106 – Hārūn ibn Abī Yaḥyā al-Sulamī narrated to us; he said: Abū al-Jawwāb al-Ḍabbī informed us, saying:

“ʿAmr ibn ʿUbayd wrote to Ibn Shubrumah, urging and prodding him to take up jihad and to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. In response, Ibn Shubrumah wrote back:

[Basīt metre]
Commanding good, O ʿAmr, is but a voluntary deed,
And those who stand for it are Allah’s loyal aid.
Those who leave it from weakness have an excuse clear and true,
But those who blame such men, O ʿAmr, are the wicked few.
Command and forbid are not brandished with the sword
Against the caliph—for bloodshed brings nothing but harm and discord.”