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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA~L IBN KATH~R
About Wtba as he fled, and Shayba after him, and
'Utba's first-born also had no joy in it.
Though you cut off my leg, I am a Muslim still and by
it will earn a life close to God,
With the houris like statues, set aside at the highest
heaven for those up high,
For that I have exchanged a life the best of which I
have known, and I mshed to it even though losing those
close to me.
The All-Merciful has honoured me by his generosity with
the gown of Islam that covers over my faults,
And to fight them was not distasteful to me on that
morning when men called forth their peers to fight.
When they asked the Prophet, he wanted none but us, we
three, so we answered the call,
We confronted them like lions, flourishing our spears,
fighting for the All-Merciful those who disobeyed.
Our feet did not leave our stand, we three, until they
met their fate."
Ibn Isbsq stated, "Hassan b. Thzbit also spoke the following verses criticizing
al-Haith b. Hisham for fleeing at Badr and abandoning his people and not fighting
for them:
'A lovely woman disturbs your heart while you sleep,
reviving you while lying there with cool, smiling lips,
Like musk mixed with rain-water, or h e, vintage wine,
like blood from sacrifice,
Her buttocks high, their cheeks rising, carefree and
not prone to oath-swearing.
Her body is built at the waist as though boneless, when
she sits it becomes like a mortar of marble,
She is seductive as she moves to her bed, her body
gorgeous, her figure superb.
In daytime I never tire of thinking of her, while at
night my dreams of her excite me.
I swore I would forget her and think of her no more
until my bones disappear in the grave.
Could a generous woman reproach for foolishness? I
reject being blamed for my passion.
She came to me early, at dawn when I was newly awake,
life's cares just intruding upon me.
She claimed that a man suffers all his life from a lack
of a plentitude of camels.
If you were lying in what you told me, then may you
avoid the lot of al-Hzrith b. Hishm.