Antarah ibn Shaddad

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'Antara Ibn Shaddād al-'Absi عنترة بن شداد العبسي, born in Laiwa (now Liwa in the Rub' al Khali desert in United Arab Emirates) was a pre-Islamic Arab hero and poet (fl. 580 CE), who was famous both for his poetry and his adventurous life. What many consider his best or chief poem is contained in the Mu'allaqat. The account of his life forms the basis of a long and extravagant romance.

Antara was the son of Shaddād, a well respected member of the tribe of 'Abs, and of Zabaibah, an African slave. The tribe neglected Antara at first as an illegitimate son or slave, due to his color and slave lineage. Nevertheless, Antara soon claimed attention and respect for himself by his remarkable personal qualities and courage in battle, excelling as an accomplished poet and a mighty warrior. When the tribe needed his assistance to fend off another tribe in battle, Shaddād acknowledged Antara as his son, and granted him freedom.

Antara fell in love with his cousin Abla, and sought to marry her despite his status as a slave. To secure allowance to marry, Antara had to face some challenges including getting a special kind of camel from the northern Arabian kingdom of al-No'man Ibn al-Munthir Ibn Ma' al-Sama'.

Antara took part in the great war between the related tribes of Abs and Dhubyān, which began over a contest of horses and was named after them the war of Dāhis and Ghabrā. He died in a fight against the tribe of Tai.

Antara's poetry is well preserved, and often talks of chivalry values, courage and heroism in battle, as well as his love for Abla. It was immortalized when one of his poems was included in the Hanged Poems. The poetry's historical and cultural importance stems from its detailed descriptions of battles, armour, weapons, horses, desert and other themes from his time.

The Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote his Symphony No. 2 based on the legend of Antar.

[edit] References

Antara's poems are published in Wilhelm Ahlwardt's The Diwans of the six ancient Arabic Poets (London, 1870); they have also been published separately at Beirût (1888). As regards their genuineness, cf. W. Ahlwardt's Bemerkungen uber die Aechtheit der alten arabichen Gedichte (Greifswald, 1872), pp.50ff. The Romance of 'Antar (Sîrat 'Antar ibn Shaddâd) is a work which was long handed down by oral tradition only, has grown to immense proportions and has been published in 32 vols. at Cairo, 1307 (A.D. 1889), and in 10 vols. at Beirût, 1871. It was partly translated by Terrick Hamilton under the title 'Antar, a Bedoueen Romance (4 vols., London, 1820).

For an account of the poet and his works see Heinrich Thorbecke, Antarah, ein vorislamischer Dichter (Leipzig, 1867), and cf. the Book of Songs (see Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani), vol. vii. pp. 148-153.