"Al-Mada'in, Ziyad Ibn Abih stronghold"
Come here!
Soldiers!
Men of Allah!
Mu'awiya won't simply watch without me pledging allegiance to him
but rather, we'll face him in battle sooner or later
Are you ready for war?
Or, do you wish to deliberate on the matter?
We're ready to do your bidding!
I think that fighting him is inescapable
For, I prefer death to pledging allegiance to him
If war is the only choice then be ready!
We are ready for it!
"Episode 17"
Is there any road or mountain pass no mail can reach?
The roads to Yemen and Ifriqiya need a regular mail
We'll connect Yemen to Mecca with regular mail
Further, mail between Mecca and Damascus is great
And Ifriqiya?
We won't be able to establish mail between it and Egypt now
because conquest is expanding at that front
Hopefully, we'll reach the Far Maghreb with our brave leader Mu'awiya Ibn Hudayj
which will allow us to connect the entire African coast with a regular mail
By Allah's will, my Lord
These letters are our only means to know what happens in the provinces
The country from which we don't get mail...
we can't see what it needs
We should pave every road ahead
Well said, Commander of the Faithful
- Peace be upon you - Peace and Allah's mercy be upon you
Listen up, Dahhak
There's no doubt that mail is important
but I didn't appoint you as head of police so they could breech your force
or to be attacked by another Kharijite
It was a misstep and no harm was done the night Al-Borak Ibn Abdullah attacked
I had offered to assign guards during prayer but you refused
following the example of the Caliphs of Allah's Messenger
It seems that what was valid in their time is no longer valid in our time
Right
Politics is one thing
while piety and abnegation is another
Peace be upon you
- Peace be upon you... - Peace and Allah's mercy be upon you
I haven't heard you commend him to take care of spies
and that's more important than anything you've mentioned
Because they're more important I'll supervise them myself
For, a Caliph shouldn't rely on anyone else to know what's going on
What about Persia?
You know that it's Governor Ziyad Ibn Abih has rebelled
and rallies his supporters
- We, Commander... - You know well...
that I'm not pleased by such a thing and I won't allow it
We're waiting for your commands Commander of the Faithful
"The Road to Persia"
"From the Commander of the Faithful Mu'awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan"
"To Ziyad Ibn Abih As for what follows..."
"All provinces have pledged allegiance to us, except Persia"
"and we've received tribute and spoils from all appointees except yourself"
"If it wasn't for our patience and the interference of high-ranking men"
"you wouldn't seen a letter but an army"
"Thus, don't choose disobedience"
"for you'd reach the point of no return"
"and deliver our lawful tribute"
"or else, fear the consequences"
By Allah, if I weren't afraid people might say...
that Ziyad Ibn Abih kills messengers
I would've sent your head to Damascus
to send my response to Mu'awiya
Follow me to hear my answer
As for what follows...
Mu'awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan sent me a letter...
he calls himself Commander of the Faithful
and threatens me
Be certain, that if I he attacks me
I'd fight him with relentless fury
So, if anyone of you finds himself offended
let him come to me so, I treat him with this
Away with you, now!
Tell your Lord, Mu'awiya of what you've witnessed
I don't know how could you stand
the speech and insults of that criminal Ziyad Ibn Abih
Calm down, Ibn Abi Sufyan
Every dilemma has a solution
This is not a dilemma Aba Abd al-Rahman
It's rather an encroach to the Commander of the Faithful
Ziyad must be held accountable for what he said
and be made an example for others so insolents won't increase in number
What about patience, Utba?
You mean like Uthman's patience that lead to his assassination?
Ibn Sumayya has forgot his status to the extent he encroached
Grant me permission Aba Abd al-Rahman, now
to lead a big army to fight him
to teach him a lesson on the consequences of encroaching your tribe
My tribe is the Arabs not only the Umayyads
I share them their glory and shame, Umayyad
forget about the past chauvinism and leave Ziyad Ibn Abih to me
I know how to deal with him by means of patience and self-restraint
That's why you've sent for Al-Mugheira Ibn Shuba?
Besides other reasons
Get ready!
Go, Yazid!
One, two, three!
Move it!
Well done, Yazid!
Well done
Well done, Yazid!
Qatada
Qatada, open the door
I want to see my son
Open the door, you coward I want to see my son
Amer
You've been this way for days
What you're doing is useless, woman
Qatada has left Damascus
and has taken his son with him
What did you say?
Your husband and son left Damascus
Left Damascus?
Where to?
I'm being honest with you, Ibn Shuba
I'm very worried about Kufa
I've thought carefully about it and reviewed its affairs
and realized that it hasn't known tranquility since you're dismissed...
by our Commander, Uthman may Allah be merciful to him
Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al-As on the other hand
isn't capable to manage it
and its situation is worsening
If it proved difficult to Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al-As
it is better for you than to be beholden to him
Why?
You've appointed Amr Ibn al-As Governor over Egypt
and appointed his son Governor over Kufa
which makes you caught between two pincers
that's why I advise you that turmoil in Kufa
is better than letting him have full control over it
Forget that, I've decided to dismiss him and send him to his father in Egypt
In fact...
I didn't find a more capable Governor than yourself
because you're a wise diplomat
and perhaps you are the more capable of leading them
balancing between strictness that controls the recklessness of the impulsive
and leniency that relieves the rage of any aggrieved
Will do
I'll do it, Commander of the Faithful by Allah's will
Now, after we've dealt with Kufa
Come on, Commander of the Faithful tell me about what worries you
I want your advice regarding Ziyad Ibn Abih
For, he's rebelled in Persia and Transoxiana
He refuses to pledge allegiance to me
Further, he's threatening us and talking all kind of nonsense
- Have you decided to fight him? - I haven't decided anything yet
I'm contemplating about it and that's I'm looking for your advice
War will have dire consequences after all we've been through
I'm afraid it would be a calamity
that would put an end to the Caliphate
All I want is having him pledge his allegiance to me, Aba Issa
Ziyad is stubborn and hard-headed
We know that
He owes me a favor
If you want...
I'll travel to Al-Mada'in to speak with him immediately
I've listened to your advice regarding Ziyad
So, forget about him and focus on Kufa
Don't you trust me Aba Abd al-Rahman?
I did, Mugheira, and appointed you Governor of Kufa
- What about Ziyad? - Like I said...
Forget about him and I'll deal with him myself
As you wish Commander of the Faithful
Mother!
Amer
Mother, Mother!
Amer?
Amer
Amer?
I'll find you, Amer
Even if you're at the remotest corner of the earth
I didn't think Ziyad would concern you so much
If I weren't concerned about Ziyad what else would've concern me?
You've been governing Syria for many years
and now, your appointee Amr Ibn al-As is keeping Egypt safe for you
People have pledged allegiance to you in Mecca and Medina
Also, you've guaranteed Iraq by appointing Mugheira Ibn Shuba on Kufa
So, why do you care whether Ziyad pledges allegiance or not?
What kind of talk is this, Yazid?
Would I become the first Caliph to make the state diminish rather than expand?
I'm not the Caliph's appointee now
I'm the Caliph himself the Commander of the Faithful
Every land conquered by Muslims is my land
and everyone living there is my subject
Let Al-Mugheira convince him, then
But you've accepted to reconcile with the majority of Ali's fighters
however, they pledged allegiance to Al-Hasan
They waited imprisonment or death them when I called upon them
So, accepting reconciliation with them
is the strong's forgiveness and the self-restraint of the capable of harm
As for Al-Mugheira's mediation...
I'm afraid it might make Ziyad more arrogant and disobedient
Peace be upon you
Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you
My Lord, Commander of the Faithful
My Lord
- My Lord - Peace be upon you...
My Lord, Commander of the Faithful...
- My Lord... - Let him pass
Come, come!
Tell me what you need
- I want to finish building my house - What do you lack?
I need 12,000 logs, my Lord
- What's the size of your house? - 1000 by 1000 arm span
- Where is it? - In Al-Ghouta, my Lord
Don't say, "my house is in Al-Ghouta" rather "Al-Ghouta is in my house"
Give him what he needs
May Allah bless you Commander of the Faithful
May Allah keep you honorable May Allah bless you, my Lord
- Peace and Allah's mercy be upon you - He's a liar and deceitful
Your father wouldn't believe such a trivial trick
Son, if someone tricked you and you pretended to be tricked
it's you who tricked him
I prefer that on him saying "our Commander turned me down"
Further, he'll speak of this grant for the rest of his life
When the subjects feel that the ruler is generous
they grant him their loyalty and affection
- Peace be upon you - Peace and Allah's mercy be upon you
Are you determined to leave, then?
May Allah punish whoever was the reason for your departure
We're pleased to see you Commander of the Faithful
- May Allah bless you - May Allah protect you
I'm surprised you haven't invited my husband, Amr, to food, Father
I want to discuss something that concerns Abi Sufyan's family only, Ramla
What is it, Brother?
Probably, you know Ziyad Ibn Abih
son of Sumayya
Wasn't that the Thaqif tribe kid from Ta'if?
Well, Juwairiyah, you're correct
but he's not from Thaqif tribe
His father is unknown but he's attributed to Bani Thaqif
His father is one of Quraysh's leaders
So, why he's called Ziyad "son of his father?"
Because, his father didn't acknowledge him as his own
Or, let's say he acknowledged him but didn't make it known to the people
So, who's the Quraysh leader who fathered Ziyad Ibn Sumayya?
Yes, who's his father?
His father...
is Abi Sufyan Ibn Harb
your grandfather, Yazid
What are you saying, Mu'awiya?
I've heard that from your father may Allah be merciful to him
but people didn't know about that because your father didn't repeat it afterwards
Then, why you're discussing that after your father buried it?
I'm now at a crossroads with Ziyad
Either I kill him which means killing my brother
or, I acknowledge him to help him return to the right path
without the shame of killing him
I adjure you by Allah, Brother don't fabricate a story about Abi Sufyan
from which Allah saved him all his life
I haven't fabricated anything because he acknowledged that himself
- Who testifies of that? - I do
Don't you think that the Commander of the Faithful is a worthy witness?
If your father has acknowledged that we can't fight Ziyad
If we did so, people will say that we've killed our brother for power
Your mother, Hind may Allah be merciful to her
would do what you're doing now
And, Father would have took your side?
Men rely on reason
while women are overwhelmed by their emotions
Where is reason when you leave people a chance...
to speak badly about Abi Sufyan the leader of the Umayyads?
Don't you know, Sister?
All my next of kin and family...
haven't realized yet that I'm no longer the leader of the Umayyads
Today, I'm the Caliphs of Muslims
and anything beneficial to Muslims
is my priority even though the Umayyads didn't like it
We've received a letter from Armenia today
What does it say?
Habib Ibn Maslama died of fever
Alas!
What are you saying?
I don't believe it
He's a young man and I know that he's healthy
There's no power or strength save in Allah
My Lord
There's no power or strength save in Allah
To Allah we belong and to Him we will return
May Allah be merciful to him
I've always known him to be a fighter for the sake of Allah
May Allah be merciful to him
This is a letter from our Governor on Kufa
Al-Mugheira Ibn Shuba
Forget about letters...
It's enough that I've lost Habib Ibn Maslama today
By Allah, Commander of the Faithful the passing of Habib has pained me
But this letter is urgent
What's with Al-Mugheira?
He's saying that Basra's Governor Busr Ibn Arta'a al-Qurashi
detained the children of Ziyad Ibn Abih
and wrote to him, either he pledges allegiance to you, or he'll kill them
- Did Basra's Governor do that? - Yes, Commander of the Faithful
What's more, he told him that these were your orders
What kind of talk is this? No, I don't think he'd do it
He would do it Commander of the Faithful
Ziyad became more stubborn and wrote to Busr...
"I won't move until Allah judges between your ally and I"
By Allah, what Busr did is far worse than Ziyad's stubbornness
Aren't Ziyad's children...
Your nephews, my Lord?
Write to Al-Mugheria Ibn Shuba
"From the Commander of the Faithful..."
"Mu'awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan..."
"to his Governor over Kufa..."
"Al-Mugheira Ibn Shuba al-Thaqafi"
"The Commander of the Faithful was displeased..."
"with what Basra's Governor Busr Ibn Arta'a did"
"Since when do we accuse the innocent by the guilty's mistake?"
"And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another"
"Don't rest when you receive this letter"
"before releasing Ziyad's children from Basra's prison"
"and bring them back to their father"
"in a better condition than the one in which you find them"
"Peace be upon you"
- Father! - Welcome, welcome...
Thank Allah for your safety Are you alright?
- Yes - Yes
- Peace upon you, Ziyad - Peace upon you, Mugheira
- How are you, Aba Issa? - How are you, my friend?
- Thank Allah for your safety - Please, come in
Welcome, friend and honorable Governor
All credit is always due to Allah
You brought my children back to me
I won't forget this favor forever, Aba Issa
All I did was telling the Commander of the Faithful of their imprisonment
and he wrote a letter to Ibn Arta'a ordering him to release them
Don't revoke your good deed by saying this, Aba Issa
By Allah, he's the one who ordered their release
I didn't mean that
I meant saying that he's the Commander of the Faithful
He's not their Commander or anyone else
Do you receive your guests like this?
Won't you invite me inside, my friend?
You're not a guest, my friend but the master of the house
Please, come in
By Allah, he assured that to me and he's certain
"He said his father saying "Ziyad is my son with Sumayya"
What do you mean, Aba Abdullah?
Does what I said require explanation?
Mu'awiya heard his father saying that you're his son
and he wants to acknowledge that before all people
so you'd become Ziyad Ibn Abi Sufyan
After this kinship, do you have any reason to remain in enmity with your brother?
All of that makes me suspicious
Ziyad, forget about suspicion
and head to Damascus this instant
I think it's a scheme
Do you want me to believe Mu'awiya and go willingly to my doom?
No, you'll only visit your brother
Do you assure me that he's not deceiving me?
If he wanted to harm you he wouldn't send your children to you
rather, he'd take them as a means to blackmail you
Rest assured, he won't deceive you I assure you
I'm his Governor over Kufa and he trusts me
unless you're the one who doesn't trust me
I trust you
But he might deceive us both
If he wanted to harm you he'd send you an army
Would he send me an army he knows I'll defeat it?
I'm no stranger to Mu'awiya and I know his cunning very well
Why would he bear the burden of sending me armies?
Instead, he'd invite me over and order one of his guards to kill me
If you know him well as you say
you must know that he values men as they truly deserve
Ziyad, Mu'awiya wants you to become an ally, not a foe
Pardon me
I want to speak with you and I can't wait until morning
Speak up
I didn't like what you've decided concerning Ziyad Ibn Sumayya
You mean, Ziyad Ibn Abi Sufyan
What will our subjects say about us, now?
They'll say that the Commander of the Faithful...
regained one third of Muslims' land without shedding one drop of blood
He regained all of Persia
without drawing his sword
I'm certain you've come here to discuss something, Son of Maysun
I'm surprised it took you so long to declare Ziyad's kinship
Why didn't you say that he's the son of Abi Sufyan before?
Ziyad and I weren't at crossroads before
As long as I have an alternative option to resorting to war
what's the need for it?
Tell the servants to prepare a meal worthy of the Caliph brother
Peace be upon you
Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you
Brother, Ziyad I'm exhilarated to have you
Welcome, Ziyad Ibn Abi Sufyan
Say hello to your uncle Ziyad, Yazid
Please come in, Damascus is honored with your visit, Ziyad
Please come, this way
I have a question, Aba Abd al-Rahman and I hope you answer it
What if I refused to pledge allegiance to you...
and didn't come to you...
would you have sent an army to wage war on me?
Allah has spared us this calamity, Brother
We don't need to dwell on a possibility that didn't occur
We'll provide you with all the help you need
so that Persia would stay safe and sound
Provide me? I thought you'll demand tribute
There's no doubt about it
It's required of your province just like any other province
Then what will you provide me with?
With soldiers and advice
Sindh is right next to you and our fighters yearn to it
Then, leave waging wars and soldiers to me
I know best about them and I issue any decision concerning them
Except troops and tribute, Ziyad
We've sacrificed a lot to establish the way we manage this state
and the Commander must issue any orders regarding them to his appointees
Our Commander will lift these hardships off your shoulders, Brother
Won't you pledge allegiance to him and let him manage what's rightfully his?
I pledge my allegiance to you Commander of the Faithful
with obedience and compliance