The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 3 of 4

352 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
and I saw women whose nipples were being bitten by snakes. "What did these
people do?" I asked. They replied, "They are women who denied milk to
their children." They then took me further off to where there were children
playing between two lakes. "Who are these?" I asked. "These are the children
of believers," they told me.
""Then they took me up to a high place where there were three men drinking
wine. "Who are these?" I asked. "These are Ja'far h. Ahti Tdib, Zayd b. Hzritha
and 'Abd Allah h. Rawaa," they replied. Then they took me to yet another high
point where I found myself with three other men. The two men said, L'These are
Abraham, Moses and Jesus, upon all of whom be peace. They await you."'"
Section: On the Poetry Verses spoken about the Expedition to Mu'ta.
Ibn Ishaq stated, "The following verses of Hassnn (h. Thabit) are among those
spoken in mourning for those killed at Mu'ta,
'A dificult night I had in Yathrib, worry that kept me
sleepless while others slept deep.
Remembering a friend, my tears flowed copiously, and
memory often causes weeping.
Indeed, the loss of a friend is a tragedy, and what a
lot of noble men suffer yet persist!
I saw the finest Muslims go off in groups, whiie others
hehiid them delayed.
May God not keep distant those dead men who followed on
at Mu'ta, including Ja'far who has wings
And Zayd and 'Abd M%h, all of whom followed on, when
the ropes of death swung.
That morning they went forth with the believers,
led on to death by that happy man of splendid
character,
Fine as the light of the moon, of Hsshim's line, proud
before injustice, valiant.
He thrust on until he lay down without a cushion on a
battlefield, a broken spear in him.
His reward is with that of the martyrs - a paradise of
gardens, under a canopy of green.
In Ja'far we saw someone faithful to Muhammad, a man of
decision when he gives orders.
May there never cease to be in Islam men of H%hi's
line, perpetual pillars of glory and the source of
pride.
They are Islam's mountain, and those around them are
large rocks rising up to splendid, towering heights.
Fie leaders, who include Ja'far and his brother 'Ali,
as well as mad, the one chosen.