Original Poem
قالوا: أبو الصَّغْرِ من شَيْبانَ قلتُ لهمُ كَلّا لَعَمْرِي ولكنْ منهُ شَيْبانُ كَمْ مِنْ أَبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُرى شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ اللهِ عدنانُ
Translation (English)
They said: Abu al-Sagr is from Shayban, I told them
No, by my life, but Shayban is from him
Many fathers have been raised to honor by their sons
Just like Adnan was raised by the Messenger of Allah
About the Poet
Ibn al-Rumi (9th century)
Ibn al-Rumi was a renowned Arab poet of the Abbasid era, known for his sharp wit and eloquent poetry. He lived during the 9th century and his works often reflected the political and social issues of his time.
Historical Context
- Literary Form
- Classical Arabic poetry
- When Written
- 9th century
- Background
- This poem reflects the theme of lineage and honor, emphasizing the idea that a person's worth can be elevated by their descendants, similar to how the Prophet Muhammad elevated the lineage of Adnan.
Sources: https://x.com/_alkalemat/status/1017385447822102529?lang=ar, https://almerja.com/more.php?idm=95479, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_poetry
Detailed Explanation
This poem by Ibn al-Rumi explores the concept of lineage and honor. The poet begins by addressing a claim that someone named Abu al-Sagr is from the tribe of Shayban. He refutes this by suggesting that it is Shayban who gains honor from Abu al-Sagr, not the other way around. This reversal of expectation highlights the idea that individuals can bring honor to their lineage, rather than merely inheriting it. The second part of the poem draws a parallel to the Prophet Muhammad, who elevated the status of his ancestor Adnan. Through this comparison, the poet emphasizes the power of individual greatness to uplift an entire lineage, suggesting that true honor comes from one's actions and legacy rather than mere ancestry.
Themes
Literary Devices
Word Dictionary
| Word | Meaning | Translation | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| قالوا | أخبروا | they said | qālū |
| أبو | والد | father | abū |
| الصَّغْرِ | اسم شخص | name of a person | al-ṣaghr |
| من | من | from | min |
| شَيْبانَ | قبيلة | a tribe | Shaybān |
| قلتُ | أخبرت | I said | qultu |
| لهمُ | إليهم | to them | lahum |
| كَلّا | لا | no | kallā |
| لَعَمْرِي | بحياتي | by my life | la‘amrī |
| ولكنْ | لكن | but | walākin |
| منهُ | منه | from him | minhu |
| كَمْ | كم | how many | kam |
| مِنْ | من | of | min |
| أَبٍ | والد | father | abin |
| قد | قد | have | qad |
| علا | ارتفع | rose | ‘alā |
| بابنٍ | بابنه | by his son | bi-ibnin |
| ذُرى | قمم | heights | dhurā |
| شَرَفٍ | كرامة | honor | sharafin |
| كما | مثلما | like | kamā |
| برسولِ | بواسطة الرسول | by the Messenger | bi-rasūli |
| اللهِ | الله | God | Allāh |
| عدنانُ | اسم شخص | name of a person | ‘Adnān |
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