One poet said:
Let us go for the midday meal with Al-Oqilat—either to Saad's place or onward to Al-Sinani's.
Red coffee beans, finely ground and blended with cardamom, with loaves laid in rows upon the trays.
Men who crossed the open deserts on thoroughbred camels—through how many lands they wandered, hard and easy.
———————
The poet Mohammed Al-Sughair said:
My kinsmen, stand with us—we are the people of this land. If we turn away from it, who among its people will defend it?
If we were offered our choice of countries, we would want no other; if our homeland could be bought and sold, we would buy it.
On the day the army came, its columns pressed together and the artillery assembled every instrument of war.
The Al-Oqilat force arrived and broke down its defenses; rifle fire thundered across the heights.
When my people advanced, the enemy's plans collapsed; no one dares challenge the blades of Al-Qassim.
They moved at the command of a sheikh whose warriors were steadfast; never did he enter the fury of battle and turn away.
——————————
The poet Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Saeed Al-Manfouhi said in his poem “Al-Hamiyyah”:
When the light of dawn appeared in all its brightness and the people prayed after the call to prayer—
The rays of the sun rose clear, the men came into view, and seats were arranged for my people in their council.
They wore garments gleaming like marble, with fine silk draped over their bodies.
Their custom was to wear their celebrated Najdi dress, shemaghs, and black agals dark as ravens.
Call out across Al-Hima—raise your voice and proclaim it; summon for us its elders and its young men.
——————–
The renowned late poet Mohammed Al-Ouni—may Allah have mercy on him
O caravan riders of Al-Oqilat, mounted upon the saddles of stout she-camels, complete in every item of their traveling gear.
They deepen the camel lover's longing through the sound of the chants and the swaying of the colored tassels.
Broad across the hindquarters and wide through the back, their chests open and their necks rising like palm branches.
I liken them to the darkness of night; when they depart from you, they leap like swiftly moving dusky sandgrouse.
Riders, slow them and come alongside me, even if delaying the camels is like taking a drink without thirst.
Hear my words and understand my purpose; I say to the knowledgeable guide, ‘Tell me, what do you see?’
How can I endure separation from my people while tears pour from my eyes and scatter down my cheeks?
People of the riding camels, carry this farewell from me, to clear the cares of a heart repelled by oppression.
Be patient, riders, and put what has passed behind you; do not conduct your affairs through regret.
——————————-
The poet Nimr bin Adwan
You are neither men of Al-Qubaisiyah who owe it allegiance, nor Al-Oqilat wearing their keffiyehs.
******
Ah, you men wearing the keffiyehs—you are the bearers of truth, people of honor and well-being.
You are the bearers of truth, with nothing to fear; welcome is the truth whenever it arrives.
—————-
The renowned late poet Mohammed Al-Ouni—may Allah have mercy on him—from the poem “Al-Khalouj”
O rider crossing the low pass … press onward when even its shadows take fright.
For eight years she never once felt a hand upon her flank, nor knelt for labor while another camel stood beside her.
When a necessary journey called, I said, ‘Saddle her,’ and take firm hold of her ropes against each sudden start.
Do not concern yourself with the saddlebags when the hour comes; take your waterskin and balance your provisions beside it.
Messenger, I charge you to travel by day and night; beware of sleep in the darkness overtaking your eyes.
Ride her for fifteen sunsets, and Al-Midan will be the destination where your journey ends.
When you reach the afternoon market, young men will meet you, stepping proudly in their fine silk-trimmed sandals.
They will say, ‘Friend, bring us your news. What has happened in the towns of Najd since we departed?’
Say: ‘Every town in Al-Qassim and the country around it stands secure, its men guarding the borders of their home.’
Except your mother, who after you left laments over the earth, weeping for those who have gone—how grievous her loss.
Strangers have played havoc there—may none who showed you cruelty be spared—and the noble women have been scattered alone through the towns.
Your elders are struck without cause; after the greatness of their former standing, even their dignity is assailed.
Sons of Ali, today is the hour when your help is needed; a noble man gains no gift more lasting than praise.
Sons of Ali, today—not tomorrow—rise with the resolve of a lion whose deeds have long been proven.
Do not follow humiliation, helplessness, and delay, forever saying ‘perhaps’ or ‘if only’ until the plea itself grows weary.
Rise under God's guidance and fulfill your duty; you are men of celebrated deeds, with no base man among you.
One said, ‘Only a rare man of courage can confront this. Sons of Ali—which one of you will say, “I shall undertake it”?’
———
The Occasion of the Poem
One day, the poet Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Ouni was at Jarradat Buraidah—the camel market—when he saw an Al-Oqilat caravan preparing to travel to Iraq. Emotion stirred in him as he remembered his friend Sheikh Saadoun bin Mansour Al-Saadoun, leader of the Al-Muntafiq tribes in southern Iraq, and these verses flowed from his imagination:
1. O caravan riders of Al-Oqilat, mounted upon the saddles of stout she-camels, complete in every item of their traveling gear.
2. They deepen the abandoned lover's longing: the sound of camel chants and the swaying of their colored tassels.
3. Broad across the hindquarters and wide in the chest, their throats open and their necks rising like palm branches.
4. I liken them to shimmering mirage; when they move together, they leap like flocks of dusky sandgrouse.
5. Riders, slow them for a while—may you be guided to what is good—even if delaying the camels is like taking a drink without thirst.
6. Hear my words and understand my purpose; I ask the guide, ‘Tell me, what do you see?’
7. If I have a need, O man of noble character, it is that you deliver a written letter to one deficient in admirable qualities.
8. Upon a bright, clearly ornamented page, a writer's thoughts appear in letters aligned like paving stones.
9. It is addressed to the man who earns chivalry and praise: Saadoun bin Mansour, refuge of the weak.
10. People of the riding camels, carry him this message from me, to clear the rust from a heart wearied by oppression.
11. Once you depart from Buraidah, there is no harm—loosen the reins of the far-ranging camels that leave hardship behind.
12. By afternoon they descend from the dune of Al-Iraiq toward Al-Kharaim, where the thumam grass bends in the wind.
13. They seek their evening stop in the wadi and stride proudly in ordered lines, protected from the evil eye.
14. The riders take supper and the camels graze; as darkness gathers, they rest and await the night's travel after hardship.
15. Their guides circle around them, then they set out in the stillness of night with leaders' composure and welcome news.
16. At dawn they reach Al-Hafr and continue onward; they spend the night at Al-Ruq'i, to the left of Al-Hataif.
And so the poem continues.
1. O caravan riders of Al-Oqilat, mounted upon the saddles of stout she-camels, complete in every item of their traveling gear.
Al-rakb: travelers riding camels or other mounts.
Min Aqil: meaning Al-Oqilat.
Ta'allaw: they mounted or climbed aboard.
Akwar: plural of kur, the riding saddle placed on a camel's back. It is also called a rahl, shidad, or najirah.
Kum: plural of kuma, meaning a well-fleshed she-camel.
Kamilat: complete, sound, and lacking nothing.
Al-kala'if: all the equipment prepared on a camel for travel, such as the riding saddle or shidad, bridle, decorative tassels, waterskin, and other gear.
The intended meaning is that these items were costly to make and fashioned with great care and skill.
2. They deepen the abandoned lover's longing: the sound of camel chants and the swaying of their colored tassels.
Tshawwiq mushtaq: these camels increase the yearning of one who already longs.
Al-hajir: an abandoned person, usually one overcome by sadness.
Bi-shawqiha: their appearance arouses longing.
Hiss: sound or voice.
Al-hadawi: plural of hida', short poetic chants sung collectively by travelers in melody to ease the hardship of the road or encourage one another.
Ikhtifaf: movement or swaying.
Al-safa'if: colored wool braided like plaits along the sides of the saddle and the camel's upper legs. Hanging to a length of about eighty centimeters, their colors and movement delight the viewer.
3) Broad across their southern flanks, open-chested, their necks rising like palm fronds.
Wisa' maqafiha: the camels are broad across the hindquarters, allowing the rider to sit in exceptional comfort.
‘Broad across their junub’: the camels are broad through the flanks and hindquarters.
‘Open-chested’: broad across the chest.
‘Their necks like palm branches’: their long necks resemble sa'aif, the plural of sa'fah, a palm frond.
These camels are therefore described as exceptionally strong, hardy, enduring, and beautiful.
4. I liken them to shimmering mirage; when they turn away from you, they leap like swiftly departing flocks of dusky sandgrouse.
Al-lal: a mirage.
Wa-in saramman: when they turn away or depart.
Tawathib: from wathb, meaning to leap or jump.
Kudri al-qata: a kind of sandgrouse that runs quickly along the ground. It resembles a pigeon but differs in color.
Bil-wasa'if: the poet compares the camels as they turn and depart from the riders with dusky sandgrouse moving swiftly away.
5. Riders, slow them for a while—may you be guided to what is good—even if delaying the camels is like taking a drink without thirst.
Rayyiduhun: wait or slow down for a short while.
Taqabbaltu al-huda: may you be guided toward goodness.
Law kan radat: even if it means a delay.
Al-nida: camels; its singular is nidu.
Shurb a'if: like someone drinking even though he is not thirsty.
6. Hear my words and understand my purpose; I say to the knowledgeable guide, ‘Tell me, what do you see?’
Al-‘Arraf: the discerning, understanding, intelligent expert who knows my condition and what has befallen me.
‘What do you see?’: meaning that the guide knows what has befallen the poet—abandonment, coldness, calamities, and other hardships.
7. If I have a need, O man of noble character, it is that you deliver a written letter to one deficient in admirable qualities.
Ila ad: if there is or if it should be.
Wafi: good, honorable, and true.
Tirs: a kind of writing paper.
Tawaddunahu: you deliver or convey it.
Adim al-wasa'if: someone deficient in admirable qualities such as generosity, good character, courage, and the like.
8. Upon a bright white page, in clearly visible ink, a writer's cares appear in lines whose letters are laid like paving stones.
Safh: a page or sheet of paper.
Waddah: bright or white.
Zaj: ink.
Muttadih: visible and clear.
Afkar: here the poet means his worries and everything turning within his mind.
Bistar: plural of satr, a written line.
Rasa'if: arranged or paved in rows. The poet means the lines of his poem.
9. It is presented to the man who earns chivalry and praise: Saadoun bin Mansour, enduring refuge of the weak.
Li-kassab: one who earns or acquires.
Al-muruwwat: plural of muru'ah, chivalry and noble conduct.
Al-thana: praise or commendation.
Saadoun: Saadoun bin Mansour Al-Saadoun Al-Shabibi Al-Hashimi, sheikh of the Al-Muntafiq tribes in southern Iraq.
Rif: grass that grows late in spring. The poet compares Saadoun to this pasture because it lasts longer than ordinary spring grass and therefore provides greater benefit.
Al-da'aif: the weak and vulnerable.
10. People of the riding camels, carry him this message from me, to clear away the cares of a heart repelled by oppression.
Wadduh: convey or deliver it to him.
Al-is: camels, especially light-colored riding camels.
Tajli: it removes or clears away.
Sada qalb: the poet means the worries weighing upon his heart.
Al-daim: oppression and injustice.
A'if: without appetite or desire; the opposite of craving something.
11. Very well—depart from the center of Buraidah, mount your camels, and loosen the reins of those that carry you far from hardship.
Wa-la bas: an expression of acceptance, contentment, or ‘very well.’
Jamshat Buraidah: the center of Buraidah.
Tarahhalu: mount your riding animals and set out.
Arkhaw: release or loosen.
Shaka'im: plural of shakimah, a bridle or restraint used to control a camel.
Mub'idat al-naka'if: the camels. The root meaning of nukuf is to turn back. Because the camels travel swiftly, they shorten the distance for someone returning to homeland and family.
12. In the afternoon they descend from the dune of Al-Uraiq through the passes between the dunes, heading northeast toward Al-Thumami.
Ta's: a sand dune.
Al-Uraiq: the diminutive of irq, referring here to Uraiq Al-Turfiyah.
Tahaddarn: they descended.
Al-khara'im: singular kharimah, a passage between sand dunes.
Al-Thumami: a name for Wadi Al-Rummah east of Al-Dahna. It is so called because thumam grass grows there abundantly.
Mahayif: meaning that the route descends from southwest toward northeast. A wind blowing in that direction is called haifiyah.
13. They sought their evening meal in the wadi, then quickened to the zarafal pace and moved away in aligned ranks, protected by God from the evil eye.
Baghan: they wanted or intended.
Al-ma'ashsha: the evening meal or supper stop.
Al-shu'aib: Wadi Al-Rummah, here called Al-Thumami.
Note: Wadi Al-Rummah bears a different name in each region. In upper Al-Qassim it is Wadi Uqlat Al-Suqur; through central and lower Al-Qassim it is Wadi Al-Rummah; between the Al-Thuwayrat and Al-Dahna sand seas it is Al-Ajardi; east of Al-Dahna it is Wadi Al-Thumami; and near Al-Hafr it becomes Wadi Al-Batin.
Wa-zarfaln: zarafal is one of the camel's running gaits. The sequence of camel paces is ordinary walking, then zuma', dirham, zarafal, and finally arba'an, the fastest.
Kafahun sharr al-ain: may God protect them from the evil of an envious eye.
Rahn: they went or departed.
Safa'if: arranged in aligned rows.
14. The riders ate and the camels grazed; dusk fell and they rested in deep reflection, waiting for the night journey after the equipment inspector had made his rounds.
Wa-ashshaw: the caravan riders took their supper.
Wa-ashshan: the camels grazed or fed.
Wa-attamn: atamah is the period from sunset until the red twilight disappears.
Wa-sajamn: tasjim means abstraction, absent-minded reflection, or deep thought.
Mutahariyat: waiting expectantly.
Lil-sura: sura means traveling by night.
Aqib: after.
Ha'if: the person who inspects the camels' equipment—the saddles, bridles, and other gear.
15. Their companions mounted them and hastened onward, cutting across the deserts with leaders' composure and fresh news.
Hafu alaihin: they mounted them.
Al-madaliyah: companions who keep their fellow travelers company and raise their spirits.
Wa-adlaju: they hastened their travel.
Bi-sajj: by cutting across or traversing.
Al-riyadi: deserts and barren wildernesses.
“Al-ulum Al-tarayif” means pleasant news.
16. By midmorning the next day they reached Al-Hafr, then departed and spent the night at the wells of Al-Ruq'i, to the left of Al-Hataif.
Waddahn: they reached the midmorning period known as duha.
Bil-Hafr: the Al-Hafr watering place before it developed into a city.
Wa-daflajn: they departed or turned away.
Wa-batn: they spent the night.
Bil-Ruq'i: wells at the site where the Al-Ruq'i customs post now stands.
Al-Hataif: a place north of Al-Samman, south of Wadi Al-Batin or Al-Thumami, east of Al-Dahna, and near Al-Ruq'i.
* Note by Abu Sulaiman Aba Al-Khail, a researcher specializing in Al-Ouni’s poetry
———————–
Al-Matariyah Market was one of Egypt’s major markets. The Al-Oqilat poet Saleh Mohammed Al-Wuhaibi composed these verses while sitting with the Al-Oqilat in the market, longing for his hometown, and sent them to his people in Buraidah with Saleh Al-Rumayyan:
Oh, to see the palace of Al-Oqilat, Rashid's household, and the Dawsiri kin.
To see Al-Ama and those familiar groups, and Mohammed Al-Saleh, so dear to him.
—————
Poet Khalaf Al-Wuqait
Their point of departure is Fayhan at the first break of light, and after supper they reach Maghrizat Al-Zubair.
They come upon Al-Oqilat, masters of every difficult road, men renowned for honorable reports and gatherings.
Their wise men are firm in judgment and counsel, while their young men are swords raised over the enemy's head.
How many assembled armies and battalions they destroyed, rejoicing in honor while battle raged.
At Sahlah you find the blood of Al-Ashqar scattered, and the fallen lying in numbers like fenced enclosures.
Before them rides Saud, remembered for goodness—a star by which the tribes take their bearings.
As related by his nephew, the renowned poet and oral historian Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Rais Al-Wuhaibi Al-Tamimi
The distinguished poet
My young she-camel, even if Munaif turns harshly from you, you can reach Adhfa in a single night.
Your return is like a pool in summer, or a rain cloud whose downpour swells the flood.
At Al-Jubaili the spirit becomes content; there you may rest, O Sha'ilah.
——————-
Giza Market was one of Egypt’s major markets. The Al-Oqilat poet Saleh Mohammed Al-Wuhaibi was sitting with the Al-Oqilat there and extending credit to the butchers of Giza when he said:
Fortunate is the man who did not live in Dokki and never came to know the markets beyond Giza.
Who never had to tell the butcher, ‘Give me what you owe,’ only to receive a piastre against five pounds.
—————-
One of the poets said of Abdullah bin Fahd Al-Shuraidah:
Kinsmen, tighten the saddle upon Shaqran and let the army's men follow in our wake.
As one stone marker disappears and another appears, turn the army back before it can cross.
The commander of the young men deserves it—Ibn Shuraidah, whom you know.
One poet said:
Welcome to Aqeel whenever they arrive, / Their camels swaying into view at sunrise over Al-Shiqqah.
Mounted on tall, dependable she-camels, / Their saddlebags splendid with beautiful tassels.
—————–
Sheikh and poet Abdulaziz bin Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al-Muhailib Al-Hamad, one of the well-known Al-Oqilat merchants
O rider of a red she-camel whose bridle is her rein—her forelegs and chest remain straight and true.
Red camels cross the open desert like ostriches, their hooves seeming scarcely to touch the ground.
I likened her in beauty to a dove whose two wings blur together the moment they rise in flight.
Her riders trust in her far-reaching speed; neither her saddle nor her ropes will ever fail them.
Her riders draw tight the packs against her girth; they leave Jaffa in the morning and reach Al-Nabk by evening.
At dawn they are at Dar Al-Wirk, with the road before her; by afternoon they turn toward the palace in Sakaka.
At morning a dense cloud of dust rises from where she runs; by afternoon she reaches the father from whom we seek news.
Tell him: ‘My eyes start from their sleep. Four years have passed since word reached me from their country.’
My debts are heavy and I fear the creditors, while everyone reproaches me for receiving no news of how they fare.
Yet I entrust to you, Father, the dark-veiled women; while I remain abroad, our concern is always for them.
He could not help me and remained in Tihamah. I asked for news; he said, ‘The Lord has not yet commanded their departure.’
Father, I felt my heart darken with worry for him, and felt within my chest great cauldrons boiling.
Father, we owe you remorse for our absence, from the day I saw your grey hairs shining in the light.
Your right over us is an obligation like the duty of fasting; we must hold fast to your right with our very molars.
May God strengthen Najd under its imam, who took charge of it with swords and gleaming weapons.
And in closing, convey my greetings to the whole community—to the brothers, the sisters, and everyone who asks after us.
—————-
The poet Ibn Thunayan said of Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Rawaf:
Yesterday morning I climbed to the top of a lookout and cried out, calling to the men upon the watchtowers.
I groaned like a sick man treated but never healed, whose illness worsened after the medicine and left him far from health.
Or like the groan of one whose deep-rooted molar is pulled, when the pincers close and their hooks spread apart.
Or like one struck painfully in the eye while his family is far away, carried off by noble companions.
At the sight of the fair camels with beautiful lashes and pale flanks, I said, ‘Well-being has departed.’
When two stars disappear with the dawn, Canopus rises clearly before those who watch the seasons.
We set out upon six young she-camels, bright as white pasture, unwearied by the packs behind their humps.
Among them was a fine, even-tempered riding camel; when they strode with the chosen herd, they looked like locusts in flight.
When the market holds both those you owe and those who owe you, exile is kinder than facing the demanding creditors.
This is the reproach I uttered after climbing the lookout: who but you, Al-Oqilat, will fulfill what is asked?
—————–
The poet Abdullah bin Aith said of his brother:
Ghaith, whose eye has waged war against sleep; Abdullah, patient beneath the judgment that befell me.
How can I sleep when the house and all within it lie in ruins? My brother was the one whose affection for me remained pure.
He never once troubled my heart; throughout his life he never said, ‘This is mine and that belongs to me.’
————-
One Al-Oqilat poet said:
The old she-camel set off across the wide, open plain.
O comforter of the heart, my own heart finds no rest from love for a young man who continually comes to mind.
Whenever I remember him, my eyes cannot rest; his noble deeds are remembered and attributed to him
Between us lie Al-Samman, the projecting heights of the outer country, the open plains, and the dunes of Al-Jandaliyah.
How sweet it is to drink coffee in the open morning air with men of good deeds and defenders of honor.
With the Sons of Ali, deadly poison to their enemies, who honor the guest with strength of spirit.
———–
Poet Ibrahim Al-Lahim
In the days of Al-Oqilat, when the world was harsh and the wilderness belonged to ravening beasts—
They set out upon their heavily laden mounts, driving them back toward Al-Qassim with full loads.
They followed their emir, himself a guide, like lions unafraid of calamity.
They earned through trade and additional gain, known for their fine marks and qualities.
Call out ‘Al-Oqilat’ in Jerusalem or Hebron, on the banks of the Nile or Euphrates—
And every alert listener who hears you will answer: ‘Welcome, men who achieve great deeds.’
Wearing their agals and flowing headcloths, generous to guests and a terror to enemies.
They turned toward Buraidah, longing ever stronger, raising their voices toward it in camel chants.
Their Eid came when they made their camels kneel within Musailah, and its Eid came when they returned around Al-Watat.
————
One poet said:
When Aqeel's caravan departs, we come to bid farewell; / How sorrowful our condition from the moment they leave.
After our loved ones go, Al-Jardah falls still; / Parting from them is hard, and the soul fills with worry.
O heart, do not weep, for lamentation can be heard; / Our enemies will ask: What makes them weep today?
Here was the people's camp, where the tribal mark remains; / Here was the night camp, from which the men traveled on.
Their road to honor and standing is made / With the sword and the serving platter when they journey.
How often Aqeel answered while the sword flashed; / Against their foes, honor was theirs when they resolved to act.
——————
The renowned and loyal poet Khalid bin Sulaiman Al-Juraish, a descendant of the Al-Oqilat
This is Buraidah, from the age of our forefathers—never overtaken in a race, like the finest purebred mare.
No city or country can equal it; to the discerning eye, it stands among towns as the finest purebred stands among camels.
God bless it, Arabs—a home of noble men, distinguished in faith, renewal, knowledge, and lineage.
Its people hold positions of responsibility; their deeds are worthy and supportive, proven whenever hardship strikes.
Speak of the westward journeys led by its sons—how many times they mounted their traveling camels.
Hearing the renown of Al-Oqilat, they set out for Baghdad bearing a reputation that held every head high and never bowed.
They were riders of horses and pioneers in the camel trade; the market they built for camels was a mighty market.
They were known for their love of the hunt, as people attest—some hunted with falcons, while others excelled with the gun.
Turn to its poets and the past is rich in glory; look upon the present and you find abundant gifts.
Count its merchants and the numbers fill the record, while its farms join one another all the way toward Hail.
The signs of development increase each day: projects rising here and fine villas there.
I liken it, when its generosity flows, to Haddaj of Tayma, with buckets and ropes lowered into its depths.
All the Arabs come to it, those who know and those who ask; it quenches the thirst of a heart scorched by burning heat.
The role of Al-Hassani in distant lands is not forgotten—a role of response and support, radiant as new moons.
Abdulaziz founded it firmly upon goodness, leading to all we have witnessed in this age of great celebrations.
Fahd—Fahd, above whom honor is proclaimed—pursues development in every worthwhile field.
With the support of Abu Mutib, ever accustomed to goodness, and of Sultan and his brothers through deeds and evidence.
Across the Kingdom they raised beacons and guidance and protected its sanctuary from every intrusive harm.
May Allah strengthen the faith and the sons of those who served the banner of monotheism—with honor and proud deeds
I close by asking blessings upon the master of all leaders, Mohammed, the Messenger and Seal of the Messages.
———————-
The poet Al-Lahim said:
We are Al-Oqilat, masters of the tall, strong camels—the pride of caravans while every settled man sleeps.
How often we crossed the unknown reaches of the open plains, pale expanses where wolves howl along their folds.
Through resolve and strength we earned a noble reputation beside every valiant man whose worth exceeds expectation.
Crossers of the wilderness and objects of longing to noble maidens raised in lofty homes.
———————
Poet Al-Ouni
No, by God—the camels now have an appointed day; the promise has become clear from men renowned for honorable conduct.
They are sons of Ali, guided against formidable foes, men of resolve who can master even the most difficult horse.
Their custom at the encounter is to overwhelm their rivals; when their swords meet the foe, faces bear the wounds.
Oh, the ache of my eyes, which have fought the sleep of noble men—how many are my restless thoughts, and how great my burden.
———————
Poet Hessa Al-Fawzan
Mohammed, you departed as a follower with the camel caravan and journeyed far from us, O dearest of my heart.
From the first, we hoped you would come to us from Arwaq, and I have counted the days one by one.
Were it not for modesty, I would pour out my voice in the markets, calling to you, crying out, and calling again.
I have asked the One worshipped, who raised the layered heavens, to care for me and favor me above all His servants.
May He show kindness to my state, weak and full of longing, while my heart flies ahead of him like a swarm of locusts.
May He comfort my eyes with the sight of you and let no obstacle delay you; may I see you here again in the homeland.
May provision come to you from every horizon—provision from the Lord beyond all counting.
May you discharge every obligation without stinting in generosity and settle within your home a gazelle of the uplands.
A slender beauty for whom the yearning heart rejoices; she comes to my mind exactly as I desire.
A beauty who has captivated every admirer, noble in lineage through forefathers of distant renown.
Lord, favor us above every base man; grant us honorable faces and a flourishing line of descendants.
The poet Lulwa Mohammed Al-Bibi said:
The caravan arrived, and my beloved arrived with it; it made camp at Al-Naqib—if only I were there beside him.
Al-Naqib: the name of a place where an Al-Oqilat caravan arrived.
A woman said to an Al-Oqilat man:
Ali, sell the camel and buy me a young horse.
A Wife's Longing for Her Husband:
O riders, if you intend to journey on, carry my greetings to my beloved.
A sheet of paper bearing dark ink, its letter written—never in my life had one like it come to me.
———————-
An Al-Oqilat man said of a she-camel he sold in the Egyptian market of Bilbeis:
My moan is like that of the old she-camel brought to Bilbeis.
I do not blame her streaming tears when the butchers closed in around her.
Their knives were sharp—how swiftly they felled her when the word was given.
She cried out, and the fragrant breeze seemed to cry with her as a lean blade struck her side.
I wish the memory had never stirred; I wish the drovers had refused to take her.
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Imbaba market was one of the great markets where Al-Oqilat gathered, including senior merchants who had settled in Egypt to trade camels and horses. After hearing a train but receiving no news from his family, one poet said:
My heart groans like an iron train from Misr Station all the way to Alexandria.
Al-Hulaisi, a trader strong as iron—I wish he would pass by me just once.
My chest tightened when I saw the postman carrying nothing for me to ease the pain.
I listen for news, however distant, in letters I wish he would read aloud to me.
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One poet said:
What a long, cold season, Al-Turaif, we have reached. Where is the firewood with which to cook our supper?
We have reached the land of bugs and fleas—a country whose air will never be the air we love.
Were it not for high prices and debt, we would not have come ***** But costly expenses pursue us
Such was the yearning of Al-Oqilat men for their homes and their longing to touch the sand dunes upon whose heights they had written stories of struggle and patience: how to stand firm against hardship and insist upon survival despite constant travel and exile.
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Poet Ibrahim Al-Lahim
This is Al-Oqilat, my people, and we are their descendants. How sweet their past and the remembrance of an Al-Oqilat man.
Their history bears witness to their glories—a people whose deeds in the pursuit of honor were beautiful.
In days of scorching winds, bare feet, and scarce provisions, crossing the empty land brought toil and terror.
Caravans among them set their course toward Baghdad, and how many customers in Egypt left satisfied with them.
Our Al-Oqilat have a celebrated name and pioneers in Syria, a land whose bounty has no equal.
The Sons of Ali, our kinsmen, are like leopards—my people of Buraidah and the refuge of every stranger seeking protection.
Today we live in happiness and prosperity beneath the shelter of just rule, whose shade lies over me.
Our kings are loved and obeyed by the people; through them prosperity and restful life have flourished.
A magnificent welcome to you, descendant of leaders; Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, your deeds are noble.
True to the covenant and generous in fulfilling his promise—Abdullah, beloved by his people, as they tell me.
Welcome upon welcome, beyond all counting; no measure can contain the greetings we offer at your arrival.
We write our love forever in ink, together with gold and the most beautiful roses.
And ask blessings upon Mohammed, master of all leaders, for as long as pilgrims raise their voices in praise of God.
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The poet Al-Humaid said:
From the point where the men of Al-Oqilat began their night journey, I proclaim my greetings to the leader of our homeland.
Greetings higher than the Sarawat Mountains, higher than the twin eagles and every star that rises.
And when you come to Al-Arid, seat of leadership, you find fierce men whom we have prepared against every enemy.
Our promised king faced the crises—Abdullah, trusting in his Lord, with us
There is Abu Mutib, leader in every great mission; at his right hand we saw a sword drawn for us.
We march beneath his command toward the goal; we are descendants of Al-Oqilat, if anyone should ask about us.
And Abu Khalid, generous in his gifts, Crown Prince of the house of leadership in which we rejoice.
Sultan, sultan of the Arabs and of good fortune, accept our greeting and our song offered in humility.
To our Emir Faisal go abundant greetings—the pride of Al-Qassim, in whom all our cities take pride.
Faisal is a sword for difficult affairs; every crossing bears witness to him whenever we pass.
And the second Faisal possesses beautiful qualities; goodness never misses him when his name is spoken among us.
There is Abu Mishal, lofty in leadership, supporter of the weak; whoever reaches his people leaves hardship behind.
May you remain through every age; today you are our shelter whenever flames rise around us.
Afterward, people descended from the original Al-Oqilat came to us, asking about the caravans of our forefathers.
I said, ‘Good news—today, through these messages, our story will reach you in verses fashioned through our effort.’
In days gone by, when provisions ran dry, history recorded our honorable past.
Buraidah takes pride in being Al-Oqilat's stopping place in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula; may it endure after us.
We people of Al-Qassim are known as guides and keepers of the signs; today we travel in the footsteps of our forefathers.
We are the descendants of Al-Oqilat when challenge and exchange arise; we do not begin evil, and we have always stood for good.
From this place came the call, ‘Saddle up, Al-Oqilat!’ and from this place people said, ‘Our caravan has set out.’
From this place the finest she-camels began their journey, roaming distant countries without ever losing our way.
Mounted upon camels bred by Al-Shararat, or traveling with the caravan to Amman—how beautiful they seemed to us.
Or upon pure Arab mounts bred in Al-Harrah, at whose sight even the dark beasts of prey appeared subdued.
At times our journeys turned north, at times east, and at times the roads to the west exhausted us.
Our forefathers labored through hard years like swords; anyone who sees the toil knows they never lived at ease.
Through goodness they ruled people's hearts as true leaders abroad, men whose displeasure others strove to avoid.
In this gathering I appeal to the One who knows every hidden thing, the One who counts all our scattered deeds.
May He guide our path toward what is right, so that through it we reach the heights and leave ignorance behind.
And ask blessings upon the one God distinguished with His signs, the purest of all people whenever we assemble.
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Poet Hamad Al-Ulayyan
Al-Oqilat tightened the gear upon their mounts and swung astride between stirrup and saddle.
From Najd their riding camels moved onward, their men lions in the night and wolves of the open country.
They brought their merchandise to Buraidah, then sprang onward from it with purpose.
Their finest camels went out toward Syria, and for Baghdad they headed directly to its gates.
In Amman stood the animals they brought for sale; in Egypt they were merchants and earners.
They never lost their way upon the routes, and robbery and plunder were never their concern.
Brave men whose virtues are well known—security, goodness, and the honor of their clan.
We remain proud of them even though fate has covered their bodies beneath the earth.
Today we are their successors: youth and children, elders and grey-haired men.
Prosperity spread when they came under rulers who governed by God's law and His Book.
Al Saud and their descendants are horsemen whenever the spears of war are raised.
How numerous their favors to the people; for their enemies they have the sword and its blade.
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The poet said:
This is Buraidah wearing its new garment; this is Buraidah with all its lights aglow.
It has lived in honor from old times into the new, its youth walking in the path of its elders.
How many clashes we entered without wavering—when its men assemble, they surge like a storming sea.
From Najd through the traveler's night journey, Al-Oqilat stood alone; their deeds can never be concealed from us.
Their encampments stretched from Syria to Upper Egypt, and they crossed lands whose farthest reaches they had never known.
Upon camels and horses in the hardest times, on days of separation when danger traveled beside them.
From the farthest regions they brought fine manufactured goods, and even their coffee pots became renowned.
The Bedouin came to buy and the crowds increased; through cash and credit, their trade provided for their children.
The stories I relate tell of men strong as iron, and their descendants today stand worthy beside them.
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A praise poem for Al-Oqilat by Musfir Mubarak Al-Qahtani at the Al-Nairiyah spring camp, inspired by their welcome and hospitality:
At Al-Nairiyah, where Al-Oqilat fulfilled the duty of hospitality—a people whose presence and loyalty honor every gathering.
A people who won every distinction through goodness, whose long strides have always carried them toward the heights.
A people of esteem, generosity, and noble qualities; when years of giving grow lean, their own gifts never cease.
Their stands in defense of honor are the finest stands; their men are the face and prestige of glory.
The lean years bear witness for them, when poverty spread across the country and covered it.
They mounted camels that devoured the distances and reached Syria and its farthest bounds.
People of camels and polished swords, people of deeds whose very report brings honor.
How excellent their aid when trouble is stirred, and fortunate is the man who calls upon their courage for help.
Time has recorded bright pages in their name, understood by everyone who reads them.
A people who welcome every visitor when he arrives, maintaining the highest standard of esteem.
When you come among them, you find generosity and delight, and a fire whose glow welcomes every traveler.
Red coffee beans fill the stately dallahs, while fragrant blue smoke rises from the incense behind them.
Generous men welcome both groups and individuals with loyalty *** These are the noble qualities you seek
We have come to you, men who make every burden light, people of Al-Qassim whose shelter protects all who enter it.
Abdulaziz Al-Faisal, noble in character, unified this blessed country and firmly laid its foundations.
His loyal sons rise to every great task like stars ascending in the sky.
Reality itself testifies to noble generosity; a man speaks his word and stands to defend it.
True manliness is like lofty mountains—not everyone who longs for their summits can climb them.
Yet the Sons of Al-Oqilat undoubtedly reached those heights, people of deeds who honor everyone seeking their hospitality.
I came in person from the capital, Riyadh, to visit a people whose worth is dear within my heart.
All fatigue and long suffering are forgotten once a person gains the satisfaction he sought.
By visiting the people of glory in their gathering, I gained something worth more than the finest gold and pounds.
When I represent my people upon the platforms, Qahtan is my strength, pride, and boast.
I close with the purest greetings and salutations, proclaimed by a poet whose meanings are strong and abundant.
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Poet Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Shuraidah, son of the Al-Oqilat merchant Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Shuraidah
Salute the young men who set out toward the heights and revived the glorious heritage of our people, Al-Oqilat.
A history of glory towering like mountains, telling of our people's days in the distant past.
Their deeds became visible upon every height; they placed noble action before concern for themselves.
They sought their livelihood with the resolve of men; the difficult red sands never turned them back.
Neither summer nor the blackness of night repelled them, nor the sun's blaze at the hour of midday rest.
Salute the young men whose exemplary work has portrayed for us the full measure of that hardship.
Compiled and prepared by Abdullatif bin Saleh Al-Wuhaibi