Rustam. According to al-Wâḳidi, al-Muthanna died before Rustam came to al-Ḳâdisîyah. This Rustam, who was from ar-Rai—or from Hamadhân as others say—came and occupied Burs from which he left for a place between al-Ḥîrah and as-Sailaḥîn, where he stayed for four months without trying measures or fighting with the Moslems. The Moslems, in the meantime, lay camped between al-ʿUdhaib and al-Ḳâdisîyah. Rustam sent ahead of him dhu-l-Ḥâjib, who camped at Ṭîzanâbâdh. The "polytheists" numbered about 120,000, and were accompanied by thirty elephants, and had a great banner called Dirafsh Kâbiyân;[1] while the Moslems, taken together, numbered between 9,000 and 10,000. When the Moslems were in need of fodder or food, they sent horsemen into the interior of the land who would make raids along the lower course of the Euphrates. From al-Madînah, ʿUmar used to send them sheep and camels for slaughter.
Al-Mughîrah reinforces Saʿd. Al-Baṣrah was built sometime between the battle of an-Nukhailah and al-Ḳâdisîyah by ʿUtbah ibn-Ghazwân. When ʿUtbah asked leave for a pilgrimage, he assigned as successor al-Mughîrah ibn-Shuʿbah, who was confirmed in his position by a letter from ʿUmar. Before long, the charge[2] that was brought against al-Mughîrah was brought against him, and ʿUmar appointed abu-Mûsa governor of al-Baṣrah and recalled al-Mughîrah to al-Madînah. Later, ʿUmar sent al-Mughîrah back to al-Baṣrah together with those who gave witness against him. Now, on the day of the battle of al-Ḳâdisîyah, ʿUmar wrote to abu-Mûsa, ordering him to reinforce
