Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/111



the morrow after Abu Bekr's death, ʿOmar ascended the pulpit, and addressed the people assembled in the Mosque. "The Arabs," he said, "are like a rebellious camel, and it pertaineth to the driver which way to lead it. By the Lord of the Kaʿba!—even thus will I guide you in the way that ye should go."

The first act of the new Caliph was, in fulfilment of Abu Bekr's dying behest, to raise a fresh levy for Al-Muthanna. A standard was accordingly planted in the Court of the Mosque, and urgent proclamation made for soldiers to rally round it. Then followed the oath of fealty to ʿOmar, taken by all who were in and around the City. Meanwhile, so great a fear of Persian prowess had fallen on the people, that none responded to the call. Seeing this, Al-Muthanna, who was still at Medīna, harangued them in a stirring speech. He told them of his victories, the endless plunder, the fair captives, and the fruitful fields of which they had already spoiled the enemy; "and the Lord," he added, "waiteth but to give the rest into your hands." Inflamed by his discourse, and stung by reproaches from ʿOmar, men began at last to offer. The first to come forward was Abu ʿObeid, a citizen of Aṭ-Ṭāif; then, following him, numbers crowded to the standard. When a thousand were thus gathered, they said to ʿOmar: "Now choose thee, either from Ḳoreish or from the men of Medīna, one of the chiefest to be our commander." "That I will not," replied the Caliph; "wherein lies the glory of a Companion but in this, that 82