Diwan of Sayyid al-Himyari

Author's name: Ismail bin Rabi'ah bin Mufra' Al-Himyari

The poet who wrote this collection is Ismail bin Muhammad bin Yazid bin Rabi'ah bin Mufri' al-Himyari. His nickname is Al-Sayyid and his kunya is Abu Hashim. His grandfather is Yazid bin Rabi'ah, the famous poet. Al-Sayyid was a man of beautiful speech and eloquent language. When he spoke in a gathering, he would give every man his share of the conversation. Al-Asma'i said about him: "How naturally he is and how he follows the path of poets. By God, were it not for the cursing of the Salaf in his poetry, no one of his generation would have preceded him. For this reason, his poetry was abandoned, even though it resembles the poetry of Bashar and Abu al-Atahiya in its smooth style, ease of understanding, and good taste." He was a Shiite extremist, and most of his poems praised the Banu Hashim in general, and Ali bin Abi Talib in particular. The themes of his poems varied, but most of them, as mentioned, praised the Banu Hashim and satirized their opponents among the Salaf. His poems are arranged in alphabetical order in this book according to rhyme.