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

362 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Even though you are victorious at the battle of Badr,
it was only due to Ahmad, and that is plain, that you won.
And due to those fine champions who were his supporters
who gave protection in the heat of battle, with death all
around.
Aha Bakr and Hamza are counted among them, and 'All
could be named amidst those you remember.
It is those men, not those from whose abodes came the
Aws and the Najjiir, whom you should vaunt,
Rather those whose ancestors were Lu'ayy h. Ghzlib,
Ka'b and 'Amir, if lineage be considered.
It was they, the finest and the most important on the
morning of battle-who repelled the cavalry at every fight."
Ka'b h. Malik replied to this with his ode given above, which begins:
"I was amazed at what God did, and God has power to do
what He wills, there heing none able to overcome God."
Ibn Ishaq stated, "Aha Bakr, his full name heing Shaddad h. al-Aswad b. Shuciih
(and here I comment that al-Bukhari tells that he had a child by the ex-wife of
Aha Bakr, 'the Trusting', after the latter had divorced her, that heing when God
had made non-believing women forbidden to Muslims. Her name was Umm
Bakr) spoke the verses,
'Umm Bakr greeted me with peace, hut now my people are
gone, can I ever have peace?
What of the pit, the pit of Badr, how can there he for
me singers and fine friends with whom to drink?
What of the pit, the pit of Badr, how can there he for
me plates piled high with h e meat?
What of the grave, the grave of Badr, how many grazing
camels and cattle will you enjoy henceforth?
What of the grave, the grave of Badr, and great
ambitions, fine gifts.
What of the friends; of that fine man Aha 'Ali, my
brother of the generous glass and companionship!
Were you to see Ahii 'Aqil and the fighters at the Na'am
pass,
Then you would he as distraught as the mother bereft of
a camel newborn,
The messenger informs us that we shall live, hut what
life is there for corpses and head^?""^
I would comment that al-Bukhari quoted some of this in his ~ahih collection to
demonstrate the poet's state of mind.
78. Guillaume offers an interesting comment on the word ~eda', here translated as "heads"
(plural), relating it to an ancient Arabian belief that an owl-like bird, the sada' would emerge from
the head of a slain man and demand revenge for his death. Op. cir. p.353, note 2.