Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ سِمَاكٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عِيَاضًا الْأَشْعَرِيَّ قَالَ شَهِدْتُ الْيَرْمُوكَ وَعَلَيْنَا خَمْسَةُ أُمَرَاءَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَابْنُ حَسَنَةَ وَخَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَعِيَاضٌ وَلَيْسَ عِيَاضٌ هَذَا بِالَّذِي حَدَّثَ سِمَاكًا قَالَ وَقَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ إِذَا كَانَ قِتَالٌ فَعَلَيْكُمْ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ قَالَ فَكَتَبْنَا إِلَيْهِ إِنَّهُ قَدْ جَاشَ إِلَيْنَا الْمَوْتُ وَاسْتَمْدَدْنَاهُ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْنَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ جَاءَنِي كِتَابُكُمْ تَسْتَمِدُّونِي وَإِنِّي أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَعَزُّ نَصْرًا وَأَحْضَرُ جُنْدًا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَاسْتَنْصِرُوهُ فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ نُصِرَ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ عِدَّتِكُمْ فَإِذَا أَتَاكُمْ كِتَابِي هَذَا فَقَاتِلُوهُمْ وَلَا تُرَاجِعُونِي قَالَ فَقَاتَلْنَاهُمْ فَهَزَمْنَاهُمْ وَقَتَلْنَاهُمْ أَرْبَعَ فَرَاسِخَ قَالَ وَأَصَبْنَا أَمْوَالًا فَتَشَاوَرُوا فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْنَا عِيَاضٌ أَنْ نُعْطِيَ عَنْ كُلِّ رَأْسٍ عَشْرَةً قَالَ وَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ مَنْ يُرَاهِنِّي فَقَالَ شَابٌّ أَنَا إِنْ لَمْ تَغْضَبْ قَالَ فَسَبَقَهُ فَرَأَيْتُ عَقِيصَتَيْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ تَنْقُزَانِ وَهُوَ خَلْفَهُ عَلَى فَرَسٍ عَرَبِيٍّ.
English Translation
Iyad al-Ash'ari said: I was present at Yarmouk, and we had five commanders over us: Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, Ibn Hasanah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, and Iyad. Umar had said: 'When there is fighting, Abu Ubaidah is your commander.' We wrote to Umar that death was overwhelming us and we sought reinforcements. He wrote back: 'I have received your letter seeking reinforcements. I direct you to One who is mightier in support and readier with troops — Allah the Almighty. Seek His help, for Muhammad (peace be upon him) was given victory at Badr with fewer in number than you. When this letter reaches you, fight them and do not write back to me.' So we fought them and defeated them, pursuing them for four parasangs. We obtained spoils of war, and they consulted, and Iyad suggested giving ten (dirhams) per head. Abu Ubaidah said: 'Who will race me?' A young man said: 'I will, if you won't be angry.' He outran Abu Ubaidah, and I saw Abu Ubaidah's two braids bouncing as he rode behind him on an Arabian horse.