One of the most famous Sassanian generals who fought against the Muslims was the Parthian aristocrat, Hormuzan. During the Battle of Qadisiyyah, he was placed in command of the right wing of the Persian army and fought vigorously until he realized that defeat was inevitable. He escaped from the battle and regrouped, forming a Sassanid resistance again the Muslims. Planning strategic raids which constantly kept the Muslims on edge, he achieved a reputation as one of the most cunning adversaries the Muslim army had ever faced. He was eventually defeated by a combined force of the Muslim armies of Basra and Kufa and surrendered, agreeing to pay the jizya in exchange for living peacefully. After using this time to recover, he stopped paying jizya and resumed his attack on the Muslims. He entrenched himself in Shustar where he commanded a formidable force. After a bitter siege lasting almost two years, Hormuzan was finally defeated.
The companions Anas ibn Malik and al-Ahnaf ibn Qays personally escorted the now prisoner of war to Madinah to meet ‘Umar (ra). Upon his arrival, he feigned thirst and asked that he be given water to drink. ‘Umar (ra), following the command of the Prophet ﷺ to treat prisoners well, ordered that water be brought for Hormuzan. When the water arrived, Hormuzan’s hands began trembling and he told ‘Umar (ra) that he was afraid he would be executed while he was drinking water. ‘Umar (ra) reassured him that no harm would come to him until he had drunk the water. Hearing this, Hormuzan quickly turned the cup in his hand upside down, emptying the water into the ground. To ‘Umar (ra)’s anger, Hormuzan claimed that he had just been given protection by ‘Umar (ra). He was told no harm would come to him until he had drunk the water and now that water was lost to the ground, unable to be drunk. Therefore, he had protection and could not be executed. To ‘Umar (ra)’s surprise, Anas ibn Malik (ra), whose own brother had been killed in battle by Hormuzan just a few days ago, agreed.
Bound by his word, ‘Umar (ra) reluctantly conceded that Hormuzan could not be executed. He invited him to Islam and Hormuzan accepted on the spot. ‘Umar (ra) assigned him a generous stipend of 2000 dirhams and took him as an advisor on Persian affairs. This episode, recorded in the Tarikh of Imam Tabari, became famous in the western world through the book The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The Anglican archbishop and poet, Richard Chenevix Trench versified the incident in the following poem:
Now the third and fatal conflict for the Persian throne was done,
And the Moslem’s fiery valour had the crowning victory won.
Harmosan, the last and boldest the invader to defy,
Captive overborne by numbers, they were bringing forth to die.
Then exclaimed that noble captive—”Lo! I perish in my thirst,
Give me but one drink of water, and let then arrive the worst!”
In his hand he took the goblet, but awhile the draught forbore,
Seeming doubtfully the purpose of the foemen to explore.
Well might then have paused the bravest—for around him angry foes
With a hedge of naked weapons did that lonely man enclose.
“But what fear’st thou?” cried the Caliph;—”is it, friend, a secret blow?
Fear it not—our gallant Moslem no such treacherous dealing know.
Thou mayst quench thy thirst securely, for thou shalt not die before
Thou hast drunk that cup of water—this reprieve is thine—no more!”
Quick the Satrap dashed the goblet down to earth with ready hand,
And the liquid sand for ever, lost amid the burning sand.
“Thou hast said that mine my life is, till the water of that cup
I have drained—then bid thy servants that spilled water gather up!”
For a moment stood the Caliph as by doubtful passions stirred,
Then exclaimed,—”For ever sacred must remain a monarch’s word.
Bring another cup, and straightway to the noble Persian give:
Drink, I said before, and perish—now I bid thee drink and live!”
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