TWENTY-TWO -- Zhopin mounts
a night-attack on the army of Islam, and the Amir is wounded and cannot
be found at the scene.
Naushervan was mortified at Hamzah’s invasion of Ctesiphon and capture
of Mihr Nigar. One of his courtiers, *Zhopin Ka’us, offered to conquer
Hamzah in battle, an offer which Naushervan gratefully accepted.
However, in single combat Hamzah defeated Zhopin. With Hamzah’s dagger
at his throat, Zhopin pretended to accept Islam. He then offered
to convert his whole army as well. Hamzah treated him generously,
and allowed him to return to his own camp.
People of good disposition, once a matter has
been resolved, harbor no malice or enmity; they do not dwell at all on
past matters, or think in terms of retribution. In this case, the
Amir had trusted and relied on that reprobate Zhopin. That reprobate,
arriving in his own camp, began to behave quite differently, and make other
plans. He reassured people and said, “I only became a Muslim out
of fear for my life, I simply tricked the Muslims. All of you get
ready--tonight I’ll mount a night attack on Hamzah! In an instant
I’ll trample his army under foot; victory will be ours, and I’ll destroy
him.” His army remained in readiness.
When half the night had passed, he went with
seventy thousand troops to mount a night attack on the Amir’s camp.
On the way Seth of Yemen, who was riding on patrol with four thousand horsemen,
heard the sound of the horses’ hooves and challenged, “Who is coming along
so freely? Be warned--don’t take a step forward! Don’t dare
to come this way without identifying yourself!” When he went nearer,
he saw Zhopin approaching, intending a night attack, bringing with him
many thousands of horsemen and foot soldiers. Seth confronted him,
and sword-fighting began. For fully four hours the sword-fighting
continued. Because the numerous are after all numerous and the few
after all few, Seth of Yemen was martyred at Zhopin’s hands.
Zhopin went and fell on the camp of Islam.
The Amir’s army had been sleeping peacefully and without alarm. When
all at once seventy thousand horsemen fell on them, no one could collect
himself: where was the leisure to arm and find weapons? Everyone
grabbed whatever came to hand and confronted the enemy. Swords began
swishing, and loud cries of enthusiasm, along with a metallic clang-clanging,
filled the air--so much so that the Amir too was startled out of a comfortable
sleep, and asked, “What is this noise and confusion?” The news-bearers
gave the news, “Zhopin has mounted a night attack!”
The Amir was anxious for fear some harm would
come to Black Constellation. Unarmed and wearing only the clothes
he had been sleeping in, he left the pavilion and went to Black Constellation’s
stable. Bridling Black Constellation, he mounted bareback and set
out. ‘Ayyashan Malik struck at the Amir with the bloody sword that
was in his hand. The Amir evaded the blow, wrested the sword from
his hand, and sent him to Hell with that same sword.
‘Ayyashan Malik’s younger brother said, “Hamzah,
you did a dreadful deed when you killed my older brother! I’ll never
leave you alive--you don’t know me, I’m a deadly fighter!” The Amir
said, “Don’t be grieved! I’m sending you to join him as well, I’m
planning to pack you off to the depths of Hell!” He struck at the
Amir. The Amir evaded his blow, and struck a blow at his waist, so
that he fell into two pieces like a soggy cucumber.
Zhopin, coming from behind the Amir’s back,
deliberately struck such a blow at the Amir’s head, that the blade went
four fingers deep into the skull. The Amir, turning around, struck
a blow at Zhopin’s head with the sword that was in his hand. Although
Zhopin averted his head and made the blow a glancing one, even then the
blade went four fingers deep into that brainless one’s head. The
Amir struck his second blow at Zhopin’s side. Zhopin shrank away,
so the sword merely slashed his ribs. The Amir struck as his other
side, and the ribs on that side too were slashed.
Ten thousand men of Zhopin’s army came and,
lifting him in their arms, fled head over heels toward Ctesiphon.
Sixty thousand men out of seventy thousand were sent to Hell. And
many thousands of men from the army of Islam as well were martyred in this
night attack, and entered into Heaven.
The Amir’s head wound had bled a great deal,
so that he fainted. His horse realized, “My rider is wounded.”
Leaving the battlefield, he set out toward the wilderness. Although
‘Adi and the other officers looked for the Amir among the corpses, and
searched in many places, they could find no trace of him anywhere.
Mourning fell on the army of Islam; all the officers, with their troops,
dressed in black, and tore their collars open. All the Amir’s companions
and chiefs, and friends faithful to the death, and well-wishers, were utterly
cast down, and covered their heads with dust.
On the third day ‘Adi, bringing the whole
army, arrived in Mecca, and reported this catastrophe to Khvajah ‘Abdul
Muttalib and ‘Amar. When they heard the news, all the nobles of Mecca
dressed in black, and began to weep and wail and lament aloud. Cries
of grief and pain filled the air; the noise of sighing and lamentation
perturbed the dwellers in the Higher Sphere./1/
Khvajah ‘Abdul Muttalib was in a kind of swoon: he pressed his hand
to his breast, he could neither speak nor hear. ‘Amar and Muqbil
tore open their collars. Mihr Nigar struck her rose-colored cheeks
until they were as blue as blue lilies; she tore so much hair from her
head that she no longer needed to comb or braid it. She looked like
a widow.
In all this Doomsday-tumult, ‘Amar had an
inspiration. He comforted everyone and made them be quiet, and said,
“You can be sure that the Sahib-qiran is alive and well, by the Lord’s
grace he is hale and hearty. If even one hair of the Sahib-qiran’s
head had been harmed, then Black Constellation would certainly have returned
to our camp. But indeed, the Sahib-qiran must have received some
shock, since Black Constellation has not yet come back. In any case,
all of you pray to the Lord. I’ll bring news of the Sahib-qiran,
and, God willing, will report that he is hale and hearty.”
With these words, he set up bastions on the
fort, and stationed troops in various places. He said to Muqbil,
“Be careful, be very careful; take the greatest care of the fort until
I come back! No one, known or unknown, should be allowed to approach
anywhere near the fort. Be extremely vigilant.” And from that
very place he started to trace the Amir. Putting on his ‘ayyari equipment,
he set out toward the Emerald Border, where the battle had taken place.
===========
/1/ That
is, the angels.
== on to Chapter
23 ==