Annals of the early Caliphate from the death of Mahomet to the Omeyyad and Abbaside dynasties A.H. XI-LXI (A.D. 632-680) from original sources

Note 397 — Chapter XXVII · THE LATER YEARS OF OMAR’S REIGN—DOMESTIC EVENTS. A.H. XVII.-XXIII. A.D. 638–644.

Reading edition

Omar consulted Amru on the subject, who was of the same mind, and said—

Dûd ála ûd Fa in yaksar al ’ûd Halak al dûd.

‘An insect floating on a splinter; if the splinter break, the insect perisheth;’ signifying thereby the risks of the mariner.