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The Conflicting Attitude of Some Poets toward Some Well-known Figures among the Ashrāf

It is not possible to generalize from the expressions of diverse poets to the attitude of the whole of society, but some literary material does contradict the previously noted contemporary attitude concerning some leading figures of the Ashrāf. We have, for example, the two poems produced by two well-know poets of Medina concerning Sharīf Surūr ibn MasCūd ⁽¹⁾.

Muhammad SaCīd Safar praised the Sharīf on his descent from the prophet’s family, for his good work in keeping the holy places of Mecca secured, for his care for the inhabitants, and for his suppression of evil deeds within society. He said:

فيا سرور الهنا، يا بن الرسول لقد

أمّنت "مكة" فاحمد ربك الحمدا

فكم سهرت لنا والناس قد رقدوا

فلا برحت معانا دائماً أبدا

وكم فواحش كانت قبل ظاهرة

أزلت، لا زلت سيف الدين منجردا ⁽²⁾

("Oh Surūr of bliss, the son of the Prophet, you secured Mecca and we return due thanks to your God. How often you watched at night while the people slept. You are still assisted and always will be. How many crimes used to be committed publicly, but these you eliminated and the sword of religion is still unsheathed").

This general poetic description of the benefactions brought by Sharīf Surūr during the period he ruled (1186-1201/1772-1786) is supported by the comments of some of the modern historians, to the governorship of Sharīf Surūr was one of relative calm ⁽³⁾.

However, this view of the personality of Sharīf Surūr and his governorship is contradicted ⁽⁴⁾ by the poet Shaykh CUmar ibn CAbd al-Salām al-Dāghistānī ⁽⁵⁾ who recorded the conflict of 1194/1780 between Sharīf Surūr with some supporters from the city itself and his foreign troops from Yemen on the one side, and the inhabitants of Medina on the other. The poet did not hesitate to depict this ruler as a wicked person who, while professing good intentions towards the people, nevertheless later betrayed them:

جاء الشريف "سرور" ذو الشرور بها

في جحفل، سايل، قَدْ سدّ للسبل

فارتاعت الناس مما قد رؤوا فزعاً

وأسلموا الأمر للرحمان، فهو وَلي

فأمن الناس تسكيناً لخاطرهم

من المخاوف من مِكْرٍ ومن حيل

وأظهر العدل والإحسان مقتصداً

كأنَّهُ قَاصِدٌ لِلَخير في العَمَل

فلم يرعنا سوى مسك الرؤوس وقد

غَدا "لقلعتنا" بالغدر في أَمَلِ ⁽⁶⁾

("With a large, flowing army blockading everywhere the roads, the Sharīf Surūr of evil deeds arrived in medina. The people, frightened by what they saw, committed their cause to God who rules. The Sharīf reassured the people and sought to calm them and free them from any fear of deception or trickery. He proferred justice and moderate charity in his intent to obtain his goal, but we were horrified when he had the people arrested and revealed his design to break into our fortress by treachery").

If we can understand his toughness in dealing with disturbing thribes like Harb and Juhayna ⁽⁷⁾ in his efforts to secure and protect the district of Hejaz ⁽⁸⁾, we nevertheless find no justification for his mishandling of Medina’s affairs, or for his dealing with its inhabitants in the way depicted by al-Dāghistānī’s lines.

See p. 53, 1.3.	[1]
Tuhfat al-Dahr, p. 134f.	[2]
See CAbd al-Hamīd al-Bitriq, "Ashrāf al-Hijāz fī al-Wathā’iq al-Misriyya, (1238 - 1256/1813 - 1840), "in the First International Symposium on Studies of the History of Arabia, University of Riyadh, p. 1 - 30.	[3]
It is contradicted a also by Muhammad CAbd al-Salām al-Nāsirī (see below). – When he performed his pilgrimage in 1196/1781-2, al-Nāsirī mentioned that the authority of the Sharīf does not have any effect beyond Mecca itself. See CAbd al-Karīm Kurayyim, "Bilād al-Hijāz fī al-Makhtūtā al-Maghribiyya al-Mudawanna Khilāl al-Qarnayn al-Hādī CAshr wa’th-Thanī Ashar li’l-Hijra", F.I.S. of History of Arabia, p. 1-17. Muhammad ibn CAbd al-Salam ibn CAbd Allah al-Nasiri al-al-DirCī travelled to the holy cities (Mecca and Medina) twice. The first occasion was in 1196/1781-2, when he composed his book al-Rihla al-Kubrā ("The Extensive Journey"). The second occasion was in 1211/1796, when he composed his book al-Rihla al-Sughra ("The Minor Journey"). He died in 1239/1823-4. See Mulakhkhas Rihlatay Ibn CAbd al-Salām al-DirCī al-Maghribi, intro. By H. al-Jasir, 2nd ed. (1403/1983) p. 27.	[4]
See p. 108, 1.8.	[5]
See al-Akhbar, p. 108.	[6]
Juhayna: "Among the prominent divisions of KudāCa one may particularly refer here to Djuhayna and Balī… The vast territory of Djuhayna, controlling the coastal route of the caravans between Syria and Mecca, included the localities of Safrā', Sufayna, al-Marwa, al-Hwarā' and YanbuC; to them belonged the mountains of Radwa". (M.J. Kister, art. "KudāCa", EI2, vol. V, p. 315).	[7]
T. Makkah, vol. II, p. 85-90.	[8]