheir choice to whom they could refer all their needs. He then wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah • to inform him of the victory and stated, "I am marching to Damascus. Meet me there."

He then wrote to AbU Bakr .:

.---

Futuhushdm

As you commanded,

I left for Syria where Allah granted me

victory over Palmyra, Arakah, Hawrdn, Sakhnah and Busrd. At

In document EL LIBERALISMO POLÍTICO DE JOHN RAWLS (página 63-71)