Nihawand's Treaty and the Mah Dinar Name

صلح نهاوند وماه دينار

In al-Baladhuri: when the Persian army was routed and Hudhayfa commanded, Nihawand was besieged — its people sallied and were beaten — until Simak ibn Ubayd al-Absi chased a man with eight riders, killing each as he turned, till the man alone sued for quarter, cast his weapon and was taken; speaking Persian he asked through a translator to be brought to the commander — 'I will make peace over this land, pay jizya, and give you what you wish for sparing me' — his name was Dinar. Hudhayfa made treaty with him on kharaj and jizya, securing the people of Nihawand in their wealth, orchards and homes — hence Nihawand was called Mah Dinar, and Dinar would visit Simak thereafter, giving gifts. Nihawand had been a Kufa conquest and al-Dinawar a Basra one; when Kufa's Muslims multiplied, al-Dinawar was made over to them and Nihawand compensated to Basra (being of Isbahan's kura), the kharaj differential going to Kufa — whence Nihawand 'Mah Basra' and al-Dinawar 'Mah Kufa' — under Mu'awiya's caliphate.

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The Battle of Nihawand (Fath al-Futuh)

In al-Baladhuri: when Yazdgard fled Hulwan in year 19, Persians of Rayy, Qumis, Isbahan, Hamadhan and the Mahayn gathered to him in year 20 under Mardanshah Dhu al-Hajib behind the Dirafsh-i Kabiyan — sixty thousand, some say a hundred thousand. Ammar had written Umar, who meant to march himself, then ordered two-thirds of Kufa out with a Basra detachment and charged al-Nu'man ibn Muqarrin — 'not as tax-gatherer, but as ghazi' — with succession running Hudhayfa, Jarir, al-Mughira, al-Ash'ath; al-Hurmuzan had counseled 'Isbahan is the head, Adharbayjan the wings.' The Muslims chained themselves in tens and fives lest they flee; Persian arrows wounded some before battle. Al-Nu'man announced three banner-shakes — ablution, then swords and shoes, then charge with none turning to another — and fought, his armor heavy, the first martyr, the Persian splitting his mule's belly; Ma'qil found him breathing, washed his face, gave him the tidings of victory — 'praise God; write to Umar.' Hudhayfa took the banner and the conquest was named Fath al-Futuh. Abu Uthman al-Nahdi bore the news to Umar, who wept, hand on head. Al-Sa'ib ibn al-Aqra' held the spoils — 'raise no falsehood, withhold no right' — climbed the fortress on Dhu al-Muwaynatayn's word to the Nukhayrkan treasure, two baskets of unmatched jewels sold at Umar's order to the Qurashi youth Amr ibn Harith for the warriors' shares, who resold one at al-Hira for the whole price and kept the other — his first capital. The conquest fell a Wednesday of year 19, or 20, and via Abu Ma'shar 21; al-Nu'man had camped at al-Isbidhar, al-Ash'ath on the right, al-Mughira the left.

Nihawand's Treaty and the Mah Dinar Name

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The Battle of Nihawand (Fath al-Futuh)