Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Zarkali said in his
biography of ‘Antarah:
‘Antarah ibn Shaddaad ibn
‘Amr ibn Mu’aawiyah ibn Qaraad al-‘Absi was one of the most famous Arab
knights of the Jaahiliyyah and one of the foremost poets, one of the people
of Najd. His mother was an Abyssinian woman called Zabeebah, so he got his
black colour from her. He was one of the best of the Arabs in character and
one of the noblest. He was forbearing although he was so tough and strong,
and his poetry is refined and sweet. He was in love with his uncle’s
daughter, ‘Ablah, and there is hardly any qaseedah of his that does not
mention her. When he was young, he met the poet Imru’ul-Qays, and he was
present at the battle between Daahis and al-Ghabra’. He lived for a long
time and was killed by al-Asad al-Ruhays or Jabbaar ibn ‘Amr al-Taa’i. A
collection of poetry was attributed to him, most of which is fabricated.
There is also the fictional “Story of ‘Antarah” which the Europeans regard
as being among the most brilliant Arabic literature. It has been translated
into German and French, but it is not known who wrote it. The German
Orientalist Thorbecke wrote a book about ‘Antarah that was published at
Heidelberg in 1868 CE. And Muhammad Fareed Abu Hadeed wrote
Abu’l-Fawaaris ‘Antar ibn Shaddaad and Fu’ad al-Bustaani wrote ‘Antar
ibn Shaddaad. End quote.
Al-A’laam
(5/91).
There is no report in the
books of Sunnah and athaar, as far as we know, which suggests that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned ‘Antarah
ibn Shaddaad al-‘Absi (who died 22 years before the Hijrah) in a single
hadeeth. However, we find some people narrating that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have never heard a description
of an Arab that I would have liked to meet more than ‘Antarah.”
But this also has no basis,
and it is not permissible to attribute it to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it is not permissible to quote it as a
hadee414th except by way of refutation and classing it as da’eef.
And Allaah knows best.