She said: Then al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām declared, “I will.”

She said: He was one of the youngest of the group.

She said: We blew air into a waterskin, he fastened it to his chest, and on it he swam until he reached the bank of the Nile where the two forces were to meet; from there he went on until he stood among them.

She said: All the while we were calling upon Allah to grant the Negus victory over his foe and to confirm his authority in his land.

She said: By Allah, while we were still waiting to see what would unfold, al-Zubayr suddenly appeared, running toward us, waving his cloak and shouting, “Rejoice! The Negus has triumphed, and Allah has destroyed his enemy!”

By Allah, I do not know that we ever felt a joy like that before.

She said: The Negus returned, Allah having destroyed his adversary, strengthened his rule in his realm, and secured for him the affairs of Abyssinia. We remained with him in the best of conditions until we were able to join the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him.

Abu Dawud has also transmitted the main details of this account in his Sunan on the authority of Abu Musa.