Beautiful Poems of Praise for Arab Tribes
Throughout various historical periods, many poets dedicated significant portions of their work to extolling the virtues of different Arab tribes. Below are some of the most remarkable poems of praise dedicated to these tribes:
Poem in Praise of Banu Hashim
The Umayyad-era poet “Al-Kumayt ibn Zayd” composed a poem celebrating Banu Hashim. Here is the text of the poem:
I was overjoyed, not from longing for beauty,
Nor from the games of the old man playing.
Neither did the dwelling nor the mark of a home
Distract me, nor did a dyed young man seem to sway.
And I am not one whose heart is troubled
By the caw of a raven or a fox’s display.
Nor do the birds that fly in the evening,
Bring me closer to ignoring that monumental decay.
Indeed, I turn to the people of virtues and wisdom,
The best of the children of Hawwah, who strive to display.
I draw near to the noble ones, whom in love,
To God I come seeking through every fray.
Banu Hashim, family of the Prophet, for I,
Find my pleasure in them even when they may dismay.
I lowering myself to them with the wings of affection,
To be welcomed in the haven, as family, I pray.
I was one of that, and of this—
A shield against disdain, though I am forced to stay.
Poem in Praise of Banu Umayyah
The Umayyad poet “Al-Akhtal” penned a poem to honor Banu Umayyah. Here is the text of this poem:
You are the family of a house unequalled,
A house that, when counted, stands above all reckoned.
Your hands stand above others in their generosity,
No graybeard nor resilient one can stand as your second.
Their brow will not be furrowed at dawn’s arrival,
Nor would they hold back from hospitality, even when sown.
Those who shun the abundance of those who possess,
Or refrain from mingling with free souls, their pride withdrawn.
They flowed like the Jumaada, laden with riches,
Eating well when the strong winds of the Levant have blown.
And if you were to ask Quraysh about their great ancestors,
They would tell you, they are the foremost and the support known.
Even if all of mankind’s aid were to unite,
People would contribute little compared to the wealth you have shown.
For Muslims are fortunate as long as they endure,
And there is no greater good after you, once you have flown.
Poem in Praise of Al-Shamas
The poet “Al-Hutay’ah” wrote a poem dedicated to Al-Shamas. Here’s the text of the poem:
Did the family of Al-Shamas, son of Layi, approach,
For dreams and noble lineage indeed have brought them here.
Truly, the unfortunate are those whose hearts find them enemies,
And the noble are those who lean towards them, extending cheer.
They guide distant dreams with utmost patience,
And when they rage, the protective spirit appears.
Refrain from your blame against them, they are not one to blame,
Nor should they fill the space they have grown dear.
Those are a people, if they build, they excel in construction,
And if they bind, they fulfill, and when they promise, they steer.
And if fortune bestows her gifts upon them,
They neither distort gifts nor do they steer.
And if their master speaks of the heaviness of time,
Then indeed let your dreams in them reappear.
And if a bitter one absent is among them,
They are resilient, their ambitions have not yet appeared.
How can it be, without them, I have not witnessed your kind,
In the greatest of conflicts, steadfast they have ensured.
Fathers constructed for them, and ancestry remains,
But who will convey this message to the children of Sa’d, once matured?
In ambitions soaring high, they hold steadfast,
Against the challenges of the times, they remain assured.
The sought-after glory, they have revealed,
As long as he has seen his true worth reassured.
And those who reproach the descendants of Sa’d,
What I say only reflects what they have assured.
For they have the foundation of a house of knowledge,
And they continue to flourish beyond where nature has procured.
Having passed after the songs of their people,
As if the passing of time has none endured.
As if none will sustain the elder or youthful,
With memory retained, undeniably secured.