Page 119 - Non-violence and peace-building

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Discover Opportunities

in Challenging Situations

ran was conquered in 636 C.E., during the Caliphate
Iof Umar (d. 644), the second Muslim Caliph. At that
time, the commander of the Muslim army was Sa‘ad
ibn Abi Waqqas. When the war between the Muslims
and Persians broke out, the Persians initially suffered
considerable damage. They thought that further
fighting was not in their interests, and so they offered
to dialogue with the Muslims. Accordingly, Sa‘ad sent
some selected men to the court of Yazdgird, the Persian
Emperor.

When this group of Muslims entered Yazdgird’s
court, they were not affected by the glitter and glamour
all around them. They boldly addressed the king and
his courtiers, speaking without any fear. This greatly
angered Yazdgird. He was furious they should talk to him
like that. Were it not for the custom that ambassadors
were not to be killed, he would definitely have killed
them. He told the Muslims to go back and tell their
commander that he would be sending an army that
would completely crush them.

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