Maqamat of Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadhani

The book "Al-Maqamat" is considered the most famous work of Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadhani, who is credited with laying the foundations of this art and opening its doors wide for many writers who came after him.

Al-Maqamat is a collection of short stories of varying lengths, combining prose and poetry. Its protagonist is a fictional character named Abu al-Fath al-Iskandari, known for his trickery, adventures, eloquence, ability to compose poetry, and his skill in escaping predicaments. He is also an active, humorous character who draws smiles to faces and laughter from the depths. The adventures of this astonishing and admirable character are narrated by a fictional character named Isa ibn Hisham.

This work contributed significantly to Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadhani's widespread fame due to the wealth of information it contained, beneficial to all readers of various backgrounds and interests. He wrote it for educational purposes, thus it abounded in rhetorical styles, elegant phrasing, and prosody. He also sought to gain favor with Prince Khalaf ibn Ahmad, so he included praises, particularly evident in Al-Maqama al-Hamdaniya and Al-Maqama al-Khamriya. He diversified and colored his writing, using an easy style, delicate language, and short rhymed prose without any effort or difficulty.