der Chalifen, ch. ii. pp. 54 et seq. Caussin de Perceval, Histoire des
Arabes, bk. x. pp. 481 et seq. Masoudi, Prairies d'or, trans. Barbier
de Meynard, c. lxxvi. p. 207. Tabari, trans. H. Zotenburg, part
iv. ch. xli. pp. 385 et seq.

[9] Nehawend.--A large town about three days' journey from Hamadan,
in the direction of the qiblah (south-west). Aboul-Moundher Hischam
says it received this name because it was found wholly built, and in
the same condition as at present. Others carry back its foundation to
Noah, and think that its present name is an abbreviation of Nouh-Awend
or Nouh-Wand, that is to say, the city of Noah. Hamzah thinks that its
old name was Nouha-Wend, which means "the well multiplied." Nehawend
is situated in the fourth climate, 72 deg. longitude and 36 deg. latitude;
it is one of the oldest cities of Djebal. It was conquered about
the year 19 or 20 of the Hejira. Abou Bekr el-Hodhaili, relying
upon the testimony of Mohammed, son of Hasan, says: "The battle of
Nehawend was fought in the year 21, under the Caliphate of Omar, son
of Khatthab. The Mussulmans were commanded by No'man ben Mokarren
el-Mouzeni; this general had under him Hodhaifah, son of Yemani,
Djerir ben 'Abd Allah, el-Moghairah ben Scha'bah and el-Asch'ath ben
Qais." When No'man, who was one of the companions of the Prophet,
was killed, the commandership passed into the hands of Hodhaifah;
it was this chief who concluded the peace, as we attribute it to the
word Mah-Dinar. This is what el-Moubarek ben Saib, who derived this
information from his father, relates: "Nehawend was taken by the army
of Koufah, and Dinewer by the troops of Basrah. As the population
of Koufah had considerably increased, some of its inhabitants were
obliged to emigrate into the countries newly pacified and subject to
Kharadj. It is thus that they came to inhabit Dinewer. The province
of Koufah was received in exchange for Nehawend, which was annexed to
the province of Ispahan, the remainder of Kharadj being taken off from
Dinewer and Nehawend. It was in the reign of Mo'awiah ben Abi Soufian
that Nehawend was called Mah-el-Basrah and Dinewer Mah-el-Koufah. The
Persians, before the battle of Nehawend, had gathered together
considerable troops; it is said that their army numbered about
150,000 men commanded by Firouzan. After this important battle,
which was called the 'Victory of Victories,' the resistance of the
Persians became less and less. The most accredited op