It is commonly remarked, as a curiosity, that Imruʾ al-Qays’s traditional death resembles that of Heracles, but it has never been meaningfully discussed. This article undertakes to do so, arguing for the Greek provenance of his death tradition and discussing the implications of the Islamic construction of a Greek death for “the greatest Arab poet.” One implication involves his biography more generally, which is argued to have originally formed a different kind of narrative serving particular Islamic interests, later adapted to (...) a biographic mold. The second stems from the recognition that the legendary Greek death of Imruʾ al-Qays is neither incidental nor isolated, which suggests that the horizons of Greco-Arabic studies are unduly narrow: alongside the transmission of written scientific texts, there were also oral popular traditions of Greek origin that left a deep imprint on Islamic culture. (shrink)

This analytical study explores the poetry of the eminent pre-Islamic poet Imru’ al-Qays through a meticulous examination of the various stages of his life, highlighting the psychological and social reflections that left profound marks on his poetic journey. The research is grounded in the methodological premise that poetic creativity, in its fully developed form, cannot be comprehended apart from the historical, social, and psychological context within which it was shaped. Poetry, in this framework, is perceived as the result of (...) a complex interaction between the subjective and the objective, and hence must be interpreted through a composite approach that considers the poet’s engagement with his environment, society, and personal experiences. In this regard, the study focuses particularly on the transformation in Imru’ al-Qays’s poetic experience following the assassination of his father, Ḥujr ibn al-Ḥārith al-Kindī—a pivotal event that deeply altered his psychological structure and reshaped his views on life, death, and existence. This transformation manifested itself in the content and aesthetic form of his poetry, marking a decisive turning point in his literary persona. The study aims to address a significant gap in literary criticism, namely the scarcity of works that examine the artistic transformations of Imru’ al-Qays within a comprehensive psychosocial framework that incorporates observation, analysis, and interpretive depth. To this end, the poet’s life is divided into two main phases. The first phase represents his youth and early manhood, during which he appears as a rebellious figure defying tribal traditions, indulging in worldly pleasures, and pursuing sensory and aesthetic delight. His poems from this period are rich in vibrant and emotive imagery, depicting scenes of nature, descriptions of women, hunting adventures, and swift horses—conveyed through light and elegant expressions. Here, the poet presents the image of the “wandering prince,” breaking free from conventional restraints in pursuit of an independent poetic identity. The second phase begins with the tragic event of his father’s death, which marked a turning point in his life. From this moment onward, his poetry takes on a tone of sorrow, reflection, and a desire for vengeance. Themes of estrangement, loneliness, and existential anxiety emerge, with frequent symbols such as the desert, night, long journeys, and the horrors of war. His poems cease to serve merely descriptive or entertaining purposes, instead becoming profound expressions of his wounded self and inner struggle. Employing a qualitative interpretive method, the study combines literary analysis with psychological and sociological readings. Selected poems reflecting these transitional phases are analyzed with attention to words and symbols denoting pain, loss, vengeance, and alienation—thereby unveiling the emotional depth that underpins the poet’s inner world. The analysis affirms that the poet’s texts were not detached from his lived reality; rather, they were intimately woven from the fabric of his personal experience. The study concludes that Imru’ al-Qays’s poetic experience should not be reduced to a fleeting youthful impulse or arbitrary rebellion against tradition. On the contrary, it constitutes a complex experience stemming from the interplay of individual and collective dimensions, personal and tribal identity, and emotional and political dynamics. With its emotional richness and depth of imagery, his poetry offers a rare mirror of the self in the face of hardship and pain, representing a distinguished literary model within the corpus of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry. Accordingly, this study contributes a valuable perspective to Arabic literary criticism and presents a multidimensional framework for reinterpreting ancient poetry through the lenses of psyche, identity, and existential transformation. (shrink)

The subject of this study is the naḳīḍa (opposing) type of poetry competitions between the Meccan poet Ḍirār b. al-Khaṭṭāb (d. 12/633) and the Muslim poet Kaʿb b. Mālik (d. 50/670) from Medina during the Battle of Badr, when the Muslims and the polytheists confronted for the first time. The problem is the questioning of the approaches reflected in the naḳīḍa poems, which were used as a means of propaganda and psychological superiority by the Muslims and polytheists during the Battle (...) of Badr. Naḳīḍa poems, the subject of the study, are important for getting to know the two opposite understandings closely and forming an opinion about the naḳīḍa poems sung during the era of the Prophet Muhammad. Although there are some recent studies on naḳīḍa poems from the era of the Prophet, these studies lacked details and only mentioned general features. The interesting approaches and fine details reflected in the verses, such as Ḍirār b. al-Khaṭṭāb's claims aiming to distract attention and discredit the Muslims of Medina in the face of the unexpected defeat of the Meccan army at Badr that the Battle of Badr was a tribal war between the Meccans and the Medinans, makes this study prominent. On the other hand, Kaʿb b. Mālik's verses reflect the approaches bearing traces of the Islamic faith and draw attention to the fact that the battle was between faith and unbelief and the Muslims of Medina were proud of their support for the Messenger of Allah. Undoubtedly, Meccan immigrants participated in the Battle of Badr along with the Muslims of Medina. Even so, Kaʿb b. Mālik does not mention Muhājirs (immigrants) in his verses. This suggests that Kaʿb b. Mālik may have concentrated on responding to the allegations made by Ḍirār b. al-Khaṭṭāb. Document analysis, one of the qualitative method techniques, was used in the study. First, a literature review was conducted to better understand the subject, and the studies related to the field were briefly mentioned. Then, summary information about the concept and background of naḳīḍa is provided. Two call-and-response poems between the Jāhiliyyah period poet Imruʾ al-Qays (d. 545) and ʿAbīd b. al-Abraṣ (d. 555) are included as an example for the first phases of naḳīḍa poems. Then, brief information about the Meccan poet Ḍirār b. al-Khaṭṭāb and the Medinan poet Kaʿb b. Mālik are presented. After the background information, two naḳīḍa poems of both poets were examined and analyzed, and the differences in the Battle of Badr were pointed out. Concepts that are common in the eulogies of the Jāhiliyyah period, such as nobility, being a master warrior, and generosity, draw attention in Ḍirār b. al-Khaṭṭāb's verses. On the other hand, in his verses Ka'b b. Mālik uses terms and expressions brought by Islam such as the Messenger of Allah, there is no Lord but Allah, unbelievers, Hell, and hellfire. In the verses of both poets, there are clues about the commonly used battle orders and war equipment of the period. The opinions are summarised in the conclusion part of the study. (shrink)