Azerbayjan, and he sent Simak ibn Kharasha after him. Isfandiyadh ibn al-Farukhzadh confronted Bukayr and his men before Simak could arrive; they fought, Allah routed the idolaters, and Bukayr captured Isfandiyadh. Isfandiyadh asked, “Do you prefer peace or war?” He replied, “Peace.” Isfandiyadh said, “Then keep me with you,” so Bukayr detained him and went on conquering town after town, while ʿUtbah ibn Farqad, facing him on the opposite front, was likewise taking town after town.

A letter then came from ʿUmar instructing Bukayr to advance to al-Bab, appointing Simak ibn Kharasha to replace him as deputy under ʿUtbah ibn Farqad, and assigning the whole of Azerbayjan to ʿUtbah’s authority. Bukayr handed Isfandiyadh over to ʿUtbah and marched, as ordered, toward al-Bab.

They relate that Bahram ibn Farukhzadh had tried to bar ʿUtbah’s way, but ʿUtbah routed him and Bahram fled. When this reached Isfandiyadh, still a prisoner with Bukayr, he said, “Now the treaty is complete and the war is extinguished.” Bukayr therefore made peace with him, and everyone assented. Thus Azerbayjan returned to peace, and ʿUtbah and Bukayr wrote to ʿUmar informing him and sending him the khums. When ʿUtbah’s governorship of Azerbayjan ended, he issued its people a charter of safety and reconciliation (1).

The Conquest of al-Bab (2)

Ibn Jarir (3) states that Sif claimed ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab, that same year, issued an order appointing Suraqah ibn ʿAmr—nicknamed Dhū al-Nūr (4)—to command this expedition, with ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Rabiʿah, who was likewise called Dhū al-Nūr, leading the vanguard. Over one wing he set Hudhayfah ibn Usayd, over the other Bukayr ibn ʿAbd Allah al-Laythi—who had already advanced to al-Bab—and he placed Salman ibn Rabiʿah in charge of the division of spoils. They marched in the formation ʿUmar had prescribed.

When the advance guard, namely ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Rabiʿah, reached the ruler stationed at al-Bab—Shahrbaraz, king of Armenia, a descendant of the royal house that had once slain the Children of Israel and invaded Syria in ancient times—Shahrbaraz wrote asking for safe-conduct, and ʿAbd al-Rahman granted it. The king came and declared that his inclination (5) was toward the Muslims and that he was sincerely disposed toward them.

ʿAbd al-Rahman told him, “There is someone above me; go to him.” He therefore sent him to Suraqah ibn ʿAmr, the overall commander. The king requested security from Suraqah, who wrote to ʿUmar. The Caliph ratified and approved the guarantee, so Suraqah issued the king a formal document.

Suraqah then dispatched Bukayr, Ḥabib ibn Maslamah, Hudhayfah ibn Usayd, and Salman ibn Rabiʿah to the mountain districts surrounding Armenia—the ranges of the Alans, Tbilisi, and Muqan. Bukayr conquered Muqan and granted its people a letter of safety. During that period Suraqah ibn ʿAmr, the commander of the Muslims there, passed away, and ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Rabiʿah succeeded him. When this reached ʿUmar, he confirmed him in command and ordered him to campaign against the Turks.