Literature in Arabic History
Fayyaz Ahamed
Professor Rashid
Arabic 1A
27 November 2014
Literature throughout Arab and Islamic History The culture of Arabic-speaking people throughout history has been expressed greatly by the written word of the people, and to an almost equal degree, the spoken word. Even before the advent of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula, poetry was representative of the Arabic culture. As Islam spread across the Mediterranean and the world, great mathematicians and scientists wrote works, treatises, compilations and many other documents describing their discoveries. Countless histories, biographies, and geographies were written in the Islamic Golden Age. A great deal of fiction was written throughout Arabic history, ranging from Romantic novels to epic literature. Despite the prolificacy of all these genres and works, much Arabic literature remains in the dark today, both to the Western world and for many Muslims and Arabs.
Literature in the Arabic culture started in the pre-Islamic era mostly with poets of various tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula. These poets acted as historians, propagandists, reciters of legends, and at times, even the tribe’s spokesmen. Most poets recited their works orally, rather than writing them down. Some of the more famous of these poets were Imru’ al-Quais, Antar, and Zuhair. These poets were especially important for their “hanged poems” up on display in the Kaaba, a worship place for idols at the time. The style of poetry at the time was focused on the line of poetry, not the overall form of the piece. This style was often analogized as a “string of pearls,” and often depended on the flow and sound of letters, rather than the overall coherence of the work. The overall consonant structure of the language especially helped with making the spoken word sound very beautiful.
The spread of Islam also spread the language of Arabic, which often led to cultural clashes between local cultures and the now dominating Arab culture. The
Professor Rashid
Arabic 1A
27 November 2014
Literature throughout Arab and Islamic History The culture of Arabic-speaking people throughout history has been expressed greatly by the written word of the people, and to an almost equal degree, the spoken word. Even before the advent of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula, poetry was representative of the Arabic culture. As Islam spread across the Mediterranean and the world, great mathematicians and scientists wrote works, treatises, compilations and many other documents describing their discoveries. Countless histories, biographies, and geographies were written in the Islamic Golden Age. A great deal of fiction was written throughout Arabic history, ranging from Romantic novels to epic literature. Despite the prolificacy of all these genres and works, much Arabic literature remains in the dark today, both to the Western world and for many Muslims and Arabs.
Literature in the Arabic culture started in the pre-Islamic era mostly with poets of various tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula. These poets acted as historians, propagandists, reciters of legends, and at times, even the tribe’s spokesmen. Most poets recited their works orally, rather than writing them down. Some of the more famous of these poets were Imru’ al-Quais, Antar, and Zuhair. These poets were especially important for their “hanged poems” up on display in the Kaaba, a worship place for idols at the time. The style of poetry at the time was focused on the line of poetry, not the overall form of the piece. This style was often analogized as a “string of pearls,” and often depended on the flow and sound of letters, rather than the overall coherence of the work. The overall consonant structure of the language especially helped with making the spoken word sound very beautiful.
The spread of Islam also spread the language of Arabic, which often led to cultural clashes between local cultures and the now dominating Arab culture. The
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