Medieval Arabic female poets

Medieval Arabic female poets are, compared with the number of known male poets in the medieval Islamic world, few: there has been 'an almost total eclipse of women's poetic expression in the literary record as maintained in Arabic culture from the pre-Islamic era through the nineteenth century'.^[1] However, there is evidence that compared with medieval Europe, women's poetry in the medieval Islamic world was 'likely unparalleled' in 'visibility and impact'.^[2] Accordingly, recent scholars emphasise that women's contribution to Arabic literature requires greater scholarly attention.^[3]

Their work tends to be in two genres: the rithā’ (elegy) and ghazal (love-song), alongside a smaller body of Sufi poems and short pieces in the low-status rajaz metre.^[4] According to Samer M. Ali,

In retrospect we can discern four overlapping persona types for poetesses in the Middle Ages: the grieving mother/sister/daughter (al-Khansāʾ, al-Khirniq bint Badr, and al-Fāriʿah bint Shaddād), the warrior-diplomat (al-Hujayjah), the princess (al-Ḥurqah, ʿUlayyah bint al-Mahdī, and Walladah bint al-Mustakfī), and the courtesan-ascetic (ʿArīb, Shāriyah, and Rābiʿah al-ʿAdawīyah). Rābiʿah’s biography in particular projects a paradoxical persona that embodies the complimentary opposites of sexuality and saintliness.^[5]

Attestation

The work of medieval Arabic-language women poets has not been preserved as extensively as that of men, but a substantial corpus nonetheless survives. Abd al-Amīr Muhannā named over four hundred female poets in his anthology.^[6] That much literature by women was once collected in writing but has since been lost is suggested particularly by the fact that al-Suyuti's fifteenth-century Nuzhat al-julasāʼ fī ashʻār al-nisāʼ mentions a large (six-volume or longer) anthology called Akhhar al-Nisa' al-Shau‘a'ir containing 'ancient' women’s poetry, assembled by one Ibn al-Tarrah (d. 720/1320). However, a range of medieval anthologies do contain women's poetry, including collections by Al-Jahiz, Abu Tammam, Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, and Ibn Bassam, alongside historians quoting women's poetry such as Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Yaqut al-Hamawi, and Ibn 'Asakir.^[7]

Known female poets

The following list of known women poets is based on Abdullah al-Udhari's Classical Poems by Arab Women.^[8] It is not complete.

The Jahilayya (4000 BCE–622 CE)

Mahd al-Aadiyya (Arabic: مَهد الءادية, c. 4000 BCE)^[9]
Afira bint 'Abbad (Arabic: عَفِيرة بنت عَبََّاد, C3 CE)
Laila bint Lukaiz (Arabic: لَيْلَى بنت اُكِيْز, d. 483 CE)
Jalila bint Murra (Arabic: جَاياة بنتُ مُرَّة, d. 540 CE)
Umama bint Kulaib (Arabic: أُمَامَة بنت كُلَيْب, C5–6 CE)
al-Ḥurqah (Arabic: الحُرقة, C5–6 CE)
al-Ḥujayjah, aka Safīyah bint Thaʻlabah al-Shaybānīyah (Arabic: صفية بنت ثعلبة الشيبانية, C5–6 CE)
Safiyya bint Khalid al-Bahiliyya (Arabic: صفية بنت خالد الباهلية)
Juhaifa Addibabiyya (Arabic: جُحَيْفَة الضَّبَابية)
Umm Khalid Annumairiyya (Arabic: أُمُّ خَالد البُّمَيْريّة)
Ishraqa al-Muharibiyya (Arabic: عِشْرَقة المحاربية)
Umm Jamil bint Harb (Arabic: أم جميل بنت حرب)
Hind bint ‘Utbah (Arabic: هند بنت عتبة)
Qutayla ukht al-Nadr
Umm Addahak al-Muheribiyya
Janūb Ukht ‘Amr dhī-l-Kalb
al-Fāriʿah bint Shaddād
al-Khansa (Arabic: الخنساء, d. 646 CE)

The Islam Period (622–661 CE)

Fatima bint Muhammad (Arabic: فاطمة بنت محمد, 605–632 CE)

The Umayyad Period (661–750 CE)

Laila bint Sa'd al-Aamiriyya (Arabic: ليلى بنت سعد العامرية, d. 668 CE)
Maisūn bint Jandal (Arabic: ميسون بنت بَحْدل)
Ḥumayda bint Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (C7 CE)
Laila al-Akhyaliyya (Arabic: ليلى الأخيلية, d. AH 75/694×90/709 CE)
Dahna bint Mas-hal (Arabic: الدهناء بنت مسحل, c. C7–8 CE)
Bint al-Hubab (Arabic: ابنة الحباب)
Umm al-Ward al-Ajlaniyya (Arabic: اُم الورد العجلانية)
Umaima Addumarainiyya (Arabic: اُميمة الدمَيْنِيَّه, C8 CE)

The Abbasid Period (750–1258 CE)

Hajna bint Nusaib (Arabic: الحجناء بنت نصيب, c. C8–9 CE)
Raabi'a al-Adwiyya (Arabic: رابعة العدوية, 714–801 CE)
Laila bint Tarif (Arabic: لَيلْى بنت طريف, d. 815 CE)
'Ulayya bint al-Mahdi (Arabic: عُلَيّة بنت المهدي, 777–825 CE)
Lubāna bint ‘Alī ibn al-Mahdī (Arabic: لُبَانَة بنت علي بن المهدي, c. C8–9 CE)
Inan (Arabic: عِنان, d. 841 CE)
'Asiya al-Baghdadiyya (Arabic: اَسِيَة البغداديّة, c. C9 CE)
Zahra al-Kilabiyya (Arabic: زهَرْاء الكِلابية, c. C8–9 CE)
Aa'isha bint al-Mu'tasim (Arabic: عائشة بنت المعتصم, c. C8–9 CE)
Shāriyah (Arabic: شارِية, c. 815-70 CE)
Fadl Ashsha'ira (Arabic: فضل الشاعرة, d. 871 CE)
Zabba bint Umair ibn al-Muwarriq (Arabic: الزباء بنت عُمَير بن المُورَّق, c. C9 CE)
Juml (Arabic: جُمل, C9 CE)
Umm Ja'far bint 'Ali (Arabic: اُم جعفر بنت علي)
Arib al-Ma'muniyya (Arabic: عَرِيب المأمونية)

(797–890 CE)

Thawab bint Abdullah al-Hanzaliyya (Arabic: ثواب بنت عبد اللّه الحنظلية)
Salma bint al-Qaratisi (Arabic: سلمى بنت القراطيسي, c. C12 CE)
Safiyya al-Baghdadiyya (Arabic: صفية البغدادية, C12 CE)
Taqiyya Umm Ali bint Ghaith ibn Ali al-Armanazi (a.k.a. Sitt al-Ni‘m, Arabic: تقية أم علي, 1111-1183/4)
Shamsa al-Mawsiliyya (Arabic: ثَمْسَة المَوْصِلِيّة, C13 CE)

The Andalus Period (711–1492 CE)

Hafsa bint Hamdun (Arabic: حفصة بنت حمدون, C10 CE)
Aa'isha bint Ahmad al-Qurtubiyya (Arabic: عائشة بنت أحمد القر طبية, d. 1010 CE)
Mariam bint Abu Ya'qub Ashshilbi (Arabic: مريم بنت أبي يعقوب الشَّلْبي, d. 1020 CE)
Umm al-Kiram bin al-Mu'tasim ibn Sumadih (Arabic: أم الكر ام المعتصم بن صُمادح, d. 1050 CE)
Umm al-Ala bint Yusuf (Arabic: أم العلاء بنت يوسف, d. 1050 CE)
Khadija bint Ahmad ibn Kulthum al-Mu'afiri (Arabic: خديجة بنت أحمد بن كُلثوم المُعافرِيّ, C10–11 CE)
Qasmuna bint Isma'il ibn Yusuf ibn Annaghrila (Arabic: قسمونة بنت إسماعيل بن النَّغْرِيلَة, C11 CE)
Ghassaniyya al-Bajjaniyya (Arabic: الغسَّانية البجانية, C11 CE)
Wallada bint al-Mustakfi (Arabic: وَلاَّدة بنت المستكفي, d. 1091 CE)
I'timad Arrumaimikiyya (Arabic: أعتماد الرميكية, 1041–1095 CE)
Muhja bint Attayyani al-Qurtubiyya (Arabic: مهجةبنت التيابي القرطبية, d. 1097 CE)
Nazhun al-Gharnatiyya (Arabic: نز هون الغرْناطية, d. 1100 CE)
Amat al-Aziz (Arabic: أمة العزيز, C12 CE)
Buthaina bint al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad (Arabic: بثينة بنت المعتمد بن عباد, 1070–? CE)
Hind (Arabic: هند, C12 CE)
Umm al-Hana bint Abdulhaqq ibn Atiyya (Arabic: أم الهناء بنت عبد الحق بن عطية, C12 CE)
Hafsa bint al-Hajj Arrakuniyya (Arabic: حفصة بنت الحاج الركونية, d. 1190 CE)
Ashshilbiyya (Arabic: الشلبية, C12 CE)
Aa'isha al-Iskandraniyya (Arabic: عائشة اللإسكندرانية)
Hamda bint Ziyad (Arabic: حمدة بنت زياد, c. 1204 CE)
Umm Assa'd bint Isam al-Himyari (Arabic: أم السعد بنت عصام الحميري, d. 1243 CE)

References

^ Clarissa Burt, 'Arts: Poets and Poetry: Arab States', in Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures, ed. by Suad Joseph (Leiden: Brill, 2003-2007), V: 77-80 (p. 77).
^ Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 653).
^ Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, ed. and trans. by Abdullah al-Udhari (London: Saqi Books, 1999), p. 13; Tahera Qutbuddin, 'Women Poets', in Medieval Islamic Civilisation: An Encyclopedia, ed. by Josef W. Meri, 2 vols (New York: Routledge, 2006), II 867, http://nelc.uchicago.edu/sites/nelc.uchicago.edu/files/2006%20Women%20Poets%20(Med.%20Islamic.%20Civ.%20Enc.).pdf; Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 652). https://www.academia.edu/5023780.
^ Tahera Qutbuddin, 'Women Poets', in Medieval Islamic Civilisation: An Encyclopedia, ed. by Josef W. Meri, 2 vols (New York: Routledge, 2006), II 865, http://nelc.uchicago.edu/sites/nelc.uchicago.edu/files/2006%20Women%20Poets%20(Med.%20Islamic.%20Civ.%20Enc.).pdf.
^ Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 653). https://www.academia.edu/5023780.
^ Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 653). https://www.academia.edu/5023780.
^ Tahera Qutbuddin, 'Women Poets', in Medieval Islamic Civilisation: An Encyclopedia, ed. by Josef W. Meri, 2 vols (New York: Routledge, 2006), II 867, http://nelc.uchicago.edu/sites/nelc.uchicago.edu/files/2006%20Women%20Poets%20(Med.%20Islamic.%20Civ.%20Enc.).pdf.
^ Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, ed. and trans. by Abdullah al-Udhari (London: Saqi Books, 1999) ISBN 086356-047-4.
^ Mahd is included in Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, ed. and trans. by Abdullah al-Udhari (London: Saqi Books, 1999), pp. 26-27. She is unlikely to have existed: Roger Allen, review of: Approaches to Classical Arabic Poetry - Identification and Identity in Classical Arabic Poetry, M. C. Lyons, Gibb Literary Studies, 2 (Warminster: Aris & Phillips, 1999) and Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, Abdullah Al-Udhar (London: Saqi Books, 1999), Review of Middle East Studies, 35 (2001), 201-3 (at p. 202). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026318400043352. Rather she is a chronicle character who is portrayed uttering a muzdawaj warning the people of ʿĀd of their impending destruction by Allah, in accordance with the prophecies of the prophet Hud.

[1] Clarissa Burt, 'Arts: Poets and Poetry: Arab States', in Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures, ed. by Suad Joseph (Leiden: Brill, 2003-2007), V: 77-80 (p. 77).

[2] Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 653).

[3] Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, ed. and trans. by Abdullah al-Udhari (London: Saqi Books, 1999), p. 13; Tahera Qutbuddin, 'Women Poets', in Medieval Islamic Civilisation: An Encyclopedia, ed. by Josef W. Meri, 2 vols (New York: Routledge, 2006), II 867, http://nelc.uchicago.edu/sites/nelc.uchicago.edu/files/2006%20Women%20Poets%20(Med.%20Islamic.%20Civ.%20Enc.).pdf; Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 652). https://www.academia.edu/5023780.

[4] Tahera Qutbuddin, 'Women Poets', in Medieval Islamic Civilisation: An Encyclopedia, ed. by Josef W. Meri, 2 vols (New York: Routledge, 2006), II 865, http://nelc.uchicago.edu/sites/nelc.uchicago.edu/files/2006%20Women%20Poets%20(Med.%20Islamic.%20Civ.%20Enc.).pdf.

[5] Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 653). https://www.academia.edu/5023780.

[6] Samer M. Ali, 'Medieval Court Poetry', in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women, ed. by Natana J. Delong-Bas, 2 vols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), I 651-54 (at p. 653). https://www.academia.edu/5023780.

[7] Tahera Qutbuddin, 'Women Poets', in Medieval Islamic Civilisation: An Encyclopedia, ed. by Josef W. Meri, 2 vols (New York: Routledge, 2006), II 867, http://nelc.uchicago.edu/sites/nelc.uchicago.edu/files/2006%20Women%20Poets%20(Med.%20Islamic.%20Civ.%20Enc.).pdf.

[8] Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, ed. and trans. by Abdullah al-Udhari (London: Saqi Books, 1999) ISBN 086356-047-4.

[9] Mahd is included in Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, ed. and trans. by Abdullah al-Udhari (London: Saqi Books, 1999), pp. 26-27. She is unlikely to have existed: Roger Allen, review of: Approaches to Classical Arabic Poetry - Identification and Identity in Classical Arabic Poetry, M. C. Lyons, Gibb Literary Studies, 2 (Warminster: Aris & Phillips, 1999) and Classical Poems by Arab Women: A Bilingual Anthology, Abdullah Al-Udhar (London: Saqi Books, 1999), Review of Middle East Studies, 35 (2001), 201-3 (at p. 202). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026318400043352. Rather she is a chronicle character who is portrayed uttering a muzdawaj warning the people of ʿĀd of their impending destruction by Allah, in accordance with the prophecies of the prophet Hud.

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