Wine

By Syed Md. Azmal Hussain, *Two Arab poets: Umar Ibn al Farid and Ibn al Rumi* - The New Nation - Dacca, Bangladesh
Friday, July 30, 2010

The usual form of Arabic poetry that we see in the modern era was not the same at the beginning when some of Arabic poets started producing poems as a new form or literature. It was like 'prose of flowing events' or 'Saj'.

Arabic literature thrived during the Abbasid era (750-1258 A.D.).

The Arab poets introduced the Arabic literature to the world in a new dimension. Many new themes were being upheld in the Arabic poetry the then. It is said that Muhallil Bin Rabyi (related to Taghlib caste) was the first to compose Arabic poem. The poem that Muhallil composed on his brother's death is known to be the first Arabic poem (510-550) that caused the other literary figures to think of such a new outlet to explore.

As time passed by, mystic and philosophical terms gained popularity among the lovers of poetry that gave them both aesthetic and moral pleasures.

One of the most prominent poets during this era are Junayed Al Baghdadi (death- 910 A.D.), Abu Bakar Shibli (861 - 948 A.D.), Umar Ibn-al Farid (1181- 1233 A.D.), Ibn-al Rumi [not to be confused with Jalal ad Din Rumi] 835-897 A.D.) etc. All of them didn't deal with the same topics in their poetry.

Mysticism, Sufism, Philosophy, Love, Wine, Beauty were the major themes covered in Arabic poetry at that time.

Arab poets, by their knack of kneading words into fine lyrical frame of poetry, gained the Arabic literature popularity in the Arab as well as the outer world.

Ibn-al Farid and Ibn-al Rumi's contributions at that time played a very important role in the Arabic literature.

Umar Ibn-al Farid's poetry mainly centered on mysticism. The characteristics that are found in his poetry as a mystic poet are as follows:

He had his own doctrine about God's existence and His oneness.
He said, "The spiritual life is authentic and real, whereas this life (earth) is nothing but just an illusion."
He believed that the soul is eternal and the body is transitory.
He always sought the existence of God.
He believed that God exists within every creature's soul.
He left all earthly pleasures in search of God.
He considered God as his lover and expressed his devotion to him.
He believed in pantheism (belief that God is all).

He always talked about these themes in his poetry one way or another. His language delivery in poetry is so finely toned and tuned that it gives the readers an impression as if they were listening to some kind of harmonious song. This is the reason that made him the best Mystic poets of Abbasid period. His poems are composed in such beautiful rhythmic patterns that can only be compared with the ones of Jalaluddin Rumi (672H-1272 A.D.). No poet wrote mystic poems in such a great number that he did.

His poetry has very deep connotations that can only touch a reader's heart when he is totally engrossed in the poem and its meaning. Each time one reads his poem, one unveils a new world of mystery. He wrote hundreds of 'Khamriya' that have been compiled in Diwan (a collection of poems in a book is called Diwan).

Ibn-al Farid seemed to be heavily influenced by the fabled mathematician and Rubayat writer Umar Khayam (517H-1123AD). Some of his Rubayat in his Diwan are similar to Umar Khayam's in terms of their rhythmic pattern. Among his poems, three are considered as his best works of the Arabic literature, i.e.

a) Al Faia, which is the 14th poem of Diwan.
b) Al Lamia, which is the 10th poem of his Diwan.
c) Al Kafi, which is the 15th poem of his Diwan.

Ibn-al Rumi is a poet who is often confused by another famous Persian poet of the 12th century, Jalaluddin Rumi. He, however, was quite distinct in writing poetry and prose. He had his own style of poetry that can't be found similar to the ones written by Jalaluddin Rumi.

Ibn al Rumi mostly contributed in writing poetry. There is a collection of his poems in Diwan as well. This book's first part was published in 1917 A.D. in Cairo. Later some of his selected poems were published in a volume which contained 500 pages.

The theme of his poetry was quite different. He, unlike Ibn-al Farid, wrote poems that were subjects of earthly incidents. Nature's beauty, slander, mourning, praise were the main themes of his poetry. His poem's language was readerly or close, i.e. one wouldn't find it much hard to interpret his poems as they were written in simple form of language.

He indicated many advices, criticisms by using indirect but easy examples in his poetry. To advise the Qadria community he said: "Good things are done by good people. Therefore, if you help someone, you would be helped in return. Similarly, if you swindle someone, you would be treated the same. So your grudge against someone is actually your own destruction."

He talked about youth this way: "I have observed joy and black hair in my youth. It causes you daydream that helps you pass the night. Therefore, when the night ends, your happiness ends too. It leaves you noting but ashes of dream."

The main characteristics of Ibn-al Rumi's poetry are as follows:

He has examined many forms of arts in his poetry.
His love poems contain hundreds of stanzas.
His praising words are preceded by an introductory stanza.
His poems were written in ancient form.
He wrote poetry on earthly subjects.

Although we can not match the two poets' works considering their style of language and pattern of rhyme, they truly are the pioneer poets of Abbasid period.

The practice of poetry in Arabic literature culminated through the path they had shown.