Origins & Early Life

Abū Aqīl Labīd ibn Rabīʿa ibn Mālik al-ʿĀmirī (Arabic: أبو عقيل لَبيد بن ربيعة بن مالك العامِري; c. 560 – c. 661) was an Arab poet from higher Nejd and a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He belonged to the Bani Amir, a division of the tribe of the Hawazin.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In his younger years he was an active warrior, and his verse is largely concerned with inter-tribal disputes. Later, he was sent by a sick uncle to get a remedy from Muhammad at Medina and on this occasion was much influenced by a part of the Quran's, shortest Surah, 'Al-Kawthar'. He accepted Islam soon after. One of his poems is contained in the Mu'allaqat. His muruwwa (virtue) is highlighted in the story that he vowed to feed people whenever the east wind began to blow, and to continue so doing until it stopped.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Al-Walid 'Uqba, leader of the Kuffa, sent him one hundred camels to enable him to keep his vow. In an elegy composed for Nu'mh Mundhii, Labid wrote: Every thing, but Allah, is vain And all happiness, unconditionally, will vanish When a man is on a night journey, he thinks that he has accomplished some deed But man spends his life in hopes ... If you do not trust your self, approve it Perhaps the past would unclose...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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