and we saw them crossing from Bahurasir to al-Mada’in. The people said to Abu Mufazzir, “What did you say to them?”
He replied, “By Him who sent Muhammad with the truth, I do not know what I said to them. All I felt was a tranquility upon me, and I hope I was enabled to utter what was best.” People kept coming to him with the same question; among them was Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas.
Saʿd went to his house and said, “Abu Mufazzir, what did you say? By Allah, they are in full flight!” He swore that he did not know what he had said. Saʿd then called out to the army and advanced with them toward the town while the catapults were bombarding it. A man inside cried out for safe-conduct, and we granted it to him. He said, “By Allah, there is no one left in the town.” The troops scaled the wall and found no one inside; everyone had fled to al-Mada’in. This occurred in the month of Safar of that same year.
We asked that man and some of the captives why they had run away. They replied, “The king sent to offer you a truce, but that man answered that there would never be a truce between you and him until we eat the honey of Afridhin with the citrons of Kutha.”
The king exclaimed, “Woe to me! The angels are speaking on their tongues, replying to us on behalf of the Arabs!” He then ordered the people to leave for al-Mada’in, so they crossed in boats; the Tigris lies between the two places and is very close.
When the Muslims entered Bahurasir, the White Palace of al-Mada’in—the royal residence which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had foretold Allah would open to his community—came into view near dawn. The first Muslim to see it was Dirar ibn al-Khattab, who cried, “Allah is Most Great! The White Palace of Chosroes—this is what Allah and His Messenger promised us!” The people looked at it and continued proclaiming the takbir until daybreak.
Account of the conquest of al-Mada’in, the seat of Chosroes’ realm
When Saʿd captured Bahurasir and settled there, he found not a single person in it nor anything to be taken as booty: they had all moved en masse to al-Mada’in and boarded the ships, even taking the vessels with them, so that Saʿd, may Allah be pleased with him, found no boats at all. It was impossible to obtain any, the Tigris had risen greatly, its water had darkened, and foam was surging from the volume of water. Saʿd was informed that Yazdagird, the Chosroes, intended to move the wealth and furnishings from al-Mada’in to Hulwan and that if he was not caught within three days the chance would be lost.
Saʿd therefore addressed the Muslims on the bank of the Tigris. He praised Allah and said:
“Your enemy has taken refuge from you behind this river; you cannot reach them across it, whereas they can reach you whenever they wish (1) and assail you from their boats. There is nothing behind you that you fear might be attacked. I have therefore decided that you should hasten, purely for Allah’s sake, to strive against the enemy before the world hems you in. Indeed, I have resolved to cross this river to them.”
They all replied, “May Allah bind us and you to right guidance; proceed!”
At that (2) Saʿd called upon the people to cross, saying, “Who will go first and secure the ford for us”—meaning the break in the shallows—“on the far side, so that the people may pass over in safety?” ʿAsim ibn ʿAmr volunteered, together with men of valor numbering nearly six hundred. Saʿd placed ʿAsim in command of them. They stood on the edge of the Tigris, and ʿAsim said, “Who will volunteer with me to be the first of the people to enter this river?”