Arabbiata Ambience- (An insight into the Arabic literature and poetic styles)

Synopsis: Arabic literature has a vast history. Emerged in the 6th century with only fragments of the written language, it was the birth of the Qur'an in the 7th century that had the greatest lasting effect on Arabic culture and its literature. Arabic literature flourished during the Islamic Golden Age and continues to the present day.

Arabic poetry too dates back from the 6th century, but during that time oral poetry was the dominance. 

Arabic poetry is categorized into two:

1. Rhymed, or measured, and
2. Prose .                                                                                                                                            

The rhymed poetry falls within fifteen different meters collected and explained by Al-Farahidi in what is known as The Science of Arood. Al-Akhfash, a student of Al-Farahidi, later added one more meter to make them sixteen.  

The meters of the rhythmical poetry are known in Arabic as “بحور” or Seas. The measuring unit of the “seas” is known as “تفعيلة” (taf’ila) with every sea containing a certain number of taf’ilas that the poet has to observe in every verse (bayt) of the poem. The measuring procedure of a poem is very rigorous. Sometimes adding or removing a consonant or a vowel can shift the bayt from one meter to another. Also, in rhymed poetry, every bayt has to end with the same rhyme (qafiya) throughout the poem.

With the expansion of Islam into Persia, the Arabic language was greatly enriched by grammarians and writers of Persian descent. The new converts also made major contributions to Arabic poetry. In the 20th century, there has been a resurgence of Arabic literature and poetry, particularly in Algeria,Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine.

Poetry in Arabic is traditionally grouped in a diwan or collection of poems. These can be arranged by poet, tribe, topic or the name of the compiler such as the Asma'iyyat of al-Asma'i. Most poems did not have titles and they were usually named from their first lines. Sometimes they were arranged alphabetically by their rhymes. The role of the poet in Arabic developed in a similar way to poets elsewhere. The safe and easy patronage in royal courts was no longer available but a successful poet such as Nizar Qabbani was able to set up his own publishing house.

A large proportion of all Arabic poetry is written using the monorhyme, Qasidah. This is simply the same rhyme used on every line of a poem. While this may seem a poor rhyme scheme for people used to English literature it makes sense in a language like Arabic which has only three vowels which can be either long or short.

In all my previous posts I have always posted a classical poem of the genre I wrote about and translated it, but since this genre is vast..finding an exact excerpt of a particular piece was indeed difficult. 

Im therefore uploading a translated version from a chapter of a series of poetry called Qasidat-Al Burda,wriiten by all time classical Arabic poet Al- Busairi.

Concerning the love of Sayyidina Rasulullah (s)

***

Is it because of your remembrance of the neighbours of Dhi-salam.

That tears mixed with blood are flowing (from your eyes).

Or is it because of the breeze blowing from Kaazimah.

Or it is the lightning struck in the darkness of the night Idam

What has happened to your eyes, (the more) you tell them to stop, the more they continue flowing.

What is the matter with your heart, (the more) you tell it to come to its senses, (the more it is distracted).

Does the lover think that his love can be concealed.

While his eyes are shedding tears and his heart is glowing.

Had it not been for the love, you would not have shed tears at the ruins (of your beloved).

Nor would you become restless at the remembrance of the cypress (tree) the high mountain.

How do you deny love after the testimony.

Borne against you by (such) reliable witnesses as your yours and your illness.

Love has ingrained two lines of fear, and withered your face.

On your cheeks like yellow rose and the reddish tree.

Yes! Thoughts of the beloved came to me at night and kept me awake.

And love transforms pleasure into pain.

O you who reproach me, regarding my love, excuse me.

From me to you if you do justice, you would not reproach me.

My state (of love) has been expressed to you, (now) my secret is no longer concealed.

From those who malign (me), nor is there (something to) check my agony.

You have sincerely advised me , I did not heed it.

For verily a lover is deaf to those who advise him.

I regarded with suspicion the advice of the elders in reproaching me.

(Wisdom) in the advice of the elders is above suspicion.