Labid

Lore & Background

Labīd was an active warrior in his younger years, and his poetry largely focused on inter-tribal disputes. He later accepted Islam after being sent by a sick uncle to obtain a remedy from Muhammad at Medina, where he was influenced by a part of the Quran's shortest surah, 'Al-Kawthar'. His muruwwa (virtue) is highlighted in a story that he vowed to feed people whenever the east wind began to blow, continuing until it stopped. Al-Walid 'Uqba, leader of the Kuffa, sent him one hundred camels to enable him to keep this vow. In an elegy composed for Nu'mh Mundhii, Labīd wrote verses including 'Every thing, but Allah, is vain' and 'All happiness, unconditionally, will vanish'. Muhammad said of the first verse: 'The most true words said by a poet was the words of Labīd' and noted that Umaiya bin As-Salt was about to be a Muslim but did not embrace Islam.

Reader's Guide

Labīd holds significance as a pre-Islamic and early Islamic poet whose work bridges two eras. His inclusion in the Mu'allaqat, a collection of celebrated pre-Islamic odes, marks him as a major literary figure. His acceptance of Islam after encountering the Quran illustrates the transformative impact of the new faith on Arab poets. Muhammad's praise of Labīd's verse—calling it 'the most true words said by a poet'—underscores its theological resonance, particularly the line affirming that everything except Allah is perishable. The story of his vow to feed people during the east wind, supported by a gift of camels from Al-Walid 'Uqba, exemplifies the ideal of muruwwa (virtue) in Arab culture. Labīd's legacy endures through his poetry, his role as a companion of Muhammad, and his representation of the transition from pre-Islamic to Islamic values.

Did You Know?

• Labīd was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
• One of his poems is included in the Mu'allaqat, a famous collection of pre-Islamic odes.
• Muhammad said of Labīd's verse: 'The most true words said by a poet was the words of Labīd'.
• He vowed to feed people whenever the east wind began to blow, until it stopped.