An Exploration of the Contributions of Prominent Figures in Arabic Literature

By Dr. M. Irshadul Haq

Arabic literature boasts a rich and diverse history, featuring numerous influential figures from the pre-Islamic period to the modern era. They have left an indelible mark on Arabic literature and culture by producing works of diverse genre, including Arabic literary biographies.

Arabic literary biography is a classical literary genre that combines historical facts with narrative conventions, revealing how the biographical context can enrich the study of canonical writers. The Arabs, from the pre-Islamic times, practiced a form of oral biography through short narratives called Akhbar. The most significant types of Arabic biographical writing are sira, tarjama, barnamaj, fahrasa, and manaqib. While sira and tarjama were historically quite widespread,  barnamaj and fahrasa were limited to specific regions and periods.

 This practice of writing literary biography prevailed through the course of history, from pre-Islamic period to contemporary era, and there is a countless legacy available on this literary genre in the form of voluminous books. A new addition to this genre from Kashmir is Dr. Abdul Hamid Lone’s “Ahada Ashara Kaukaban” (The Eleven Stars), a unique book in Arabic on the biographies and contributions of 11 influential personalities of Arabic language and literature. 

The title of the book is taken form the fourth verse of Surah Yusuf (Q. 12: 4) of the noble Qur’an. Though a book with same title has been written by the famous Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Dervish, which covers and focuses on the poetic collections of the poet and the content is quite different from this book.

The book under review spans over 232 pages and the author is a retired Professor of Arabic, Higher Education Department, J&K. Published by Takbeer Publications Srinagar, the book comprises eleven (11) chapters, each dedicated to a prominent figure in Arabic language and culture. The chapters are preceded by ‘Foreword’ by Dr. Jauhar Qudussi (pp. 4-5), a brief ‘Introduction’ (pp. 7-12) by the author, ‘Preface’ by Dr. Muzaffar Hussain Nadwi (pp. 13-32), and a Bibliography (pp. 30-31). These chapters explore the lives and legacies of Shaykh Yaqub Sarfi Kashmiri, al-Sheikh Rifa-ah al-Tahtawi, al-Syed Jamal ud-in Afghani, al-Sheikh Mohammad al-Abduh, Muhammad Rashid Riza, Hafiz Ibrahim, Mustafa Lutfi al-Manfalooti, Abdu Rahman al-Shokri, Abbas Mahmood al-Aqqad, Ibrahim Abdul Qadir al-Mazini, Ahmad Qandeel. Each chapter provides a critical examination of the subject’s life, works, and contributions to Arabic language and literature.

Dr. Qudussi and Dr. Nadwi commend the author for such a noble addition to the knowledge, describing it as an “appreciable work” that helps us in understanding the different dimensions of the life and contributions of 11 influential figures of Arabic Language and Literature. The reason behind writing this book is mentioned in the Introduction.

The first chapter enlightens the biographical sketch of Shaykh Yaqub Sarfi Kashmiri (928-1005), a Kashmiri jurist, scholar, poet, artist, author, exegete and Traditionist, and Sufi Shaykh of the Kubrawi Hamadani order. The chapter critically discusses the literary contributions of Shaykh Yaqub Sarfi and how Sufism is dominated in his writings. It also elaborates his unique calibre in Arabic language and poetry (pp. 33-45). 

The second chapter critically focusses on life and works of Rifa ah Rafi al-Ṭahṭawi (1801-1873) who was a teacher, a scholar and one “of the first Egyptians to grapple with the question of adjusting to the West and to provide answers in Islamic terms”. (p. 48)

The third chapter sheds light on the biography of Sayyid Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1839/39-97), who is considered “among the top outstanding figures of the nineteenth century” and “a defender and reformist thinker of Islam”(pp. 57, 58, 69).

The fourth chapter explores the biography and works of Sheikh Muḥammad Abduh (1849- 1905), a religious intellectual, jurist, scholar and liberal reformer, who led the 19th-century movement to revitalize Islamic teachings and institutions in the modern world. He advocated reforms in Islamic law, administration, and higher education and, although resisted by conservatives, “he broke the barriers of Muslim ritual, dogma, and family ties despite facing severe opposition by the conservatives” (pp. 82, 83).

The fifth chapter presents the biography and literary contributions of “Muhammad Rashid Rida” (pp. 111-123), an Islamic scholar, reformer, theologian and revivalist who outlined an “intellectual response to the pressures of the modern Western world in the light of Islamic tradition” (p.122).

The sixth chapter deals with the life and works of famous Egyptian poet Hafiz Ibrahim (1871-1932). With honorary names like “Poet of the Nile” and “Poet of the People”, and for his commitment to the poor, his “poetry gave voice the concerns of the majority of ordinary Egyptians, including poverty, education, women’s rights, criticism of the foreign occupation” (pp.144-145).

The seventh chapter encompasses the biography and literary contributions of Mustafa Lutfi el-Manfaluti (1876–1924), an Egyptian writer, essayist, short-story writer, and pioneer of modern Arabic prose. Al-Manfaluṭ’s had an easy writing style free from the existing ornamentation and exaggeration of rhymed prose. He had a lustre not found in the writings of his other contemporaries and it later formed the basis of the more accomplished modern Arabic narrative of subsequent generations of writers (pp. 158, 159).

The eighth chapter outlines the life and works of Abdel Rahman Shokry (1886 –1958), who was an Egyptian poet and among the pioneers of modern Arabic poetry. “Shukri was a romantic poet and an innovative critic of 20th century Arabic poetry who believes that poetry of fine arts is corrupt and the conventional poetry of eulogy, elegy, satire and description of daily political and social issues is the poetry of the false heart and that the true poet describes the passion of the soul to modern Arabic literature” (pp. 167, 68).

The ninth chapter critically examines the life and literary contributions of legendry polymath Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad (1889 –1964), an Egyptian journalist, poet, and literary critic whose “writings cover a broad spectrum of areas including criticism, poetry, Islamology, history, biography, science, philosophy, politics, and Arabic literature, and thus considered a polymath” (pp. 176,177).

The tenth chapter covers the biography and contributions of Ibrahim Abd al-Qadir al-Mazini (1890 –1949), an Egyptian poet, journalist, novelist, and translator. Mazini extensively wrote on literary criticism, and in 1921 co-authored the critical work al-Diwan with al-Aqqad and Shurki, which was a rebuttal to the conservative literary style represented by classical writers such as Mustafa Lutfi el-Manfaluti and Ahmed Shawqi. They emphasized that poetry should convey the poet’s experience and emotion rather than social and political issues.

The eleventh and the last chapter deals with the life and works of Ahmad Qandil (1911 –1979), a Saudi Arabian poet and writer who emerged as a folk-popular poet. “His works are sarcastic and graceful in expression which made him a writer closer to the popular choice” (pp. 201, 205).

Thus, through these biographical-cum-literary sketches of prominent literary figures, the book makes a significant addition to existing literature on the contributions of pioneers in Arabic language and literature.

The author’s lucid and simple writing style makes the book an interesting read for teachers, scholars, and students interested in exploring varied vistas and dimensions of Arabic language and literature.

• The author hails from Pulwama and is working as Assistant Professor, Arabic, at GDC Beerwah, Budgam.

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