By G .M. Shakir  (Advocate)

The poetry is generally understood a style of expressing the sentiments of a person but at the same time it serves as history of nations. Not only history it gives complete description about habits, and culture of a nation. In some cases it has served as a tool for a national benefit like the poetry of Solon in Greek. It has been held that mohlil was the 1st T poet in the world who was from Arab centuries before the birth of Prophet (saw). The poetry in the Arab was only means of advertisement. The subject of the poetry in those days was love and passion and the poetry was mostly full of obscenity. The molaqat (hung in the Kaaba), also called muzahabat as these had been written with gold, especially Mullaqa of Umra ul Qais was sufficient example of this obscene poetry. By reading these molaqat it also appears that war and pride on bravery was topic of the poetry. At the same time the Arabs boasted on the generosity which was also subject of poetry .The predominant, however, was love. The famous poet Umara ul qais was leading poet and the Prophet (saw) acknowledge him greatest of poet and at the same time called him "leader to hell" the reason of describing him so is that his poetry is only passion and obscenity .

As is know to all Muslims that after the death of mother and grand father the Prophet was living in the family of his uncle Abu Talib. This has been done according to desire and will of his grand father, Abdul Muttalib, at the time of his death. The uncle had great affection for the Prophet (saw).The reason of this might have been the different habits of Prophet (saw). When the Prophet (saw) started preaching the message and certain persons also followed him. The heathens started the opposition. Failing to defeat the movement they started teasing and harassing the Prophet (S.A.W) and his followers.

When the persecutions grew more and more, Abu Talib gave every sort of support, minus accepting Islam, to Prophet and it flourished more and more but the pagans also did not stop to cause miseries to Prophet (saw). At this time Abu Talib tried to unite the Bani Hashim to stand through thick and thin with the Prophet (saw) and two reasons for this support were obvious .The tribal prejudice may be one of them and the other the love and affection in between the uncle and nephew. But the verse composed for the help of Mohammad (S.A.W) shows that strongest reason was the personality of Mohammad (SAW). These verses are having the privilege of being first in the praise of Prophet (saw) in Arabic as well in all the languages of the world. As nothing had been said by any poet in praise of the Prophet before these verses. "If ever the Quresh tried to know the reason of their pride, they will find that Abd-i- Manaf are reason of their superiority and if Abdi Manaf try to know the reason of magnanimity ,they will come to know that clue of this lies in Bani Hashim .If Bani Hashim want to have pride they will understand the Mohammad (saw) is most selected ,most liked and the cause ,reason of magnanimity and holding high" .This masterpiece of poetry is having seven verses and above quoted three verses make the position and esteem of the Prophet (saw) in his tribe clear. The remaining four verses seem addressed to those Quresh leaders and opponents of the Prophet (saw) who were bent upon persecuting the followers of the movement. The Quresh, indirectly have been suggested not to make any nefarious design or to do any act of high handedness against the Prophet (saw).The verse on the one hand shows the courage of Bani Hashim and on the other hand express the intention of Abu Talib of providing the shelter to his nephew in every situation till his survival "All good and bad, from the Quresh, fell upon, us but did not succeed and (their) plans made by wise dashed to ground. We are that type of people who never accepted to be oppressed. When any enemy turns their head (showing their superiority) we made them straight (no claim of superiority remained with them. We are guards of out family honour.whoever during the war looked on our forts with evil design, we made him to flee. In case of peace or friendship we are such that in our shade the dry branches also become green and their roots become soft." By these verses Abu Talib as spokesman of Banu hashim shows their intention of paying the Quresh in the same coin if they continued hostility towards the Prophet (saw).Their is another poem in honour of the Prophet SAW comprising on ninety five verses .The Qualities of the Prophet have been described In detail. The poem has been started according to Arabian style of poetry and many subjects have been touched by but the predominant idea is to high light the qualities of Prophet (saw).The poem starts with the change of attitude of the people "when I saw that love and affection has ceased to be in people and they have broken all relations and bonds". After this verse Abu Talib has advised the Quresh not to jump in war and disclosed the miseries caused by the war and made a mention of horror and dangers of war and bloodshed. While saying these thing when he reached to refer the Prophet (SAW),the poem becomes full with enthusiasm and a verse is expressed in the praise of Prophet (saw)as has no parallel in whole poetry" The man of bright and shining face by whose reference and sake the clouds are asked to pour the water, that who is sustainer of orphans as well as safety of honour, provider and protector of the widows". The famous Egyptian scholar, Ibni Nabat, an admirer of Prophet (saw), said " I am reading this verse not in active voice, but in passive. By doing so the verse is changed and becomes "The clouds ask for permission to pour the water for the sake of person with bright and shiny face". By perusing the Tabqat Ibni Saad,it is found that once in the life of Abdul Muttalib during draught, he pleaded the virtues and qualities of the Prophet (SAW) in the prayer for pouring the rain. It is possible that this verse might have been said in reference to that prayer of Abdul Muttalib. In this verse a successful endeavor has been made to mention the qualities of the Prophet (saw), especially his behaviour, kindness and generosity of towards these down trodden classes who were deprived of even the right to inherit in the "period of ignorance." When the Prophet (saw) returned from the cave of Hira, after first revelation and was very much perturbed .Hazrat Khaditja (RA) referred to his behaviour towards the orphans and widows and said "Allah will not allow it that you be waisted".It has also been reported by Ibni Hisham that when the Prophet (saw) was at Median once a famine came. The people came to Prophet and requested for praying for the rain. Prophet (SAW) ascended the pulpit and prayed. It started rain before the Prophet (SAW) came down from Pulpit; it rained cats and dogs to such an extent as the people living in plains feared of drowning. When the Prophet (saw) came to know, he prayed "Allah! Not upon us but around us". The clouds disappeared and the Prophet said "had Abu Talib seen this day, he would have felt happy". One of the companions said "o Prophet of Allah! Perhaps this is in reference to this verse 'and recited the above quoted verse. The Prophet said, "of course". The greatness of any verse can not be imagined because this has got the approval from the Prophet (saw).The remaining verse of the poem are source of historical events as well as showing the firm stand of Abu Talib regarding the Prophet (saw).For instance the verse: "By the house of Allah (Kaaba) you have wrong notion that we will leave the Mecca and depart from here reality is in fact you are in a fix". The verse makes it clear that the Maccans were persuading and trying to compel the Banu Hashim to leave the Mecca, which had been refused by Abu Talib.The love and respect of the poet towards the Kaaba is also present, besides it shows the difference of opinion among the opponents as to how they must deal with the movement.

It may be worth to mention that the opponents held a meeting for deciding how to deal with the Prophet (saw), in order to stop foreigners form meeting the Prophet (saw) during the Hajj period. Some desired to tell the people that he is a poet ,others said ,he is foreteller but one of the members was of opinion that this propaganda will have no effect.Instead,we must try for compromise with Prophet(saw) .The difference of opinion among the opponent have been referred to in these verses. Most probably this verse has been recited before the Banu Hashim, along with the Prophet (saw), had taken shelter in the ravine of Abu Talib.The other verses show the demand of handing over the Prophet (saw) to his opponents. The verses show the intention that this will not be done by Hashmites even at the cost of their lives. " By the home of Allah we will not allow Mohammad to become overpowered particularly when we neither fought a defensive war in his support not tested our strength and shall we handover him to you before sacrificing our lives around him, After forgetting our wives and children." The challenge given by Abu Talib in this verse was corroborated by the conduct of Abu Talib as he never left the Prophet (saw) till his death. When the pressure mounted he discussed the situation with the Prophet (SAW) and then he said, "go none can cause you slight harm". Due to the statements of Abu Talib and practical stand for the defence of the Prophet (SAW) the year in which Abu Talib and Hazrt Khaditija (RA) were departed from world, it was referred by Prophet (saw) as Aam Ul Hazan (year of sorrow).As both of them had made every sacrifice for him.