—altogether ten thousand.

He added, “The battle occurred three days before the end of Dhu al-Ḥijjah in the year 63 AH, and they plundered the city for three days.”

Al-Wāqidī and Abū Maʿshar state, “The engagement at al-Ḥarra took place on Wednesday, two nights before the end of Dhu al-Ḥijjah, 63 AH.”

Al-Wāqidī also relates—through ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar, from Ibn ʿAwn—that in that same year ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Zubayr led the ḥajj. The people called him al-ʿāʾidh, meaning “the one who has sought sanctuary in the House,” and they regarded leadership as a matter of shūrā (communal consultation). News of al-Ḥarra reached the Meccans on the night of the new moon of Muḥarram, borne by Saʿīd, the client of al-Miswar ibn Makhramah. They were deeply grieved and prepared to fight the Syrians.

Ibn Jarīr (1) says: “The story of al-Ḥarra has also been transmitted in a form different from that reported by Abū Mikhnaf.” He then narrates: “Aḥmad ibn Zuhayr told me—my father told us—I heard Wahb ibn Jarīr—we were told by Juwayriyah ibn Asmāʾ—who said: I heard the elders of Madinah relate that when Muʿāwiyah felt death approaching he summoned his son Yazīd and said to him, ‘You will one day have to deal with the people of Madinah; if they rebel, unleash Muslim ibn ʿUqbah against them, for you know how loyal he is to us.’

“When Muʿāwiyah died, a delegation from Madinah came to Yazīd. Among them was ʿAbd Allah ibn Ḥanẓalah ibn Abī ʿĀmir—a noble, virtuous, eminent, and devout man—accompanied by his eight sons. Yazīd gave him one hundred thousand dirhams, and he gave each of his sons ten thousand, in addition to clothing and mounts. They then returned to Madinah.

“When he arrived, the people gathered around him and asked, ‘What news do you bring?’ He replied, ‘I come from a man and, by Allah, if I could find no one but these sons of mine I would still wage jihad against him with them.’

“They said, ‘We have heard that he bestowed gifts, clothed you, and honored you!’ He answered, ‘He did indeed, but I accepted only in order to strengthen myself for fighting him.’ He then urged the people, and they pledged their allegiance to him. When this reached Yazīd, he dispatched Muslim ibn ʿUqbah against them.

“The people of Madinah had sent men to every watering place between them and Syria, pouring a skin of tar into each and ruining it. Allah then sent down abundant rain upon the Syrian army, so they had no need of water until they reached Madinah.

“The people of Madinah marched out in unprecedented numbers and array. When the Syrians beheld them they were awestruck and reluctant to fight. Their commander, Muslim, was gravely ill. While the two sides were engaged, they suddenly heard the takbīr (2) rise from behind them, in the very heart of the city: men of Banū Ḥāritha from the Syrian ranks had forced their way in over the walls. The defenders panicked and fled; those who tumbled into the trench were more numerous than those actually killed.

“The Syrians entered the city while ʿAbd Allah ibn Ḥanẓalah was leaning against a wall, sleeping soundly. His son awakened him; when he opened his eyes and saw what the people had done, he ordered his eldest son forward. The young man advanced, fought, and was slain.

“Muslim ibn ʿUqbah then entered Madinah and summoned the people to pledge allegiance on the basis that they were khawal (3)—mere slaves—of Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiyah, and that he might dispose of their lives, property, and families as he wished.”