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Meter of Classical Arabic Poetry
Pegs, Cords, and Ghuls: Meter of Classical Arabic Poetry Hazel Scott Haverford College Department of Linguistics, Swarthmore College Fall 2009 There are many reasons to read poetry, filled with heroics and folly, sweeping metaphors and engaging rhymes. It can reveal much about a shared cultural history and the depths of the human soul; for linguists, it also provides insights into the nature of language itself. As a particular subset of a language, poetry is one case study for understanding the use of a language and the underlying rules that govern it. This paper explores the metrical system of classical Arabic poetry and its theoretical representations. The prevailing classification is from the 8th century C.E., based on the work of the scholar al-Khaliil, and I evaluate modern attempts to situate the meters within a more universal theory. I analyze the meter of two early Arabic poems, and observe the descriptive accuracy of al-Khaliil’s system, and then provide an analysis of the major alternative accounts. By incorporating linguistic concepts such as binarity and prosodic constraints, the newer models improve on the general accessibility of their theories with greater explanatory potential. The use of this analysis to identify and account for the four most commonly used meters, for example, highlights the significance of these models over al-Khaliil’s basic enumerations. The study is situated within a discussion of cultural history and the modern application of these meters, and a reflection on the oral nature of these poems. The opportunities created for easier cross-linguistic comparisons are crucial for a broader understanding of poetry, enhanced by Arabic’s complex levels of metrical patterns, and with conclusions that can inform wider linguistic study.* Introduction Classical Arabic poetry is traditionally characterized by its use of one of the sixteen * I would like to thank my advisor, Professor K. -
Isabelle Dolezalek Arabic Script on Christian Kings Das Mittelalter Perspektiven Mediävistischer Forschung
Isabelle Dolezalek Arabic Script on Christian Kings Das Mittelalter Perspektiven mediävistischer Forschung Beihefte Herausgegeben von Ingrid Baumgärtner, Stephan Conermann und Thomas Honegger Band 5 Isabelle Dolezalek Arabic Script on Christian Kings Textile Inscriptions on Royal Garments from Norman Sicily Gedruckt mit freundlicher Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) ISBN 978-3-11-053202-9 e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-053387-3 e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-053212-8 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A CIP catalog record for this book has been applied for at the Library of Congress. Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston Typesetting: Satzstudio Borngräber, Dessau-Roßlau Printing and binding: CPI books GmbH, Leck ♾ Gedruckt auf säurefreiem Papier Printed in Germany www.degruyter.com Contents Preface — IX Introduction — XI Chapter I Shaping Perceptions: Reading and Interpreting the Norman Arabic Textile Inscriptions — 1 1 Arabic-Inscribed Textiles from Norman and Hohenstaufen Sicily — 2 2 Inscribed Textiles and Arabic Inscriptions in European Medieval Arts — 43 3 Historical Receptions of the Ceremonial Garments from Norman Sicily — 51 4 Approaches to Arabic Inscriptions in European Medieval Arts: Methodological Considerations — 64 Chapter II An Imported Ornament? Comparing the Functions -
Homer: an Arabic Portrait1
Edin Muftić Homer: An Arabic portrait1 Homer is rightfully seen as the first teacher of Hellenism, the poet who educated the Greek, who in turn educated Europe. But, as is well known, Europe doesn’t have a monopoly on Greek heritage. It was also present in the Islamic tradition, where it manifested itself differently. Apart from phi- losophy, mathematics, astronomy, medicine and pharmacology, Greek poetry, even if usually not translated, was also widely read among the Arab-Islamic intellectual elite. The author analyses the extent to which Homer’s works circulated, how well known were his poetics, and the influence his verses exerted during the heyday of Classical Arab-Islamic civilization. Keywords: Homer; translation movement; Al-Biruni; arabic poetry; Al-Farabi; Averroes INTRODUCTION The Greek and Arab epic tradition have much in common. Themes of tribal enmity, invasions and plunder, abduction of women, revenge, heroism, chivalry and love feature prom- inently in both traditions. While the Greeks have Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, Odysseus, Jason or Achilles, the Arabs have ʻAntar bin Šaddād (the “Arab Achilles”), Sayf bin ī Yazan, Az-Zīr Sālim and many others. When it comes to the actual performance of poetry, similarities be- Ḏ tween the two traditions are even greater. Homeric aoidos playing his lyre has a direct coun- terpart in Arab rawin playing his rababa. The Arab wandering poet often shares the fate of his Greek colleague (Imruʼ al-Qays, arafa and Al-Aʻšá, and Abū Nuwās and Al-Mutanabbī are the most famous examples). Greek tyrants who were famous for hosting poets like Ibycus, Anacre- Ṭ on, Simonides, Bacchylides or Pindar, while expelling others like Alcaeus, have a royal counter- part in An-Nuʻmān bin al-Mun ir, the ruler of Hira. -
The Qur'an's Challenge: a Literary & Linguistic Miracle (Original Article At
The Qur'an's Challenge: A Literary & Linguistic Miracle (Original article at: http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/essays-articles/exploring-the-quran/the-inimitable-quran/) “Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created. He has created man from a leech-like clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.” Surah Al-’Alaq (The Clot) 96: 1-5 These were the first verses of the Qur’an to be revealed to Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace) over fourteen hundred years ago. Prophet Muhammad, who was known to have been in retreat and meditation in a cave outside Makkah, had received the first revelation of a book that would have a tremendous impact on the world. Not being able to read or write or known to have composed any piece of poetry and not having any special rhetorical gifts, Prophet Muhammad had just received the beginning of a book that would deal with matters of belief, law, politics, rituals, spirituality, and economics in an entirely new literary form. This unique literary form is part of the miraculous nature of the Qur’an, that led to the dramatic intellectual revival of desert Arabs. Thirteen years after the first revelation, it became the primary reference for a new state in Madinah, providing the new civilisation’s political, philosophical, and spiritual outlook. In this chapter, we will begin to examine why the Qur’an is impossible to imitate by reviewing how the language of the Qur’an compares to the normal literary forms of Arabic poetry and prose. -
The Poetics of Persian Music
The Poetics of Persian Music: The Intimate Correlation between Prosody and Persian Classical Music by Farzad Amoozegar-Fassie B.A., The University of Toronto, 2008 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in The Faculty of Graduate Studies (Music) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) August 2010 © Farzad Amoozegar-Fassie, 2010 Abstract Throughout most historical narratives and descriptions of Persian arts, poetry has had a profound influence on the development and preservation of Persian classical music, in particularly after the emergence of Islam in Iran. A Persian poetic structure consists of two parts: the form (its fundamental rhythmic structure, or prosody) and the content (the message that a poem conveys to its audience, or theme). As the practice of using rhythmic cycles—once prominent in Iran— deteriorated, prosody took its place as the source of rhythmic organization and inspiration. The recognition and reliance on poetry was especially evident amongst Iranian musicians, who by the time of Islamic rule had been banished from the public sphere due to the sinful socio-religious outlook placed on music. As the musicians’ dependency on prosody steadily grew stronger, poetry became the preserver, and, to a great extent, the foundation of Persian music’s oral tradition. While poetry has always been a significant part of any performance of Iranian classical music, little attention has been paid to the vitality of Persian/Arabic prosody as its main rhythmic basis. Poetic prosody is the rhythmic foundation of the Persian repertoire the radif, and as such it makes possible the development, memorization, expansion, and creation of the complex rhythmic and melodic compositions during the art of improvisation. -
The Unique Necklace Volume.Pdf
Great Books of Islamic Civilization Ibn ∏Abd The Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization Rabbih the Unique Necklace the l-‘Iqd al-Farı¯d (The Unique Necklace) is one of the classics of Arabic literature. the Compiled in several volumes by an Andalusian scholar and poet named Ibn Unique Necklace A‘Abd Rabbih (246–328 A.H. / 860–940 C.E.),it remains a mine of information about various elements of Arab culture and letters during the four centuries before his death.Essentially it is a book of adab,a term understood in modern times to specifically II Volume mean literature but in earlier times its meaning included all that a well-informed person had to know in order to pass in society as a cultured and refined individual.This Unique meaning later evolved and included belles lettres in the form of elegant prose and verse that was as much entertaining as it was morally educational, such as poetry, pleasant anecdotes, proverbs, historical accounts, general knowledge, wise maxims, and even practical philosophy. Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih’s imagination and organization saved his encyclopedic Necklace compendium from becoming a chaotic jumble of materials by conceiving of it as a necklace composed of twenty-five ‘books’, each of which carried the name of a jewel. Each of the twenty-five ‘books’ was organized around a major theme and had an introduction written by Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih, followed by his relevant adab selections of Volume II verse and prose on the theme of the ‘book’. He drew on a vast repertoire of sources including the Bible,the Qur’an and the Hadith,and the works of al-Jahiz,ibn Qutayba, al-Mubarrad,Abu ‘Ubayda ibn al-Muthanna and several others, as well as the diwans of many Arab poets, including his own poetry. -
The Phonology of Classical Arabic Meter Chris Golston & Tomas Riad 1
The Phonology of Classical Arabic Meter Chris Golston & Tomas Riad 1. Introduction* Traditional analysis of classical Arabic meter is based on the theory of al-Xalı#l (†c.791 A.D.), the famous lexicographist, grammarian and prosodist. His elaborate circle system remains directly influential in theories of metrics to this day, including the generative analyses of Halle (1966), Maling (1973) and Prince (1989). We argue against this tradition, showing that it hides a number of important generalizations about Arabic meter and violates a number of fundamental principles that regulate metrical structure in meter and in natural language. In its place we propose a new analysis of Arabic meter which draws directly on the iambic nature of the language and is responsible to the metrical data in a way that has not been attempted before. We call our approach Prosodic Metrics and ground it firmly in a restrictive theory of foot typology (Kager 1993a) and constraint satisfaction (Prince & Smolensky 1993). The major points of our analysis of Arabic meter are as follows: 1. Metrical positions are maximally bimoraic. 2. Verse feet are binary. 3. The most popular Arabic meters are iambic. We begin with a presentation of Prosodic Metrics (§2) followed by individual analyses of the Arabic meters (§3). We then turn to the relative popularity of the meters in two large published corpora, relating frequency directly to rhythm (§4). We then argue against al Xalı#l’s analysis as formalized in Prince 1989 (§5) and end with a brief conclusion (§6). 2. Prosodic Metrics We base our theory of meter on the three claims in (1), which we jointly refer to as Binarity. -
Studies and Sources in Islamic Art and Architecture
STUDIES AND SOURCES IN ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE SUPPLEMENTS TO MUQARNAS Sponsored by the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. VOLUME IX PREFACING THE IMAGE THE WRITING OF ART HISTORY IN SIXTEENTH-CENTURY IRAN BY DAVID J. ROXBURGH BRILL LEIDEN • BOSTON • KÖLN 2001 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Roxburgh, David J. Prefacing the image : the writing of art history in sixteenth-century Iran / David J. Roxburgh. p. cm. — (Studies and sources in Islamic art and architecture. Supplements to Muqarnas, ISSN 0921 0326 ; v. 9) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 9004113762 (alk. papier) 1. Art, Safavid—Historiography—Sources. 2. Art, Islamic—Iran– –Historiography—Sources. 3. Art criticism—Iran—History—Sources. I. Title. II. Series. N7283 .R69 2000 701’.18’095509024—dc21 00-062126 CIP Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme Roxburgh, David J.: Prefacing the image : the writing of art history in sixteenth century Iran / by David J. Roxburgh. – Leiden; Boston; Köln : Brill, 2000 (Studies and sources in Islamic art and architectue; Vol 9) ISBN 90-04-11376-2 ISSN 0921-0326 ISBN 90 04 11376 2 © Copyright 2001 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910 Danvers MA 01923, USA. -
Sung Poetry in the Oral Tradition of the Gulf Region and the Arabian Peninsula
Oral Tradition, 4/1-2 (1989): 174-88 Sung Poetry in the Oral Tradition of the Gulf Region and the Arabian Peninsula Simon Jargy Historical Background As far back as we can go in the past history of the Arabs and Arabia, we fi nd poetry present as a huge memorial to their real and imaginary heroic exploits, as a witness to their way of life and feelings, and most of all as an expression of the deepest roots of their soul. Being essentially oral in its origins and developments, this poetry, with its rhythms, intonations, accents, and long or short syllables fi tted in quite naturally with music. In the old classical Arabic terminology, poetry (Shicr) identifi es with song (Nashīd): reciting it is synonymous with singing it (Anshada al-Shicr). This bond between Shicr (poetry) and Inshād (chant or recitative) still has the same meaning in the spoken Arabic of the Peninsula and the Gulf region where Nishīda (song) is synonymous with Giṣīda (poem). In pre-Islamic Arabia, Inshād likely had a dual function: religious and social. Both stem from the rhythmical syllables of the Arabic language (rhymed prose: Sajc, and metrical poetry: Shicr), as well as from rhythmical movements of camels. Coming from ancient times, this is the Ḥidā’ (literally “stimulating the camel’s step”) that the Bedouin sings following the steps of his camel and for his own entertainment. It has survived in the actual form we call “recitative” or “cantilena,” as the common Ḥadwā still designates, in the spoken Bedouin dialect of the Gulf, the folk songs of both the desert and the sea. -
Kent Academic Repository Full Text Document (Pdf)
Kent Academic Repository Full text document (pdf) Citation for published version Bevilacqua, Alexander and Loop, Jan (2018) The Qur’an in Comparison and the Birth of ‘scriptures’. Journal of Qur'anic Studies . ISSN 1465-3591. (In press) DOI Link to record in KAR http://kar.kent.ac.uk/68852/ Document Version Author's Accepted Manuscript Copyright & reuse Content in the Kent Academic Repository is made available for research purposes. Unless otherwise stated all content is protected by copyright and in the absence of an open licence (eg Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher, author or other copyright holder. Versions of research The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record. Enquiries For any further enquiries regarding the licence status of this document, please contact: [email protected] If you believe this document infringes copyright then please contact the KAR admin team with the take-down information provided at http://kar.kent.ac.uk/contact.html The Qur’an in Comparison and the Birth of ‘scriptures’* Alexander Bevilacqua (WILLIAMS COLLEGE) Jan Loop (UNIVERSITY OF KENT) The Qur’an was a protean book in early modern Europe. From the sixteenth century to the eighteenth, Europeans developed several distinct ways of thinking about it and about the person whom they took to be its author, the Prophet Muammad. Medieval Western Christians already regarded the Qur’an as a lawbook. -
Creating Standards
Creating Standards Unauthenticated Download Date | 6/17/19 6:48 PM Studies in Manuscript Cultures Edited by Michael Friedrich Harunaga Isaacson Jörg B. Quenzer Volume 16 Unauthenticated Download Date | 6/17/19 6:48 PM Creating Standards Interactions with Arabic Script in 12 Manuscript Cultures Edited by Dmitry Bondarev Alessandro Gori Lameen Souag Unauthenticated Download Date | 6/17/19 6:48 PM ISBN 978-3-11-063498-3 e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-063906-3 e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-063508-9 ISSN 2365-9696 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. For details go to http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. Library of Congress Control Number: 2019935659 Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2019 Dmitry Bondarev, Alessandro Gori, Lameen Souag, published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston Printing and binding: CPI books GmbH, Leck www.degruyter.com Unauthenticated Download Date | 6/17/19 6:48 PM Contents The Editors Preface VII Transliteration of Arabic and some Arabic-based Script Graphemes used in this Volume (including Persian and Malay) IX Dmitry Bondarev Introduction: Orthographic Polyphony in Arabic Script 1 Paola Orsatti Persian Language in Arabic Script: The Formation of the Orthographic Standard and the Different Graphic Traditions of Iran in the First Centuries of -
Inquiries Into Proto-World Literatures: the Challenging “Literary Fate” Of
FOCUS 38 Modern studies in Persian prosody fre- quently debate the origin of the quatrain Inquiries into Proto-World (Per. robā‛ī - Ar. rubā‛ī)1 as a metrical form Literatures: The Challenging which clearly arose in an indigenous lyrical tradition. This identifies quatrains as the “Literary Fate” of the Quatrain entry point to claim Persian prosodic pat- terns as having an independent origin across the Persian and from the Arabic ones. However, late 20th century scholarship relies on a response- Arabic Literary Tradition approach to the matter, and is essentially grounded in dismantling Arabo-centric prosodic categorization - i.e. founded on the Khalīlian prosodic model2 - which gathers both traditions since the 9th cen- tury, rather than on overcoming the Khalīlian framework as a self-evident late feature within the earlier Persian lyrical tra- dition. Chiara Fontana Recent studies of comparative prosody among Arabic-Persian-Urdu and Turkish Western studies on Persian metrical sys- poetry. This study closely investigates the works (e.g. Ashwini and Kiparsky 147-173) tem debate the linguistic origins of qua- spread of robāʽī/rubāʽī from Persian to broaden Prince and Paoli’s approach to trains, (Per. robāʽiyyāt - Ar. rubāʽiyyāt) in Arabic literature employing a holistic cul- generative prosody across Middle Eastern Arabic, and regard prosodic Persian turally embedded methodology to re- languages, yet the analysis of the quatrain schemes independently of Arabic coun- read their linkages in global terms, as an is still essentially founded on metrical terparts, despite reciprocally influenced example of an inherited “Proto-World observations. This partial perspective may metrical patterns. Attempts to dismantle Literature”.