Beyond the Sand Dune

by Asen Djinah

  ‘Myself, I don’t understand this modern arithmetic, but I am happy that you find it fascinating,’ Omar encouraged his son.

  Then, suddenly remembering this afternoon’s event, he reminded him, ‘Aydin, make sure you are ready for the horse race this afternoon. I will come and get you.’

  Aydin was already a skilled rider and Omar had given him his own horse.

  ‘Yes abbi, I can’t wait. I have literally been counting down the days. I will not miss Saika’s first race for anything in the world.’

  Saika was a filly from Omar’s and Numan’s stable.

  They ate and chatted away as a happy family. Once they had finished, Maymuna ordered the children to go to the study room where their respective tutors were waiting. Inaya was not as interested in mathematics and astronomy as Aydin was; instead she liked history, with both children loving poetry. Aydin had been keen to join one of the famed madrasahs, but for security reasons both he and his sister were taught at home by personal tutors. Omar kissed Inaya and hugged his son, wishing both of them a good day. When they were finally alone, Omar turned to his wife.

  ‘What is bothering you, my dear?’ he asked.

  Maymuna smiled. Despite all these years and his other wives, Omar could still read her like an open book.

  ‘Omar, are you aware that Alima is attending the poetry class with Inaya and Aydin?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes, she did ask for my permission and I didn’t think that there was anything wrong with it. Why? Do you think that she should not be allowed to study poetry?’ replied Omar, knowing very well that Maymuna was not being jealous of Alima, Omar’s third wife.

  Actually, it was Alima who was envious of his first wife, envious of the closeness between her and Omar and of the fact that Maymuna had given him two children, whilst she was still childless after three years of marriage. Omar had asked the question only because he always consulted Maymuna on the running of his household and valued her fair and just suggestions.

  ‘Men can be so ignorant at times,’ his wife thought.

  ‘Of course she can study poetry. It is just that Aydin is eighteen now, only three years younger than Alima. And he has reached the age when he is much more aware of the opposite sex. I don’t think it is good for him to spend so many hours in a room with Alima or any other woman,’ she explained.

  Omar was disconcerted. Despite his ability to predict events across the empire, he had overlooked this simple matter at home.

  ‘You are right as usual, Maymuna. Forgive me. I had not considered that. I must stop looking at Aydin as a child. He is a man now and soon we will have to consider his marriage. I will arrange for a different tutor to come and teach Alima in her own quarters.’

  ‘May I suggest hiring a female tutor, Omar?’

  ‘Of course, my dear,’ replied Omar, thinking that Maymuna had always displayed good judgement and wisdom.

  He loved her so much.

  It actually had been Maymuna’s idea that Omar should take Sophiya as his second wife. At the time, the two had been happily married for four years and Aydin was two years old while Inaya was not yet born. Omar was the top advisor to Caliph Ubayy – his predecessor – and was a well-respected man in the community. The family trading business managed by both him and his brother Numan had been doing very well, with numerous warehouses in various towns. Both brothers were well known for their charity and it was a celebrated fact that they helped and supported many families in their local community.

  ‘May God grace them with good health and grant them Jannah – paradise,’ people often said, showering them with blessings whenever the family name was mentioned.

  One night after Omar and Maymuna had made love and were lying next to each other with the longing in their hearts satiated, Maymuna made a seemingly innocent remark.

  ‘Omar, you know, it has been almost a year now since my cousin Sophiya lost her husband,’ she said casually.

  ‘We surely belong to God and to Him we shall return,’ replied Omar as it was customary to say when one spoke of those who had passed away.

  ‘It is really sad that she lost her husband at such a young age. It was a real tragedy her husband never recovered from that freak accident. How old is her daughter now?’ he then asked.

  Sophiya’s husband had been on a hunting trip and while sleeping in the desert with his companions overnight, an aggressive male camel in rut had kicked him in the head, causing a deep dent in his skull. Male camels were always more temperamental and difficult to handle than females and became even more aggressive when in rut. This particular bull had been foaming at the mouth throughout the day and his soft palate had blown into a small pink balloon, protruding from the side of its mouth. It had been urinating and flicking the urine with its tail over its back while hissing through its teeth as a mating call.

  ‘We have to hobble its legs tightly together so that it can’t get up,’ one of the men had advised when they had set up camp for the night.

  Unfortunately, somehow during the night the animal broke the rope and got to its feet. As the bull ran through the sleeping hunters, Sophiya’s husband had been the unfortunate one to get trampled. He had lapsed into a coma and passed away a few days later.

  ‘Fariya is three years old, one year older that Aydin. My cousin Sophiya is about the same age as me. I think it’s time that she starts looking for a husband,’ replied Maymuna.

  ‘I agree, one year is long enough to mourn. She is quite well off financially and still young. It will not be difficult to find someone. Do you want me to inquire discreetly?’ Omar queried.

  ‘It will be difficult to find someone kind and considerate, someone who will treat her daughter as his own. Unfortunately, most will be particularly attracted to her wealth, but I do have someone in mind actually,’ Maymuna said.

  ‘Good. Who are you thinking of?’ asked Omar curious to know.

  ‘My dear husband, I would like it to be you,’ Maymuna murmured softly.

  ‘What? Are you mad, wife?’ burst out Omar in utter disbelief.

  That was the last thing he expected. Then realising that he had raised his voice, he quickly added in a gentler tone.

  ‘I once made you a promise that I will never take another wife like the others. You are my one and only.’

  ‘I know, my love. I am really grateful, but it would be a great comfort to me if you could take her as your wife. She is not only my cousin but is also like a sister to me. You are kind and considerate and will be a good father to her daughter. More importantly, you will bring respect and dignity back to her family. You know how difficult it is to be a widow in our society.’

  ‘The answer is no and I do not want to talk about it,’ Omar stated in a final tone of voice, indicating he did not want to carry on with the conversation.

  For two months, Omar resisted Maymuna’s gentle pestering. After running out of arguments, he eventually relented. He knew too well that once his wife had set her mind on something, she simply would not give up.

  ‘I will marry your cousin only to be a father to her daughter and bring respectability to her household. But don’t expect me to share her bed. I will not be able to do that,’ he made it clear.

  So Omar married Sophiya and although he visited her daily in her house, he didn’t stay overnight. On the days when he would have dinner at Sophiya’s house, he would bring little Aydin along with him and together they would play with Fariya. And every time he would use Aydin as an excuse to leave in the evening.

  One day, a few weeks after the wedding, Maymuna reproached Omar.

  ‘A man is permitted to marry up to four times, but has to treat his wives equally according to the religious laws. You have only two wives and you are not treating them equally,’ she pointed out.

  Omar did not reply, but a couple of days later he asked Maymuna if he could stay at Sophiya’s house overnight.

  ‘My love, you don’t have to ask my permission. Just tell me which days of the week you will not be coming home
; so that I can prepare myself emotionally and mentally.’

  It was only then that Omar realised how hard it must have been for Maymuna to do what she had done and he loved her even more. He simply could not imagine life without her.

  Chapter 5

  Omar hugged Maymuna tightly before leaving for his meeting.

  ‘I am glad that she has a busy schedule and is involved with a lot of charities to keep her mind off her ailment,’ he thought as he kissed her tenderly on the forehead.

  When he reached his office, he found Jaffar and Kateb already waiting for him. The servant came in on cue with a pot of tea and some dates. After the usual greetings, the three men sipped their hot tea and exchanged news about their respective families. Omar inquired about the new physician he had heard about and Jaffar immediately offered to send someone to seek the healer after the meeting. Kateb mentioned that one of his scholars was a scientist and had knowledge in treating various ailments.

  ‘He could be of help to Maymuna and I will send him to the palace,’ he volunteered.

  Omar was grateful and thanked both men.

  ‘If any one of them could help Maymuna, I will visit the Sacred House of God and perform an additional pilgrimage this year,’ he made a silent vow.

  After finishing their tea, they waited for the servant to clear away the plates and cups before starting the meeting.

  Omar had been dying to ask Kateb about the adultery case, but decided to wait and see if the chief ulama himself would bring up the subject. Jaffar started the meeting on a sombre note.

  ‘Your Excellency, we have some serious and urgent business. Last night I received some very disturbing information regarding the Byzantine army.’

  At the mention of their enemy, both Omar and Kateb leant forward with a worried look on their faces. The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire after the collapse of the Roman Empire, had dispatched their army to the border at the beginning of the year. Emperor Heraclius had vowed to destroy the Arabian Empire.

  ‘As we already know, their army has been massing on the northern border near Antioch for some time. The latest news from our spies reveals that with the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Byzantines have been recruiting soldiers from the disbanded army of Rome and have so far reached 30,000 in number. The new intelligence also indicates that they plan to start their campaign as soon as their numbers reached 70,000 which they can accomplish within the next six to twelve months. The intelligence also reports that Emperor Heraclius is pouring all his resources into this operation and has appointed the ruthless Vahan as his commander-in-chief.’

  Omar was relieved that he didn’t start the meeting with the adultery case. This news from Antioch was very alarming indeed and needed immediate and utmost attention. The fact that Emperor Heraclius was using all his funds and the projected size of their army were new and worrying elements. Heraclius’s goal was well-known, as he had openly sworn to obliterate the Arabian Empire from the face of the earth.

  ‘This is disturbing news indeed. We need to start preparation as a matter of urgency for such a massive invasion. Our empire and our very way of life are at risk of being destroyed,’ Caliph Omar stated in a grave voice.

  Despite the alarming news, Kateb felt a surge of excitement. God was definitely favouring him. First, the criticism of the young man in court had given him an opening to pressure Caliph Omar to agree to his project. Now this military threat provided him with yet further ammunition. Kateb chewed his lips in anticipation and decided to wait for the most opportune moment to use these events to his advantage. For the first time he felt confident that he would be able to sway the caliph to accept his proposal.

  On the other hand, Omar was extremely worried. Never before in the history of the empire had they faced such a threat.

  ‘How accurate is the information? What is the state of our army?’ Caliph Omar asked Jaffar.

  As always in a moment of crisis, he knew he could rely upon his grand vizier to provide the answers.

  ‘Excellency, I have taken the liberty of summoning Commander-in-Chief Khalid here in person,’ Jaffar replied, ‘I sent word for him last night, having learnt that he was in town. Would you like me to call him in?’

  Omar nodded affirmatively. Jaffar shook the brass bell on the table and asked the servant to bring in Commander Khalid. The servant came back a few minutes later, followed by a tall, massive man in his forties. All three men stood up to greet the commander-in-chief warmly. Khalid’s reputation was widespread and he was famously known as the ‘Drawn Sword of God’, having never been defeated in battle. Caliph Omar hugged him three times as was customary; left hug, right hug and left hug again with their cheeks touching each time. Holding his arm, he made the famous warrior sit next to him and thanked him for his successes in defending the empire against its many enemies. Omar still yearned for the unforgettable times when, in his younger days, he had been an army general in command of a regiment before embracing politics.

  ‘Commander Khalid, it is a privilege to have you here with us. When you retire from the military, I would like you to join us here as an advisor,’ Omar said.

  Though the army chief had commanded thousands of men and led many campaigns, he felt intimidated in the presence of the three most powerful men of the empire.

  ‘I am honoured to be here in your presence,’ he mumbled.

  ‘Commander Khalid, could you enlighten us on the latest reports about the Byzantine army and your recommendations?’ Omar asked.

  Khalid looked at the three men in turn and when he finally spoke, his voice was grim.

  ‘First of all, the intelligence received has been validated as it comes from two independent sources. Both our spies embedded in the Byzantine army and captured prisoners have separately confirmed that they have close to 30,000 fighters presently and that Emperor Heraclius’s target is 70,000. Definitely, we should be expecting a Byzantine attack within the next six to twelve months.’

  For such a big man, the Commander’s voice was surprisingly soft and Kateb, with his poor hearing, had to lean forward to hear him. Yet in his command tent, the same man would be bellowing orders in a booming voice.

  ‘I have formulated a rough strategy for a small army on our side to fight against their larger army. To their 70,000 men, I will require a minimum of 40,000 fighters. From previous campaigns I have come to know the region south of Antioch quite well and nearby lies the plain of Yarmouk, surrounded by a mountainous landscape. My strategy would be to lure the enemy into the plain and engage them there. In any other terrain we would be easily defeated by such a large army. However in the plain of Yarmouk, we would gain advantage in several ways and stand a chance of defeating them.’

  Noticing that Chief Ulama Kateb was struggling to follow him, Khalid continued on in a louder voice.

  ‘Firstly the plain allows a narrow frontage for the two armies to face each other which will limit their superiority in numbers. With the Yarmouk River and its steep banks on the south, the Jabiya road on the north and the deep Ruqqad ravine in the west, the enemy will be contained in that area and will not have the possibility to outflank us and encircle our troops.’

  Khalid paused and looked at the three men to see if they had any questions. Caliph Omar waved for him to continue.

  ‘Secondly, in the centre of the proposed battlefield, there is a hill of about 100 yards high, where our command post will be set up. From this prominence, we will have a good aerial view of the battlefield and see beyond the enemy lines. This will allow us to respond quicker to their manoeuvres before they reach the frontline.’

  ‘The flat plain further allows for greater mobility of our cavalry units to support the expected breaks in our lines from such a larger army. Thirdly, the huge Byzantine army will need twice as many supply lines as ours, which would be across a mountainous region. It will be easy for a small group to operate clandestinely behind their lines and disrupt these. With limited supplies, the morale of their soldie
rs would be severely affected.’

  ‘And finally, I plan to attack them first rather than wait for them to invade our territory. I intend to lure them in early spring when food reserves in the area will be at their lowest and the new crops still not ready to be harvested. Therefore we have only five months at the most to get ready.’

  The army chief once again paused to allow his audience to digest the details of his elaborate plan.

  With his military experience, Omar appreciated that it was a daring but ingenious plan. It would certainly limit the enemy’s superiority. He was about to say so when Commander-in-Chief Khalid carried on speaking.

  ‘However, recalling all our regiments from the south coast and from the eastern front where they are stationed against the Samanid army, we only have 20,000 men. As I mentioned, I need at least 40,000 men to face the projected 70,000-strong enemy.’

  Khalid looked at Omar with raised eyebrows. He knew that he had laid out the best plan possible under the circumstances and now it was up to the politicians to do their part.

  ‘So the immediate solution is to recruit at least another 20,000 soldiers. Jaffar, how soon can we implement this?’ Omar asked, turning towards his grand vizier.

  Jaffar sighed inwardly.

  ‘Caliph Omar always sees every problem in the most simplistic and naïve way possible,’ he thought, feeling slightly irritated.

  ‘Your Excellency, doubling the size of our army is not a simple matter. There is the financial side that must be addressed first. Last year, we increased the widows and orphans fund as well as the fund for the poor by 25%. Our coffers are depleted. The present state of our treasury cannot cover the recruitment and salary of these additional soldiers. To be able to do so and arm these new recruits, we will need substantial funds. One measure is to roll back the increase in the social fund as a temporary measure but even this will not be enough,’ Jaffar explained.