I have no need of homelands; no longing for return…
Quote
I have no need of homelands; no longing for return carries me back to a land I have left.
Arabic original
غني عن الأوطان لا يستخفني إلى بلد سافرت عنه إياب.
What it means
The poet asserts independence from the places through which he travels. The line expresses pride and mobility, offering a contrast to poems filled with longing for a birthplace.
The story behind this quote
The verse belongs to the same al-Mutanabbi poem as the line about books being the best companions. His self-portrait combines travel, autonomy and command of his own choices.
The movement of return is rejected within the passage itself. The speaker claims that no country left behind attracts him strongly enough to direct his life. This declaration belongs to his image as an independent traveller: a poetic stance rather than a judgement on every attachment to place.
The source
منى كن لي أن البياض خضاب, من قصيدته في مدح كافور الإخشيدي
The text appears in the indicated source. A traditional attribution remains distinct from proof of authorship: see the context.
More quotes by Al-Mutanabbi
Among human failings, I have seen none like the shortcomings of those capable of perfection.
The noblest place in the world is the saddle of a swift horse, and the best companion is a book.
I am the one whose poetry even the blind have seen, and whose words have reached the deaf.
If you see a lion baring its fangs, do not imagine that it is smiling.
What use is sight to a person if light and darkness are the same to him?
Author
Al-Mutanabbi
Abu al-Tayyib al-Mutanabbi is often considered the greatest poet of the Arabic language. His verses, famous for their pride and concision, are still quoted as proverbs throughout the Arab world.
Quotes by Al-Mutanabbi