Written
after the victory from Damascus, where I stay expecting thy orders
concerning the division of the spoil. Fare thee well, and the mercy
and blessing of God be upon thee and all the Mussulmans."
Omar, in a short letter, expressed his satisfaction, and gave the
Saracens thanks for their perseverance and diligence, commanding Abu
Obeidah to continue where he was till further orders. As Omar had
mentioned nothing concerning the spoil, Abu Obeidah regarded it as left
to his own discretion and divided it without waiting for fresh
instructions. To a horseman he gave thrice as much as to a footman, and
made a further difference between those horses which were of the right
Arabian breed (which they looked upon to be far the best) and those that
were not, allowing twice as much to the former as to the latter. And
when they were not satisfied with this distribution, Abu Obeidah told
them that the prophet had done the same after the battle of Khaibar;
which, upon appeal made to Omar, was by him confirmed. Zobeir had at the
battle of Yermouk two horses, which he used to ride by turns.
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