Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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This is the story of Ta'bbata Sharran, one of the fiercest warriors from Jahiliyyah. Enjoy the story along with some beautiful Arabic poetry, translated and explained in English.
Poetry:
وَلَقَدْ سَرَيْتُ عَلَى الظَّلاَمِ بِمغْشَمٍ - جَلْدٍ مِنَ الْفِتْيَانِ غَيْرِ مُثَقَّلِ
I travelled in the darkness of the night, with a daring one
A resolute one from amongst the youths, who is well-loved
مِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَ بِهِ وَهُنَّ عَوَاقِدٌ - حُبُكَ النِّطَاق فَعَاشَ غَيْرَ مُهَبَّلِ
From those (women) who have become with child, while having tightened—
—the ends of their waistbelts; he has grown up to be not disdained.
In Jahiliyyah, they believed that if the woman conceives against her will, then the child will grow up to be a warrior.
حَمَلَتْ بِهِ في لَيْلَةٍ مَزْؤُودَةٍ - كَرْهَاً وَعَقْدُ نِطَاقِهَا لَمْ يُحَلَّلِ
She had conceived him on a frightful night
Unwilling; the knot of her waist-belt not loosened
فَأَتَتْ بِهِ حُوشَ الْفُؤَادِ مُبَطَّناً - سُهُداً إذَا مَا نَامَ لَيْلُ الهَوْجَلِ
Thus she had birthed him wild of heart, uneager his stomach
He stays awake much, even as the lazy one slumbers through the night
وَإذَا نَبَذْتَ لَهُ الْحَصَاةَ رَأَيْتَهُ - يَنْزُو لِوَقْعَتِهَا طُمُورَ الأخْيَلِ
If you tossed a pebble towards him, you will see him —
— jolt up, as it falls, like a frightened roller bird
وَإذَا يَهُبُّ من الْمَنَامِ رَأَيْتَهُ - كَرُتُوبِ كَعْبِ السَّاقِ لَيْسَ بِزُمَّلِ
If he wakes up from his slumber, you will see him —
— stand up rigidly like the heel bone; he is not weak
مَا إنْ يَمَسّ الأَرْضَ إلاَّ مَنْكِبٌ - مِنْهُ وَحَرْفُ السَّاقِ طَيَّ المِحْمَلِ
Nothing touches the ground (when he sleeps) except his shoulder,
And the edges of his calf, thinly like a sword-scabbard
وَإذَا رَمَيْتَ بِهِ الْفِجَاجَ رَأَيْتَهُ - يَهْوِي مَخَارِمَهَا هُوِيَّ الأجْدَلِ
If you toss him onto the mountainous tracts, you will see him —
— climb up to the summits, like a falcon
فَإذَا نَظَرْتَ إلى أَسِرَّةِ وَجْهِهِ - بَرَقَتْ كَبَرْقِ الْعَارِضِ المُتَهَلِّلِ
If you look at the lines of his face (on his forehead)
They glow like lightning flashing through a rain-laden cloud
صَعْبُ الكَرِيهَةِ لا يُرامُ جَنابُهُ - مَاضِي العَزيمَةِ كَالحُسام المِقْصَلِ
He is hard to destroy in battle
He executes his will, like a sharp, slicing sword
يَحْمِي الصِّحَابَ إذَا تَكُونُ عَظِيمَةٌ - وَإذَا هُمُ نَزَلُوا فَمَأْوَى الْعُيَّلِ
He defends his companions during the calamity
And when they dismount, he is the refuge of the poor


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Attributions
Wind Sound Effect:
mixkit.co/free-sound-effects/wind/?page=2