We have a class called “Nusoos Adabiyyah” where we study some pieces of Arabic literature, poetry in particular. A few days ago, we studied some verses from a piece of poetry composed by Hassaan ibn Thaabit (radiyallaahu ‘anhu), who was a Companion from the Ansaar. In Siyar A‘laam an-Nubalaa’, ath-Thahabee called him “sayyid ash-shu‘araa’ al-mu’mineen, al-mu’ayyad bi-rooh al-qudus” (the master of poets among the believers, and the one aided by the angel Jibreel).
As to some of the historical significance of the piece we looked at, Hassaan ibn Thaabit (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) was speaking about the preparations of the Muslims prior to the conquest of Makkah which took place in the 8th year after the hijrah. In his poetry, he responded to and disparaged Aboo Sufyaan ibn al-Haarith, who was still a mushrik at the time, and was one of those who gave his all to harm and abuse the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the Muslims. Additionally, in his poetry, Hassaan also defended the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). There are narrations, collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, where Hassaan sought permission from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to lampoon the mushrikeen, and he was allowed to do so.
The piece we looked at had the following lines:
1 – فَإِمَّا تُعْرِضُوا عَنَّا اعْتَمَرْنَا … وَكَانَ الْفَتْحُ وِانْكَشَفَ الْغِطَاءُ
2 – وَإِلاَّ فَاصْبِرُوا لِجِلادِ يَوْمٍ … يُعِزُّ اللهُ فِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ
3 – وَجِبْرِيلُ أَمِينُ اللهِ فِينَا … وَرُوحُ القُدْسِ لَيْسَ لَهُ كِفَاءُ
4 – وَقَالَ اللهُ قَدْ أَرسَلْتُ عَبْداً … يَقُولُ الْحَقَّ إِنْ نَفَعَ الْبَلاءُ
5 – شَهِدْتُ بِهِ وَقَوْمِي صَدَّقُوه … فَقُلْتُمْ لا نَقُومُ وَلا نَشَاءُ
6 – وَقَالَ اللهُ قَدْ سَيَّرْتُ جُنْداً … هُمُ الأَنْصَارُ عُرْضَتُهَا اللِّقَاءُ
7 – أَلا أبْلِغْ أَبَا سُفْيانَ عَنِّي … فَأَنْتَ مُجَوَّفٌ نَخْبٌ هَوَاءُ
8 – بِأَنَّ سُيُوفَنَا تَرَكَتْكَ عَبْداً … وَعَبْدُ الدَّارِ سَادَتُهَا الإِمَاءُ
1- Either you leave us to perform ‘Umrah, then let the conquest take place and the darkness be lifted,
2- Or else prepare for battle on a day when Allaah will aid those whom He wishes.
3- And Jibreel, the trusted emissary of Allaah is among us, the sanctified angel like none other.
4- And Allaah said, “I have indeed sent a servant speaking the truth for those who wish to accept it.”
5- I testified to this and my people believed in him, but you said, “We won’t stand for it and we don’t want any part of it.”
6- And Allaah said, “I have indeed dispatched an army – they are the Ansaar, who are well-acquainted with combat.”
7 – Go tell Aboo Sufyaan that I said, “You’re a worthless, frightened coward,
8 – Since our swords will render you a prisoner, and the people of the ‘Abd ad-Daar tribe are ruled by ladies (i.e. there are no real men among you).”
In class, we were only studying words of the text, the general meaning of the poem, and well as some other elements of Arabic poetry. We weren’t really looking at it from a polemic or historical angle. However, I was going through Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah of al-Albaanee later that same day and I found the poetry mentioned there, although it was a lengthier version with different lines. Al-Albaanee actually quoted the whole hadeeth as it occurs in Saheeh Muslim. It should also be noted that this incident took place at a time when armed conflict was present between the Non-Muslims and the Muslims, and it was done in response to the Non-Muslims who constantly cursed and ridiculed the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the Muslims. This was actually mentioned by Hassaan in the lines of poetry. Hence, it should be kept in mind that these things were not said at a time of peace, and they were said in response and defense, not to initiate a problem. Furthermore, in the end, the conquest of Makkah took place peacefully and its inhabitants, Aboo Sufyaan ibn al-Haarith included, eventually accepted Islaam.
Note: the word “hijaa’” or “hajw” (as in the hadeeth) can carry the meaning of mentioning the faults of another individual. However, the verb “hajaa / yahjoo” is found translated in Arabic/English dictionaries as meaning “to satirize” or “to lampoon”…in other words, verbally defaming another party, specifically with poetry in this case. The following is the hadeeth along with translation. It might not seem like anything too special, but I guess it sort of spoke to me. Thus, I decided to post it up as something interesting I came across recently.
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(…) أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « اهْجُوا قُرَيْشًا فَإِنَّهُ أَشَدُّ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ رَشْقٍ بِالنَّبْلِ ».
‘Aa’ishah (radiyallaahu ‘anhaa) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Lampoon Quraysh, for that will hurt them more than an onslaught of arrows.”
فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى ابْنِ رَوَاحَةَ فَقَالَ « اهْجُهُمْ ». فَهَجَاهُمْ فَلَمْ يُرْضِ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) sent for Ibn Rawaahah and asked him to lampoon them. Thus, he composed a lampoon against them, but it did not appeal to him (i.e. the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). He then sent for Ka‘b ibn Maalik (to do the same, and the end result was the same).
ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى حَسَّانَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ حَسَّانُ قَدْ آنَ لَكُمْ أَنْ تُرْسِلُوا إِلَى هَذَا الأَسَدِ الضَّارِبِ بِذَنَبِهِ ثُمَّ أَدْلَعَ لِسَانَهُ فَجَعَلَ يُحَرِّكُهُ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِى بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لأَفْرِيَنَّهُمْ بِلِسَانِى فَرْىَ الأَدِيمِ.
He then sent for Hassaan ibn Thaabit who said upon entering, “The time has come for you to call upon this lion who strikes with his tail.” He then brought out his tongue, began to move it around, and then said, “By He Who has sent you with the truth, I shall tear them to shreds with my tongue the way a leather hide gets torn.”
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لاَ تَعْجَلْ فَإِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمُ قُرَيْشٍ بِأَنْسَابِهَا – وَإِنَّ لِى فِيهِمْ نَسَبًا – حَتَّى يُلَخِّصَ لَكَ نَسَبِى ».
At that, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Don’t be hasty. Aboo Bakr has the best knowledge of the lineage of Quraysh, and my lineage comes from them, so let him outline my lineage to you.”
فَأَتَاهُ حَسَّانُ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ لَخَّصَ لِى نَسَبَكَ وَالَّذِى بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لأَسُلَّنَّكَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تُسَلُّ الشَّعَرَةُ مِنَ الْعَجِينِ.
Hence, Hassaan went to him, then returned and said, “O Messenger of Allaah! He outlined your lineage for me. By He Who has sent you with the truth, I shall draw you out from them as a hair is drawn out from dough (i.e. my lampoon will leave no traces on you).
قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَسَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ لِحَسَّانَ « إِنَّ رُوحَ الْقُدُسِ لاَ يَزَالُ يُؤَيِّدُكَ مَا نَافَحْتَ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ». وَقَالَتْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « هَجَاهُمْ حَسَّانُ فَشَفَى وَاشْتَفَى ». قَالَ حَسَّانُ
‘Aa’ishah said, “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) telling Hassaan, ‘Rooh al-Qudus (i.e. the angel Jibreel) will aid you as long as you are defending Allaah and His Messenger.’” She also said, “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying, “Hassaan lampooned them and he restored honor to the Muslims and exacted revenge from the mushrikeen (by the content of his poetry.)” Hassaan said:
هَجَوْتَ مُحَمَّدًا فَأَجَبْتُ عَنْهُ … وَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ فِى ذَاكَ الْجَزَاءُ
You lampooned Muhammad, but I shall reply on his behalf;
and there is reward with Allaah for me doing so.
هَجَوْتَ مُحَمَّدًا بَرًّا تَقِيًّا … رَسُولَ اللَّهِ شِيمَتُهُ الْوَفَاءُ
You lampooned Muhammad, the virtuous and righteous;
The Messenger of Allaah, whose nature is truthfulness.
فَإِنَّ أَبِى وَوَالِدَهُ وَعِرْضِى … لِعِرْضِ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنْكُمْ وِقَاءُ
Verily, I give my father, my grandfather, and my honour,
to protect the honour of Muhammad from you.
ثَكِلْتُ بُنَيَّتِى إِنْ لَمْ تَرَوْهَا … تُثِيرُ النَّقْعَ مِنْ كَنَفَىْ كَدَاءِ
May I lose my dear daughter, if you don’t see our stallions
raising clouds of dust from the two sides of Kadaa’ (a mountain pass at the entrance to Makkah).
يُبَارِينَ الأَعِنَّةَ مُصْعِدَاتٍ … عَلَى أَكْتَافِهَا الأَسَلُ الظِّمَاءُ
They (i.e. the stallions) pull at the reins, speeding ahead coming towards you;
on their shoulders are spears thirsting for you.
تَظَلُّ جِيَادُنَا مُتَمَطِّرَاتٍ … تُلَطِّمُهُنَّ بِالْخُمُرِ النِّسَاءُ
Our stallions speed ahead, racing with one another,
and the women wipe the dust off them with their mantles.
فَإِنْ أَعْرَضْتُمُو عَنَّا اعْتَمَرْنَا … وَكَانَ الْفَتْحُ وَانْكَشَفَ الْغِطَاءُ
Either you leave us to perform ‘Umrah,
then let the conquest take place and the darkness be lifted,
وَإِلاَّ فَاصْبِرُوا لِضِرَابِ يَوْمٍ … يُعِزُّ اللَّهُ فِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ
Or else prepare for battle on a day
when Allaah will aid those who He wishes.
وَقَالَ اللَّهُ قَدْ أَرْسَلْتُ عَبْدًا … يَقُولُ الْحَقَّ لَيْسَ بِهِ خَفَاءُ
And Allaah said, “I have indeed sent a servant
speaking the truth in which lies no ambiguity.”
وَقَالَ اللَّهُ قَدْ يَسَّرْتُ جُنْدًا … هُمُ الأَنْصَارُ عُرْضَتُهَا اللِّقَاءُ
And Allaah said, “I have indeed dispatched an army;
they are the Ansaar, who are well-acquainted with combat.”
لَنَا فِى كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مِنْ مَعَدٍّ … سِبَابٌ أَوْ قِتَالٌ أَوْ هِجَاءُ
Every day we receive defamation, fighting or satire
from Ma‘add (i.e. the people of Quraysh),
فَمَنْ يَهْجُو رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مِنْكُمْ … وَيَمْدَحُهُ وَيَنْصُرُهُ سَوَاءُ
Yet, whichever of you lampoons the Messenger of Allaah,
or praises him, or aids him, it’s all the same.
وَجِبْرِيلٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فِينَا … وَرُوحُ الْقُدْسِ لَيْسَ لَهُ كِفَاءُ
And Jibreel, the Emissary of Allah is among us;
the sanctified angel like none other.
***
[…and Allaah knows best…]
References:
- As-Silsilah as-Saheehah of al-Albaanee (#1180)
- Saheeh Muslim (Chapter about the Merits of Hassaan ibn Thaabit, which is in Kitaab Fadaa’il as-Sahaabah); also see the Sharh of an-Nawawee for the words in the hadeeth, as well as the Saheeh Muslim translation in English.
- Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (Chapter called “Hijaa al-Mushrikeen”, which is in Kitaab al-Adab); also see Fath al-Baaree of Ibn Hajar in his explanation of that section.
