A beautiful and graceful travel in the folds of the vastness of the letter that does not dim its luster, comes with its bright face to make hearts happy with beauty, there are many books that you see as you drown in the sea of reading them between the ebb and flow that the title of the book was fully expressive of its content, igniting the ember of thought, crystallizing what its pages contained This description applies to the book: “The Sword at the Arabs”, which was collected, arranged and commented by A. Saleh Muhammad Al-Nasser. It was published in its first edition in 2013 AD, and it contained a number of chapters and research, including the ninth chapter in which he talked about the “scabby sword” and the reason for the name. Also many poems about the sword, and an appendix of photos, documents and manuscripts.
The idea of the book
Each book has a story, starting from an idea in the author’s imagination until it ends. Regarding the idea of publishing, the author says: “The Arabs, before and after Islam, paid great and special attention to the sword. Swords are in their treasuries, and they gave for that precious and precious thing.
The Arab was strongly associated with the sword, as it was his first tool for fighting in defense of himself and his tribe, and the raids of tribes against each other before Islam were continuous, and battles took place between them for various reasons. And he may go to his bed while he is beside him, and for him it is a sign of strength, honor and dignity. , Al-Sioufi, Al-Sayfi, Sweif, Abu Saif, Saif Al-Dawla, Saif Al-Islam, Saif Al-Din, and the most famous of those called Saif bin Dhi Yazan, the famous Yemeni hero in popular literature and Saif Al-Dawla Al-Hamdani, the well-known leader.
There is no doubt that the sword has a great value among the Arabs, as it is an immortal symbol in their heritage, and the value of the sword increases among them if it is associated with a great personality, and this is what made the swords of David and Solomon, peace be upon them both, great fame, and such swords that were with the Messenger of God Muhammad bin Abdullah, may the best blessings be upon him Peace.
-Among the famous swords that were associated with great personalities: Dhu al-Wishah, the sword of Umar ibn al-Khattab and Dhu al-Fiqar, the sword of Ali ibn Abi Talib, and al-Samsama, the sword of Amr ibn Ma`ad Yakrib al-Zubaidi, may God be pleased with them and please them. In the later centuries, the al-Ajrab sword assumed a prestigious position, as its name was associated with Imam Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Saud, the founder of the second Saudi state, and the owner of immortal heroism in expelling the occupiers from the Najd region.
-The sword has been associated in Arab culture and folklore with honor, sovereignty, glory and strength. Scholars and writers also paid attention to the sword and singled out separate works and books for it. They also included chapters and chapters on the sword in some of their books.
It is my conviction that I will not bring anything new to what they have written in this field, as I have seen my work in this book to be a collection of the fragments of what separates and includes various chapters and research on the sword that I have not seen previously collected in one book.
This book included several chapters that included topics from three books that talked about the sword in a detailed and accurate manner. The first is what was mentioned in the book “Al-Mukhass” by Ibn Sayedah, and the second: what Ibn Hudhail mentioned in his book “Hilyat Al-Fursan”, and the third is the chapter on the subject of Saif in the “International Arab Encyclopedia”.
The book also included a debate between the sword and the pen by the writer historian Ibn Al-Wardi, and another by the Andalusian writer Ahmed bin Burd. It also added a special chapter to the book on eloquent and ancient Arabic proverbs, and a chapter on modern colloquial proverbs. It also devoted a chapter to the mangy sword.
