Al-Mutanabbi
Ahmad ibn al-Husayn al-Mutanabbi (Arabic: احمد بن الحسين المتنبّي) (915–965) was an Arab (Iraqi-born) poet. He is regarded as one of the greatest poets in the Arabic language.
Al-Mutanabbi was born in Kufah, Iraq. He was the son of a water-carrier but claimed to have noble ancestors. When the Qarmatians attacked Kufah in 924 he left with the raiders and lived in the desert with them, learning their dialect of Arabic, which lay closer to classical Arabic.
He led the Qarmatians in revolt in 932 claiming to be a prophet but the revolt was put down and he was imprisoned by the governor of Emesa. For this action he gained the nickname which he is usually known by al-Mutanabbi or 'he who would be a prophet'. He was released in 935 and travelled about with only his poetry to support him. In 948 joined the court of Saif ad-Daula, Hamdanid prince of Aleppo, and it is under his patronage that many of his best works are written.
After intrigues at court and an argument with a grammarian called Khalawaih in which Khalawaih closed a philological dispute by striking Mutanabbi, in the very presence of the prince and without rebuke from him, the poet left the court. He joined another court, that of the Ikshids of Egypt in 957, and wrote for Abu al-Misk Kafur. After failing to be appointed governor of Sidon in reward for his poetry, Mutanabbi upset Kafur with insulting satirical poems and was forced once more to flee in 961. He next went to Shiraz, Iran with 'Adud ad-Dawlah of the Buyid Dynasty as his patron. When travelling to Kufah in September 965 he was killed, supposedly by the chief of a tribe he had insulted.
Mutanabbi's arrogant nature seems to have got him in trouble several times and may have got him killed. This can be seen in his poetry, which is often bombastic, and at least one poem complains about not being rewarded sufficiently. His works are extremely popular; more than forty commentaries have been written on his diwan.
Another Introduction
Introduction to the eloquence (Al-Mutannabi)
Ahmed Bin Al-Hussain (915-965) known as Abu Al-Tayib Al-Mutannabi
Was one of the greatest Arabic poets, we can say there is no one like him up to this day, he was born in Al-Kufa (Near Al-Najaf) in South Iraq in the time of Al-Abbase'en Kingdom ("132~656 After Hijra") the largest Islamic kingdom that ruled the lands from Andalusia (Spain) to the edges of China, It's time called the Golden Ages of literature, industrial, etc)
his life was severe, his father died when he was young, he got his education in the tribes forums a meeting of the poets, scientists and thinkers holds every week (an old Arabic tradition), when he was 15 years old Al-Mutannabi started his first poetry a description of himself, his loneliness and how he travels with nothing except his literature. Al-Mutannabi He had the ability to paint beautiful images with words in a metaphysical way, here is an example
>> Which level shall I take?
>> Which great shall I fear?
>> And all what god created and didn't create in this world I hate
As it seems he hates everything in this world because a problem or a disaster he had, but he also said
Forever, I will keep going with a star in misfortune and a determination in fortune
With this duplicity the comparison between himself and the other appears or it maybe an internal fight with his soul seeking the perfection
Al-Mutanabi was like the king who lost his kingdom and always in search for it, why not he had all of the great leader's characteristics of wisdom, disobedience and eloquence
I'm the one who the blind sees my writings and my words are heard by the deaf
with this courage and opened mind not everyone in his time could understand him, in one of his travels after he left Al-Kufa he stepped by in a small city called Nakhla, people there didn't pay any attention to what he was saying, in those moments he said these rhymes, which because of it he acquired his name "Al-Mutanabi"
>> My place between you is
>> Like Christ between the Jews
>> Stranger
>> Like Sallih in Thamood
(Sallih is a profit mentioned in Quran he was sent to Thamood to lead them to the right way)
After they heard this they thought that he is meaning that he was sent from god like Christ and Sallih instead of taking the idea, although they accused him of lying and disbelieving because Mohammed is the last prophet from god as it's mentioned in Quran, they put him in jail for a period of time after this.
When the kingdom became fragile and controlled by the out side forces it started to separate into many principalities one of them was given or taken in fact with a recommendation from the Khalifa to Al-Hamdani and given a nickname (The Sword of The Country), Al-Hamdani met Al-Mutannabi, he admired him and offered him to stay in Syria. Al- Mutannabi take an active part in the leading for the army he was always on the head, gives the warriors the courage by his words and these poems effect on the soul of the Arabic warriors up to this day (almost one thousand years)c
A poem flattering Al-Hamdani and describe his victory
>> Commensurate with the people of resolution the determinations come
>> And the generosities come by the value of its people
>> I stood and there was no doubt that's it's the end
>> It's like being in the eyelid of the death while the death is sleeping
>> The champions pass by you wounded and defeated
>> And your face is glowing and your mouth is smiling
>> I passed the quantity of the brave and the intelligence
>> To tellers of people you are by the absence knower
>> I closed their pterygoid around the heart tightly
>> The secondaries die under it and the pinions
His honesty and his believe in his dreams of changing the path of events with advanced
ideas than his age, freeing the thoughts and applying the democracy made many enemies for him caused his departure from Syria and moving to Egypt as he was invited by the new prince there who was a slave before called Kafur. Al-Mutanabi accepted his invitation as he offered him an important position but after two years of the supporting the new prince, the prince didn't hold his promise so Al-Mutanabi felt he was deceived and he tried to leave Egypt but the prince didn't let him, he got assistance by the army leader to escape but unfortunately that leader died, although he managed his escape back to Iraq, but that didn't stop his enemies so after a period of time he spent in Iraq in one of his trips to Baghdad with his son, a group of road thieves led by Fatik Al-Asady who had animosity towards him stopped his trail and killed Al-Mutanabi, his divan was bestrewed at that moment which he wrote it by his own hands.
At the age of 50 here comes the end of the greatest poet that the Arabic world had ever known, the last words that came from his mouth were:-
>> The night and the horses and the desert define me with the spear and the sword and the paper and the pen
Written by Ahmed Khalaf Alsaady (4/8/2005) <a style="text-decoration: none; color: #0066CC" href="mailto:ahmed@dijlh.com"> ahmed@dijlh.com</a>
Modified 3/6/2006