This poem from Abū Nuwās’s anthology of poetry stresses that human beings have always lived with one another in mutual assistance. In her analysis of Islamic mirrors-for-princes literature on judging in Justice and Leadership in Early Islamic Courts, Louise Marlow points to Māwardī’s use of this poem to support a notion of justice that prioritizes moderation, balance, and harmony.
This source is part of the Online Companion to the book Justice and Leadership in Early Islamic Courts, ed. Intisar A. Rabb and Abigail Krasner Balbale (ILSP/HUP 2017)—a collection of primary sources and other material used in and related to the book.