"سجلات تاريخ عُمان" [‎٢‎٢] (١١٢/٣٩)

22
AnnaU of'Oman.
Sohar emigrated with their property and families to Shiriz and el-Basreh.
Mohammed-Vjin Nur meanwhile advanced with his forces and took Julfar,
whence he proceeded to Towwam, which he reached, after some encounters
had taken place in the sandy wastes, on Wednesday, six days before the end of
the month el-Moharram, A. H. 280 [A D. 893] ; and conquered el-Sirr and
neighbouring districts. He then advanced on Xezwa, from which place
'Azzan-bin Temim, finding himself deserted by the people, fled to Semed-el-
Shan. As soon as Mohammed-bin Xur appeared, Xezwa surrendered to him,
and he continued his advance on Semed-el-Shan, and encountered 'Azzan-
bin Temi'm, and on Wednesday, five days before the end of Safar of the same
year, a severe contest occurred, which resulted in the flight of the people of
'Oman and the death of 'Azzan-bin Temim.
Thus 'Oman passed out of the hands of its inhabitants. " It was not
" that God had changed His grace which was in them, but they themselves
" changed the disposition in their souls by sin. '" For they fought
amongst themselves for power and supremacy, each one aiming at having
the authority in his own hands or in the hands of those he favoured. So
God delivered them into the power of one more unjust than themselves.
And since they had become corrupt in their religion, therefore God deprived
them of their kingdom, and set an enemy over them to rule them. The
rule of the Ibadhiyeh from their first accession to power until their overthrow
by Mohammed-bin Xur had lasted one hundred and sixty-three years all
but a month and twelve days. God knows the truth !
Mohammed-bin Xur sent the head of 'Azzan-bin Temi'm to the
Khali'feh at Baghdad, and returned to Xezwa, where he took up his
residence. Soon after el-Ahif-bin Hamham el-Hinai wrote to the Sheykhs
of 'Oman and the tribes of all the districts, calling on and exhorting them
to rise against Mohammed-bin Xur and drive him from 'Oman. They
responded to the summons, and he marched against Mohammed-bin Xur
with a numerous and well ordered force. When the latter heard of this,
terror seized his heart and he took to flight, and was pursued by el-AMf
and his army. The prudent course would have been to avoid a battle, and
follow leisurely until Mohammed-bin Xur should pass the frontier of
'Oman and then to return. But God so willed it for His purposes that
they marched quickly and overtook him at Damma, and a severe encounter
took place, in which many were killed and wounded on both sides. The
contest was going against Mohammed-bin Xur and his followers who were
on the point of taking to flight, and had sought safety on the sea shore.
At this juncture a body of troops appeared on the scene mounted by twos
on camels. These were the advance guard and others of a force of Madhari-
yeh sent by Abu-'Obeydeh-bin Mohammed-el-Sami to the assistance of
Mohammed-bin Xur. As soon as they had drawn nigh to the rival armies,