236 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMADIbn Hisham related, from Ibn Abn 'Amr b. alLcAla', that Abii 'Amr al-Madani
said, "It was Mikraz h. Hafs who led them."
I observe that al-Wzqidi's account, heretofore, gives two statements, one that
the leader was Mikraz, the second that it was Ahn Sufym Sakhr b. Harb; but it
seemed to hi more likely that it was Abii Sufyzn. God knows best.Ihn Ishaq then gave the ode attributed to Abii Bakr "the Trusting", written
about this night raid. It begins,
"Is it for your vision of Salma in the flat desert
plains you lay awake, and for something happening in the
tribe?
In LuJayy you see a faction that no preaching, no
messenger's mission could keep from unbelief.
A truth-telling messenger came to them hut they denied
him and told him he could not stay among them.
When we called them to the truth, they turned their
backs and fled like panting dogs retreating to their
lair."
He then gave the response of 'Abd Allzh h. al-Zibacra:
"Is it because of the traces of a home now desolate
amidst the sand dunes that you weep, your tears soon gone,
And because of time's surprises, and destiny is all
surprises, of things gone by and new.
A great army that came to us, led by Wbayda who is
called Ibn Harith, in battle,
So we would leave idols set up in Mecca, passed down by
heir to noble heir."
Ibn Ishxq goes on to give the complete ode. And nothing prevents us from doing
the same except for the fact that Imw 'Ahd al-Malik h. HishM, God bless him,
who was an Imzm in language, reported that many scholars, expert in poetry,
deny the authenticity of both these poems.
Ibn Ishzq further stated, "Sa'd b. Abn Waqqas spoke the following verses con-
cerning his having shot an arrow, or so they say,
"Has the Messenger of God heard that I protected my
companions with my arrow?
Through it I well protected their front ranks over land
both rough and easy.
And no one shooting an arrow at an enemy will he
counted before myself, 0 Messenger of God!
And that was because your religion is that of truth; it
was with truth and virtue that you brought it.
By it the believers are saved, by it the unbelievers
are punished at a place of boiling pitch.