conclude a peace treaty with the Byzantines; they therefore opened for him the Jābiya Gate under the terms of peace, while Khālid had already taken the city by force through the Eastern Gate. Nevertheless, Abu ʿUbaydah ratified the treaty for them.

Al-Mughīra reports that Abu ʿUbaydah stipulated the surrender of one half of their churches and dwellings. Later, on the day of the Battle of Yarmūk, Abu ʿUbaydah was the leading figure of Islam. In that battle Allah eradicated the Byzantine armies, and an enormous number of them were killed.

Ibn al-Mubārak narrates in his work al-Zuhd: “ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Bahrām informed us, from Shahr ibn Ḥawshab, who said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ghanm related to me, from the report of al-Ḥārith ibn ʿUmayra, who said:

‘Muʿādh ibn Jabal took me by the hand and sent me to Abu ʿUbaydah to ask, ‘How is he, now that the plague has struck us?’ Abu ʿUbaydah showed him a wound that had appeared in the palm of his hand. Its sight weighed heavily on al-Ḥārith and alarmed him. But Abu ʿUbaydah swore by Allah that he would not wish to exchange that spot for a herd of red camels.’ (1)

Al-Aswad relates from ʿUrwah that, while the plague of ʿAmmwās was raging, Abu ʿUbaydah and his household had remained unharmed. He therefore supplicated, ‘O Allah, allot to the family of Abu ʿUbaydah their share!’ He continued: ‘I then went out with Abu ʿUbaydah, and a small pustule had appeared on his little finger. He kept looking at it, and someone said, “It is nothing.” He replied, “I hope Allah will bless it, for when He blesses a little, it becomes much.”’ (2)

Al-Walīd ibn Muslim said: ‘Abu Bakr ibn Abī Maryam related to me, from Ṣāliḥ ibn Abī al-Mukhāriq, who said: Abu ʿUbaydah set out from Jābiya to Jerusalem in order to perform the prayer…’