Antarah's Diwan

Author's name: Antarah ibn Shaddad

This book deals with the life of the poet “Antara ibn Amr ibn Shaddad ibn Muawiyah ibn Qurad al-Absi” (525 AD - 608 AD) and his famous collection of poems (Diwan Antara). The book begins with an introduction to the poet, his homeland, his father’s acknowledgment of him and his love for Abla, and then the stories that came about his murder. After that, the book discusses Antara’s personality and poetry. He is one of the most famous Arab poets in the pre-Islamic period, and is considered a poet of enthusiasm. He describes his positions in the most beautiful description, and describes his opponent, making him adorned with all the virtues of the pre-Islamic era, then boasts of having killed him. His poetry is distinguished, according to the narrators, by the beauty of description, combining tenderness and intensity, noble meanings and ease of expression, good harmony, strong expression and musical resonance. The book is divided into two sections: The first section includes the authentic poetry of Antarah, which was narrated by the narrators who preceded him in writing his story: such as Al-Asma’i, Abu Ubaidah, Abu Amr ibn Al-Ala’, Al-Mufaddal Al-Dabbi, Abu Sa’id Al-Sakari, Al-Batalyusi, and those who took from them. The second section contains the poetry of questionable authenticity, which was narrated in his story, and in his collection of poems that was compiled after it was written. Under the title (Oh, home of Abla!), Antarah ibn Shaddad says: “Oh, home of Abla in Al-Tuwai, like the return of a tattoo in the hand of a sacrificial animal/ Like the revelation of pages from the era of Khosrau, which he gave to a non-Arab Tamtami (…).”