Arabic: The Language of Poetry

Samuel Ward

Arabic 101

Muna Mohammad

22 November 2017

Arabic: The Language of Poetry

        Arabic is a language deeply infused in the arts; some of the world’s greatest literary and poetic masterpieces have been composed in the sacred language of Islam. In understanding Arabic poetry, it is important to first understand Islam, specifically the Quran, and the very explicit metaphors that are repeated throughout. It is also important to understand how the structure of the sounds in Arabic influenced the rhythm of the poetry with an emphasis on repetition and poignant metaphors. In addition to this, the history of Arabic culture, both pre and post rise of Islam is imperative in understanding the poetry as it imperative to understand Arabic culture. Finally, perhaps the key to garnering the full grasp on Arabic poetry is enriching oneself in the messages frequented in the poems: how these messages tie to the Quran and how these messages are a reflection of the beliefs held in Arabic culture.

During the 5th and 6th centuries, before the rise of Islam in the 7th century, the Arab people were nomadic and grouped in many different tribes collectively known as the Bedouin. These tribes would herd sheep, goats, or even camels and follow the food or water source year by year. It is believed that, despite being merciless in their conquer of trade in the desert, Bedouins were generous and hospitable, sticking true to their honor. These beliefs carry over to the Quran and the practice of Islam. For example, it says in The Quran, “Allah defends those who are true” (The Quran, Al Haj 22:38). This reflects one of the values that is held true to Islam that carried over from pagan Bedouin culture: that if one is grateful and righteous, they are honorable and Allah defends them. Bedouin music was chanted and unaccompanied by instrumentation, meaning that it focused heavily on oral delivery and the syncopation of words. The chants were the earliest form of Arabic poetry and is still performed by Bedouins today, being called Al-Taghrooda. These songs were sung on long camel rides, in preparation for war, or even exorcisms. The most important piece of pre-islamic poetry, however, is the Al-Mu’allaqat or “The Seven Odes.” It is written in the qasida format. This format is famous for its single meter throughout the poem, with every line rhyming on the same sound, and its singular subject throughout, often about a nobleman or great war. It is believed that the Al-Mu-allaqat was written by seven different poets throughout the 6th and early 7th centuries. They focus heavily on nature and the way of life for the Bedouin people. The primary ethical beliefs of the time are contained in these poems and the intention of the collector of these poems is believed to have been to pass on these beliefs to future generations. For that reason, its importance to Arabic culture can not be understated.

Many early Muslims saw poetry as a threat to the emerging faith that was Islam. Poets who preached of their elder generations’ values were seen as the biggest threat to it. This is because some of those values were contradictory to those being preached by the Prophet Mohammad. For example, many Bedouin poets, who had not yet converted to Islam, wrote about a spiritual belief that was far more paganistic, having private deities to explain the world around them, rather than a single divine cause, Allah, like in the Quran. However, the Quran does not forbid poetry, by any means. In fact, the Quran encourages poetry to be written if it falls in line with the belief stated in it. Pre-Islamic poetry actually influenced the Quran and explains why Islam was so quickly spread around the world. The Quran is unique among holy books in that is written beautifully and focused on the repetition of many words or phrases and ideas. This can be explained by the linguistically motivated stories of the pre-islamic people and how their oral tradition acted as a vehicle for their cultural beliefs to be passed from generation from generation. What the Quran does, essentially, is compact these beliefs and attribute them to a divine source while giving a voice to that divine source. While the Quran is also influenced from Christianity and Judaism, its unique format as a holy book can be accredited to the poetry that predates it.

        It is extremely important to note that the Quran was a far accessible text than the Old Testament because of the nature of the languages they’re written in. Arabic was a common language during the 7th century. While Hebrew texts were restricted to those who spoke Hebrew, the commonality of Arabic as a language allowed Islam to appeal to the common folk. This is expressed in the Quran, "We have not sent any Messenger except with the language of his people so he can make things clear to them” (The Quran, 14:4).  It is amazing that, despite being written in a way that could be universally understood, The Quran is regarded today as one of the most eloquently written pieces of literature, and the most regarded piece of Arabic literature. This also reflects the accessibility of Arabic poetry. Despite it being understood by many, Arabic poetry has stood the test of time as a great artistic endeavour worthy of praise for its elegance.

Abu Nuwas was a poet from the Baghdad caliphate, noted for his often erotic poetry. He pushed the envelope in terms of what was allowed under Islam, talking about wine, homosexual love, and praising of Bedouin history. Nuwas is noted for having played around with the traditional qasida form, using his wit to paradize and ridicule the subject matter of his counterparts. Unlike most of the poets writing at this time, Nuwas wrote about his actual experiences, unafraid of upsetting even royalty at the time, which he did when he was banished after writing a poem about the persian royalty killed by Harun al-Rashid. His influence extended beyond his lifetime as he is considered one of the great Arab poets.

At the same time Abu Nuwas was writing about wine and his affection of young boys, Abu al-Alahiijah and other court poets were praising Allah and bringing about questions regarding morality, sin, and the afterlife. This was after the death of the Prophet Mohammad, at the height of the Umayyad caliphate. The rise of the first Islamic empire meant a couple of things for the development of Arabic poetry. The common rule allowed for more continuity for Arabs meaning a transition from a nomadic life to a more urbanized one. This allowed an accumulation of wealth to occur among elites and thus more time to invest in the arts. The inclusion of humor in poetry was a new development at this time and became its own genre entirely. In addition to this, poetry began to focus more on romance and love as opposed to history and war like in pre-Islamic times. The Quran encourages one to find true love which it defines as a comprehensive feeling; one that is mutual, affectionate, and intimate. It only makes sense that the artistic endeavours of a civilization inspired by the writings of this book, would include the testimony of finding this elusive feeling. The poems of ʿUmar ibn Abī Rabīʿah serve as a great example of poems that include both these deep emotional sentiments as well as humor.