His Praising and Lamenting for the 'Alawides
Di'bil gave his literature and thought to the 'Alawides, who summoned (mankind) to social justice and sincerely struggled in order to declare Human rights and to save the poor and the deprived from the crimes of the Umayyad and 'Abba`sid reign. The following are some examples of what he said concerning his praising and lamenting for them:
His praising the Commander of the faithful:
Verily he is pure, chaste, purified, and quick toward good things and blessings.
____________
1. Al-Fihrast, p. 229.
(640 )
Youth and middle-aged, the best middle-aged and young
man, the most excellent of them in lending a helping hand
during distress.
The most brave of them in heart, the most truthful of them in brotherhood, and the greatest of them in glory and
kinship.
He is the brother of the Chosen One; rather his son-in-law and his testamentary trustee from among the people and
the cover for defects.
(His position to him) is as Ha`ru`n had with Musa in spite of the people low, ignoble, and with spilt skins.
He (the Prophet) said: Whomsoever I am his master, then this ('Ali) is his master after my death.
He is my brother, my testamentary trustee, my cousin, my inheritor, and the one who pays my debts from among my
promises.
1
There is no affectation in this poetry; rather it is harmonious with reality and is very truthful, for it gives an account of some qualities of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, of which are: He is pure, purified, the most generous of the people, and the most courageous of them in heart, for he entered the terrors of the battles. He is the lion who destroyed the forces of polytheism and unbelief. Moreover, he is the closest of all people to Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, for he is his brother, his son-in-law, and his testamentary trustee. His position to him is as Ha`ru`n had with Musa, and he (the Prophet) said concerning him on the Day of Ghadï~r Khum: "Whomsoever I am his master, then this ('Ali) is his master after my death."
Now, let us listen to another part of his (Di'bil's) poetry:
The Qur'an speaks of the excellence of the Household of Mohammed, and the authority of their 'Ali cannot be denied.
The authority of the chosen one and best of the people is
____________
1. Di'bil, Divan, pp. 98-99.
(641 )
after the Prophet, the truthful one, the affectionate.
When the needy came to him, he ('Ali) willingly stretched out his arm and hand.
So the needy took from him a ring which was the gift of the generous one, the munificent one and son of the
munificent.
So the Most Merciful (Allah) has singled him out in His Revelation. He who has gained (qualities) like his glory, then let him number them.
Surely your walis (friends) are Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. So he who desires (to deny them), then let
him deny (them).
Tomorrow Allah will be his opponent concerning it
(authority), and Allah does not break His promise.
1
This poetry is very clear, for it gives an account of one of the merits of Imam 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. This virtue is that a poor man went to the Mosque of the Messenger in Medina (Yathrib). The poor man asked the Muslims to help him, but none of them gave him anything. Meanwhile Imam 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was praying. He beckoned to the poor man and gave him his only ring. When the Imam had finished his payer, the revelation came down to Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, in order to decorate him with the dearest medal of the heaven through this holy verse:
Only Allah is your Friend (wali) and His apostle and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.2 The meaning of this verse is clear, for it has confined the general authority to Allah, the Exalted, the greatest Prophet, and Imam 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, who paid the poor-rate while he was bowing.
This verse is one of the definite proofs of the Imamate of Imam 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. Imam 'Ali is
____________
1. Ibid., p. 101.
2. Quran, 5, 55.
( 642 )
more entitled and appropriate to undertake the caliphate over the Muslims than those other than him. That is because Allah, the exalted, associated His authority with that of His Messenger and of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him.
Now, let us listen to other lines which Di'bil composed concerning Imam 'Ali, peace be on him:
May Allah bless the pledge of allegiance to Ahmed
(Mohammed) and his testamentary trustee. I mean the Imam, our envied friend.
I mean him who supported the Prophet Mohammed before
the people, when he was young and a grown-up.
I mean him who removed the distresses and was not
cowardly at the battles.
I mean the monotheist before every monotheist, who
worshipped neither idol nor rock.
It was he who spent the night on Mohammed's bed,
that he might protect him from schemes of the schemers.
He was advanced during the heat of the battles; neither old nor young can deny that.
1
In these lines Di'bil demonstrates the support of Imam 'Ali to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family. That is because the Imam was the first to protect the word of monotheism. Through his efforts and struggle the religion of Islam was established. He removed the distresses from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, during the most critical situations. At the Battles of Badr, Uhd, al-Khandaq (the Trench), he was the unique hero who struck off the heads of the polytheists, defeated their armies, and raised the banner of monotheism.
Then Di'bil demonstrates Imam 'Ali's spending the night on the bed of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and his protecting him with his own soul. The Imam voluntarily sacrificed his own life for Islam. So how great his favors toward this religion are! This is an example of what Di'bil composed on praising Imam 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him.
____________
1. Di'bil, divan, p. 102.
(643 )
His Lamenting for al-Husayn
The Muslims were terrified by the tragedy of Karbala`' at which the sacredness of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, was violated because of the murder of his children and progeny. That was when the armies of the Umayyads savagely destroyed the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and, through killing them, committed the most horrible crime (in the history of mankind). This terrible tragedy shook human conscience, hence Di'bil, who was an 'Alawide in thought, mourned for Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him. He lamented for him in a group of wonderful poems of which are the following lines:
Have you shed tears, spent the night suffering from
intense sighs, wept over the ruins of the family of Mohammed, and your chest has become narrow out of regrets?
Oh! Truly weep for them; make flow for them tears shed out of the misfortune.
Do not forget that they were befallen by the greatest misfortune on the Day of the Plains (
tufuf).
May Allah water the graves on the plain of Kerbala`', the quarters of rain clouds.
And may He bless the soul and body of al-Husayn, who
was thrown in the deserts between the two rivers, was killed without any guilt, called (the people) to support him when alone and single: Where, where are my protectors?
Shall I forget, while this river overflows, the one thirsty, killed, and wronged without being oppressive?
So say to the son of Sa'd, may Allah drive away his
happiness: You will face the torture of the Fire and curses.
Throughout the time, as long as the east wind blows, in the late afternoon and in the early morning, I will invoke (Allah) against the people who all have gone astray and lost the statement of Allah's Messenger through vague errors.
( 644 )
They displayed the head of al-Husayn on a spear and
drove (his) womenfolk bareheaded and sad.
They died thirsty and emigrants, and they left the schools of Allah's Revelation effaced.
It was difficult for the chosen One (the Prophet) to see his grandson remain thrown on earth and without burial.
The spearhead raised the head of his beloved one, and it was driven on the bayonets to Sha`m (Syria) by night.
He whose mother chewed Hamza's liver hit it with a rod.
These misfortunes made the eye of every monotheist flow blood, so the heart has stricken them with tears.
1
These lines represent the sorrow and grief of (Di'bil) al-Khaza`'i for the heavy misfortune which befell the grandson of the Messenger and his sweet basil. That is because the aggressors killed him in response to the desires of their Umayyad masters, and left his holy body thrown on the plateau of Karbala`'. They did not bury him. Rather they cut off his head, and displayed it throughout towns and cities in order to avenge themselves on Imam al-Husayn and to show their great happiness through murdering him. Now, let us listen to another part of Di'bil's lamenting for Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him:
The head of the daughter of Mohammed and his testamentary trustee, O men, was displayed on a spear.
The Muslims saw it and hear (of it), but they showed
neither impatience nor mercy toward it.
You have woken eyelids while you were sleep for them, and you have put to sleep an eye which had not slept but
through you.
Your view made blind every eye that could see, and the news of your death deafened every hear that could hear.
Every garden wished that it could be a bed for you and a place for your grave.
2
____________
1. Ibid., 107.
2. Ibid., pp. 99-100.
(645 )
Di'bil criticized the Muslims for their losing their enthusiasm, their submission to abasement and disgrace, cranked their necks with yielding to the government of Yazï~d (b. Mu'a`wiya) which disdained their values and fates, and raised the head of the grandson of their Prophet on the heads of their spears and displayed it through the cities and towns. All the Muslims heard and saw that but none of them showed his vengeance and displeasure toward Yazïd. However, I (i.e. the author) think that this situation resulted from violence and terrorism which were practiced against the community. In other words the authority punished the people because of doubt and accusation. Of course, this attitude spread fear and terror among the Muslims. These are some of Di'bil's elegies for (Imam al-Husayn), the master of martyrs, peace be on him.
His Satire
Di'bil was indignant with the 'Abbasid kings of his time and satirized them severely. He was not moved by sentiments and desires which had no relationship with the truth. He (satirized) those kings because they turned away from the truth, and employed the wealth of the community for their pleasures, for example, they spent a lot of money on the singers and the corrupt people, brought to their palaces what Allah had forbidden such as wine and various kinds of amusement, while the community led a life of poverty and deprivation. Now, let us listen to part of his satire:
His Satire upon al-Rashïd
When Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, died, al-Ma'mun hurried to bury him beside his father (Harun al-Rashïd). He was asked about that and he replied: "That Allah may forgive Harun (al-Rashïd) through his neighboring Imam al-Rida." When Di'bil heard of that, he ridiculed it and said:
Two graves are at Tus: (The grave) of the best of all people and the grave of the most wicked of them; this is
among the moral lessons.
The nearness to the pure one does not benefit the unclean
,br>
(646 )
one; nor does the nearness to the unclean one harm the
pure one.
How far! Everyone is hostage to that which his own hands earn, so take or leave whatever you desire.
Which satire upon Harun (al-Rashïd) is bitterer than this? Di'bil sometimes described him as the most wicked of all people and sometimes as abominable, and that his nearness to the resting place of the Imam would not benefit him, for every person would be treated according to what his hands did, and there would be no advantage of other than that.
His Satire upon Ibrahïm
When al-Ma'mun appointed Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, as his heir apparent, the 'Abbasids became angry and pledged allegiance to Ibra`hï~m, the leader of the singers, so Di'bil satirized him, saying:
Ibn Shakkla cried in Iraq and (among) its people, so those blind and foolish hurried to him.
If Ibrahim (Ibn Shakkla) undertakes it (the caliphate), then, after him, Makhariq and Zalzal will be appropriate
for it.
How do, and that does not occur, the dissolute inherit the
caliphate one by one?
1
This is the bitterest kind of satire, for if the caliphate was appropriate for Ibrahïm, then it would be appropriate for singers other than him such as Makhariq, Zalzal, and Mariq. In this manner the state would belong to the singers, but it was impossible for it to reach this low level and the dissolute to undertake it one by one. It is strange that the soldiers gathered around Ibrahim's palace and asked him for their salaries, but he had no money left with him. A witty man addressed the soldiers, saying: "Ibrahim will go out. He will sing each group a song. Theses are your salaries!" As for Di'bil, he heard of that and said:
O soldiers, do not be hopeless; take your salaries
____________
1. Ibid., p. 174.
(647 )
and do not be displeased.
He will sing you a song which the beardless and the bearded enjoy.
Ma'bad's songs, for your leaders, neither enter the bag nor tie it.
In this manner the Caliph, whose book is the lute,
provides his soldiers with the means of subsistence.
Have you seen this mockery at the leader of the singers who provided his soldiers with singing?
His Satire upon al-Mu'tasim
As for Di'bil's satire upon al-Mu'tasim, it is bitter and severe, for al-Mu'tasim was tyrannical and oppressive, had neither compassion nor mercy. Di'bil is truthful when he satirizes him with these poetry lines:
A sad lover weeps for the dispersion of the religion, and his eyes overflow with tears (for it).
An Imam has undertaken (the caliphate) while he has
neither guidance nor religion nor intellect.
None has brought news that the like of him will someday rule or the Arabs follow him.
However, it is just as the past ancestors said when the misfortune became great:
The 'Abbasid kings are seven in the books, and the books have not told us about the eighth of them.
Likewise, the People of the Cave were seven noble ones in the Cave when they are numbered, and their eighth was a
dog.
Surely, I regard their dog as higher than you in
exaltedness, because you have sins while it had no sin.
When you have had an authority over us because of our misery, you look like an old woman who wears a crown, a necklace and a gown.
The authority of the people has become lost when Wasïf
( 648 )
and Ashnas
1 have seized it, and the distress has become
great.
2
These lines represent affliction and unhappiness of the Muslims during the caliphate of al-Mu'tasim, who had no noble trait which would qualify him for the office of Islamic caliphate, which was the shadow of Allah on earth. During his reign, Di'bil remained hidden and chased by terror and fear, for al-Mu'tasim order his police to arrest him, but they did not find him. When al-Mu'tasim died, Di'bil satirized him with these lines:
When they had hidden him in the most evil grave for the most evil one and gone away, I said: Go to the Fire because your quality belongs to none except to Satans.
You have not disappeared until you pledged allegiance to him who damaged the Muslims and the religion.
3
His Satire upon al-Wathiq
When al-Wathiq became caliph, Di'bil wrote the following lines in satirizing him. He gave the lines to the chamberlain and said to him: "Say to al-Wathiq: 'Di'bil has praised you with these lines.'" These lines are as follows:
Praise belongs to Allah! There is no steadfastness nor endurance nor comfort when lovers repose.
A caliph has died but none has mourned for him; yet another has undertaken (the caliphate) but none is delighted with him.
So this (i.e. the former caliph) passed and evil omen passed to follow him; this (the latter) has risen, so woe
and unhappiness have also risen.
When al-Wathiq opened (the letter) and read the poetry lines, he burst into anger. He ordered Di'bil to be arrested, but he did not find him until he (al-Wathiq) perished.
4
____________
1. Wasif and Ashnas were two Turkish young men.
2. Di'bil, Divan, pp. 129-130.
3. Ibid., p. 209.
4. Ibid.
( 649 )
This is an example of his satire, which represents his enthusiasm toward the truth, his helping the oppressed and persecuted of his time.
Di'bil was one of those leaders who opposed the 'Abba`sid government of his time. It is an act of crime against thought that Di'bil is described as one with evil tongue and that none of the caliphs was safe from his tongue.
1 This statement is cheap and far from reality. Di'bil adored the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, whom the 'Abba`sid government persecuted. This government spared no effort to wrong them and their followers. Accordingly, Di'bil was very eager, due to his faith, to support and defend them, and to defame their opponents. This is not a defect; rather it is pride and honor for him.
Di'bil joins the Garden
Throughout his life, Di'bil was a struggler and combatant. He ridiculed the kings of his time who made lawful what Allah had made unlawful. He lashed them with the bitterest kind of satire. As a result the authority followed him and intended to execute him, but he hid himself and began going from one country to another, followed by terror and fear. It is he who says in his immortal (poem) called al-Ta'iya:
I am terrified in the world and the efforts of its days, and I hope for security after my death.
Di'bil bravely announced his readiness for death, saying: "I have carried my wood (i.e. gibbet) on my shoulder for fifty years. I have looked for him who will crucify me on it, but I have not found him who will do that."
The death of Di'bil was at the hand of one of the wicked of his time, who was called Malik b. Tawq al-Taghlubi. Malik sought him, but he escaped to Basrah whose governor was Ishaq b. al-'Abbas al-'Abbasi. Ishaq was informed of Di'bil's satire upon him and he ordered him to be arrested. Di'bil was brought before him and he ordered the leather rug and the sword to be brought in order to behead
____________
Abu al-Farajj al-Asfahani, al-Aghani, vol. 18, p. 29.
(650 )
him. However, Di'bil denied the poem through which he satirized him. He said that one of his opponents had composed the poem and ascribed it to him in order to shed his blood. He begged Ishaq and he pardoned him from killing. But Isha`q ordered the sticks and whips to be brought and he began lashing Di'bil savagely. Then he released him and he fled to al-Ahwaz.
1
Malik b. Tawq hurried and dispatched a prudent, bold person and gave him poison. He ordered him to assassinate Di'bil. He gave him ten thousand dirhams in recompense for this crime. The man quickly headed for al-Ahwa`z. He spared no effort to find Di'bil. As a result he found him in one of the villages of al-Su`s. He assassinated him after the night prayer. He hit him on the upper part of his foot with a poisoned crutch. Di'bil's body became poisoned, and he died in the following morning. He was buried in the above-mentioned village. It was said that he was carried to al-Sus and was buried wherein.
2 In this manner the life of this mujahid, who fought with oppression, expired. His friend, the great poet, Abu Tammam al-Ta'i lamented for him in these poetry lines:
The graves of Habïb and Di'bil have increased my love and kindled my love sickness when they died.
My brothers, the heaven is still thin and covers you with rain cloud.
One grave is near al-Ahwaz, it takes the mourner a long time to reach it, and the other is near al-Mousl.
3
May Allah have mercy on Di'bil, for he was one of the prominent Muslim figures. He died a martyr for the noble principles and the ideals which he adopted in all stages of his life.
129. Rahïm 'Abdus al-Khannji
He narrated on the authority of Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Rida, peace be on him, and 'Ali b. al-Hakam reported on his authority.
4
____________
1. Ibid., p. 60.
2. Ibid.
3. Wafayat al-A'yan vol. 1, 180.
4. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol. 7, p. 183.
(651 )
130. Rayyan Bin Shubayb
He was the uncle of al-Mu'tasim, the 'Abbasid. He is trustworthy. He lived in Qum and reported on the authority of its people. He collected the questions about which al-Sabah al-Hindi asked Imam al-Rida, peace be on him.
1 He narrated on the authority of Imam al-Rida, peace be on him, and Ibrahïm b. Hashim reported on his authority.
2
