Content
Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history.
ومنهم المستوغر بن ربيعة بن كعب بن زيد بن مناة، عاش ثلاثمائة وثلاثين سنة حتى قال: ولقد سئمت من الحياة وطولها وعمرت من بعد السنين سنينا مائة أتت من بعدها مائتان لي وعمرت من عدد الشهور سنينا هل ما بقي إلا كما قد فاتنا يوم يكر وليلة تحدونا
Mustaughar bin Rabia bin Kaab bin Zaid Munah bin Tameem was also of those who had long life spans. He lived for three hundred and thirty years and composed the following couplets: I am fed up of life and a long lifespan as I lived for years after years. After two hundred years, I lived for a hundred years more - I counted years like people count months. Is that which is to come different from that which has passed? Days continue to repeat and nights with their repetition limit my lifespan.
ومنهم أكثم بن صيفي الأسدي، عاش ثلاثمائة سنة وثلاثين سنة، وكان ممن أدرك النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وآمن به ومات قبل أن يلقاه، وله أخبار كثيرة وحكم وأمثال. وهو القائل: وإن امرأ قد عاش تسعين حجة إلى مائة لم يسأم العيش جاهل خلت مائتان غير ست وأربع وذلك من عد الليالي قلائل وكان والده صيفي بن رياح بن أكثم أيضا من المعمرين،عاش مائتين وسبعين سنة لا ينكر من عقله شيء، وهو المعروف بذي الحلم الذي قال فيه المتلمس اليشكري: لذي الحلم قبل اليوم ما تقرع العصا وما علم الإنسان إلا ليعلما
Aktham bin Saifi from the progeny of Asad bin Amr bin Tameem lived for three hundred and thirty years. He survived till the time of Islam and also embraced Islam, but he died before he could meet the Prophet. Many reports and sayings are recorded about Aktham bin Saifi. For example the following: Certainly, a man should spend ninety years of life. If it is extended by a hundred more years then an ignorant (person) does not become wary of life. If six and four are subtracted from two hundred, one hundred and ninety remain; it is when nights are also counted. His father, Saifi bin Riyah bin Aktham, also had a long life span. He lived for two hundred and seventy years without any reduction in his mental capacities. He is well known for his forbearance, sagacity and wisdom as mentioned by a poet about him: Saifi bin Riyah, who is the owner of forbearance, more than that he is having kindness and compassion; he knew nothing, which he did not teach to others.
ومنهم ضبيرة بن سعيد بن سعد بن سهم بن عمرو، عاش مائتي سنة وعشرين سنة ولم يشب قط، وأدرك الإسلام ولم يسلم. وروى أبو حاتم والرياشي عن العتبي عن أبيه قال: مات ضبيرة السهمي وله مائتا سنة وعشرون سنة، وكان أسود الشعر صحيح الأسنان، ورثاه ابن عمه قيس بن عدي فقال: من يأمن الحدثان بعـ ـد ضبيرة السهمي ماتا سبقت منيته المشيـ ـب وكان ميتته افتلاتا فتزودوا لا تهلكوا من دون أهلكم خفاتا
Zabira bin Saeed bin Saad bin Saham bin Amr is also included among people with long life spans. He lived for 220 years and no signs of senility were visible in him; although he lived during the period of Islam, he did not accept faith. Abu Hatim and Rayashi have written on the authority of Atba that he lived for 220 years. His hair had not grayed and his teeth were also intact. Qays bin Adi, his cousin, has composed the following regarding him: Who is it that should be safe through the accidents of time after Zabira bin Sahmi, who lived for two hundred years? He took precedence in old age, lived as a youth and died an accidental death. Thus O people, gather your provisions as you would die and you have to go away without your families.
ومنهم دريد بن الصمة الجشمي، عاش مائتي سنة وأدرك الإسلام فلم يسلم،وكان أحد قواد المشركين يوم حنين ومقدمتهم. حضر حرب النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فقتل يومئذ.
Duraid bin Sama Jashami lived for 200 years and witnessed the period of Islam, without accepting faith. He was a chief of polytheists during the Battle of Hunain and was at the forefront in fighting the Messenger of Allah (s). He was killed in that same battle.
ومنهم محصن بن غسان بن ظالم الزبيدي،عاش مائتي سنة وستا وخمسين سنة.
Mohsin bin Ghassan He was also a person who had a long life span. He lived for 256 years.
ومنهم عمرو بن حممة الدوسي، عاش أربعمائة سنة،وهو الذي يقول: كبرت وطال العمر حتى كأنني سليم أفاع ليلة غير مودع فما الموت أفناني ولكن تتابعت علي سنون من مصيف ومربع ثلاث مئات قد مررن كواملا وها أنا هذا أرتجي منه أربع
Amr bin Hamama Doosi He is also a long lived human being, who lived for 400 years. Following is his own composition: I have become aged and my age is so prolonged as if I have been stung by snake that is not yet dead. Thus death did not destroy me and I was not destroyed? But years of spring and summer passed on me. I have definitely left behind three hundred years and I hope to live for four hundred years.
ومنهم الحارث بن مضاض الجرهمي، عاش أربعمائة سنة،وهو القائل: كان لم يكن بين الحجون إلى الصفا أنيس ولم يسمر بمكة سامر بلى نحن كنا أهلها فأبادنا صروف الليالي والجدود العواثر
Harith bin Mazaz Jurhami also lived for 400 years; he composed the following two lines: As if there was no one on way from Hajun to Safa and in Mecca who was a worshipper, who spent the nights in prayers. Yes, we are from the worshippers of Mecca, who spend their nights in worship. We make the passage of days and nights old.
ومنهم عبد المسيح بن بقيلة الغساني، ذكر الكلبي وأبو عبيدة وغيرهما أنه عاش ثلاثمائة سنة وخمسين سنة، وأدرك الإسلام فلم يسـلم، وكان نصرانيا. وخبره مع خالد بن الوليد لما نزل على الحيرة معروف،حتى قال له: كم أتى لك؟قال: خمسون وثلاثمائة سنة. قال: فما أدركت؟قال: أدركت سفن البحر ترفأ إلينا في هذا الجرف،ورأيت المرأة من أهل الحيرة تضع مكتلها على رأسها لا تزود إلا رغيفا واحدا حتى تأتي الشام وقد أصبحت خرابا.وذلك دأب الله في العباد والبلاد. وهو القائل: والناس أبناء علات فمن علموا أن قد أقل فمجفو ومحقور وهم بنون لأم إن رأوا نشبا فذاك بالغيب محفوظ ومحصور
Abdul Masih bin Baqila Ghassani Kalbi, Abu Ubaidah and others have said that Abdul Masih bin Baqila Ghassani also had a long lifespan and he lived for 350 years. He lived during the Islamic period, but did not accept Islam; on the contrary he remained a Christian. His engagement with Khalid is well known when the latter came to Hira. Till Khalid asked: How old are you? He replied: Three hundred and fifty years. Khalid asked: What did you see during this period? He replied: At this place [in the desert of Hira, which was a sea once upon a time] I saw boats anchored near the coast and a woman of Hira carrying a sack on her head and she had only a piece of bread and she was going to Shaam. Now this area has become arid and barren and this is the practice of God with regard to people and cities. Abdul Masih composed the following couplet: People are children born from different wombs and when they understand that someone is spending a life of difficulty and poverty, they murder and humiliate him. When they see the wealth and prosperity of someone they become his blood brothers and such hypocritical things are written and preserved in the realm of the unseen.
ومنهم النابغة الجعدي من بني عامر بن صعصعة،يكنى أبا ليلى.قال أبو حاتم السجستاني: كان النابغة الجعدي أسن من النابغة الذبياني.
Nabigha Jodi was among the long lived personalities among the Arabs. His real name was Qays bin Kaab bin Abdullah bin Aamir bin Rabia bin Joda bin Kaab bin Rabia bin Aamir bin Saasa. His patronymic was Abu Laila. Abu Hatim Sajistani, a prominent scholar of language and poetry says that Nabigha attained an age more than that of Zabyani.
وروي أنه كان يفتخر ويقول: أتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فأنشدته: بلغنا السماء مجدنا وجدودنا وإنا لنرجو فوق ذلك مظهرا فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: أين المظهر يا أبا ليلى؟ فقلت: الجنة يا رسول الله. فقال: أجل إن شاء الله تعالى. ثم أنشدته: ولا خير في حلم إذا لم يكن له بوادر تحمي صفوه أن يكدرا ولا خير في جهل إذا لم يكن له حليم إذا ما أورد الأمر أصدرا فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: لا يفضض الله فاك.
He proudly says: I recited the following verses to the Messenger of Allah (s): Our greatness and nobility has reached to the skies and we hope that it will go beyond them. The Messenger of Allah (s) asked: “Till where, O Abu Laila?” I replied: “In Paradise, O Messenger of Allah (s).” The Holy Prophet (s) remarked: “All right, if Allah so wills.” After that I presented the following couplets to the Messenger of Allah (s): There is no goodness in forbearance and magnanimity, when they are not accompanied with evil and anger, till purity does not stain the period of forbearance or period of anger. And there is no goodness in ignorance also, when it is not accompanied with forbearance and severity does not make amends for it with kindness and tolerance. At that moment the Holy Prophet (s) said: May Allah bless you.
