The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

126 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Of which you are told by a trnthful man who has knowledge
of its events, knowledge based on experience.
Buy weapons from a warrior, and remember well your
account, for God is the best accountant.
A man's patron is He, and chose a religion; and let there
he no guardian over you hut the Lord of the stars.
Establish a hantfreligiou for us, for You are a goal
for us, and one can he guided by great peaks.
And You are a light and protection for this people; You
are a refuge they go to, and dreams do not disappoint.
And if the people find a jewel, to You goes the credit
(lit. for You are the valley's centre, the rabbit's nose).
You ensure noble and ancient lineage, lines that are
refined and blemish-free.
Those in need see moving towards your abodes groups of
those destroyed, leading other groups.
Those most righteous have learned that your heights are
in all ways the best of all abodes.
It is the most wise and the best in conduct who, among
all the processions, are most given to the truth.
And so arise and pray to your Lord, and touch the pillars
of this temple amidst the mountains.
For among you from Him has come a favour and a proof on
the day of Ahii Yaksiim, leader of the phallanges.
His forces will march over the plain, and his men will
traverse the clefts of the high mountains.
When the assistance of the Throne-possessor comes to you
armies of angels will repel them, raising dust and stones,
And they shall Nrn tail and flee, and only a few groups
will return from captivity to their people.
And if you perish, so let us die, along with festivals
long lived by; so will a man say who will not lie."'
The war of Dais mentioned by Abii Qays in his poetry was famous and
occurred in the jahzlzyya period. According to Abii Wbayd Macmar b.
al-Muthannx and others, its cause was as follows: Qays b. Zuhayr h. Judhayma
b. Rawaa al-Ghataf~ni owned a mare called D&is, and he ran her in a race with
a mare called al-Ghabr~' owned by Hudhayfa b. Badr b. 'Amr b. Ju'ayya, also of
Ghatafzn. Dahis came in first but Hudhayfa ordered it to be struck in the head.
Mdik b. Zuhayr jumped up and struck al-Ghahr~' in the head. At that Hamal b.
Badr struck Mslik. After, Aba Junaydab alLCAbsi met 'Awf b. Hudhayfa and
killed him. Then a man of the Bann Fazzra met and killed Malik. And so war
erupted between the Banii 'Abs and Fazara. Hudhayfa b. Badr, his brother
Hamal b. Badr and other groups were killed. A great deal of poetry, which it
would take much time to quote and explain, was written concerning this.