- Well done, Yazid! - Well done, Yazid!
You can surrender if you don't want your soldiers to see you defeated
And miss out the honor of fighting the Commander of the Faithful?
Long live the Commander of the Faithful!
Get ready to lead the army to Constantinople
"Episode 21"
Mail must reach all provinces as quickly as possible
for, we don't have enough time
Rally the spirits of the youth in all Islamic provinces
to reinforce their brothers at Constantinople
may they be victorious by virtue of Allah
Send letters using the urgent mail
for, your brothers in Chalcedon are in dire need
and you're their only hope after Allah
in Egypt, Mecca, Medina
Yemen and Iraq
Muhajireen and Ansar of the city of Allah's Messenger
You've heard...
the command of our Commander Mu'awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan
which was read to you by the Governor of Medina Sa'id Ibn Al-As
in which he calls upon you to aid your brothers who're sieging Constantinople
Let it be known to all
that I'm heading out tomorrow to Damascus
to join the army that Mu'awiya is raising to advance to Constantinople
Whoever wants to accompany me should be ready for tomorrow
You're not worthier of merit more than us, Ibn Aba Bakr
nor more keen to be rewarded
I'll accompany you tomorrow
- Allah bless you, Son of Al-Farouq - Me too, uncle
Don't deny me the reward and the privilege of your companionship
May Allah reward you well Son of Al-Zubayr
- We are all going... - All of us...
- We are all going - To Constantinople
We are still in the first day
Indeed, most of them are your uncles' family, Bani Kalb
Who's more worthy than the Yemenis to answer the call?
May Allah bless all
Today, also...
Egypt's men arrived they're many and increasing
Their leader is Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al-As
May Allah be merciful to your uncle, Utba
If he was alive, he would have lead the army himself
May Allah be merciful to him
Who's that knight who's approaching as if he's a falcon
Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you
Welcome, Aba Ayoub Al Ansari
Welcome, Companion of Allah's Messenger peace be upon him
May Allah reward you well, Mu'awiya
for revering the Companions of Allah's Messenger
Come Yazid greet this noble Companion
Welcome, Companion of Allah's Messenger
To what we owe the honor of meeting you, Aba Ayoub?
Fighting for the sake of Allah, Mu'awiya
It's come to my attention that you're raising an army...
to advance to Constantinople
May Allah keep you healthy Aba Ayoub I know that you're a fighter
since the first day Allah's Messenger settled in your house until Uthman's death
We need your blissful presence more than we need you as a fighter
for we have enough middle-aged and youth fighters
I won't abstain from advancing to Constantinople, Mu'awiya
when Allah's Messenger peace upon him, said...
"The first army amongst my followers who will invade Caesar's City..."
"will be forgiven for their sins"
O Allah, make us among those who are forgiven and supported by Your victory
Peace be upon our Commander and his companions
Peace and Allah's mercy and blessing be upon you
Aba Ayoub Al Ansari
Peace be upon the Companion of Allah's messenger
Peace and Allah's mercy and blessing be upon you
- What news do you have? - At the walls of Damascus...
there are crowds from Medina Commander of the Faithful
Who's more deserving than Medina's people to answer the call to Jihad?
Especially the sons of the Companions
Welcome, Quraysh Leaders of Arabs
My maternal and paternal uncles have arrived, Yazid
Who exceeds Quraysh in glory Commander of the Faithful?
Praise be to Allah for placing Companions of the Messenger in our army
Welcome them as they deserve Go ahead, Aba Ayoub
Praise be to Allah who unified us in truth
empowered us to uphold the banner of His faith
and made us a just nation and said about us in His Glorious Book
"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"
"and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers..."
"merciful among themselves"
By Allah...
When I look at your faces
I rejoice in seeing us united in truth as in the good old days
Gentlemen...
Constantinople...
is the most fortified city on the face of the earth
Water surrounds it from three sides
As for the fourth side, it's surrounded by three formidable walls
along with moats filled with water
However, that won't stop us from conquering it, by Allah's will
"Battle of Constantinople Year 55 After the Hijra"
They Byzantines will fight desperately to defend Constantinople
and won't allow our army to reach its walls
further, we might suffer heavy losses
because the Byzantines are in a defensive position
and our army is within range of their arrows
We'll face a hard and long battle
Defeating the Byzantines in one round won't topple their city
for it's their capital and the center of their state
So, they won't give it up that easy
Press on them, soldiers of Allah
Protect the Companions of Allah's Messenger
People of Hejaz
People of Iraq
Strike them, sons of Ya'rub and Adnan
People of Syria
people of Yemen
and people of Egypt
Come on, Allah Akbar
Allah Akbar
Today, I received a letter from the Governor, Yazid Ibn Mu'awiya
that warms the heart about Constantinople
He told me that the Byzantines sent a great army to fight us
and closed the gates of Constantinople behind them
Yazid and his commanders devised a plan
to lure the Byzantine soldiers away from the walls
and set a well-crafted trap
When everything fell into place the Byzantine soldiers were trapped
He charged at them with the valiant Arabs like a storm
and enclosed them tightly
until they panicked and their knights fell into disarray
which made their ranks falter and their forces scatter
and they were torn apart
I'm aware that Yazid and his companions' victory at this battle
didn't end the war or bring down the city
but it's one step further to breach its walls, by Allah's will
I haven't seen such a fortified city before in my life
We have been laying siege to it for days and nights
and we couldn't find one weak point in its walls
Cities are just like people
No matter how they were fortified
they must have a weak point
It's formidable walls have cost us dearly in lives and losses
I hope our soldiers aren't affected by the disease
Its threat is minimal because we are in summer
But, what if we stayed here until winter?
I don't think that our Commander will leave the soldiers until winter
Because the snow and cold claimed the lives of our soldiers in the past
I pray to Allah...
to help us conquer Constantinople in the near future
- Amen - Amen
Amen
No harm upon you, Aba Ayoub
No harm upon you Companion of Allah's Messenger
What harm...
would hit someone honored by Allah...
to become the Companion of Muhammad?
- Peace be upon him - Peace be upon him
Then, He honored him yet again
by letting His Prophet reside...
in his house
for a full seven months
when he arrived in Medina
- Peace be upon him - Peace be upon him
Yazid
Son of Mu'awiya
I'm at your service, Aba Ayoub
I certainly have...
fought with armies...
under commanders...
who were better than you
but I haven't asked anyone of them...
what I'm going to ask from you now
If I die...
carry my body...
to the nearest place...
to Constantinople
Bury me...
Allah Akbar
then, return
If you conquer Constantinople
Allah Akbar
pass over my grave
so, I could hear the sound of your footsteps...
enter the city of Caesar
We don't have any other choice, people
Preserving our soldiers' lives without conquering Constantinople
is better than their death
As you wish, Commander of the Faithful
I'll send a letter to lord Yazid tomorrow morning
to withdraw the army from Constantinople
So, are we going to leave Constantinople to its fate?
Tomorrow is nearer than you think and winter won't stay forever
There's nothing you can do but obeying the Commander of the Faithful
Should I return to Damascus...
without returning with the news of Constantinople's conquest?
Maybe it's not meant for you to conquer it, Yazid
That's what you're saying after all our sacrifices at its walls, Ibn Amr?
What do I say to my soldiers who are eager to conquer Constantinople...
to return without a victory?
Victory is not limited to conquering Constantinople
Because we've inflicted heavy losses on the Byzantines equal to it's conquest
Maybe your fight didn't result in conquering Constantinople
but it's a step on the path to victory
This campaign will be followed by others until the conquest of Constantinople
and its conquerors will recall that they couldn't enter it
without the sacrifices of their brothers who preceded them at its walls
After the death of Al-Hasan and Ziyad may Allah be merciful to them
It's time to pledge allegiance to Yazid after my reign
This is a matter long overdue, Brother
I delayed it out of necessity, Juwairiyah
I had to wait until Yazid becomes ready to be my successor
and become worthy of the great responsibility that I'll entrust to him
and I should have had Ziyad's support in the matter but to our surprise
he met his demise early
May Allah be merciful to him
I'm certain that this matter won't pass without opposition or objection
Opposition and discord are inevitable
So, act swiftly to gain time to deal with them
Yazid
My Lord
What would you do if I made you the Caliph?
Allah does not burden a soul except its capacity, Commander of the Faithful
I'll strive tirelessly and won't falter
and success is granted by Allah
and here I am staying by your side to learn from you all that I can
If it's good for you to stay and learn from me...
It's better for the people to know love and support you
For, they're your fortress as they once were for your father
The first thing you should do
to personally handle the affairs that cannot be entrusted to others
He, who relies on his assistants to do tasks that he's incapable of doing
except for the governance
his state fell, his power crumbled and his influence faded
Consult the noble among the people
and listen carefully to delegations that reach you from the provinces
Don't act unilaterally deliberate and consult others and if you decide...
go ahead
Grant your appointees your trust
and ensure their governance is sound, not corrupt
If they are just to our subjects and excel in their duties
overlook minor disagreements with them
Nonetheless...
monitor your governors closely and know their details
and be aware of all their plans and secrets
Regarding who disrupts security and stirs discord
and aspire to challenge your authority
Show no leniency, negligence or indulgence toward them
and eliminate the seeds of evil in their cradle
and let Al-Qurr'a and preachers help you deal with the public
to remind them of the gift of security
and steer them away from meddling in governance
or inciting resentment against their ruler
Be certain that protecting diverse faiths and ensuring justice for the weak
leads to stability for the state and peace for the people
Keeping promises fosters trust and strengthens governance
Whoever doesn't conquer will be conquered
and whoever doesn't fight first will be fought
Weakness invites predators
So, don't refrain from conquest and spreading the message of our Lord
to the east and west
Prudence is acting without delaying tasks beyond their proper time
Having heard your blessing for entrusting the caliphate to your son, Yazid
I decided to consult the governors and leaders of the Islamic provinces
and the tribal leaders regarding what we've discussed
The sooner the better Commander of the Faithful
Welcome, people of Iraq
and its tribal leaders
You are the essence of Islam and the core of Arab identity
Welcome, people of Kufa and Basra may Allah reward you well...
for enduring the hardships of this long travel
in response to the Commander of the Faithful's invitation
May Allah reward you well Commander of the Faithful
Be certain, gentlemen that I only invited you...
to discuss a matter for the good of the nation
to prevent the resurgence of conflicts extinguished by the grace of Allah
and the nation may never again be engulfed in its own bloodshed
Many people from Syria and Egypt have advised me to appoint...
My heir, Yazid Ibn Mu'awiya as my successor
What do you think?
Tamim's leader, Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays didn't speak a word
I'm but a man among the Muslims Aba Abd Al-Rahman
Should the Muslims agree on choosing your son
I won't deviate from the community
For, I was never a man who incites discord
I'm pleased with that, Aba Bahr
- May Allah reward you well - May Allah reward you...
May Allah reward you all well
"Medina Year 56 After the Hijra"
The Commander of the Faithful decided to designate a successor
and ordered me to secure allegiance for his son, Yazid as his appointed heir
I can only assume that you'll hasten to support him and fulfill his promise
and strive to maintain our unity
So, be role models for Muslims and the first to pledge
Come forward and grant me your pledge of allegiance to him
I don't think there's anyone among you who would refuse this
You are mistaken, Ibn Al-Hakam
Tell the Commander of the Faithful...
that Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Aba Bakr refuses to pledge allegiance to Yazid
And Abdullah Ibn Omar refuses too
And Abdullah Ibn Al-Zubayr
- "Governor's Court, Medina" - These are the leaders today...
and the offspring of previous Caliphs
I hope, after gaining the pledge of the people of Medina
that they reconcile and join the consensus
I'm worried about their absence from your court, Commander of the Faithful
and their journey to Mecca
Aba Abd Al-Malik, who among us doesn't long to visit Mecca?
We left it but it didn't leave us and our souls continue to yearn for it
perhaps they went there intending Umrah
Anyway, I'll discuss the matter with them when I visit Mecca
and they'll reconsider their stance Don't worry, Aba Al-Hakam
Where to, Aba Abd Al-Rahman?
"I pass by this house, Layla's house"
"and I kiss this wall and that wall"
Please, my Lord
Who do you think cooks for them when they leave for battle?
Do you cook for them yourself?
No, we cook together
But I surpass them in skill and knowledge of food
and how to prepare unique dishes
I know that you're the leaders of people and the descendants of the best Companions
So, I'll respect your intellect by not speaking of turmoil
breaking the bond of obedience
and discussing what the nation has agreed on
You must expect such subjects
and became weary of discussing that over and over
But, tell me...
are you objecting to my decision to assign a successor?
Or is it the person assigned that you object?
A caliph should be chosen based on the council of advisors
So, you cannot choose a successor
on the contrary, it's their job
They are best suited to determine the most deserving
Did they say that to your father Aba Bakr when he chose Omar Ibn Al-Khattab?
Do you hold the same status as Aba Bakr?
No, I'm not like him in virtue and faith
but I'm of the same rank as him
Indeed, I speak to you today
from the stature that Aba Bakr occupied in the past
and I'll choose Yazid in terms of my status
just like your father choose Omar in terms of his status
Is Yazid like Omar?
So, you've stepped away from the realm of choosing the Caliph
to the chosen Caliph
Yes, because he's your son
I've thought that there's a consensus on my son
though among Muslims, there are those who surpass him in virtue
But what good is it to choose a virtuous man...
if it leads to division among the people?
Speak, Ibn Omar
Is assigning someone less virtuous if it ensures unity, better?
or choosing a virtuous leader who divides the people?
The less virtuous with unity is better for division is pure harm
What stops you from pledging allegiance to your cousin, Yazid Ibn Mu'awiay?
Your action, Commander of the Faithful...
even if it has some goodness it holds a lot of corruption
because it turns the Caliphate into monarchy and inheritance
and that doesn't align with the concept of the Caliphate
for, it relies on the advisory council of Muslims
But if you realized that there's a consensus on Yazid, Ibn Omar
with only you and a few of your cousins remain hesitant to agree
I'm but one man Commander of the Faithful
if they unite in agreement on Yazid after you...
I won't deviate from the community
What do you think, Ibn Al-Zubayr?
Pledging allegiance to two Caliphs at the same time is invalid
For, the Messenger peace be upon him, said...
"In case there're two caliphs kill one of them"
Either you're the Caliph only today without Yazid
or you abdicate the caliphate live in your palace
and leave the caliphate to your son
However, pledging our allegiance to two caliphs simultaneously
that would be invalid
Alright, gentlemen
I've listened to your opinions and understood it fully
You criticize only what you yourselves implicitly commit
because if you've seen who opposed my decision...
you'll realize that they are only the offspring of the previous caliphs
In this, you and Yazid are alike
Yet today, Yazid's father holds the authority, not your fathers
and here, our paths diverged
Anyway, there's no use of dwelling on this matter
Here's what will happen...
I won't force upon you an allegiance that you refuse for your own reasons
However, I won't accept your interference in the people's decision
Whoever wishes, may pledge allegiance
and whoever wishes not to, we won't compel them just as we didn't compel you
Even though I accept differences in opinion
I won't tolerate disobedience
"Damascus Year 60 After the Hijra"
Your subjects are waiting for you
Soon, they wait for you, not me
I'd sacrifice my soul for you, Father
Yazid, my son
I've spared you the burdens of hardship and travel
paved the way for you
subdued the enemies for you
and brought you what non before could
Turn to the people of Hijaz for they're your roots
Honor those among them who come to you
and care for those who are absent
As for people of Iraq, if they daily seek a governor's dismissal, do that
For, dismissing an appointee is better than facing a great army
As for the people of Syria let them become your inner circle
If you sense anything troubling from your enemy...
seek their support
Allah Akbar
People...
I'm just like that crops whose time of harvesting has neared
my rule have been prolonged over you
until I grew weary of you and you of me
None shall succeed me...
except for one who is worse than me
As none had preceded me...
except those who were better than I
Whoever likes to meet Allah...
Allah too likes to meet them
Allah, I like to meet you so, I pray you like meeting me
Yazid...
If I met my demise let someone prudent wash me
For prudent people are in a position of closeness to Allah
Let him wash me well
and proclaim the Takbir aloud
When you place me in my shroud
and lower me into my grave
Leave Mu'awiya to Allah the Most Merciful
Peace be upon you
He went out today as well
It seems it has become a habit for him
Doesn't he tell you where he goes...
and what he does?
He walks down Damascus's alleys until his feet get tired
As if...
he bids it the final farewell
My Lord, Commander of the Faithful
I'm at your service, my Lord
- Open the gates to the arsenal - Yes, my Lord
Stay where you are
"There's no victor except Allah"
"From among the jinn and mankind"
"Allah Almighty is Truthful"
"And Allah will be sufficient for you against them..."
"and He is the Hearing the Knowing"