Pre Islamic Poetry and Its Significance:
Hazrat Umer’s quote enunciating the significance of the pre Islamic poetry perfectly.


Pre Islamic era was the age when poetry had reached the apex of its brilliance. The poet was the most respectable person in tribe. To safeguard the honor and respect of the tribe, the poets were always at the forefront. Ahmed Hassan Zyat in his book “Tarikh Adab Arabi” has mentioned that “Whenever there emerged a poet in a tribe, it was taken as a blessing of Providence. The appearance was celebrated as the people of other tribe used to congratulate the tribe in which the poet was emerged”.
F I Malik in his book further quotes that “The poet was consider being the defender of the honor of tribe and was cause to bring a good name and fame to the respect of tribe. The poet was taken as a wise man and thus a leader of the tribe through thick and thin.”
Clement Huart in his book “Literary History of Arabs” has mention that there were many poets the evidence of whom was the final say in order to decide to encamp or decamp a certain place. The booty which was collected in fights with other tribes was distributed by no person other than the poet.”
Further in another chapter, Clement Huart writes that there were and markets in the Arab of pre Islamic era. Souk Akaaz was the most fascinating of the all. It used to be started on 1st Zil-Hajj and remained for 20 days. During there 20 days people from all over the Arab used to come and literary activities were at the zenith of their glory. The poet used to present their Qasaids and best of the best was selected or judged by Banu Tamin in Souk Akaaz. The best Qaseedah was written in gold and then was hanged with the wall of Ka’abah. Hammaad – The Rhapsodist has collected some of the Qasaids in the volume named as “Mualqaat” because these were believed to be hanged with the wall of Ka’abah. Another name “Muzhabat” is also given to them because these were believed to be written in gold.
Another significance of pre Islamic poetry is that it depicts the social and moral condition of the society of Arabs before the emergence of Islam. It is the pre Islamic Poetry which serve as a window through which one can see the situation, whether, it was moral or social, it was political or cultural, of the society of pre Islamic era. Through this poetry of Dour-e-Jahlia, we know that Arabs were racially prejudiced without any central government or authority. The Arab were worrier and they were disintegrated into tribes. The ordinary Arab out of the love for his tribe did not leave any stone unturned. Hijv, Fakhar, Madah, Qaseedah, Marsiya etc. were the main asnaf of poetry. The sole purpose of the poet was to show that his tribe was more respectable than the rival tribe.
The poetry was given so much importance that Allah bestowed on the Holy Prophet (PBUH) His miracle in the form of a lucid and eloquent Holy Quran. It is an established fact that the miracle bestowed by Allah to different Prophets were according to the art, which was at its apex in that era e.g. Juses was awarded with a miracle by dint of which he could touch a leaper and make him alright and could reincarnate life in a dead body. This miracle was bestowed by Allah Almighty on Jesus just because of the fact that “Ilm-e-Tib” was touching the heights of glory. Similarly Moses was the miracle to answer the magicians of that era. Same is true for the Holy Quran, a miracle of Allah, to show and answer the eloquent and lucid poets of Arabs. This fact validates that the poetry was most significant thing in the pre Islamic era.

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“You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?”