Ghassân attacked. Thence he came to Marj Râhiṭ and led an incursion against Ghassân on their Easter day—they being Christians. He took some captive and killed others.
Thanîyat al-ʿUḳâb. Khâlid then directed Busr ibn-abi-Arṭât al-ʿÂmiri of the Ḳuraish and Ḥabîb ibn-Maslamah-l-Fihri to the Ghûṭah[1] of Damascus where they attacked many villages. Khâlid arrived at Thanîyat in Damascus, the Thaniyat al-ʿUḳâb of to-day, and stood there for one hour, spreading his banner. This banner was the one the Prophet used, and was black in color; and because the Arabs call a banner "ʿuḳâb," the Thanîyat was known since as Thanîyat al-ʿUḳâb. Others say that it was thus called because a vulture [Ar. ʿuḳâb] happened to descend on it at that time. But the first explanation is more reliable. I heard it said by some that at that place stood a stone image of a vulture. But there is no truth in that statement.
Khâlid meets abu-ʿUbaidah. Khâlid camped at the East [Sharḳi] gate of Damascus; and according to others, at the Jâbiyah gate. The bishop of Damascus offered him gifts and homage and said to Khâlid, "Keep this covenant[2] for me." Khâlid promised to do so. Then Khâlid went until he met the Moslems who were at Ḳanât Buṣra. According to others, however, he came to the Jâbiyah where abu-ʿUbaidah was with a band of Moslems. Here they met and went together to Buṣra.
