Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/65

 38 The routed enemy fled for refuge to a stronghold, which Al-Muhājir immediately invested. ʿIkrima soon came up with the main body, and there were now troops enough both to besiege the city and ravage the country around. Stung at witnessing the ruin of their kindred, and preferring death to dishonour, the garrison sallied forth and fought the Muslims in the plain. After a desperate struggle, in which the approaches were filled with bodies of the dead, they were driven back. Meanwhile, Abu Bekr, apprised of their obstinate resistance, sent orders to make an example of the rebels and give no quarter. The wretched garrison, with the enemy daily increasing and no prospect of relief, were now bereft of hope. Seeing the position desperate, the wily Al-Ashʿath made his way to ʿIkrima, and treacherously agreed to deliver up the fortress if nine lives were guaranteed. The Muslims entered, slew the fighting men, and took the women captive. When Al-Ashʿath presented the list of nine to be spared—"Thy name is not here!" cried Al-Muhājir, exultingly; for the craven traitor had forgotten in the excitement of the moment to enter his own name;—"The Lord be praised, who hath condemned thee out of thine own mouth." So, having cast him into chains, he was about to order his execution when ʿIkrima interposed and induced him, much against his will, to refer the case to Abu Bekr. The crowd of captive women, mourning the massacre of their sons and husbands, loaded the recreant as he passed by with bitter imprecation. Arrived at Medīna, the Caliph abused him as a pusillanimous wretch who had neither the power to lead, nor yet the courage to defend, his people, and threatened him with death. But at last, moved by his appeal to the terms agreed upon by ʿIkrima, and by protestation that he would thenceforth fight bravely for the Faith, Abu Bekr not only forgave him but allowed him to fulfil the marriage contract with his sister. Al-Ashʿath remained for a while in idleness at Medīna, and the Caliph would say that one of the few things he repented of, was having weakly spared the rebel's life. But afterwards Al-Ashʿath went forth to the wars, and as we shall see, effectually redeemed his name.

Thus, in this the last province of the Peninsula, rebellion was finally crushed and the reign of Islām completely re-