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The Savage saw Um Ammarah,
the grand lady of Uhud (though at this moment there was nothing
ladylike about her appearance or actions), struggle to get to Musailima.
She was duelling with an infidel who barred her way. Suddenly the
infidel struck at her and cut off her hand. Her son, who stood next
to her, felled the infidel with one mortal blow and helped his mother
away. She was heart-broken at being unable to get to Musailima.
The Savage moved closer. In his mind appeared
a vision of the noble martyr of Uhud, Hamza, whose killing had been
the cause of all his troubles. He could picture the fine, strong,
handsome features of Hamza. With an effort he drove the memory of
that painful episode from his mind and looked again at Musailima.
He was shocked at the contrast. The ugly, yellow, flat-nosed face
of the impostor, distorted with rage and hate, with foam discolouring
his mouth, was a frightening sight. All the evil in this demoniac
man seemed to have come out on his face.
With a practised eye the Savage measured
the distance. The range was just right. As he poised for the throw
and aimed his javelin, he noticed Abu Dujanah (the human shield
of the Prophet at Uhud) slashing away with his sword to get to Musailima.
Abu Dujanah was a superb swordsman and would soon reach his objective.
With a grunt the Savage hurled his weapon.
The javelin struck Musailima in the belly.
The false prophet fell, his face twisted with pain, his hands clawing
at the shaft. The next moment Abu Dujanah was upon him. With one
neat stroke of his sword he severed the evil head of the Liar. As
Abu Dujanah straightened up to announce the good news, a flashing
infidel sword struck him down. One apostate, looking at the Liar,
shouted, "A black slave has killed him." The cry
was taken up by Muslim and infidel and rang across the garden: "Musailima
is dead!" 1
The Savage later served in the Syrian Campaign
under Khalid. When Syria had been conquered and established as a
province of the Muslim State, the Savage settled down at Emessa
and lived to a ripe old age. But he spent most of his days in a
drunken stupor. He was even awarded 80 stripes by Umar for drinking
(he was the first Muslim to be punished for this offence in Syria),
2 but refused to stay away from the bottle.
Umar gave up, with the philosophical remark, "Perhaps the
curse of Allah rests on the Savage for the blood of Hamza."
3
In Emessa, in later years, the Savage became
a famous figure and a tourist attraction. Visitors would go to his
house, hoping to find him sober, and ask him about Hamza and Musailima.
If sober, he would recount in detail first the killing of Hamza
and then the killing of Musailima. Coming to the end of his story,
he would raise his javelin with fierce pride and say, "With
this javelin, in my days of unbelief I killed the best of men, and
in my days of belief I killed the worst!" 4
The news of the death of Musailima the Liar
brought about a rapid collapse of the apostates. Some turned in
suicidal desperation to greater violence, but they could only prolong
their agony, not save their lives. Most of the apostates ceased
to struggle, and in total despair waited for a Muslim sword to end
their suffering. With one last superhuman effort the Muslims charged
into the confused, helpless mass of apostates, and with their swords
fulfilled the promise of the wrath of Allah against the unbelievers.
Now it was no longer a battle, it was plain slaughter.
By the time the sun set, peace and quiet
had returned to the Garden of Death. The Muslims were too tired
to raise their swords. And there was no one left to kill.
1. Ibn Hisham: Vol. 2, p. 73.
2. Ibn Qutaiba: p. 330.
3. Ibn Hisham: Vol. 2, p. 73.
4. Ibid.
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