The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 1 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA~TL IBN KATHTR 355
As Abn Sufym passed by me he looked away, as though he were a royal prince of a
great line.
He gets away to high Najd and its cool waters, claiming, "No, I'm not abandoning
you."
He tells us, as though a aue counsellor, that he is sympathetic but he hides his
innate ill-will.
0 Mut'irn, I did not desert you when needing help, nor any critical time needing
deeds of valour
Nor on that day of conflict when they attacked you violently, fierce men, implacable
enemies.
0 Mut'im, the people have entrusted a task to you, and I, when given a task, don't
shun it;
May God punish 'Abd Shams and Nawfal for us, soon, not delayed, and harsh.
In proper measure, not a grain-weight less, it being testimony about itself, not that
of some miscreant.
Fools are they who would exchange in barter the Bann Khalaf and al-Ghayatal for
us.
We are the very heart of the essence of Hnshim and the tribe of Qu~ayy in all prime
regards.
Sahm and Makhziim have biased and incited against us in enmity every scoundrel
and sinner.
0 'Abd Manaf, you men are the best of your people, so do not ally in your affairs
with every sponger.
By my life, you have gone weak and ineffectual, failing badly in the view of anyone
of good judgement;
Till recently you were the firewood for one pot, but now you're the fuel for various
pots and cauldrons.
Let Banii 'Abd Manaf enjoy our plight and abandonment, and our being forsaken
in our refuge.
If indeed a tribe, we will have revenge for your acts and you will taste the fruits of
indiscriminate warfare.
Tell Qusayy that news of us will spread, and announce to Qu~ayy that after us they
will be defeated.
Yet if great misfortune had one day befallen Qusayy, we would not have stood
away, forsaking them;
If they had fought valiantly amidst their homes, we would have helped them with
their women and children.
So all we considered friends or relatives we've found, I swear, of no avail
Excepting a group of the Kilnb b. Murra tribe who are innocent of the fault of
falseness to us.
The finest of the tribe is our nephew Zuhayr, without dispute, a sharp sword,
alone, unsheathed,
The tallest standing of the pride of the chieftains, a fine man, belonging to a line at
the very centre of glory.