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

IMAM ABU AL-FIDB ISMA~L IBN KATHiR 363
Ibn Ishzq stated, "Umayya b. Aba al-Salt spoke the following verses expressing
his lament for those of Quraysh killed at the battle of Badr:
'Have you not wept over those noble men, sons of
nobles, worthy of praise,
Mourning like doves on swaying, pliant branches,
Weeping as they coo softly as they return at night.
The women who mourn are like them, the hired women
who wail.
Whoever mourns for them does so in sorrow and whoever
praises them speaks hue.
What chieftains, what great leaders there were at Badr
and al-'Aqanqal,
And at Mudsfi al-Barqayn, and at al-Hanm by the side
of al-Awshib,
Mature men and youthful were there, in nights of
raiding, and strong men too,
Do you not see what I see, plain for all who look on?
The Mecca valley has changed, its plains now deserted,
By every prince and prince's son, pure in friendship,
confident,
Frequent visitors at the gates of kings, eminent men
defeating the deserts.
Men of broad necks, tall and well-built, influential
and successful,
Men who say, do and order dl things proper,
Who serve rich meat piled high above the bread,
Men who pass around dish after dish after dish big as
pwls,
Not mere nothings for those who are guests, plates not
merely flat,
Serving guest after guest after guest from huge
platters,
Men who give as gifts hundreds of the pregnant camels
they own to hundreds of friends,
Driving the herds of camels over to the others coming
forth from Baldih,
Their men of nobility having qualities outweighing
other nobles on the scale.
Like the weights on a scale being held down by the
measurer,
One group deserted them while they were busy protecting
things open to shame,
Men who struck blows against the vanguard with their
Indian-made broadswords,
Their voices hurt me as they cried out, some for water,
others in pain.