Ilaykum functions here as an imperative-like nominal expression: “move away.” In yā Banī Bakr, yā is the vocative particle, Banī a vocative in a construct phrase, and Bakr the genitive complement.
A-lammā taʿrifū is a rhetorical challenge, not a neutral inquiry. The plural addressee verb maintains direct engagement with the rival tribe throughout the opening lines.
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ʿAmr ibn Kulthūm: Challenge to Banū Bakr, Armour, Horses, and Protection (verses 75–91)
Ilaykum functions here as an imperative-like nominal expression: “move away.” In yā Banī Bakr, yā is the vocative particle, Banī a vocative in a construct phrase, and Bakr the genitive complement.
A-lammā taʿrifū is a rhetorical challenge, not a neutral inquiry. The plural addressee verb maintains direct engagement with the rival tribe throughout the opening lines.