The conquest of Fasa and Darabjird, and the story of Sāriyah ibn Zunaym

Sayf (1) reported on the authority of his teachers that Sāriyah ibn Zunaym advanced toward Fasa and Darabjird. (2) A vast host—made up of Persians and Kurds—formed against him, placing the Muslims in extreme peril because of their great numbers. (3) That very night ʿUmar saw in a dream their battlefield and the size of their force at a certain hour of the day: they were on open ground, and there was a mountain nearby—if the Muslims backed up to it, they could only be attacked from a single direction. The next morning he called out, “al-ṣalāh jāmiʿah” (the prayer is gathering). When the hour he had witnessed in the dream arrived, he came out to the people, mounted the pulpit, delivered a sermon, and described exactly what he had seen.

Then he proclaimed, “Yā Sāriyah, al-jabal, al-jabal!” (O Sāriyah, to the mountain, to the mountain!), after which—(he turned to them)—he added, “Allah has hosts, and perhaps some of them will convey this to them.” He said: They did what ʿUmar had instructed, Allah granted them victory over their enemy, and they captured the town.

Sayf (4) also related in another chain from his teachers that ʿUmar—(while delivering the Friday sermon)—cried out: “Yā Sāriyah ibn Zunaym, al-jabal, al-jabal!” The Muslims then took refuge on a nearby mountain; the enemy could reach them only from one side, and Allah granted them the upper hand, so they seized the town. They collected abundant spoils, among which was a jewel casket. Sāriyah asked the Muslims to present it to ʿUmar. When it arrived along with the one-fifth share, the courier found ʿUmar standing with a staff in his hand, serving the Muslims their meal.

When ʿUmar saw him he said, “Sit down”—not recognizing him. The man sat and ate with the people. When they had finished, ʿUmar went to his house and the man followed. He asked permission to enter and was admitted, whereupon he found that bread, oil, and salt had been set out.

ʿUmar said, “Come close and eat.” The narrator continues: I sat down, and he said to his wife, “O woman, will you not come out and eat?” She replied, “I hear the voice of a man with you.” He said, “Indeed.” She said, “If you meant me to appear before men, you would have bought me a different garment.” He answered, “Are you not pleased that people say: ‘Umm Kulthūm, daughter of ʿAlī and wife of ʿUmar’?” She replied, “How little benefit that is to me.”

He then said to the man, “Come near and eat; had she been content, the food would have tasted better than what you see.” They both ate, and when they had finished the man said, “I am the envoy of Sāriyah ibn Zunaym, O Commander of the Believers.” ʿUmar replied, “Welcome and greetings.” He drew him close until their knees touched, then asked about the Muslims and about Sāriyah ibn Zunaym. The envoy informed him and mentioned the matter of the jewel casket. ʿUmar refused to accept it and ordered that it be returned to the troops.

The people of Madinah questioned Sāriyah’s envoy about the victory, and he told them. They asked, “Did you hear a voice on the day of the battle?” He said, “Yes, we heard someone calling out: ‘Yā Sāriyah, al-jabal!’ We were on the verge of destruction, but we sought refuge on the mountain, and Allah granted us victory.” (5)