Khalifa Umar bin al-Khattab - Nabigha Al-Dhubyani

Nabigha was an Arabic poet of the pre-Islamic period. He flourished at the court of the princes of Hira.

Numan III the ruler of Hira was a tyrant. He loved his step mother Mutajarrida who was a famous beauty of the age. She did not return his love but he forced her to marry him.

Nabigha wrote some beautiful poetry in the praise of Mutajarrida. He was accused of being in love with the Queen, whose beauty and charm he described in minute detail in his poems. To escape the vengeance of Numan III, Nabigha fled from Hira and sought refuge in the court of the Ghassanid kings in Syria.

Umar admitted the poetry of Nabigha. He was fond of quoting verses from Nabigha.

The following verses of Nabigha were quoted by Umar on different occasions:

"Remember Sulaiman when God said to him;

Stand up on the earth and mark out a portion for yourself."

"I come to you in rugged clothes,

Lest you should entertain evil notions about me."

"I have sworn and have left no room for doubt in your heart;

And for a man there is no way beyond Allah."

"Whatever has been told to you about me is false;

If I am dishonest the man who has been backbiting

Against me is fraudulent and false."

"If you do not reform your brother

You will have to forego him."

"Crooked thorns tied in strings,

When such strings are in your hand

These attract me to you."

"Like night, you will get hold of me,

If I ever think that leaving you I can go anywhere."

"Towards Ibn Muhariq I led my dromedary

When the world was asleep."

"I saw that the trust had not been betrayed,

Likewise Nuh did not betray his trust."