One Cathib, happening to be called
after his brother Sahal, and looking upon himself to be the better man,
resented it as a high affront, and roundly abused Kaled. The latter,
however, gave him very gentle and modest answers, to the great
satisfaction of all, especially of Abu Obeidah, who, after a short
contention, made them shake hands. Kaled, indeed, was admirable in this
respect, that he knew no less how to govern his passions than to command
the army; though, to most great generals, the latter frequently proves
the easier task of the two. In this hazardous enterprise his success was
beyond all expectation, for he threw Jabalah's Arabs into disorder and
killed a great many, losing very few of his own men on the field,
besides five prisoners, three of whom were Yezid Ebn Abu Sofian, Rafi
Ebn Omeira, and Derar Ebn Al Alzwar, all men of great note. Abu Obeidah
sent Abdallah Ebn Kort with an express to Omar, acquainting him with
their circumstances, begging his prayers and some fresh recruits of
Unitarians, a title they glory in, as reckoning themselves the only
asserters of the unity of the Deity. Omar and the whole court were
extremely surprised, but comforted themselves with the promises made to
them in the _Koran_, which seemed now to be all they had left to trust
to. To encourage the people, he went into the pulpit and showed them the
excellency of fighting for the cause of God, and afterward returned an
answer to Abu Obeidah, full of such spiritual consolation as the _Koran_
could afford. Omar commanded Abdallah, as soon as ever he came near the
camp and before he delivered the letter, to cry out, "Good news!" in
order to comfort the Mussulmans and ease them in some measure of the
perplexing apprehensions they labored under. As soon as he received this
letter and message, together with Omar's blessing, he prepared to set
out on his return to the army; but suddenly he remembered that he had
omitted to pay his respects at Mahomet's tomb, which it was very
uncertain whether he should ever see again. Upon this he hastened to
Ayesha's house (the place where Mahomet was buried), and found her
sitting by the tomb with Ali and Abbas, and Ali's two sons, Hasan and
Hosein, one sitting upon Ali's lap, the other upon Abbas'. Ali was
reading the chapter of beasts, being the sixth of the _Koran_, and Abbas
the chapter of Hud, which is the eleventh. Abdallah, having paid his
respects to Mahomet, Ali asked him whether he did not think of going? He
answered, "Yes," but he feared he should not get to the army before the
battle, which yet he greatly wished to do, if possible. "If you desired
a speedy journey," answered Ali, "why did not you ask Omar to pray for
you? Don't you know that the prayers of Omar will not be turned back?
Because the apostle of God said of him: 'If there were a prophet to be
expected after me, it would be Omar, whose judgment agrees with the book
of God.' The prophet said of him besides, 'If an [universal] calamity
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