The Conquest of Fasa and Daradberg

Fasa and Darabgerd: In 23 AH, Hazrat Umar (ra) commissioned Hazrat Sariyahh bin Zunaim (ra) toward Fasa and Darabgerd. Fasa was an ancient city in Fars, located at a distance of 216 miles from Shiraz. Darabgerd was a vast region in Fars, comprising of many cities including Fasa.

There is a narration documented in Dala‘il Al-Nabuwwah in which Hazrat Ibn Umar (ra) narrates that Hazrat Umar (ra) once sent out an army under the leadership of Hazrat Sariyah (ra). One day, whilst delivering a sermon, Hazrat Umar (ra) suddenly said aloud:

يَا‭ ‬سَارِيَ‭ ‬الْجَبَلَ‬‬

That is, “O Sariyahh, go toward the mountain.” Tarikh Al-Tabari also mentions that Hazrat Umar (ra) sent Hazrat Sariyahh bin Zunaim (ra) to Fasa and Darabgerd. When he arrived there, he besieged the area. Upon this, they called their allies for reinforcements who gathered in the desert to combat the Muslim army. When their numbers increased, they advanced to surround the Muslims from every direction. It was a Friday and Hazrat Umar (ra) was delivering the Friday Sermon when he said

يَا‭ ‬سَارِيَة‭ ‬بِنِ ‬زُنَيْم‭ ! ‬اَلْجَبَل‭ ‬اَلْجَبَل‬‬‬‬

That is, “O Sariyah bin Zunaim, the mountain, the mountain!” There was a mountain situated close to the Muslim encampment. Taking refuge on that mountain would contain the enemy attack to a single front.

Thus, they took to the mountain and fought the enemy, ultimately defeating them and collecting large amounts of the spoils of war. Among the spoils of war was a small chest of precious gems, and the Muslim army, in unanimity, decided to present it as a gift to Hazrat Umar (ra).

Hazrat Sariyah (ra) sent a messenger with news of the victory, along with the chest of gems to Hazrat Umar (ra). When the messenger reached Medina, Hazrat Umar (ra) was serving food to the people and was holding a staff which he would use to direct the camels. When the messenger approached to speak to Hazrat Umar (ra), Hazrat Umar (ra) sat him down for food, and so he sat down to eat. When he finished eating, Hazrat Umar (ra) was departing. He got up to follow Hazrat Umar (ra) and when Hazrat Umar (ra) noticed that he was being followed, he thought that the man was still hungry and so upon reaching his home he invited the man in and instructed the bread maker to arrange for food which consisted of bread, olives and salt.

Hazrat Umar (ra) told the man to eat, and after completing his meal he addressed Hazrat Umar (ra) saying, “O Leader of the Faithful! I am a messenger from Sariyahh bin Zunaim.”

Hazrat Umar (ra) replied, “Welcome!” He then moved closer to Hazrat Umar (ra), to the extent that his knees touched against the knees of Hazrat Umar (ra).

Hazrat Umar (ra) asked about the Muslims and about Sariyahh. The messenger then informed him about the chest of jewels. Hazrat Umar (ra) looked towards him and in a loud voice proclaimed, “No! There is no honour in this. Return to the army and distribute these among them.” In other words, the gems that had been sent for him should be distributed amongst the army.

The messenger submitted, “O leader of the faithful! My camel has become weak, and I also took a loan in hope of being rewarded, so please grant me enough that I may be compensated for what I have incurred.”

He insisted until Hazrat Umar (ra) granted him a camel from the camels given in alms and included his camel in the alms instead. The messenger was rebuked and returned to Basra where he implemented the instructions of Hazrat Umar (ra).

It is also mentioned in a narration that when the messenger brought news of victory to Medina, many people enquired about the battle and about Sariyahh, and also asked if they heard a voice on the day of the battle. He replied, “Yes we heard:

يَا‭ ‬سَارِيَ‭ ‬الْجَبَلَ‬‬

That is, “O Sariyah! Retreat to the mountain”. He continued, “We were very close to being destroyed, but when we took the mountain as refuge, Allah Almighty granted us victory.”

(Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari Translation, Vol. 3, Pt. 1 [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar al-Isha‘at, 2003], pp. 194-196) (Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2012], pp. 553-554) (Imam al-Bayhaqi, Dalail al-Nubuwwah, Vol. 6 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 370) (Ali Muhammad as-Sallabi, Sirat Ameerul Momineen Umar bin Khattab [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Ma‘rifah, 2007], p. 436) (Yaqut Ibn Abd Allah al-Hamawi, Mu‘jam al-Buldan, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi], p. 273) (Ibid., Vol. 3, p. 434)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) narrates this incident in the following manner:

“There is an incident of Hazrat Umar (ra) recorded from during the time of his Khilafat. He was once standing at the pulpit and delivering a sermon when he spontaneously said:

يَا‭ ‬سَارِيَ‭ ‬الْجَبَلَ‬‬ يَا‭ ‬سَارِيَ‭ ‬الْجَبَلَ‬‬

“That is, ‘O Sariyah, climb the mountain! O Sariyah, climb the mountain!’ Because these words were unrelated to the subject matter, the people enquired as to what was said. Hazrat Umar (ra) explained that he was shown the place where Sariyah was sent as the general of the Muslim army, and that the enemy was about to launch an attack from the rear which would most likely have destroyed the Muslim army. He also saw a mountain in the near vicinity which could save them from such an attack and so he called to them to climb the mountain. Only a few days had passed and Sariyah also reported the exact same occurrence, also writing that the voice that warned them of the danger and guided them to climb the mountain to evade the enemy attack was very similar to the voice of Hazrat Umar (ra).”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) continues: “From this incident, we learn that Hazrat Umar’s (ra) tongue was not in his control at the time, but was rather in the control of the All-Powerful God, for Whom distances and separation is no matter.”

(Taqdir-e-Ilahi, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 4, p. 575)

The Promised Messiah (as) writes in this regard:

“I would also like to add that it is completely baseless and wrong to allege that there is no proof that the revered Companions received such divine revelations. For, according to authentic ahadith, there is ample proof of the great number of revelations and miracles experienced by the revered Companions, Allah be pleased with them. Hazrat Umar’s, Allah be pleased with him, learning of the perilous state of Sariyah’s troops through divine communication has been recorded by al-Baihaqi on the authority of Ibn-e-Umar. What was it, if not divine revelation! Moreover, Hazrat Umar’s words: يا‭ ‬سارية‭ ‬الجبل‭ ‬الجبل‭ ‬‬‬‬‬

“[‘O Sariyah! The mountain, the mountain!’] were uttered in Medina, but were heard by Sariyah and his troops in a far off land through the grace of divine providence. What was it, if not a miraculous Sign!”

(Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Pt. 4, Ruhani Khaza‘in, Vol. 1, pp. 653-654, footnote of footnote 4)