From ‘Urwa ibn Al-Zubair, who said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) sent out his mission to Mu’ta in the month of Jumada Al-ula in the eighth year … Then they set out until reaching Mu’an in the land of Sham, and the people found out that Hiraql had reached Mu’ab in the land of Balqaa with one hundred thousand Romans, and another hundred thousand from Lakhm, Judham, Al-qayn, Bahraa, and Baliy had joined up with them, led by a man from Baliy, then one of the Irasha clan called Malk ibn Zafila. When the Muslims found out about this, they stayed in Mu’an for two nights thinking about their predicament. They said: We should write to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and let him know the large number of our enemy; either He sends men to us as reinforcements, or He will tell us what his orders are and we will proceed. But Abdullah ibn Rawaha emboldened the people, saying: Oh people! By Allah truly that which you dislike is indeed that which you have set out in search of – martyrdom. We do not fight people by large numbers, nor by strength, nor by abundance; we only fight them for this religion that Allah has honored us with. So hurry on! Indeed this is one of two good things – either victory or martyrdom. And the people said: By Allah Ibn Rawaha is right! And so the people proceeded on.