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For some time the devastation
of the camp proceeded at a horrible pace as the infidels snatched
what they could carry and smashed what they could not. They cut
the tents to shreds. Then, as quickly as it had started, the looting
stopped. The apostates hastened back to the plain of Aqraba, for
in the south they could see the Muslim army, formed in perfect order
with solid ranks, advancing again.
Amazingly, as they stopped to regain their
breath and think about what had happened, there was no fear in the
hearts of the Muslims. There was only anger at their own disorganisation
and the consequent retreat. Just how had this happened? How could
it have happened? They had certainly inflicted greater losses on
the enemy than they themselves had suffered.
Their courage remained steadfast, but they
also felt baffled. Their frustrated anger found an outlet in mutual
tribal recrimination-tribe against tribe, clan against clan, city
against desert. They blamed each other for the debacle. "We
know more about war than you", said the city dwellers.
"No", replied the desert Arabs, "we know
more." A clamour went up: "Let us separate into
our tribal groups. Then we shall see who vindicates his honour."
1
Khalid could see what had gone wrong. The
apostate front had not given way under the terrible onslaught of
the Muslims, as all fronts had done before this. What is more, the
apostates had counter-attacked while the Muslims were somewhat disorganised.
The Muslims had lost their balance and under the pressure of the
counter-attack were unable to regain it. There had been no lack
of bravery.
Khalid saw that forming regiments out of
mixed tribal contingents had been a mistake, for the clan feeling
was still very strong among the Arabs. It added another pillar of
strength to the Islamic zeal and the individual courage and skill
which distinguished the Muslim army. In face of the three-to-one
superiority of the enemy and the blind, fanatical determination
of Musailima's followers, the absence of tribal loyalty had resulted
in a weakening of cohesion in the Muslim regiments.
Khalid corrected this mistake and regrouped
the army. He deployed it in the same battle formation with the same
commanders, but the soldiers were now formed into clan and tribal
units. Thus every man would fight not only for Islam but also for
the honour of his clan. There would be healthy rivalry among the
clans.
Once the reorganisation was complete, Khalid
and his senior commanders went about the regiments. They spoke to
the men and strengthened their resolve to punish Musailima for the
disgrace that they had suffered. The men swore that if necessary
they would fight with their teeth.
Khalid also picked a handful of warriors
and formed them into a personal bodyguard. It was his intention
to set an example for his men by throwing himself into the thick
of the fighting. This bodyguard would prove useful. "Stay
close behind me", he told these men.
Thus reorganised and reformed into orderly
ranks, the Muslims once again advanced to the plain of Aqraba. They
returned to battle not like lions, but like hungry lions!
Meanwhile Musailima the Liar had redeployed
his army in the same battle formation as before. He awaited the
second strike of the Sword of Allah, confident that he would once
again send the Muslims reeling from the battlefield.
On the orders of Khalid, the Muslim army
again swept forward with cries of Allah-o-Akbar and the war
cry of this battle: "Ya Muhammad!"2
The smaller army again engaged the superior massed forces of the
apostates. The wings clashed with the wings and the centre with
the centre. The commander of the Muslim right, Zaid, confronted
Rajjal the renegade who commanded the infidel left. Wishing to save
the renegade from the fire of hell, Zaid called, "O Rajjal!
You left the true faith. Return to it. That would be more noble
and virtuous." 3 The renegade refused,
and in the fierce duel that followed Zaid despatched Rajjal to the
Fire.
1. Tabari: Vol. 2, p. 513.
2. This is a misunderstanding. The actual
slogan, as recorded by Ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, Vol.
6 P. 397, was 'Ya Muhammadah! (O for Muhammad!)', rather
than 'Ya Muhammad! (O Muhammad!)'; this is like the cry 'Ya
Islamah! (O for Islam!)'. The Ya here is for exclamation,
not for prayer, as in the Prophet's statement (SAWS), 'Ya tuba
lil-Sham! (O joy for Syria!)', and this is further confirmed
by the suffix "ah". The Companions understood Islam
far too well to pray to the Prophet (SAWS)!
3. Tabari: Vol. 2, p. 511.
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