بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Hi,

It is generally accepted that the greatest Arab poet ever was “Al-Muttanabi”, an Iraqi who lived in the middle ages and had a very turbulent life that ended with his murder somewhere near the actual city of Kut today ( if my memory doesn’t fail me).

This is one of his most famous verses:

السيف اصدق انباءا من الكتب------------ في حده الحد بين الجد واللعب

It is very difficult to attempt translating such high language nevertheless I shall attempt it:

"The Sword is more telling (educational, informative)than Words

Its edge (blade) is the divide(separator, sharp edge, border) between seriousness and play"

The translation does not do justice to the power of this verse which has the power of the descending sword.

This man paid his life for a poem composed cursing the leader of a band of brigands (very similar type to the terrorists of today)

Salaam