After the morning prayer, the people of Damascus were standing on the roofs of the markets and houses watching the procession of the army of Muhammad ibn al-Qasim. It was the first time in the history of the world that the leadership of an army invading a distant country was entrusted to a seventeen-year-old youth.
From Damascus to Basra, many young boys, young men and old men joined this army from every city and town on the way.
The news of Muhammad ibn al-Qasim's departure had been received in Kufa and Basra and young women were persuading their husbands, mothers, sons and girls to be ready to support the young soliders.
The cry of a helpless daughter of nation had reached every house in Basra and Kufa.
The women of Basra had been inspired by the preaching of Zubaydah
That Naheed's problem is the problem of every daughter-in-law of the nation.
Young girls from different neighborhoods and districts used to come to Zubaydah's house and go back with a new spirit from her speeches.
Despite her ill health, Muhammad ibn al-Qasim's mother, along with a group of women of Basra, reached out to the women of every neighborhood to preach Jihad(War). Zubaydah sold all her jewelry to buy horses and weapons for a few new soldiers.
Girls from all the rich and poor families of Basra followed suit, and in a few days the treasury of Basra was filled with gold and silver to support the army.
The women of other cities of Iraq did not want to lag behind the women of Basra in this good cause and millions of rupees were collected there as well.
Muhammad ibn al-Qasim stayed in Basra for three days. Before his arrival, Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in Basra had received a message from Muhammad bin Haroon, the governor of Makran, that out of the delegation of men sent to Dabil under the leadership of Ubaidullah, only two young men managed to reach Makran with their lives saved. There are. All others have been killed by the governor of Dabil.
This news fueled the burning fire of revenge among the people of Basra.
At the time of departure from Damascus, the total number of Muhammad ibn al-Qasim's army was five thousand, but when he left Basra, the total number of his army was twelve thousand. Of which six thousand soldiers were cavalry. There were 3,000 foot soldiers and 3,000 camels with supplies.