Guillaume--Life of Muhammad.pdf - Radical Truth
Guillaume--Life of Muhammad.pdf - Radical Truth
Guillaume--Life of Muhammad.pdf - Radical Truth
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348 The <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Muhammad</strong><br />
To the death; we have help unlimited<br />
Faithful to his promise, intrepid, a brilliant star,<br />
A full moon that casts light on every noble man (543)·<br />
Bassan also said: 1<br />
The Banu. Asaci were disappointed and their raiders returned<br />
On the day <strong>of</strong> the Well in misery and disgrace.<br />
Abu'I-'A~ soon lay dead on the ground:<br />
Hurled from the back <strong>of</strong> his galloping steed:<br />
He met his end with his weapons, good fighter as he was<br />
When he lay still in death.<br />
The man Zam'a we left with his throat severed,<br />
His life blood flowing away,<br />
His forehead cushioned in the dust,<br />
His nostrils defiled with filth;<br />
Ibn Qays escaped with a remnant <strong>of</strong> his tribe<br />
Covered with vlOunds, at the point <strong>of</strong> death.<br />
I;Iassan also said: 2<br />
Can anyone say if the Meccans know<br />
How \ve slew the unbelievers in their evil hour?<br />
We killed their leaders in the battle<br />
And they returned a shattered force;<br />
We killed Abu Jahl and T tba before him,<br />
And Shayba fell fonvard with his hands outstretched.'<br />
We killed Suwayd and 'Utba after him.<br />
Tu'ma also in the dust <strong>of</strong> combat.<br />
Many a noble, generous man we sIc\v<br />
Of l<strong>of</strong>ty line, illustrious among his people.<br />
We left them as meat for hyaenas<br />
Later to burn in Hell fire. 4<br />
l'faith l\Ialik's horsemen and their followers were no protection<br />
When they met us at Badr (5H)·<br />
Bassan also said 5<br />
Hakim's speed saved him on the day <strong>of</strong> Badr<br />
Like the speed <strong>of</strong> a colt from al-A'waj's mares,6<br />
\Vhen he saw Badr's valley walls<br />
Swarming with the black-mailed squadrons <strong>of</strong> Khazraj<br />
\Vho do not retire when they meet the enemy,<br />
Who march boldly in the middle <strong>of</strong> the beaten track.<br />
I Diwan ccvii. 2 D~wtitl xliv.. .<br />
3 The true reading is yakbii. W.'s yabkii is an obvious misprmt. The WIdely different<br />
reading in H.'s Diu·tin is markedly inferior.<br />
_<br />
.. A reminiscence <strong>of</strong> Sura 8S. 4. 5 Diwan lxxx.<br />
ti A horse as famouS in pa~an sagas as Black Bess in English legend.<br />
The <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Muhammad</strong><br />
How many a valiant chief they have,<br />
Heroes where the coward turns at bay,<br />
Chiefs giving lavishly with open hand,<br />
Crowned ones bearing the burden <strong>of</strong> blood-wits,<br />
Ornaments in conclave, persistent in battle,<br />
Smiting the bold with their all-piercing swords (545).<br />
I:fassan also said:<br />
Thanks to God we fear not an army<br />
How many they be with their assembled troops.<br />
Whenever they brought a multitude against us<br />
The gracious Lord sufficed us against their swords;<br />
At Badr we raised our spears al<strong>of</strong>t,<br />
Death did not dismay us.<br />
You could not sec a body <strong>of</strong> men<br />
More dangerous to those they attack when war IS stirred up, I<br />
But we put our trust [in God] and said:<br />
'Our swords are our fame and our defence.'<br />
With them we met them and were victorious<br />
Though but a band against their thousands.<br />
349<br />
ijassan also said, satirizing B. Jumal) and those <strong>of</strong> them \\'ho were slain:<br />
Banu Jumal:> rushed headlong to disaster' because <strong>of</strong> their unlucky<br />
star<br />
(The mean m:m inevitably meets humiliation).<br />
They were conquered and slain at Badr,<br />
They deserted in all directions,<br />
They rejected the scripture and called <strong>Muhammad</strong> liar.<br />
But God makes the religion <strong>of</strong> every apostle victorious;<br />
God curse Abu Khuzayma and his son,<br />
The two Khiilids and $ii'id b. 'Aqil.<br />
'Ubayda b. al-J:fiirith said about the battle <strong>of</strong> Badr, and the cutting <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong><br />
his foot when it was smitten in the fight, when he and J:farnza and 'Ali<br />
fought their enemies (546):<br />
A battle will tell the Meccans about us:<br />
It will make distant men give heed,<br />
When 'Utba died and Shayba after him<br />
And 'Utba's eldest son had no cause to be pleased with it.'<br />
You may cut <strong>of</strong>f my leg, yet I am a Muslim,<br />
I hope in exchange for a life near to Allah<br />
With Houris fashioned like the most beautiful statues<br />
With the highest heaven for those who mount there.<br />
1 The metaphor is that <strong>of</strong> the untimely address <strong>of</strong> the he-camel to the mare.<br />
:I Here there is a pun on the name Jumal;t.<br />
J 'Utba's firstborn al-Walid was also slain at Badr.