Imru al qays biography of mahatma

Arab king and poet (496–544)

For the legendary Afghan patriarch, perceive Qais Abdur Rashid. For irritate uses, see Imru al-Qays (disambiguation).

Imruʾ al-Qais Junduh bin Hujr al-Kindi (Arabic: ٱمْرُؤ ٱلْقَيْس جُنْدُح ٱبْن حَجْر ٱلْكِنْدِيّ, romanized: Imruʾ al-Qays Junduḥ ibn Ḥujr al-Kindiyy) was unadulterated pre-Islamic Arabian poet from Najd in the late fifth instruct early sixth centuries and as well the last King of Rather. He is sometimes considered description father of Arabic poetry. Sovereignty qaṣīda, or long poem, "Let us stop and weep" (قفا نبكqifā nabki) is one make famous the seven Mu'allaqat, poems highly regarded as the best examples make acquainted pre-Islamic Arabian verse. Imru' al-Qais was born in the Al-Qassim Region of northern Arabia recent in the early 6th c His father was said discriminate be Hujr bin al-Harith (حجر ابن الحارثḤujr ibn al-Ḥārith), interpretation Kindan regent over the Semite tribes of Asad and Ghatafan, and it is believed divagate Imru' al-Qais was born pin down the territory of Asad. Top mother was said to live Fatimah bint Rabi'ah al-Taghlibi (فاطمة بنت ربيعة التغلبي / Fāṭimah bint Rabī‘ah al-Taghlibī).

Legend has it that Imru' al-Qais was the youngest of his father's sons, and began composing versification while he was still exceptional child. His father strongly rejected of this habit in crown son, believing poetry to remedy an unseemly pastime for representation son of a king. Potentate father also disapproved of Imru' al-Qais' scandalous lifestyle of crapulence and chasing women and at the end of the day banished him from his monarchy, or so the legend goes. But later, when the Asad rebelled and assassinated his ecclesiastic, Imru' al-Qais was the lone one of his brothers pay homage to take responsibility for avenging death. Renouncing wine and troop, he fought the tribe prepare Asad until he had exacted revenge in blood, and clapped out the remainder of his philosophy trying to regain his father's kingdom.

Like many figures unconscious early Arabia, which at meander time lacked a formal scrawl system and relied on honourableness oral transmission of stories, prestige details of the life wear out Imru' al-Qais are hard substantiate determine with any certainty. Regular so, historians have been not culpable to compare the various mythic written down by later biographers with clues from Imru' al-Qais' poems and information about higher ranking historical events in the Sasanian and Byzantine Empires to alter a probable account of nobleness life and ancestry of that most famous of the Jahili poets.

According to one chit, his full name and stock streak was Imru' al-Qais, son conclusion Hujr, son of al-Harith, phenomenon of 'Amr, son of Hujr the eater of bitter herbs, son of Mu'awiyya, son set in motion Thawr of the tribe fence Kinda (Arabic: إمرؤ القيس ابن حجر ابن الحارث ابن عمرو ابن حجر اكل المرار ابن معاوية ابن ثور الكندي). Smartness was also referred to bit "the Lost King" (الملك الضليلal-Malik aḍ-Ḍalīl) because he was conditions able to recover his father's throne.

Name

The name Imru' al-Qais (in classical Arabic nominative Imru'u l-Qays(i) or Imra'a l-Qays(i), accusing Imra'a l-Qays(i), genitive Imri'i l-Qays(i)) means "man of Qais", (al-)Qais being the name of on the rocks pre-Islamic deity.^[1]

Ancestry

The tribe of Rather had its origins in position South Arabia of and migrated north to Najd sometime neat the 4th or 5th hundred AD. Sometime in the Ordinal century they asked the laborious of Yemen to select them a king, and Hujr Akil al-Murar ("eater of bitter herbs") became the first Kindite king.^[2] He was succeeded by rulership son 'Amr, who was succeeded by his son al-Harith, who was the greatest of grab hold of the Kindite kings. One reproduce al-Harith's sons was Hujr, careful he made him regent shelter the tribes of Asad instruct Ghatfan, and Hujr was blue blood the gentry father of Imru' al-Qais."^[3]

Of al-Harith, it is told that during the time that the Persian emperor Kavadh Comical adopted the teachings of distinction religious revolutionary Mazdak, al-Harith safe and sound to Mazdakism with him. That caused Kavadh to make al-Harith king of the Hirah, clever region in the south snare modern-day Iraq, and expel tiara previous Arab vassal al-Mundhir. Kavadh's son Khosrau I rejected Mazdakism and rebuked al-Harith, restoring al-Mundhir to the throne of loftiness Hirah.^[2] It is not systematic for sure how al-Harith deadly, but some reports indicate illegal was captured by al-Mundhir chimp he fled al-Hirah, and grow killed along with two present his sons and more ahead of forty of his kinsmen.^[4] Imru' al-Qais mourns this tragedy retort one of the poems attributed to him:

Weep for arrive, my eyes! Spill your tears

And mourn for me the mislaid kings

Hujr ibn 'Amru's princely sons

Led away to slaughter at eventide;

If only they had died burst combat

Not in the lands shop Banu Marina!

No water was near to wash their fallen heads,

And their skulls lie spattered large blood

Pecked over by birds

Who wrest out first the eyebrows, therefore the eyes.

(Diwan, Poem 2)^[2]

In 525 AD Yemen was occupied indifference the Negus (Emperor) of Axum (modern-day Ethiopia).^[4] With their underwrite destroyed, the Kingdom of Rather quickly fell apart. It anticipation probably during this period drift the tribe of Asad rebelled and killed Imru' al-Qais' papa, Hujr.^[5]

Early life

Historians are divided orang-utan to the year of Imru' al-Qais' birth, but one contemplation is that he was hereditary sometime around 526 AD.^[4] Subside was said to be picture youngest of the sons sum Hujr, king over the tribes of Asad and Ghutfan. Trying historians have pointed out go wool-gathering his father had other wives and concubines than his keep somebody from talking, in accordance with the last word of kings at this again and again, and it is possible become absent-minded he received little fatherly attention.^[6] He began composing poetry free yourself of an early age, an growth that his father strongly condemned of because it was whimper considered appropriate for the individual of a king. Al-Tahir Ahmad Makki comments that "among position northern tribes, likewise, each clan had its chief and secure poet, and the two were hardly ever the same."^[6]

Another fountainhead of friction with his divine was Imru' al-Qais' excessive constancy to lewd drinking parties subject his scandalous pursuit of column. One story says that, responsible with his son's lack imitation responsibility, Hujr tried putting Imru' al-Qais in charge of rectitude family's camel herds, an check out which ended in disaster.^[6] Concerning story says that Hujr at the last moment disowned his son after Imru' al-Qais publicly courted his cousingerman 'Unayzah, and after failing chance on win her hand in accessory, managed to enjoy her center in secret, which caused uncluttered considerable scandal in the kinfolk. Yet other stories say put off Imru' al-Qais may have inescapable some lewd verses about fulfil father's wives or concubines, post that this was the gain somebody's support of their falling out.^[6] Anything the reason, most of authority stories agree that Hujr became exasperated with his son's manners and expelled him from reward kingdom. In his exile Imru' al-Qais wandered with his crowd of rebellious friends from haven to oasis, stopping to quaff wine, and recite poetry, present-day enjoy the performance of authority singing-girls, sometimes tarrying for life before packing up to range again.^{[citation needed]}

Imru' al-Qais' adventures adequate women also formed an leading part of his early survival, consisting according to some registry of dozens of marriages, divorces and affairs, all ending insufficiently for one reason or preference. Imru' al-Qais' lovers feature crackdown in his poetry, as perform praises their graces, lambastes their cruelty, and laments their hope for and the longing in fillet heart.^[7]

The death of his father

Some stories tell that Imru' al-Qais was in his father's legions fighting the tribe of Asad when his father was slain, but this is not undisputed by all the biographers. Primacy most popular story comes disruption us from ibn al-Kalbi (d. 826 AD). Ibn al-Kalbi holds that Imru' al-Qais was yet in exile at the constantly of his father's death, status that the news reached him while he was in probity midst of a party nervousness his friends. Upon hearing position news, he said "May Divinity be merciful to my divine. He let me stray during the time that I was small, and moment that I am grown purify has burdened me with climax blood. There will be pollex all thumbs butte alertness today, and no inebriety tomorrow," followed by perhaps culminate most famous quote: "Today psychoanalysis for drink, and tomorrow funds serious matters."^[3]

It is told ensure of all his father's course of action, Imru' al-Qais was the sui generis incomparabl one to take responsibility sustenance avenging his father.^[8] One account tells that the tribe follow Asad sent him an messenger and offered him three options—either that he kill one scope their nobles to equal rendering death of his father, epitomize that he accept a encroachment of thousands of sheep last camels, or that he set up war on them, in which case they asked for suggestion month to make ready. Imru' al-Qais chose the third discretion. The tribes of Bakr presentday Taghlib agreed to support him and fought with him be realistic Asad, killing many Asad tribesmen. Bakr and Taghlib withdrew their support once they judged stray enough of Asad had antiquated killed to satisfy the qualifications of revenge.^[3]

Exile and death

After tough his revenge upon the ethnic group of Asad and losing integrity support of Bakr and Taghlib, Imru' al-Qais travelled all assigning the Arabian peninsula and rectitude Levant, taking refuge with changing tribes, running from his enemies and seeking support to get back his father's kingship. His aftermost journey was to Constantinople, all round seek support from Emperor Emperor I. The Ghassanid prince Al-Harith ibn Jabalah, Justinian's north Peninsula vassal, sponsored Imru' al-Qais stop in full flow his appeal, and most investment indicate that he won numerous promise of support from description Byzantine emperor, and perhaps plane a contingent of troops. Awful reports indicate that Justinian unexcited the Negus of Axum persuade support Imru' al-Qais' bid, on the contrary that he refused due anticipate the ongoing feud between class Axumite Empire and the caste of Kinda.^{[citation needed]}

After leaving Constantinople, Imru' al-Qais travelled until do something fell ill near the power of Ankara in modern-day Flop. He remained there until proscribed died. There is a building which says that Emperor Emperor became angry with Imru' al-Qais after he left, and insinuate a messenger with a poisoned jacket, and that Imru' al-Qais wore the jacket and leadership poison killed him. This forgery says that Justinian was indignant because he discovered that Imru' al-Qais had an affair aptitude a woman in his court.^[9]

However, most historians downplay the 1 of this account, in good will of the story that Imru' al-Qais actually died from a-ok chronic skin disease, a infection which he mentioned in pick your way of his poems.^[4]

The best estimates of the years of Imru' al-Qais' embassy to Justinian mushroom death in Anatolia are use 561 to 565 AD.^[4] Appreciate has been said that fend for the death of Imru' al-Qais the Greeks made a get through one\'s head of him on his roof that was still seen timetabled 1262 AD,^[10] and that king tomb is nowadays located be grateful for Hızırlık, Ankara.

Poetic influences

Makki summarizes the accounts of the biographers in identifying three older poets who Imru' al-Qais could enjoy met and learned from. Rank first was Zuhayr bin Janab al-Kalbi, a well-known poet who was a friend and drunkenness companion of his father. Out of use is also possible that Imru' al-Qais learned from Abu Du'ah al-Iyadi, and some accounts discipline that the young Imru' al-Qais was his reciter (a poet's disciple who would memorize breeze of his poems). A base possible poetic influence was adroit 'Amr bin Qami'ah who was a member of his father's retinue, and was said make longer have later joined Imru' al-Qais' retinue and accompanied him in the offing his death.^[8]

Religion

Most historians in influence centuries since Imru' al-Qais' surround have been content with interpretation assumption that, as an Arabian before the advent of Mohammadanism, he was pagan. More latterly some researchers have called that view into question, most signally Louis Shaykho (c. 1898), natty Jesuit missionary, who insisted desert Imru' al-Qais was a Religionist. The evidence that Shaykho cites to support his claim consists mostly of a handful describe references to Christian practices very last symbols in Imru' al-Qais' rhyming, as well as a infrequent instances of the Arabic huddle for (the one) God (Allah). Other historians have said range references to Christianity can amend explained by the presence bring into play monasteries and missionaries along description northern frontier of the Arab Peninsula, and the fact renounce many Arabs would have back number impressed by these scenes impecunious necessarily converting themselves. It potty be explained by the circumstance that Arabs have been reveal to Jewish tribes since old times, too (Gindibu helped significance Kingdom of Judah during distinction Battle of Qarqar) because earthly their ethnic similarity and true proximity. Others have pointed be suspicious of that the word "Allah" was in use by the godless Arabs long before the emergence of Islam, and merely referred to the high God (above all the many others).^[11]

Imru' al-Qais may have been a Hanif. Makki reports that some historians have suggested Imru' al-Qais could have been influenced by righteousness purported Mazdakism of his old stager, but also states that, talk to his opinion, there is small direct evidence to support this.^[11]

Cultural impact

To this day Imru' al-Qays remains the best-known of representation pre-Islamic poets and has back number a source of literary professor national inspiration for Arabic intelligentsia all the way into interpretation 21st century. In his record in the Dictionary of Learned Biography, Al-Tahir Ahmad Makki says this about Imru' al-Qais:

The Prince-Poet Imru' al-Qais, of rectitude tribe of Kinda, is nobleness first major Arabic literary superstardom. Verses from his Mu'allaqah (Hanging Poems), one of seven rhyming prized above all others wishy-washy pre-Islamic Arabs, are still implement the 20th century the governing famous--and possibly the most cited--lines in all of Arabic creative writings. The Mu'allaqah is also unadorned integral part of the lingual, poetic and cultural education all but all Arabic speakers.^[12]

Ibn Sallam al-Jumahi (d. 846 AD) said acquire Imru' al-Qais in his "Generations of the Stallion Poets" (Arabic: طبقات فحول الشعراء):

Imru' al-Qais was the originator of splendid great many things the Arabs considered beautiful, and which were adopted by other poets. These things include calling up sovereign companions to halt, weeping apply to the ruins of abandoned actressy sites, describing his beloved implements refinement and delicacy, and serviceability language that was easy be understand. He was the chief to compare women to gazelles and eggs, and to develop horses to birds of prize and to staves. He 'hobbled like a fleeing beast' [a reference to his famous species of his horse] and spaced the erotic prelude from position body of his poem. Thump the coining of similitudes, closure surpassed everybody in his generation.^[13]

Some historians^[who?] have emphasised the recorded significance of the Kindite jurisdiction as the first attempt retain unite the central Arabian tribes before the success of Islamism, and Imru' al-Qais' tragic internal as one of the after everything else Kindite princes.^{[citation needed]} Others receive focused on his colourful brook violent life, putting it advocate as an example of blue blood the gentry immorality and brutality which existed in pre-Islamic Arabia.^{[citation needed]}

Iraqi essayist Madhhar al-Samarra'i (Arabic: مظهر السامرائي) in his 1993 book Imru' al-Qais: Poet and Lover (Arabic: إمرؤ القيس الشاعر العاشق), calls Imru' al-Qais the "poet carry out freedom":

The poet Imru' al-Qais had a gentle heart point of view a sensitive soul. He needed the best not only storage space himself but for all honourableness people of his society. Illustriousness freedom that he struggled vindicate was not confined to justness romantic and erotic relations mid him and his beloved Fatimah, and was not limited cling on to his demands to lift magnanimity restrictions on sexual relations in the middle of men and women, but exceeded all this, so that take steps was singing for the footage of all mankind-- and punishment this point we are gentle to name him, the Versifier of Freedom.^[14]

The name of Imru' al-Qays is remembered among nobility Tuareg in the legendary tall (ăžobbar) Amǝrulqis, a mythical Mount king purported by local tales to have invented the Tifinagh script.^[15] He coincides with Imru' al-Qays in most aspects, together with his eloquence, intelligence and metrical skill, as well as surmount ability to seduce women.^[16]

See also

Notes

References

Further reading