Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/291

 262 danger, and both sides again fought on equal terms. Feats of desperate bravery were displayed by both armies, and heavy was the carnage. On ʿAlī's side fell Hāshim, the hero of Al-Ḳādisīya. Of even greater moment was the death of ʿAmmār, now over ninety years, and one of the leading regicides. As he saw Hāshim fall, he exclaimed, "Paradise! how close thou art beneath the arrow's barb and falchion’s flash! O Hāshim! even now I see heaven opened, and black-eyed maidens bridally attired, clasping thee in their embrace!" So, singing, and refreshing himself with his favourite draught of milk and water, the aged warrior, fired with the ardour of youth, rushed into the enemy's ranks and met the envied fate. Moḥammad had once been heard to say to him:—"By a godless and rebellious race, O ʿAmmār, thou shalt one day be slain": in other words, that ʿAmmār would be killed fighting on the side of right. Thus his death, as it were, condemned the ranks against whom he fought, and spread dismay in Muʿāwiya's host. But ʿAmr answered readily: "And who is it that hath killed ʿAmmār, but ʿAlī and the 'rebellious race' that have brought him hither?" The clever repartee ran through the Syrian host, and did much to efface the evil omen.

The fighting this day was in real earnest; darkness failed to separate the combatants; and like Al-Ḳādisīya, that night was called a second Night of Clangour. The morning broke on the two armies still in conflict. With emptied quivers they fought hand to hand. Al-Ashtar, the regicide, resolved on victory at whatever cost, continued to push the attack with unflinching bravery and persistence. Muʿāwiya, disheartened, began to speak of a judicial combat with a champion on either side. "Then go forth thyself, and challenge ʿAlī," said ʿAmr. "Not so," answered Muʿāwiya, "I will not do that, for ʿAlī ever slayeth his man, and then thou shouldest succeed me." ʿAmr, indeed, well knew that this was not Muʿāwiya's line, who himself, like his antagonist, was now of an unwieldy mien. It was no time for continuing grim pleasantry like this; and so ʿAmr bethought him of a stratagem. "Raise the leaves of the Ḳorʾān," he cried; "if any refuse to abide thereby, it will sow discord amongst them; if they accept the hallowed symbol it will be a reprieve from cruel slaughter." Muʿāwiya caught at the