ARA 101: Abbasid Poetry PDF

ARA 101: Introduction to Arabic Heritage ‘Abbasid Poetry  Historical Setting: the fall of the Umayyads Umayyad power collapsed in 750s in the face of coalition of opposition movements (Zab battle. The Umayyad caliph Marwan was killed). Main impetus for change came from Khor...

ARA 101: Introduction to Arabic Heritage ‘Abbasid Poetry  Historical Setting: the fall of the Umayyads Umayyad power collapsed in 750s in the face of coalition of opposition movements (Zab battle. The Umayyad caliph Marwan was killed). Main impetus for change came from Khorasan, with alliance of Arab settlers and Iranian mawali Leadership provided by descendants of ‘Abbas, uncle of the Prophet Abu Muslim sent to Khorasan, formed army and marched westward and defeated Umayyads Change of leadership marked by shift of capital from Damascus to Baghdad.  Historical Setting: the First ‘Abbasids Abu ’l-‘Abbas was nominated the first caliph (Amīr al-Mu’minīn). He was a weak ruler. Abu Muslim was killed in 754 CE, enabling al-Manṣūr to consolidate authority of new dynasty. Historical Setting: the ‘Shift to the East’ Baghdad, founded 762 CE by al-Manṣūr, quickly gains in prosperity (Prior to that “Kufa” was the capital) Shift of centre of gravity from Damascus to Baghdad leads to increase in Persian influence Increased trade (especially via Basra), as far as China (by 850), also Southern Europe, Russia. From Chinese prisoners taken at the Battle of Talas in 751, Muslims learn the art of paper- making: the mass production of paper revolutionizes the transmission of knowledge  Historical Setting: Hārūn al-Rashīd ‘Abbasid society was best known to Westerners through Alf Layla wa-Layla (‘Arabian Nights’), fiction but rooted in contemporary society Hārūn al-Rashīd (786-809 C.E.), a contemporary of Charlemagne, typifies height of ‘Abbasid culture The early ‘Abbasid period was the ‘Golden Age’ of classical Arab civilization Historical Setting: ‘Abbasid Culture Abasid culture drew on cultures of adjoining civilizations. Practical requirements included medicine, mathematics, geography, astronomy (e.g. beginning and end of Ramadan, direction of the qibla etc) Translation of works from Greek, Syriac, Persian and Sanskrit into Arabic Caliph al-Ma’mūn founds Bayt al-Hikma (‘House of Wisdom’), a translation institute placed under directorship of Hunayn ibn Isḥāq (d. 873) The translation movement stimulates the production of original works in Arabic.  Historical Setting: ‘Peasant Revolts’ The death of Abu Muslim al-Khurasani sparked off series of ‘peasant revolts’. Zanj revolt (black slaves), under ‘Ali ibn Muhammad in southern Iraq, who captured Basra in 871 CE, came within 17 miles of Baghdad. The rebellion suppressed and ‘Ali killed 883 CE.  Historical Setting: the process of fragmentation Political unity of Islamic Empire starts to crumble very early: – 756 CE, Umayyads in Spain break away from ‘Abbasids – 868 CE Ahmad ibn Tulūn establishes himself as independent ruler of Egypt, Syria and Palestine – 930 CE Qarāmiṭa (Isma’ili sect) in Arabian peninsula, sack Mecca – 969 CE Fatimids (Isma’ilis) in North Africa capture Cairo and make it capital of independent dynasty; 972 CE, foundation of al-Azhar – Cairo now is a new ‘centre of gravity’ to rival Baghdad.  ‘Abbasid poetry Second flowering of classical Arabic poetry in ‘Abbasid period Shift of capital to Baghdad 762 CE opens the door to Persian influences Poetry was marked by tensions: – Arab vs Persian (shu‘ubiyya) – traditional desert environment vs urban values Poetry remains structurally conservative (eg meters and rhyme). The importance of ‘patronage’ increased.  Poetry There are two schools of poetry: Neo-classical and Modernist Neo-classical poets (tradition-oriented): Abu Tammam, al- Mutanabbi, and al-Buhturi Modernist poets (turned away from the rigid style of the Qasida): Most of them are half-Arabs or non-Arabs: : Abu Nuwas, Bashshar ibn Burd, Ibn al-Rumi, Abu al-'Atahiyah https://alchetron.com/Abu-l-'Atahiya  Poetry Continued Al-Mutanabbi was very famous at the court of the Hamdanid ruler of Aleppo Sayf al-Dawlah Abu Tammam was the Caliph al-Mu'tasim poet Abu Nuwas joined the court of Harun al-Rashid and his son al-Amin Sufi Poetry flourished: Al-Hallaj (d. 922) and Ibn al-Farid (d. 1235) in the East and Ibn 'Arabi (d. 1240) in Muslim Spain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVQ5rbZwuEg ‘Abbasid poetry: Bashshar ibn Burd Bashshar ibn Burd (d.794), of Persian extraction, was a blind poet - His poetry often express shu‘ubi sentiments, drawing contrasts between uncouth Arabs and Persians as heirs of ancient civilization.  ‘Abbasid poetry: Abu Nuwas Abū Nuwās (d. 810): half-Persian, raised in Basra, is synonymous with classical Arabic wine poetry (khamriyya) and is widely regarded as its greatest exponent. He also displays an iconoclastic attitude towards the time–honored conventions of the classical qasīda, frequently mocking the motifs of the traditional nasīb.  ‘Abbasid wine poetry: select verses by Abu Nuwas ‫ﯾﺎ ﻋﺎرم اﻟطرف‬ Too subtle to touch Like the moon on the water She eludes the beholder’s grasp. ‘Wine’… you’d say But then when you poured her From the mouth of her pitcher, you’d gasp ‘Pure luminescence; How can I drink her? No wine were of this sort; So clear.’ Till you taste her And fall prostrate before her In the dust, past the realm of thought. ‘Abbasid poetry: al-Mutanabbi Al-Mutanabbī (d. 965): generally regarded as one of the greatest Arab poets of the classical era. His poetry is much admired for its forcefulness, inventive imagery and technical virtuosity, though some find objectionable his tendency towards extreme fakhr or self-glorification. Al-Mutannabi is synonymous with the court of his chief patron, Sayf al-Dawla (Syria), for whom he composed a long series of panegyrics. – He was later associated with court of Kāfūr (Egypt) – He made enemies through his arrogance – He was killed by brigands near Baghdad (in keeping with his motto: ‘live honourably or die heroically.’) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihkRrCdeKPY  ‘Abbasid poetry: al-Ma‘arri Al-Ma‘arri: (d. 1058) was a blind poet, rationalist, ascetic with pessimistic outlook renouncing worldly pleasures and living secluded from others. - Best known for his Luzūmiyyāt, a collection of bleak meditations on the nature of life and human folly. His view of existence is epitomised in the epitaph that al-Ma‘arri asked to be engraved on his tombstone: ُ ‫ﺟﻧﯾت ﻋﻠﻰ أﺣد‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻲ ** وﻣﺎ‬ ‫ﱠ‬ ‫ھذا ﻣﺎ ﺟﻧﺎه أﺑﻲ‬ ‘This wrong was by my father done To me, but ne’er by me to one.’ He chose to give up consuming meat and other animal products.  The end of the ‘Abbasid caliphate The ‘Abbasid caliphate ended in 1258 with the sacking of Baghdad by the Mongols under the command of Hulagu Khan.