Farouk Omar (Omar Ibn Al-Khattab)
Episode 25.
"Caution: The following show contains disturbing images for young children"
What separate us are the river and the bridge.
You either cross over to us or we cross over to you.
They say that either we or they cross over to the other side.
Tell them to cross over to us.
They do not dare death more than us. We will cross over.
I appeal to you to reconsider, Abu Ubaid.
Abu Ubaid, they are known for their wickedness and trickery.
I do not think they will wait
until we have completed the crossing and marshalled our troops.
They will attack us when we are unprepared.
What is the matter with you?
Are you afraid?
If we do not cross over, they will think that we have weakened,
and this will boost their morale. That is half the victory.
I have made up my mind, so you obey my orders.
Hold it! Hold it!
Don't be afraid! Stop!
- God is Supreme! - God is Supreme!
God is Supreme! God is Supreme!
We are standing there giving you cover until you have gone back.
Cross back in an orderly way.
God is Supreme! God is Supreme!
Indeed, we won at the bridge, but with six thousands of our men killed.
Six thousands killed
despite the Muslims being cornered in a narrow area at the bridge.
What would have happened had we met them in an open area,
or if they did not choose to cross over to our army?
Then what happened after that?
Why has Commander Bahman returned with the majority of the army to Al-Mada'in,
when he could have chased the Muslims
who were much weakened and exterminate them all?
He only sent a section of the army with Jaban and Mirdenshah to chase them.
They were fewer than necessary for a victory,
And the result? A defeat that has wiped away the earlier victory,
and the loss of two of our best commanders: Jaban and Mirdenshah.
All this because Bahman preferred to return with the bulk of the army,
letting this opportunity disappear.
I thought that the Muslims who survived the Battle of the Bridge
were too weak to resist the force I sent with Jaban and Mirdenshah.
Now we know that you have miscalculated.
Why don't you come out with the truth, Commander?
Why don't you say that the minister and Commander-in-Chief, Rustom,
wrote to you instructing you to return straightaway?
Had we been spared the plots and schemes of some of the princes and commanders,
I would have done that.
My duty, however, is to fight on two fronts at the same time.
Both wars are interlinked: against the Muslims there
and against the enemies of the kingdom here.
Who are these princes and commanders?
Why don't you name them so that we move to arrest them and kill them?
Or do you mean me?
You are not more loyal to her majesty than me.
If you have evidence to suggest that I am a traitor, produce it
and I will submit myself to her majesty's decision.
Enough of this dispute which threatens the very existence of our kingdom.
I placed my trust in you both.
Now you should better know that I will not side with either of you,
no matter how you try.
If this is not brought to end,
I will relinquish the throne and let things work themselves out.
I do not wish to be blamed for the final fall of the Persian Empire.
Are you going to the mosque wearing this?
Isn't it enough to clothe me and protect me from heat and cold?
My allowance gives me two robes.
The other one is in the same condition.
You can request your companions to allow you a third.
I will never do.
But, you!
Wouldn't you rather pray at home?
You know what I like.
Do you want me to relinquish the reward of collective prayer
and to miss what Ameer Al-Mu'Mineen says to admonish people?
It it must be done, then keep it to the day prayers,
not the dawn and the night prayers.
Do you mean this as a prohibition?
Umar would never prohibit something the Prophet allowed.
He said: "Do not prohibit women to attend mosques."
Who goes first: you or I?
It is better that people should be in the mosque ahead of the imam.
Ameer Al-Mu'Mineen!
People are demanding high dowries, and we are unable to get married.
Would you kindly admonish them?
Some of you have complained to me about people asking high dowries,
making it difficult for young people to get married.
Do not ask for more than 400 dirhams in dowry,
even if the bride is the daughter of one of your chiefs.
Anyone who asks more,
I will take the extra and add it to the state treasury.
What?
This is not up to you, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
- Why not?
- Because God says: "If you wish to take one wife in place of another"
"and you have given the first one a large sum of money,"
"do not take away anything of it."
"Would you take it away"
"though that constitutes a gross injustice and a manifest sin?" (Surah An-Nisa, verse 20)
How can you, then, threaten to take any excess of the limit you have imposed
and put it in the state treasury?
A woman is right, and a man is wrong.
May God forgive me.
Everyone is more learned than Umar.
Let me make it clear that I take back what I said.
Whoever wants to give of his money any amount he is happy to give may do so.
But anyone who seeks to make it easy for young Muslims
will hope that God will make it easy for him.
Here is Abdullah Ibn Zaid, who is one of Abu Ubaid's men in Iraq.
What news do you bring Abdullah?
The news has arrived, after the prayer, God willing.
All power operates by God's will.
May God bestow His mercy on Abu Ubaid.
Had he abandoned his position and come to me,
after seeing the huge number of the Byzantines and the little number of his army
I would have been his reinforcement
and I would then have called on people to join him.
As for Al-Muthanna, I pray that God will grant him generous reward.
He has proved himself worthy of the description
that makes him a man of noble descent and personal distinction.
He began the struggle in Iraq before our forces set out there.
He then agreed to serve under Khalid, then under Abu Ubaid.
He never sought to be the commander,
even though he was in the forefront of the fight against the Persians.
By God, we shall not let him down, now that he is requesting reinforcements.
We will send him one force and army after another,
even if this means that I should go myself.
Let us send callers to jihad to all Arab tribes, wherever they are.
We agreed that I would rule for ten years,
then we'll try to find one of the descendants of Khosrau Parvez who disappeared
I have come to know that among their survivors
is a grandson of Khosrau Parvez called Yizdegird,
son of Shahryar who was one of those killed by his brother Shirweih.
His mother managed to flee with him
and hid him with her family in Istakhr.
He is the last male of the descendents of Khosrau and the Sassanides.
I have decided not to wait for ten years.
It appears to me that these commanders,
and the public,
will not be truly united unless they are under a strong man of Khosrau's descendents.
In that case, they will not hope to control a woman like myself.
If the throne of Khosrau is occupied by the one who has the rightful claim to it,
and the people are united under him,
these commanders will no longer hope to have a share of the throne.
They will then attend to their proper task,
which is the war and nothing else.
I have tried,
and I had no interest other than the fate of Persia
and the legacy of its kings.
But... I was here managing as best as I could,
with great resources and riches at my disposal,
as well as the heritage of a thousand years or more
of the glory and greatness of Persia.
Yet, far away in the Muslim's capital,
in the desert land of poverty, mud houses and hair tents,
there is their top prince, whom they call Caliph,
managing as well.
I must admit now that he has defeated me.
It is right, then, that I should step down and be lost to memory.
I wish I could see with my own eyes the man who has defeated me,
so as to know what sort of person he is.
I would like to know whether his commanders and soldiers were able to win
because of him, or he won because of them,
or is their victory due to them all.
Will you take me with you, young man?
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
Do ride please, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
No. You ride and I will ride behind you.
No one shall see me riding with Ameer Al-Mu'mineen behind me.
Do you want me to be at the more comfortable place
while you be at the less comfortable?
Come on! Do as you are told.
- Ameer Al-Mu'mineen! - Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
Let me down.
You may go now.
I would rather wait for you and take you back with me.
God bless you. You better go.
This is your best day since you were born,
if only you could realize. He is Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen! Peace be to you with God's mercy.
And to you be peace with God's mercy.
I have come to inspect the charity camels and this meadow.
How are you doing?
As you have instructed, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
We do not prevent anyone with camels to come and graze.
And no distinction between people?
They are all equal in grazing and the water spring.
This is the right way to do. The place is owned by all Muslims.
Is it enough to accommodate the charity camels and people's camels?
Yes, so far.
We have to organize their turns at the water, though.
If the numbers of charity camels and people's camels increase,
the meadow may be too small for them all.
Whose land is that?
It belongs to Bilal Ibn Al-Harith. God's Messenger gave it to him.
It is not planted with any plants or date trees.
It is large.
Bilal has reclaimed a portion of it and left a portion
as he is unable to look after the entire plot.
Find him and send him to me.
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen... by God, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen...
it is only what the wind drops.
I neither picked it up by hand nor threw a stone. By God...
You have not lied to me. What is your name?
Sinan Ibn Salamah Al-Hudhali.
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
The boys will now come at me and take what I have. By God...
No. Walk with me and I will take you home.
What will you do with these dates?
I share it with my mother and sister.
- Equally? - Equally. By God, in fairness.
I count them all. By God.
Don't you think that you swear too often?
It is not serious. God does not hold us accoutable for it.
- Who taught you this? - My mother.
She always attends the prayer at the mosque.
She is teaching me the Qur'an.
She is a good mother, and you should be a dutiful son.
Nevertheless, do not get into the habit of swearing,
as this could lead you into a sinful practice.
I will, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
- Is this a promise? - Yes, a promise. By God...
I forgot. I forgot. By God, I forgot.
You have not mentioned your father.
He is in the army in Iraq.
Really?
How can Ameer Al-Mu'mineen remember all his subjects?
From my share, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
You are giving me some of your share?
One only. To share the blessing of the food of a true family,
with a man on jihad, a goodly wife and a son who will be blessed, God willing.
Call your mother to come to the door. I want to speak to her.
I will. Mother! Mother!
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen? Has my son misbehaved?
No. You have brought him up well.
I have just learnt that your husband is away.
How are you doing? Do you need anything?
We are fine, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Our allowance comes regularly, by God's grace
and as Ameer Al-Mu'mineen shares things out.
I consider myself the father of all dependents, sister.
I hate that women whose husbands are on campaigns of jihad
should be cheated in buying or selling things while their husbands are away.
Whoever wants to buy something
can send with me anyone of her children or servants
and I will buy their things for them. Do you need anything?
Peace be to Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
And to you be peace with God's mercy.
How do you find the people of the market?
Would anyone dare to cheat when Al-Shifa' Bint Abdullah is the controller
and Umar Ibn Al-Khattab is Ameer Al-Mu'mineen?
I see with you the boys and girls of the women whose husbands are away, as usual.
How about dividing the task between us:
I will attend to some and you attend to the others.
We will thus buy their things for them and you won't lose much time.
Now, who goes with Al-Shifa' and who stays with me?
I am with you Ameer Al-Mu'mineen;
You don't want to be with me, Al-Shifa', the controller of the market?
All this, and you are Umar,
whom people always say how strict and awesome he is.
You might as well add how hard he is.
That is your own description of yourself, and I do not believe it.
Peace be to you with God's mercy.
And to you be peace with God's mercy.
You sent for me, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
Sit down, Bilal.
It is about that plot of land which you requested the Prophet to give you
- and he did. - What about it?
I see you could not revive it all.
True. It is too large.
Then, consider what you can revive and keep it.
What you cannot,
give it back so that we can share it among Muslims.
I shall not do. It is something that God's Messenger gave me.
You know that God's Messenger never refused any request.
He gave it to you so that you reclaim it
and it will give you enough food for your family and for poor people.
Its zakat will also go to the poor and needy.
This is the purpose.
If you are unable to reclaim it, or a portion of it, then the purpose has failed.
You are not earning a living through it and you are not benefitting others.
- If I am unfair, correct me. - By God, you are fair.
I am urging you, so do it. The matter is settled.
"Damascus"
Do some of us still hope that an army will be sent to us by the Emperor
to break this siege, after all these months?
Food supplies are almost exhausted at home and in the markets.
What would Nistas care about us,
when he and his friends have filled their cupboards so that they won't go hungry?
How long will this siege last, then?
Are we waiting for the Muslims to force their way in?
They will then apply to us the rules that apply to fighters.
If the outcome is inevitable,
would it not be better for us to sue for peace and ensure our safety
and the safety of our families and property?
What I fear is that if they defeat the Byzantines,
the people here will adopt their faith by choice.
This has started indeed.
What is wrong with a person choosing his religion,
as long as he is not forced?
If we side with the Byzantines against the Muslim Arabs,
preferring the injustice of the Byzantines over the justice of the Muslims
only because we want to prevent people choosing their faith freely,
then we will be guilty of compulsion.
And what have you chosen?
Yes, I embraced Islam when I learnt of its message well before this siege began.
If this makes me unacceptable among you,
I will leave you to your business.
I am only giving you the sort of advice I give to my own family.
Move it! Move it! I said move it! Come on!
Let me go! Let me go!
I haven't done anything! Leave me alone!
Let me go!
Leave me alone!
We are certain that these people are in contact with the enemy,
and they deserve to be punished.
And these two are the ones who have planned it all.
They deserve nothing less than death.
Why is this cruelty? What did they do?
I bear witness that there is no deity other than God,
and that Muhammad is God's Messenger.
Stop! Stop all this! These are our people.
Peace be to you with God's mercy.
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen, I have something to ask you.
I am one of your subjects, like all others.
What is it you ask?
I have incurred a debt and I cannot repay it.
The lender is pressing me.
How much do you owe?
One hundred dirhams, which I used for my daughter's wedding.
Your request is granted, God willing.
But, may I ask what stops you from embracing Islam
as other people have done?
I am an elderly woman. Only very little of my life remains.
As you wish.
All power operates only by God's will. All power operates only by God's will.
I plead for God's forgiveness. I plead for God's forgiveness.
What have you done, Umar?
What are you requesting forgiveness for, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen?
An elderly Christian woman. She had some business with me.
I gave her what she needed, but then I called on her to accept Islam.
But you haven't forced her, have you?
I feared that there was a touch of compulsion by giving her what she asked for.
It all boils down to your intention, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Actions are determined by intention.
My Lord, You know that I only pointed Your way, without compulsion.
Nevertheless, I fear that something is wrong.
May God forgive me.
"Istakhr"
Move aside, young man.
The pretty one is coquettish!
She doesn't think us fit company.
The day is fine, and the gardens are full.
All we want is to pass some good time.
We could have fun together.
The pretty lady won't regret our company.
We have a store of funny things to tell you.
Won't you stop, young man?
Not while the birds continue to sing,
the river to run, the bees to suckle at the flowers,
and the pretty eye pelts my poor loving heart with its arrows.
Won't you take pity on me when you see me like this?
Will it please you to hear that young Yizdejird
has died of hopeless love?
Or is it true that the pretty one has no heart?
I see that you won't stop until a calamity befalls you.
Calamity? Who will bring me a calamity? You? Please do.
No. These two.
Who are these? No... what are these?
Your instructions, madam. What shall we do with him?
Just remove him from our way. But do not harm him.
Ok, I will remove myself.
Well, where are your beards and moustaches?
Oh, yes! You are eunuch (emasculate).
No wonder, you do not know that a young man could die of love.
But I know how a young man dies because of his bad manners.
Stop it! Anyone who touches his majesty the king shall receive his punishment.
His majesty, the king?
Your majesty King Yizdejird Ibn Shahriyar Ibn Khosrau Parvez.
Do you see this?
They seem to be travellers who stopped here.
Let us go and see them.
- Peace be to you.
- And to you be peace.
May I come closer?
Come, if you bring some good, or else, leave.
Why are these boys crying?
They are hungry.
What have you got in this saucepan?
Water. I am trying to pacify them until they sleep.
God will judge between us and Umar.
You, woman...
God's mercy. How can Umar know about you?
He takes charge of us, but remains unaware of us.
Relief is near, woman.
Stay here until I come back with something for you.
- Lift it on my back. - I will carry it for you.
Will you carry my burden on the Day of Judgement?
Drop the flour and I will stir.
Not like this. Drop it little by little as I am stirring,
so that the mixture will be consistent.
It should not form small or large balls.
This is how this dish is made.
Feed them. I will dish out a little at a time so that it cools.
Come here, son. Eat, eat.
May God reward you well, man.
You would have been a better choice than Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Say only what is good.
Tomorrow, go and see Ameer Al-Mu'mineen and you will find me there.
He will provide for you, God willing.
Farouk Omar