The story goes that one day Ali - may Allah be pleased him - noticed that his wife Fatimah -may Allah be pleased with her - had in her hand an 'Ood al-Arak, also known by the name: Siwaak سِواك and she was using it (For those of you who don't know, a Siwaak سِواك back then was their equivalent of our toothbrush nowadays. It is made from the branches of Al-'Araak tree شَجَرُ الأَراك). So he decided to flirt with her saying: قد فُزتَ يا عودَ الأَراكِ بثغْرِها *** ما خِفتَ يا عودَ الأراكِ أراكا You even got, oh 'Ood al-Arak, to reach her mouth! *** Were you not afraid, oh 'Ood al-Arak, that I'll see you!? ولو كُنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِ القتالِ قتلتُك *** ما فازَ منِّي يا سواكُ سواك Had you been of the people that fight, I would have killed you! No one has been able to defeat me, oh Siwaak, except for you!. The true lover and poet, is the one following and preserving the laws of Allaah!
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