The Chachnāma (Fatḥnāma-yi Sind) 23.3

23.3

When the Khalifah read this letter, he wrote an order sanctioning the undertaking. (On receipt of this order) Hajjáj wrote a reply, in which he made the following request: “When you have honoured me by granting your permission, you will kindly order 6,000 men out of the chiefs of Shám (Syria) to come to this camp fully prepared, with all their arms and instruments of war and in all their pomp and glory, so that I may know the name of each when the engagement takes place. They should co-operate with me, and should never turn their face from battle.” Abdul Hasan states on the authority of Ishák son of Yaakúb, that Hajjáj wrote a letter directing that 6,000 men out of the descendants of the chiefs of Syria should join him—men who had both their parents living—men who were celebrated, and who were likely—for the sake of their name and fame—to give a good account of themselves when the actual fighting took place, and who were likely to prove loyal to Muhammad Kásim.