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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537<br />
The <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Muhammad</strong><br />
Hind d. 'utba b. Rabi'a bewailing her father on the day <strong>of</strong> Badr<br />
said:<br />
She also said:<br />
Fate is against us and has \\-Tonged us,<br />
But \ve can do naught to resist it.<br />
After the slain <strong>of</strong> Lu'ayy b. Ghiilib,<br />
Can a man care about his death or the death <strong>of</strong> his friend?<br />
Many a day did he rob himself <strong>of</strong> wealth<br />
By lavishing gifts morning and evening.<br />
Give Abu Sufyan a message from me:<br />
If I meet him one day I will repro.vc him.<br />
'Twas a war that will kindle another war,<br />
For every man has a friend to avenge (557).<br />
She also said:<br />
o eyes, be generous with thy tears<br />
For the best <strong>of</strong> Khindif's sons<br />
Who never returned (home).<br />
His clan fell upon him one morning,<br />
The sons <strong>of</strong> Hashim and the sons <strong>of</strong> al-l\luHalib<br />
They made him taste the edge <strong>of</strong> their swords,<br />
They attacked him again ,vhen he \vas helpless,<br />
They dragged him stripped and spoiled<br />
\Vith the dust upon his face;<br />
To us he was a strong mountain,<br />
Grass-clad, pkasing to the eye;<br />
As for al-Bara' I do not mention him,<br />
May he get the good he counted on.<br />
What an eye which saw a death like the death <strong>of</strong> my men!<br />
How many a man and woman tomorrow<br />
"Vill join with the keening women;<br />
How many did they lea\'e behind on the day <strong>of</strong> the pit,<br />
The morning <strong>of</strong> that tumultuous cry!<br />
All generous men in years <strong>of</strong> urought<br />
\Vhcn the stars withheld their rain. I<br />
I \-vas afraid <strong>of</strong> what I saw<br />
And now my fear is realized.<br />
I was afraid <strong>of</strong> what I saw<br />
And today I am beside myself.<br />
How many a woman will say tomorrow<br />
Alas Umm MU'iiwiya! (558)<br />
I<br />
The ancient Arabs thought that the stars brought rain.<br />
The LIfe <strong>of</strong> Jluhammad<br />
Hind also said:<br />
o eye, \vcep for 'l,~tba, the strong-necked chief<br />
\\'ho gave his food in famine<br />
'<br />
Our defence on the dav <strong>of</strong> \"i~torv<br />
I am grieved for him, broken-he~;ted, demented. I<br />
L:.t us fall on Yathrib with an overwhelming attack<br />
IIJth horses kept hard by<br />
Every long-bodied charge~.<br />
$a~lya d. Musiifir b. Abu 'Amr b. Umayya b. 'Abdu Shams b. 'Abdu 53 8<br />
Manaf, be\vallmg the slain in the pit <strong>of</strong> Badr, said:<br />
Alas for my eye painful and bleared<br />
The night far spent, the rising sun still hid!<br />
I \'\'as told that the noble chieftains<br />
Fate had seized for ever<br />
That the riders fled \vith the armv and<br />
IVI~thel~s neglected their children -that morning.<br />
ArIse: ~anya, forget not their relationship,<br />
And If you weep, it is not for those who are distant.<br />
They were the supports 2 <strong>of</strong> the tent.<br />
When they broke, the ro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> the tent was left unsupported (559).<br />
$afiya also said:<br />
Alas my eye, weeping has exhausted its tears<br />
Like the two buckets <strong>of</strong> the 'waterman<br />
\Valking among the trees <strong>of</strong> the orchard.<br />
No lion <strong>of</strong> the jungle with claws and teeth<br />
Father :)[ cubs, leaping on his prey, '<br />
ExceedIng fierce and angry,<br />
Is equal to my love when he died<br />
Faci?g people \\·hose faces were changed in anger,<br />
In IllS hand a sharp sword <strong>of</strong> the finest steel.<br />
\,:7 hen yo~ thrust with a spear ~{ou made great wounds<br />
From which came hot foaming blood (5 60).<br />
Hind d. Cthiitha b. 'Abbiid b. al-Muttalib lamenting 'Ubayda b. al-<br />
I:Iiirith b. al-Mugalib said: ..<br />
AI-$afra'J holds glory and authoritv<br />
Deep-rooted culture: ample inteIlig;nce.<br />
\Veep for '.ubayda, a mountain <strong>of</strong> strength to the strange guests,<br />
And the Widow who suckles a dishevelled baby;<br />
I Suh. here, presses for the meaning 'clad in mourning', mustaliba but as all th. J. , ..<br />
are psychological such a sense seems out <strong>of</strong> place here. ' c a Jeal\es<br />
Z I follow C. in reading S1I(jI/b.<br />
J A place between :\1ecca and .l\1cdina.<br />
359