His works praised
Sayyid was among the three most prominent poets of Arabs, who were
regarded as the best during the period of Jahiliyya and after the advent of Islam.
The three are: Sayyid, Bashshar and Abul Atahiya.
Marzabani1 says: “None, except the Sayyid, has composed as many
couplets. It is narrated from Abdullah bin Ishaq Hashmi that he said: I collected
two thousand poems (Qasida) from the compositions of Sayyid and I thought that
nothing else remained to be collected. But all the time I came across individuals,
who recited verses that I was not having. So I continued to note them down till I
was annoyed and I abandoned this pursuit.”
His extensive compositions regarding Ahle Bayt (a.s.)
The Sayyid was having great courage in stating the truth. He focused all his
energies in praising Ahle Bayt (a.s.) to strengthen faith and in loyalty and
sacrifice. By eulogizing the selected ones of God, he enlivened the dead hearts
and he was a prominent poet in condemning enemies of Aale Muhammad (a.s.).
One of his verse says:
“O God, I eulogize Ali only for Your pleasure, so have mercy on me.”
Abul Faraj2 writes that his poems are not without praise of Bani Hashim and
condemnation of those, who in his view were opposed to them.
Ibne Motaz writes in his Tabaqat:3
“Sayyid was an expert in versifying traditions and traditional reports and he
versified all merits of Imam Ali (a.s.). Gatherings, in which there was no mention
of Aale Muhammad (a.s.) made him distraught and he was disinterested in
gatherings, in which there was no mention of them.”
His religious beliefs and statements of scholars regarding him
The Sayyid followed the Kaisaniya4 belief for a major part of his life; which comprised belief in Imamate of Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah and his occultation.
He also composed couplets regarding this. After that, through the blessings of
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.), he was bestowed with good fortune, he saw strong
evidences from His Eminence (a.s.) and recognized the truth. When Imam (a.s.)
came to Kufa upon his return after meeting Mansur or when the Sayyid met His
Eminence (a.s.) during Hajj season, he gave up his worthless Kaisaniya beliefs.
Scholar have mentioned numerous statements regarding his beliefs and
religion, from which only one would have sufficed, what to say that all of them
are as such; some of them being as follows: