A Persian Spy Describes the Sahabah to Rustam

Hadhrat Ibn Rufayl narrates that when Rustam camped at Najaf, he sent a spy from there to the Muslim army. The spy infiltrated their ranks so well at Qaadisiyyah that he appeared to be one of them. He saw them brushing with the Miswaak before every salaah, performing salaah and then dispersing to their respective tents. He then returned and informed Rustam about their condition and about the lives they led.

Rustam interrogated him thoroughly, even asking what it was that the Sahabah ate. To this the spy replied, "By Allaah! Although I stayed with them an entire night, I did not see them eat anything. All I saw them do was to suck on some sticks in the evening, when they went to sleep and just before dawn."

Rustam then proceeded and when he camped somewhere between Hisn and Ateeq, he happened to cross paths with the Muslim army. Hadhrat Sa'd Mu'addhin had just called out the Adhaan for the Fajr salaah and Rustam saw them a11 preparing. He then instructed the Persians to mount their animals. When they asked him the reason, he said, "Did you not see that when the announcement was made amongst your enemy, they all started to prepare to fight you." The spy corrected him saying, "They are only preparing for salaah."

Rustam then said the following words in Persian, the translation of which is: "A voice came to me in the morning. It was the voice of Umar, talking to those dogs (the Arabs) and teaching them some wisdom." After they had crossed the river, they again happened to cross paths as Hadhrat Sa'd Muaddhin called out the Adhaan for salaah. Hadhrat Sa'd then led them in salaah. This time, Rustam remarked, "Umar has now eaten my liver."

Ibn Jareer (Vo1.3 Pg.45)