Stories from Early Islam — Page 113
113 with his left hand. Soon he lost his left arm. He held the flag between the stumps pressed to his chest. Khalid was an experienced soldier. When he took com - mand of the Muslim force, he rearranged them. Those who were in the rear were brought to the front, and those who were fighting on the right, were brought to the left. The enemy was baffled by such tactics. They thought that the Muslim force had been reinforced. Khalid then skilfully disengaged his men and brought them back without serious loss. The whole progress of the battle was shown to the Holy Prophet saw in a vision. He collected the Muslims of Madinah and told them, ‘Our soldiers are coming back victorious. They fought bravely. First Zaid, then Ja’afar, then Abdullah died as commanders. Pray for them all. After their death the flag was held by Khalid bin Waleed. He is a sword among the swords of Allah. So he delivered his force from a difficult situation and they are on their way back’. It is after this incident that Khalid became known as the ‘Sword of Allah’.