- Abu Tammam Habib bin Aws Tai
- Dibil bin Ali bin Razeen Khuzai
- Abu Ismail Alawi
- Wamiq Nasrani
- Ibne Rumi
- Hammani al-Afwa
9. Abu Tammam Tai
Died: 231 A.H
- The truth became completely clear for its folks on Ghadeer day, such
that no veil covered it. 2. The Messenger of Allah made him stand up and
called people to his Mastership (Wilayat) to make them recognize so that
there is no scope of denial. 3. He held his shoulders and announced: He is
your guide and master, do you know that? 4. He stayed there for a day and
night to explain it; the righteous and elders accompanied him. 5. He spoke
up aloud to announce his right and also against usurpation of his right. 6.
Would you make sharpness of the sword as his share, when his companion
(Prophet) rests in his grave? 7. Or that unfortunate fellow, whose sins urged
to a pasture, where deviation and sins can be grazed.
This panegyric (Qasida) has seventy-three couplets, which can be found in
his Diwan.1
Explanation of the couplets
In this panegyric, there is no option except to recognize the Ghadeer day,
especially when books of traditions and biography mention an incident same as
one mentioned in these verses. But Dr. Mulhim Ibrahim has, under the
commentary of Diwan of Abu Tammam, mentioned that the lines:
- The truth became completely clear for its folks on Ghadeer day, in such a way that there was no veil for it.
…refer to Ghadeer Day, which is a hint for a famous battle.
Then under the verse:
- He held his shoulders and announced: He is your guide and master, do you know that?2
…he has brought another farfetched explanation and said that it was a battle
for the battles of the Prophet. Then he says that ‘he helped him’ implies that he
assisted the Prophet and the pronoun of ‘he’ refers to Ali, which shows that the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) helped and assisted him and he knew that he was a
guardian (Wali) in Ghadeer; the Prophet also helped him, because he knew that
he would be the Master (Wali) and Caliph of the Ummah after him and this is the
fact, do you know that?
Is there no one, who will ask this man regarding source of this? Is this battle
mentioned in any books of prophetic biography or history? Have even fabricators
of traditional reports narrated it?
Leave alone all this. Did you find any account of such expedition or any
verse, which in your view is a description of it? Indeed, you find this writer
unable to reply to these queries. But his aim is clear that he wants to conceal the reality of Ghadeer and thinks that no one will become aware of this historical fact
or some researchers would pass by it honorably. But constant repetition and
recording of a religious fact is worthier than the imagination of this writer, who
pays no attention to his writing and who regards falsehood as permanent and
reliable.
He says that it was a bloody battle! When all know the position of Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.) in battles of Prophet: Battle of Uhad, Badr, Hunain, Nuzayr,
Khyber and Khandaq. Has anyone heard about the Battle of Ghadeer?!
In the verses the poet begins with the mention of an excellence, which
neither the tongue can speak about nor the sword or spear can prevent: “And the
day of Ghadeer…”
Introduction to the poet
Abu Tamman Habib bin Aws bin…bin Yarab bin Qahtan.3
As Jahiz4 has mentioned: He was a senior member of the Imamiyah
community and among elders of Shia in literal sciences during the ancient age.
He was incomparable and regarded among senior scholars of language. He was
the point of reference for obtaining excellence and perfection.
The style of this poet is unique, and no two persons dispute regarding his
precedence in composing verses and regarding the holy progeny of Prophet. He
was an expert in memorizing (of facts) and was a very intelligent man, so much
so that it is said:
“In addition to a thousand panegyrics in the meter of Rajaz (war songs), he
wrote other poems (Qata) and panegyrics. He knew four thousand Diwans
(collected poetical works) by heart.”5
It is said: “He was intelligent and wise; was highly fond of poetry and
famous for his good nature and nobility of self.”
Husain bin Ishaq says:
“I asked Bahtari: “People think that you are a better poet than Abu
Tammam.”
He replied: “I swear that this statement has no benefit for me and no harm
for him. By God, I only earn my livelihood. Alas, if it were true! But I am, by
God, his follower, I take refuge in him, am inspired by him and my earth is much
lower than his sky.”6
Ammaara bin Aqil says in his statement, which Ibne Asakir7 has quoted in his Tarikh: When he heard the following verses:
“And too much of remaining in the same place makes one unpopular so
they keep aloof from him. Indeed, I saw that people are fond of the sun as it
does remain there all the time.”
If poetical merit is the name of beauty of words and subtlety of meaning,
then only Abu Tammam is the poet; if other than him there is someone else, I am
unaware of that.