The Chachnāma (Fatḥnāma-yi Sind) 37.2

37.2

The next day by command of Dahar, the drum of war was beaten and standards were raised high in the air. Young men of royal blood, and celebrated horsemen and veteran warriors, numbering 5,000, with 60 elephants, some say 100 war-like elephants and 20,000 foot soldiers with complete armour or coats of mail, marched out in front of Dahar, who himself sat on a furious elephant, with a litter lashed to it and an iron coat spread over it. He was armed cap-a-pie and had a tightly-strung bow in his hands. Two maidservants were sitting with him in the litter, one of whom was handing over arrows to him one by one, and the other was giving him betel leaf (to chew). Dahar then led out the army in person, and calling his son said: “I give you Muhammad Alafi; he knows better than yourself how the Arabs fight. Do whatever he may advise or suggest—whether it be an advance, or a retreat. That day was the 9th of the month of Ramazan, of the 93rd year from the flight of His Holiness the Prophet of God, (may the blessings of God and peace be on him and his descendants). When Dahar arrived at the battle field, Muhammad Kasim encouraged the Mussalmans and urged them to the fight: “O people of Arabia,” said he, “today is the day of trial. Try your best in the cause and for the sake of Islam, and use all your energy and zeal.