Al-Mutanabbi - Life and Selected Poems

Al-Mutanabbi - Life and Selected Poems PDF Author: al-Mutanabbi
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781973841043
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
AL-MUTANABBI: LIFE & SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Abu 'l-Tayyib Ahmad ibn Husain al-Mutanabbi, (915-965 A.D.), was one of the greatest of Arabic poets (many say the greatest), was born in the town of al-Kufah in Iraq. He was the son of a water carrier who was said to be of noble and ancient southern Arabian descent. In his youth, al-Mutanabbi was educated in Syria in Damascus. He lived among the Bedouin of the Banu Qalb tribe and learnt their skills. In his youth he received his nickname 'al-Mutanabbi', meaning 'one who wants to be a prophet'. Why he was named so is unclear, but... he was the leader of a revolutionary movement and, claiming to be a prophet, led a revolt in his home-town in 932 at the age of 17. It was suppressed and he was imprisoned. During this period he began to write his first poems. R.A. Nicholson in his 'Translations of Eastern Poetry and Prose' says, "Any one who reads him in Arabic must admire the splendour of his rhetoric, the luxuriance of his imagination, and the energy and aptness of his diction; but in a translation these great qualities are overshadowed by others less pleasing to our taste, which have left their mark on the poetic style of many who wrote after him in Arabic and Persian." Al-Mutanabbi is mainly known for his many wonderful qasidas, being one of the true masters of this form. A.J. Arberry says of him... "Greatness, in whatever field of human endeavour, always stems from and thrives upon controversy, and al-Mutanabbi certainly was, and continues to be, a highly controversial figure. That is perhaps the surest proof of his universal greatness." Here is a selection of his most famous qasidas and qit'as in the correct rhymes. Introduction on The Abbasid Caliphate, Poetry of the Abbasid Period, The Forms of Arabic Poetry of the Abbasid Period, The Life & Times & Poetry of al-Mutanabbi. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 176 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Iqbal, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Ghalib, and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com

Al-Mutanabbi - Life and Selected Poems

Al-Mutanabbi - Life and Selected Poems PDF Author: al-Mutanabbi
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781973841043
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 176

Get Book Here

Book Description
AL-MUTANABBI: LIFE & SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Abu 'l-Tayyib Ahmad ibn Husain al-Mutanabbi, (915-965 A.D.), was one of the greatest of Arabic poets (many say the greatest), was born in the town of al-Kufah in Iraq. He was the son of a water carrier who was said to be of noble and ancient southern Arabian descent. In his youth, al-Mutanabbi was educated in Syria in Damascus. He lived among the Bedouin of the Banu Qalb tribe and learnt their skills. In his youth he received his nickname 'al-Mutanabbi', meaning 'one who wants to be a prophet'. Why he was named so is unclear, but... he was the leader of a revolutionary movement and, claiming to be a prophet, led a revolt in his home-town in 932 at the age of 17. It was suppressed and he was imprisoned. During this period he began to write his first poems. R.A. Nicholson in his 'Translations of Eastern Poetry and Prose' says, "Any one who reads him in Arabic must admire the splendour of his rhetoric, the luxuriance of his imagination, and the energy and aptness of his diction; but in a translation these great qualities are overshadowed by others less pleasing to our taste, which have left their mark on the poetic style of many who wrote after him in Arabic and Persian." Al-Mutanabbi is mainly known for his many wonderful qasidas, being one of the true masters of this form. A.J. Arberry says of him... "Greatness, in whatever field of human endeavour, always stems from and thrives upon controversy, and al-Mutanabbi certainly was, and continues to be, a highly controversial figure. That is perhaps the surest proof of his universal greatness." Here is a selection of his most famous qasidas and qit'as in the correct rhymes. Introduction on The Abbasid Caliphate, Poetry of the Abbasid Period, The Forms of Arabic Poetry of the Abbasid Period, The Life & Times & Poetry of al-Mutanabbi. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 176 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Iqbal, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Ghalib, and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com

Poems of Al-Mutanabbî

Poems of Al-Mutanabbî PDF Author: A. J. Arberry
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521108485
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Al-Mutanabbi (AD 915-965), though universally considered the greatest of all the Arab poets, has seldom been translated or discussed outside Arab countries. This study uses the same format as and is intended to supplement Professor Arberry's Arabic Poetry: A Primer for Students. The introduction discusses Al-Mutanabbi's life, style, influence and critics. There follows a selection from his poems, in the original Arabic, with a literal translation into English on the facing page and notes on points of language and style at the foot. There is also a concluding chapter on textual variants, the problems of translation and a bibliography. Students of Arabic will find this a convenient introduction to one of the classics of the literature.

Poems Of Wine & Revelry

Poems Of Wine & Revelry PDF Author: Jim Colville
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317846672
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 108

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Book Description
First published in 2005. Arabic literature has a distinguished tradition of bacchanals but none are so consistently entertaining or explicit or iconoclastic as those of Abu Nuwas al_hasan ibn Hani al-Hakami (c. 756-c.815), the 'bad boy' of Abbasid poetry. In his khamriyyat, Abu Nuwas offers a glimpse of the hedonistic and dissipated world he inhabited: the world of Baghdad high society at the zenith of the Abbasid caliphate. Yet there is also a modern and up-to-date feel about his poetry that makes it ideal for presentation to an English-speaking readership, some twelve centuries after his death.

Anthology of Classical Arabic Poetry

Anthology of Classical Arabic Poetry PDF Author: Paul Smith
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
ISBN: 9781479278145
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 334

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Book Description
ANTHOLOGY OF CLASSICAL ARABIC POETRY(From Pre-Islamic Times to Al-Shushtari)Translations, Introduction and Notes by Paul SmithCONTENTS: Classical Arabic Poetry… page 7, The Qasida… 10, The Qit'a… 11, The Ghazal… 12, The Ruba'i… 16, Selected Bibliography… 17: THE POETS (In Order of Appearance) Imra' ul-Qays 17, Zuhair 29, Harith 39, Antara 46, Tarafa 58, Amru 71, Al-A'sha 80, Suhaym 82, Labid 84, Ka'b 96, Khansa 100, Hazrat Ali 102, Ali Ibn Husain 111, Omar Ibn Abi Rabi'a 106, Majnun (Qays ibn al-Mulawwah) 109, Rab'ia of Basra 116, Bashshar 123, Abu Nuwas 126, Abu Tammam 151, Dhu'l-Nun 155, Bayazid Bistami 163, Al-Nuri 163, Junaid 169, Sumnun 171, Mansur al-Hallaj 173, Ibn 'Ata 181, Shibli 183, Al-Mutanabbi 185, Al-Ma'arri 211, Ibn Sina 233, Al-Ghazali 236, Gilani 239, Abu Madyan 243, Suhrawardi 248, Ibn al-Farid 250, Ibn 'Arabi 265, Al-Busiri 278, Al-Shushtari 284. Pages 287.COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'.“It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all. ” Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran.“Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith.” Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. “Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz.” Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author of his own poems inspired by Hafiz). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages… including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mahsati and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and twelve screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com

Baghdad

Baghdad PDF Author:
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 9780674725218
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Baghdad: The City in Verse captures the essence of life lived in one of the world's great enduring metropolises. In this unusual anthology, Reuven Snir offers original translations of more than 170 Arabic poems--most of them appearing for the first time in English--which represent a cross-section of genres and styles from the time of Baghdad's founding in the eighth century to the present day. The diversity of the fabled city is reflected in the Bedouin, Muslim, Christian, Kurdish, and Jewish poets featured here, including writers of great renown and others whose work has survived but whose names are lost to history. Through the prism of these poems, readers glimpse many different Baghdads: the city built on ancient Sumerian ruins, the epicenter of Arab culture and Islam's Golden Age under the enlightened rule of Harun al-Rashid, the bombed-out capital of Saddam Hussein's fallen regime, the American occupation, and life in a new but unstable Iraq. With poets as our guides, we visit bazaars, gardens, wine parties, love scenes (worldly and mystical), brothels, prisons, and palaces. Startling contrasts emerge as the day-to-day cacophony of urban life is juxtaposed with eternal cycles of the Tigris, and hellish winds, mosquitoes, rain, floods, snow, and earthquakes are accompanied by somber reflections on invasions and other catastrophes. Documenting the city's 1,250-year history, Baghdad: The City in Verse shows why poetry has been aptly called the public register of the Arabs.

Al-Mutanabbi

Al-Mutanabbi PDF Author: Margaret Larkin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1780742061
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 137

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Book Description
This exhaustive and yet enthralling study considers the life and work of al-Mutanabbi (915-965), often regarded as the greatest of the classical Arab poets. A revolutionary at heart and often imprisoned or forced into exile throughout his tumultuous life, al-Mutanabbi wrote both controversial satires and when employed by one of his many patrons, laudatory panegyrics. Employing an ornate style and use of the ode, al-Mutanabbi was one of the first to successfully move away from the traditionally rigid form of Arabic verse, the ‘qasida’.

Three Great Abbasid Poets

Three Great Abbasid Poets PDF Author: al-Mutanabbi
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781512106541
Category : Arabic poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
THREE GREAT ABBASID POETS Abu Nuwas, al-Mutanabbi & al-Ma'arri Lives & Poems Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The Abbasid Caliphate that ruled the Islamic world was the golden age of Islamic culture. It ruled from 750 to 1258 AD, making it one of the longest and most influential of the Islamic dynasties. For most of its early history it was the largest empire in the world and this meant that it had contact with distant neighbors such as the Chinese and Indians in the East and the Byzantines in the West, allowing it to adopt and synthesize ideas from all these cultures. All the arts and sciences flourished during these 500 years and in the art of Poetry three poets stood out among the non-Sufi poets like Ibn al-Farid... these were Abu Nuwas, al-Mutanabbi and al-Ma'arri. Here is their lives & times and a large selection of their poetry in the correct beautiful rhyme-structures and meaning. Included in the Introduction chapters on The Abbasid Caliphate, Poetry of the Abbasid Period, Forms of Arabic Poetry of the Abbasid Period. Selected Bibliography. Large Format 7" x 10" Pages 350. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFEZ'S DIVAN"It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafez is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished.." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafez 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of English to Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafez." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages including Hafez, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in ud-din Chishti, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Hallaj, Rudaki, Yunus Emre Ghalib, Iqbal, Makhfi, Lalla Ded, Abu Nuwas, Ibn al-Farid, Rahman Baba, Nazir and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, kids books and a dozen screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

'Attar: Selected Poems

'Attar: Selected Poems PDF Author:
Publisher: New Humanity Books
ISBN: 0980858399
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description


The Life and Times of Abū Tammām

The Life and Times of Abū Tammām PDF Author: Abū Bakr al-Ṣūlī
Publisher: NYU Press
ISBN: 1479897930
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 276

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Book Description
A robust defense of a poetic genius Abū Tammām (d. 231 or 232/845 or 846) is one of the most celebrated poets in the Arabic language. Born in Syria to Greek Christian parents, he converted to Islam and quickly made his name as one of the premier Arabic poets in the caliphal court of Baghdad, promoting a new style of poetry that merged abstract and complex imagery with archaic Bedouin language. Both highly controversial and extremely popular, this sophisticated verse influenced all subsequent poetry in Arabic and epitomized the “modern style” (badīʿ), an avant-garde aesthetic that was very much in step with the intellectual, artistic, and cultural vibrancy of the Abbasid dynasty. In The Life and Times of Abū Tammām, translated into English for the first time, the courtier and scholar Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyāal-Ṣūlī (d. 335 or 336/946 or 947) mounts a robust defense of “modern” poetry and of Abū Tammām’s significance as a poet against his detractors, while painting a lively picture of literary life in Baghdad and Samarra. Born into an illustrious family of Turkish origin, al-Ṣūlī was a courtier, companion, and tutor to the Abbasid caliphs. He wrote extensively on caliphal history and poetry and, as a scholar of “modern” poets, made a lasting contribution to the field of Arabic literary history. Like the poet it promotes, al-Ṣūlī's text is groundbreaking: it represents a major step in the development of Arabic poetics, and inaugurates a long line of treatises on innovation in poetry. An English-only edition.

Diwan of Abu Nuwas

Diwan of Abu Nuwas PDF Author: Abu Nuwas
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781985212954
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 306

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Book Description
DIWAN OF ABU NUWAS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Abu Nuwas (757-814) was the most famous and infamous poet who composed in Arabic of the Abbasid era. His style was extravagant and his compositions reflected the licentious manners of the upper classes of his day. His father was Arab and his mother was Persian. As a youth he was sold into slavery; a wealthy benefactor later set him free. By the time he reached manhood he had settled in Baghdad and was composing poetry. It was at this time, because of his long hair, he acquired the name Abu Nuwas (Father of Ringlets). Gradually he attracted the attention of Harun al-Rashid and was given quarters at court. His ability as a poet no doubt was one reason for Abu Nuwas' success with the caliph, but after a while he became known as a reprobate and participated in less reputable pastimes with the ruler. He spent time in Egypt but soon returned to Baghdad to live out his remaining years. It is said he lived the last part of his life as a Sufi and some of his poems reflect this. He is popular today, perhaps more so than he ever was, as a kind of comic anti-hero in many Muslim countries. His poems consist of qit'as (of which he was the first master) ghazals and qasidas. His poems could be classified into: wine poems (over a 100 here translated), praises (of nobles and caliphs & famous people), mockeries, jokes, complaints, love of men and women, hunting, laments, asceticism. All forms are here in the meaning & rhyme structure, the largest in print. Introduction: Life, Times & Poetry and forms he composed in: 2 appendixes of some of the stories about him in Arabian Nights and elsewhere. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 307 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. " Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Makhfi, Iqbal, Dara Shikoh, Ghalib, Seemab, Jigar and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com