ARA 101 8: Historical Context of the Umayyad Dynasty and Their Literature PDF

The Umayyads Islamic Empire 2 The Umayyads (661-750) The Umayyad dynasty (Arabic: ‫ بنو أمية‬Banu Umayya), whose name derives from Umayya b. ‘Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of Mu‘awiyah. Both Umayya and Hashim belong to Quraysh. Mu’awiya bin Abu Sufyan, the governor of Damascus became the first Um...

The Umayyads Islamic Empire 2 The Umayyads (661-750) The Umayyad dynasty (Arabic: ‫ بنو أمية‬Banu Umayya), whose name derives from Umayya b. ‘Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of Mu‘awiyah. Both Umayya and Hashim belong to Quraysh. Mu’awiya bin Abu Sufyan, the governor of Damascus became the first Umayad Caliph. Mu‘āwiya’s accession to power marks the end of first phase of Islam Caliphate becomes effectively hereditary The Umayyads Move of capital to Damascus provides Mediterranean base for further expansion Accumulation of wealth and power affected life style Byzantine administrative machinery largely retained (Chief Secretary Syrian Christian) Beginning of Islamic achievements in architecture The Umayyad Caliphs Muawiyah I Yazid I (Yazid bin Mu’awiya) Muawiya II (Mu’awiya bin Yazid) Marwan I ibn al-Hakam Abd al-Malik bin Marwan Al-Walid I bin Abd al-Malek Sulayman bin ‘Abd al-Malik Umar II bin ‘Abd al-Aziz (Sulayman’s cousin) Yazid II bin Abd al-Malik Hisham bin Abd al-Malik (724-43) Al-Walid II bin Yazid bin Abdul Malik Yazid III bin Walid bin Abdul Malik Ibrahim brother of Yazid III Marwan II bin Mohammad bin Marwan bin al-Hakam Mu’awiya was succeeded by Yazeed, his son in 680. The hereditary accession of Yazid was opposed by a number of prominent Muslims, most notably ‘Abd Allah b. alZubayr, son of one of the Companions of the Prophet, and Husayn b. Ali, grandson of the Prophet and younger son of Ali. The resulting conflict is known as the “Second fitna”. the Dome of the Rock was constructed by the order of Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik between 689 and 691 CE Al-Masjid al-Aqsa was originally a small prayer house built by the Rashidun caliph Umar, but was rebuilt and expanded by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik and finished by his son al-Walid in 705 CE Following ‘Abd al-Malik’s (685 705) death, his son, al-Walid I (705-15) became caliph. AlWalid was also active as a builder, sponsoring the extention of al-masjid al-nabawi in Medina and the construction of the Great Mosque of Damascus. Umayyad mosque Mihrab, Minbar (the pulpit) and Mezana (Minaret) The Umayyad Caliphate ‘Abd al-Malik is credited with centralizing the administration of the caliphate, and with establishing Arabic as its official language. He also introduced a uniquely Muslim coinage, marked by its aniconic decoration, which supplanted the Byzantine and Sasanian coins that had previously been in use. The peak of Umayyad power High point of Umayyad power reached during reign of Walīd (705-715 C.E.) Landing in Spain 710 C.E. followed by occupation of most of Iberian peninsula Arab force reached Indian province of Sind, but not followed up, and Muslim conquest of India happened much later. Arabs and Mawālī Umayyad society based on domination by Arabs, who acquired land in provinces Tax benefits favoured Arabs New class of Mawālī (sing. Mawlā) = ‘clients’, i.e. (mostly nonArab) Muslim converts, paying higher rate of tax, became source of discontent Division partly Arab / non-Arab, but basically economic and social rather than racial. Umayyad Caliphate falls in 750 Non Arab converts resented inequality Arabs of Iraq resented Syrian influence in political affairs. Pious Muslims felt that the Umayyad Caliphs were not religious enough Shiites attacked Umayyad family's legitimacy. (One rebellion brings down the Umayyads. However, one branch escapes to Spain and establishes kingdom). Umayyad dynasty in Andalus Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu'awiya ibn Hisham ibn Abd alMalik ibn Marwan (731–788) was the founder of a Muslim dynasty that ruled the greater part of the Iberian Peninsula known as (al-Anadalus) The Umayyads literature(661 – 750 CE) Two genres of poetry prevailed during this time: “Ghazal” 1. The Hijazi school with main representative ‘Umar bin Abi rabi’a whose love poetry was daring, sensous and profane 2. The ‘Udhri school with main representative Jamil Buthayna and Qais Layla whose potry was chaste pure and sublime. “Naqa’id”, literary means “contradictions”, it is poetical contests where, it is a form of poetry, tribal or personal insults are exchanged. These poems usually coming in pairs, employing the same metre and rhyme. It belongs to the genre of hija’ Political poetry Several poets advocated Umayyad, Shi’ite, Zubayrite and Kharijites parties. Yet the most prominent were Al-Akhtal, Jarir and al-Farazdaq. Their naqa’id are important to the study of political history of their period. Al-Akhtal the panegyric poet of Abdul Malik, Jarir of al-Hajjaj and al-Farazdaq also of Umayyad dynasty. Nevertheless, one of the best eulogies to ‘Ali bin al-Husayn is attributed to al-Farazdaq. At-Tirimmah and ‘Imran bin Hittan expressed Kharijite revolutionary and egalitarian beliefs The naqā’id of al-Akhtal, Jarīr and alFarazdaq The hija’ genre reached its peak in the Umayyad period with the naqā’id of al-Akhtal, Jarīr and alFarazdaq, which were popular with rulers and common people, and remained so because of their highly entertaining content and their poetic and linguistic skill.. Al-Akhtal al- Akhtal “the talkative”, was the nickname of the Arab poet Ghiyāth b. al-Salt, died before 710 CE. He belonged to the tribe of Tag̲h̲lib of northern Syria, which remained Christian. Under ‘Abd al-Malik, he actually became official poet to the Caliph. Al-Farazdaq Tammām b. Ghalib (Abū Firās) al- Farazdaq “the lump of dough”, famous Arab satirist and panegyrist belonged to the tribe of Tamīm. Jarir Jarir ibn Atiyah was also from Tamim tribe. Jarīr began his public career by writing poems in praise of an official of the governor of ‘Irāq, al-Hajjaj and wrote a series of qasīdas to praise him. Jarir bin Atiya Though Farazdaq and Akhtal were his rivals, Jarir wrote an elegy for Farazdaq when the later passed away: ‫لتبك عليه االنس والجـن اذ ثـوى‬ ‫ب ومشـرق‬ ‫فتى‬ ٍ ‫مضر في كـل غـر‬ ٍ ‫فتى عاش يبني المجد تسعين حجـة‬ ً ‫وكان الى الخيـرات والعـز يرتقـي‬ Jarir also praised Abdul Malik bin Marwan: َ ‫ب ال َم‬ ‫راح‬ ‫بطون‬ ‫العالمين‬ ‫ و أندى‬... ‫طايا‬ َ َ َ ‫َير َمن َر ِك‬ َ ‫ألَ ْست ُ ْم خ‬ ِ Are you not the best of those who on the noblest of mounts ride More open handed than all in the world besid Governed by musical considerations, the poetic form was simplified. Poetry and music became inseparable as shown by hundreds of examples by the famous Kitab alAghani by Abu al-Faraj al-Asfahani. ‘Udhri love poetry the case of Qais ibn al-Mulawwah , known as majnun Laila (Laila’s Madman). For after Laila was married off to a man from another tribe, Qais spent the rest of his life roaming the wilderness, mourning his love. Qais ibn Dharih Perhaps the best known among them is Jamil ibn Maʿmar, known as Jamil Buthaina, whose love for Buthaina lasted all his life, until his death in Egypt in 82 / 701. Sarih love poetry or Hijazi school of ghazal In the cities of Hijaz, now flourishing with a new wealth and great resurgence in the arts of music and song, people knew well how to enjoy life. Led by ʿUmar ibn Abi Rabiʿa.