240 — Suwayd ibn Saʿīd narrated to us. He said: Alī ibn Mushir narrated to us, from Hishām ibn Urwa, from his father, who said:

Umayya ibn al-Askar al-Jundaʿī lived to see Islam when he was already very old. He had an elderly wife and sons by her. While he was walking at one of the Arabs’ seasonal gatherings, with one of his sons guiding him, the son suddenly pulled his hand away and joined the jihad; his brother then followed him. Umayya said:

[wāfir meter]

“Whenever the dove calls to her mate over her eggs,
They call out for Kilāb.
You left your father with trembling hands,
And your mother unable to swallow a drink.
Two Muslims came to him and sent him on his way—
By making him leave his aged mother, they acted undutifully and sinned.
They sought to part him from her, saying, ‘Hold fast to Allah’s Book!’
If only he had heeded the Book.”

He also said:

[tawīl meter]

“Did you remain my companion only until you saw
That I take one nearby figure for two,
And that afflictions had bent my back and left it crooked,
So that among men my gait is but a crawl?
You tell the people that you have not failed in your duty to me;
Indeed you did when you left me—and thereby sinned.”

He also said:

[basīt meter]

“O sons of Umayya, I have no need of you—
Yet what self-sufficiency have I, trembling and soon to die?
O sons of Umayya, if you do not attend me in my old age,
Then losing you and death are equal to me.”

When this reached Umar—may Allah be pleased with him—he sent for them both and said, “By Allah, you shall not leave him until he dies.”