Qaqa Ibn Amr

In countless pages of history
Lies a tale of heroics and bravery
Seldom told, almost forgotten
The events that occurred
After the battle of Murtadeen.

The caliph issued an order
To the general Khalid ibn Walid
The time has come to strike the superpower
The tyrant Persians who corrupted the lands
But allow your men, who has fought many battles before
To go home, if they so please.

And he made the announcement to the 13,000 in his ranks
The reason could be fear
The reason could be fatigue
And whatever the reason might be
Only 2,000 decided to stay

So the general wrote a letter to the caliph
That he was about to face the superpower with 2000 men
How could he achieve victory?

And the Caliph replied
I will send you reinforcement
Note the singularity of the noun above
For the caliph sent only one man
Qaqa ibn Amr

And the council questioned his decision
For sending one to replace 11,000
Which he famously replied
“The ranks which have the likes of Qaqa ibn Amr will never be forsaken by Allah”
And they achieved victory

And within those countless pages of history
There was a time where there were countless men of substance
And within that countless count
There was Qaqa ibn Amr
And many more
Seldom told, almost forgotten

The man who carried his mother on his back

In countless pages of history
Lies a tale of gratuity
Seldom told, almost forgotten
The tale of a man who carried his mother on his back

And Abdullah Ibn Umar
Witnessed this man from Yemen
Who carried his mother on his back
While circling the house of God
And this man who is making the tawaf
While carrying his mother on his back
Recites a poem

“That today for my mother
I am like an obedient animal
And if anything was to scare or stop me
Today I will stand steadfast”

Then he approaches Abdullah Ibn Umar
And he asked him
“Tell me,
I have carried my mother on my back
Travelled from Yemen
And completed every ritual of Haj
And I have carried my mother on my back
For longer than the period
She had carried me in his womb
Tell me,
Have I earned my right?
Have I fulfilled my responsibilities?”
Of serving mother
Have I fulfilled that right?

And Abdullah Ibn Umar says
“No! Oh my brother
You have not even completed one breath
That your mother has taken
At the time of your birth.
You have not even completed that”

And within those countless pages of history
There was a time where there were countless men of substance
And within that countless count
There was a man who carried his mother on his back
And many more
Seldom told, almost forgotten

Muhammad Hazwady