Malik ibn al-Namat's poem 'I remembered the Messenger of God in the blackness of night'

A qasida on the rhyme of the dal, composed by Malik ibn al-Namt about the Prophet, after the Prophet wrote his letter to Hamdan. Ibn Hisham gives it at the end of the delegation of Hamdan. ¹

On arrival, Malik and another man chanted verses to the people. One said that Hamdan are the best of the commoners and the kings, and that there are no equals to them in the world; their dwelling is the high land, and from them come the champions. The other said that they had crossed the dark lands of the countryside in the dust of summer and autumn, on camels whose noses were tied with palm-fibre ropes. ²

The poet says that he mentioned the Messenger of God in the blackness of night, while they were on the high ground of Rahrahan and Saladad. The camels with sunken eyes press on with their riders along a clear, long road. On every strong she-camel they pass by, like a great ostrich, returning from the high land of Qurdud. ¹ He then swears by the Lord of the dancing camels to Mina that the Messenger of God is confirmed among them, a messenger who came from the One of the Throne, rightly guided. No camel ever carried on its saddle anything more grievous to his enemies than Muhammad, and when someone asked for kindness he gave, and he carried out his judgement with the sword of Hind, the keen blade. ^{1 3}

One of its lines says: "No camel has ever carried upon her saddle anything more grievous to his enemies than Muhammad." ³

"Al-Fahma" is blackness and "al-Duja" darkness; Rahrahan and Saladad are two places; "al-Khawṣ" are those whose eyes are sunken; "tighlī" means press on hard; "al-lahib" is the clear road; "al-jasra" is a strong she-camel; "al-hajif" is the great male ostrich; "al-raqisat" are camels; "sawadir" are those returning; "al-Qurdud" is what rises from the land. ¹