14. Himmani Afwa1
Died: 301 A.H.
His couplets:
الشمس في يوم الحجاب
يوم المواقف والحساب
برغم مرتاب و آبی
ابن الذي ردت عليه
و ابن القسيم النار في
مولاهم يوم الغدير
“He was the son of the one, for whom the sun returned after it had set.
He was the son of the one, who would distribute Hell on the day of difficult
stations and accounting. He became their master on Ghadeer day, in spite of
the doubters and those who refused.”2
He also wrote:
قلنا لهم هناه الله
يشبه العبد بمولاه
كان رسول الله مولاه
قالوا : ابو بكر له فضله
نسیتم خطبه خم و هل
ان عليا كان مولى لمن
“They said: Abu Bakr was the most excellent. We told them: May God
bless, have you forgotten the sermon of Ghadeer day? Can anyone have
doubt in his being the master? Indeed Ali is the master of one, whose master
the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) is.”3
Introduction to the poet
His name Abu Husain Ali bin Muhammad bin Ja’far bin Muhammad bin
Muhammad bin Zaid bin Ali bin Husain bin Ali bin Abu Talib (a.s.) Kufi
Himmani, famous as Afwa.
Himman is a locality of Kufa attributed to Himman, a clan of Tamim tribe
and they were descendants of Himman bin Abdul Aziz bin Kaab bin Saad bin
Zaid Manat bin Tamim.
Himani was the most prominent of Iraqi jurisprudents of the first century
and a defender of school of Ahle Bayt (a.s.). He was an orator as well as a poet.
All have extolled his merits. Knowledge and wisdom is obvious from his compositions. In addition to that he was having a great lineage.
Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.) was asked: “Who is greatest poet?” “Himani,” he
replied.
Our Sayyid, Himani, was outspoken and audacious to enemies in nonacceptance of oppression, hardships, determination, strength of resolve, clarity of
tone, and he had inherited all these qualities from his religious ancestors and
honorable family.
Among the samples of his poems is the following:
“There is a relationship between the successor and Mustafa in which
greatnesses and praises are mentioned with pride. Those two were like the
sun of the day, which circles the constellations, then becomes still and
beautiful.4 They have become targets of jealousy and one, who is attached to
their affection becomes a target of jealousy. Time cannot be blamed or
denied, if it conceals their rights, thus since it started, time is either
condemned or praised.”5
Perhaps by this statement, the poet alludes to the following verse of Quran:
أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا اتْهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ
“Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His grace?”6
Regarding this verse, it is narrated that it implies the Imams from the
progeny of Muhammad.
Ibne Abil Hadeed says in Sharh Nahjul Balagha:7
“This verse was revealed about Ali and his knowledge.”
In Sawaiq,8 Ibne Hajar has narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that
he said regarding this verse:
“By God, we are those persons.”
In his Manaqib,9 Faqih Ibne Maghazili has narrated from Ibne Abbas that
this verse was revealed about the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and Ali (a.s.).