The Legacy of the Arabic Female Poetry: Al-Khansa Research Paper

Introduction to the Arabic Poetic Legacy

Tumaḍir bint ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥarth ibn al-Sharid al-Sulamiyah, better known under the name Al-Khansa’ (“the snub-nose” or gazelle (Boucquey 158), was a distinctive Arabic poet who lived during the pre-Islamic period Jahiliyyah (in Islam, Jahiliyyah was defined as the “state of ignorance of the guidance from God” (Rubenstein 19). Jahili poetry is an amazing phenomenon, not only in terms of Arabic literature but in terms of world literature and culture. This statement owes to the two factors; first, is that Jahili poems were not part of the folklore, that is, they had a single, identifiable author (Aulestia 45), and so today we know the masters who had woven those pearl strands of muallaks and qasidas. And secondly, is that this poetry is purely authentic. It would be wrong to say it is completely independent of the influences of, say, Aramaic, Persian, and Greek poetics. Traces of these traditions can be found, provided there is thorough research. However, the maʿani and al-faz tropes, which were defined later in 5th century by the Basran philologist Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi or simply Al-Khalil in his al-’arud study (Hamdouni Alami 209), written by such lyricists as Imru’ al-Qais, Al-Shanfara, Tarafa, Al-Muhalhil, Zuhayr bin Abi Sulma, Lebid, Antarah ibn Shaddad, an-Nabiga ad-Dubyani, Aisha and Al-Khansa’, were outstandingly original.

Al-Khansa’s Life amid the Desert

Al-Khansa is considered one of the greatest Arabic poetesses of the classical period. Her poetic heritage is particularly valuable due to the fact that she lived on the brink of the two epochs, the pagan Arabian civilization and the freshly converted Islamic world. Of all the aforesaid, Al-Khansa’ became a “much-imitated model for later generations of Arabic women poets” (Boucquey 160).

She was born in 590 C.E. in Nejd, “a diverse region of uplands, small plateaux, scarps, broad valleys and dry river gaps” (Fisher 498), inhabited by many tribes. She grew up in a wealthy family; her father Amir was an influential man. Al-Khansa’s clan, ‘Al ash-Sharid, was “the most famous among the Banu Sulaym” tribes (Oseni par.3). Since tribal wars were a frequent occasion, it was in a tribal battle in 612 that her brother Mu’awiya was killed. Al-Khansa could not cope with the grief and craved revenge. She induced her younger brother Sakhr to wreak vengeance, but he paid his life to fulfill this promise. To a large extent, the death of her most beloved brother Sakhr defined Al-Khansa’s poetic style known as ritha, or mourning elegy. According to Boucquey, ritha was a particularly important genre in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, which generally celebrated military prowess and courage (159). An example of ritha can be seen in this elegiac extract:

Verily, Sakhr if you have made my eyes shed tears
You long brought me mirth
I had tears for you among wailing women
I had the most reason to be the one wailing
I incited you on the battle
When you were alive
But who can avert the invincible death
Though (they say) weeping over the killed is improper
I think crying for you is the best of the pleasant deeds. (Pendergast and Pendergast 28)

Her laments dedicated to her brothers widely circulated among the Arab world and made her famous. The poetry recitation performed by Al-Khansa was filled with great energy and reminded of shamanism. She won in various poetry contests, including at the annual gathering of poets at the ‘Ukaz market, which was attended by the Holy Prophet. Muhammad was “so impressed with her recitation that he made her repeat several lines over and over” (Boucquey 159). Though she used to refuse the dominion of other men, Al-Khansa converted to Islam along with her tribe and became a fervent neophyte, defender of the new faith. She raised her four sons, Yazid, Muʿawiyah, ʿAmr, and ʿAmrah, in the tradition of Mujahidin. They all died in the Battle of Qadisiyah. Al-Khansa did not grieve; she was proud of her sons, who died in the name of Islam.

Traits of Jahili Poetry

Although Al-Khansa’s verses were unique in their sincerity, they shared certain common traits with the rest of the works by fellow authors. According to Irwin, the most common feature of Jahili poetry is its fatalism: “The theme of fated doom amongst the Arabs does not start with the Qur’an and the preaching of Islam, for it was already a pervasive feature of Jahili poetry” (75). Jahili poets invented their own poetic language conceivable to all tribes from Yemen in the south to Al-Sham in the north of the Arabian Peninsula. It did not differ much from the dialects but was very convenient for writing poetry. While being unsuitable for communication, it was a prosodically perfect means for singing and reciting verses. In Qur’an, this language is defined as clear and accessible to all.

Conclusion

Al-Khansa can rightfully be called the jewel in the crown of the early Islamic Poetry; a prophesier of consanguinity, sincerity and faith, whose work presents a profound heritage for modern Arabic female writers. Her literary remains, along with that of other Jahili poets, are greatly appreciated by Islamic scholars as cultural conservation, which gives a hint into the early Islamic Arab world.

References

Aulestia, Gorka. The Basque Poetic Tradition, Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2000. Print.

Boucquey, Thierry, and Marie Josephine Diamond. Encyclopedia Of World Writers, New York: Facts on File, 2005. Print.

Fisher, W. B. The Middle East (Routledge Revivals), Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 2013. Print.

Hamdouni Alami, Mohammed. Art And Architecture In The Islamic Tradition, London: I.B. Tauris, 2011. Print

Oseni, Z.I. The Poetic Life of Tumadir Al-Khansa’ Bint ‘Amr. DOC file. Web.

Pendergast, S. and Pendergast, T. Reference Guide To World Literature, Detroit: St. James Press, 2003. Print.

Rubenstein, Richard L. Jihad And Genocide, Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2010. Print.