The province of 'Irik, answering to the Babylonia of Ptolemy,
had for its capital el-Hirah, a city founded by Malik, one
of the descendants of Kahlan. (See Note *, p. 26.)* The
Persian Satraps resided at el-Hirah ; but after the reduction
of 'Ir4k by the Muslims, the latter people built el-Kufah at
about three miles' distance from el-Hirah, and from thence-
forth el-Kfifah became the capital of the province and the
seat of government.
Saad-ibn-Abi-Wakkas was one of the first who, follow-
ing the example of Abu-Bekr, professed el-Isldm. Accord-
ing to el-Jann4by, it was through S4ad that 'Omar-ibn-el-
Khattab was diverted from a design, which before his
conversion he entertained, of assassinating the Prophet ;
though Abu'1-Feda says it was through Naim-ibn-'Abd
AUih, el-Khim. Saad was one of the most successful and
celebrated generals ever possessed by the Muslims. He
fought valiantly for the Prophet at the battle of Ohod
(a.H. 3), and was afterwards invested with a command
under Osama-ibn-Zeid, whom the Prophet just before his
death appointed general of the army destined to act against
the Greeks in Syria. In a.h. 14, Siad was constituted
Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim army which 'Omar, the
reigning Khalifah, desired to send into 'Irik. In the year
15, he completely routed the Persian army at the famous



38 'IlAM-EN-NAs.
battle of el-KMisiyyah (see Translator's Note, p. 24), and
pursued his successes until the whole of 'Irak was sub-
dued.
