The Amir of the Muslims, may God strengthen him, departed from Sijilmasa and continued his journey to his noble kingdom. He entered it on Friday, the twenty-first of the blessed month of Ramadan. At that time, the Arabs united, and those who were present with him and whose hearts God had opened to support Abu Zayan, and the others who were present, all agreed. They approached him from all sides, and the cities and settlements of Kuntra, Musta'ani, Tamazghart, and Wahran followed him. He encamped at the outskirts of al-Balha', and Suwayd, al-Daylam, al-'Attaf, and Husayn ibn Yasar encamped. The Banu Mina also arrived. Khalid ibn 'Amir advanced with the tribe of Himyar and the Banu Ya'qub, and we joined him from al-Ma'qil to Takhbir, at the edge of the district of Banu Bayq. He took the reins of the Amir of the Muslims, may God strengthen him, from the Arabs, and from the descendants of 'Umar ibn Ibrahim, and the descendants of 'Askar, and from those who followed Himyar to Jabal Tashla, which is adjacent to the noble Hadra. The Amir of the Muslims, may God strengthen him, brought forth his supreme banner for the blessed consultation. They gathered, by the grace of God Almighty, to implement what the Caliph's judgment required: to confront the first of the people suddenly and to overwhelm the company. If they were shaken, the others would lose their strength, and their resolve would weaken, and terror would return to their generations. They gained no good.