The ode of Jaadi and the blessing of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

When Ja’adi recited poetry in praise of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), He blessed him, the effect of which remained for his whole life.  As mentioned in Mawahib and its commentary by Zurqani:

 

Translation: Nabigha Ja’adi (May Allah be well pleased with him) recited a long ode in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), which had about 200 couplets.  When he recited the couplet whose substance is:  Magnanimity is not expressed unless and until there is anger as well… and that there is no good in knowledge unless and until that person is magnanimous…, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  May the Lord preserve the seal of your mouth and its beauty, it his teeth. 

 

The narrator says that in spite of his age crossing 120 years, all this teeth were intact and whenever any tooth would fall, a new one would take its place.  Ibn Usama says: I saw the teeth of Nabigha.  They were as white as hailstones.  This was the effect of the blessing of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

It is mentioned in Isaaba that there is some difference of opinion about the age of Nabigha.  Hakim relates the words of Nadhr bin Shumail and he from Muntaji’ A’rabi that in my acquaintances, the oldest one was Nabigha Ja’adi.  I had asked him:  How much of your life was spent in the days of ignorance.  He said: 2 Daar.  Nadhr bin Shumail says that is meant 200 years.  Asma’ee says that Nabigha achieved the age of 230 years.  Ibn Qutaiba says that he died in Asbahan and at that time, he was aged 220 years.

 

Although the couplet which pleased the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was a general saying, but it was obvious to the Companions that the way these attributes have been expressed to their utmost in the person of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), they can never be expressed to that extent in anyone else.  That’s why even though the poet had not expressed it directly, the intent was to praise the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

Thus, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was praised in these couplets in such a manner that no one else was a partner to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in these attributes. 

 

[Excerpted from Anwaar-e-Ahmadi]