Pre- Islamic Arabic Poetry (2)

By Muhammad Ahsan Shakoor



Influence of Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry on Arabic Language:

Jahiliya Arabic poetry had left strong-rooted influence on Arabic.

Vastness:

Through Arabic poetry Arabic became very vast. In Arabic diction, Muallaqaats are used as a reference. For this reason it's called as ‘Al-Qamoos’ (the ocean). (Zayat 2000) From this ocean one can find all quite jewels and pearls. The vastness of the Arabic are often ascertained from the very fact that there are 500 words for lion, 200 for snake, 1000 for sword and 5000 for camel.

The delicacy of conveying:

The delicacy of conveying refers to use new words for a rather different or variant situation. as an example , there are ten names for various stages of affection . There are different words for expressing the intensity of thirst at different levels. For example, first level is ' Atsh, ' second level is ' Zuma, ' third level is ' Suda, ' fourth level is ' Gullah, ' fifth level is ' Humam, ' sixth level is ' Luhbah, ' seventh level is ' Udam ' and eighth level is ' Juwad, ' which is killer.

Abundance of synonyms:

Poetry of Pre-Islamic Arabia gave sort of synonyms in Arabic that creates it easy to write down rhymed and metered composition which is more charming, more attractive, sweeter and more impressive for the reader of Arabic . The abundance of synonyms are often estimated from the very fact that there are 24 names for the year, 21 for light, and 52 for darkness then on. (Zayat 2000)

Abundance of meanings:

It is also important feature of Arabic which developed through Arabic poetry of Jahiliya. A word may have quite one meaning in Arabic. for instance , word ‘Ain’ has 35 meanings in Arabic . In another verse from Labid’s Qasidah, ‘asar hasar al haseer fi haseer al haseer’ during this sentence ‘haseer’ has four different meanings prison, carpet, king and a neighborhood of body. (Zayat 2000)
Terseness:
Terseness of Jahili poets dominates within the features Arabic poetry. Now Arabic has the capacity to convey more meanings in few words. Quran, Hadith and Muqammat exhibit these qualities. this is often the miraculous uniqueness of Arabic. It ia also referred to as ‘Jamia-ul-Kalaam’. (Huart 1903)
Literary Criticism:
According to F.I.Malik, the Aswaq could also be considered because the place where the people used their literary taste to discern between the merits and demerits of poetic and prose compositions. (Huart 1903)

Importance of Pre-Islamic Poetry in Understanding Holy Quran:

Socio Economic Culture:

 The interpretation of Holy Quran sometimes require a peep into the socio economic found out of that era and therefore the poetry of that era is extremely good depiction and manifestation of the socio economic circumstances of that point . So, poetry was consulted to understand the customs and traditions of that era.

Understanding of ‘Gharaib’:

There are many strange words or ‘Gharaib’ within the Holy Quran which were alien to Arabs because these were no more in use in there day to day life. However these words were employed by the poets in their poetry. So, so as to know these ‘Gharaibs’, the interpreters and Mufasareen wont to consult the pre Islamic poetry e.g. is that the opening of a Surah in Holy Quran. This word has been employed by Amrao-ul-Qais in his poetry also. (Ashrafi 2006) to know ‘Waduhaa’ the Mufasareen sought help from Pre-Islamic poetry.

Explanation of ‘Ayats’:

 Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas was asked to elucidate some Ayats of the Holy Quran, he made allusion to the pre Islamic poetry to form it comprehendible for the people that asked him to explain: People asked:Hazrat Abdullah points a verse of Labid: People asked: Hazrat Abdullah replied by quoting Labid who mentioned. (Ashrafi 2006)

Source to know Grammar:

The pre- Islamic poetry was the masterpiece within the Arabic literature therefore this poetry provided as being a source for the grammar and it had been used as a suggestion.

Source to understand the prevalence of Quran:

 Pre Islamic poetry also shows when it's compared with the Holy Quran that the Holy Quran is that the better of the lot and superior in its style, eloquence, and lucidity than the pre-Islamic poetry. Pre Islamic poetry validates the very fact the Holy Quran is that the Kalam of Allah and can't be of man, e.g. As he contrasted Surah Rehman with the Qaseeda of the pre-Islamic period, a German scholar writes, "The Quran flips the Qaseeda absolutely. Quran shows that the character is transitory and human legacy is permanent while in ordinary Qaseedah human legacy change while the character remains an equivalent .” (Ashrafi 2006) Secondly, pre-Islamic poetry was a propensity in people to concentrate on the poetic work of the poet therein era. it had been obvious, Quran the miracle was the Kalam of Allah which penetrated deep within the hearts of the people and thus the pre-Islamic poetry indirectly helped the propagation of the Quran and Islam. (Ashrafi 2006)

Importance of pre-Islamic poetry in preaching Islam:


The poetry has also been implicitly beneficial to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in preaching to the unbelievers. The citizens were very aware of literary practice. Quran being the foremost lucid and eloquent of all works of that era, it had been the masterpiece of Allah Almighty, casted deep impact on their hearts. They have converted unbelievers to the Holy Prophet's followers because they were fascinated by the Holy Quran's miracle.

Conclusion:

Prior to the advent of Islam, pre-Islamic poetry describes the social and moral state of Arab society. It’s the Pre-Islamic Poetry which is a window through which one can see things , whether, it had been moral or social, it had been political or cultural, of the society of pre Islamic era. Through this poetry of Dour-e-Jahliya, we all know that Arabs were racially prejudiced with none central government or authority. The Arabs were worrier and that they were disintegrated into tribes. the standard Arab out of the love for his tribe didn't leave any stone unturned. Hijw (satire), Fakhr (bravery), Madah (lampooning), Qasidah (ode), Marthiya (elegy) etc. were the popular asnaaf (motives) of their poetry. The only purpose of the poet was to point out that his tribe was more respectable than the rival tribe.
Within the words of Sir William Muir:
An indescribable charm surrounds the first poetry of the Arabs. Dwelling within the wonderful creations of their genius with these ancient poets, you live, because it were, a replacement life. Cities, gardens, villages, the trace of even fields, left far out of sight, you escape into the free atmosphere of the desert; and—the trammels and conventionalities of settled society cast aside—you roam with the poet over the numerous domain of Nature altogether its freshness, artlessness, and freedom. (nicholson 1907)
It should be known that the Arabs thought highly of poetry as a sort of speech. Therefore, they made it the archive of their history, the evidence for what they consider right or wrong and therefore the principle basis of reference for many of their sciences and wisdom.
In the end we will say that the Greeks were characterized by their philosophy, epic and dramatic compositions. The Romans were characterized by establishing religious, civil, political and economic laws. The Indians were famous within the ir making of fictitious fables; they placed in the mouths of animals. And Arabs filled the planet with the art of poetry.




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