Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/133

 104 As the Persians began to cross, the advanced guard of the Arabs fell back upon Ḳodeis, beneath which the main body was drawn up. On its ramparts, Saʿd, disabled by blains and boils, lay stretched upon a litter; from whence casting down his orders inscribed on scraps of paper, he guided thus the movements of the day. The troops, unused to see their leader in a place of safety, murmured; and verses lampooning him passed round the camp. That he, the archer of renown, the "first to shed blood in Islām," should be thus aspersed was insupportable, and Saʿd had the ringleaders imprisoned in the fortress. He then descended, and discovered to the troops the grievous malady which rendered it impossible for him even to sit upright, much less to mount his horse. They accepted his excuse; for no man could doubt his bravery; but still a certain feeling of discontent survived. Resuming his couch, he harangued the army from the battlements, and then sent his Generals, with the Orators and Poets of the force, along the ranks with stirring words to rouse their martial zeal.

At the head of every column was recited the revelation of the thousand angels fighting on the Prophet's side, together with such texts as these:—''Stir up the Faithful unto battle. If there be twenty stedfast among you, they shall put to flight two hundred, and a hundred shall put to flight a thousand. The Lord will cast terror into the hearts of the Infidels. Beware that ye turn not your back tn battle; verily he that turneth his back shall draw down upon him the wrath of God. His abode shall be Hell-fire''. The mention of "The day of Decision" at Bedr, with the Divine command to fight, never failed to fire the souls of the Muslim host; and here we are told, that upon its recital "the heart of the people was refreshed, and their eyes lightened, and they realised the Divine peace that followeth thereupon."

The word passed round that, till midday prayer, no one should stir. The Commander-in-chief would give the first signal by the Tekbīr, or war-cry, God its most great! and the host would