al-Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi () (679/680 – 743 AD) was an
Arabian poet from
Kufa
Kufa ( ar, الْكُوفَة ), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000. Currently, Kufa and Najaf a ...
that used the language of the
Bedouins
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and Ar ...
to write poems in praise of the
Umayyads Umayyads may refer to:
*Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031)
*Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
:*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929)
:*Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...
, as well as
'Ali
Ali is a common unisex name.
In Arabic, Ali is derived from the Arabic root ʕ-l-w, which literally means "high", "elevated" or "champion", and is used as both a given name and surname. Islamic traditional use of the name goes back to the Isla ...
and his family. His ''Hashimiyyat'', was in praise of
Ahl al-Bayt and considered as one of ancient evidence of doctrine of
Imamat
{{expand Arabic, date=April 2021
The term imamate or ''imamah'' ( ar, إمامة, ''imāmah'') means "leadership" and refers to the office of an '' imam'' or a state ruled by an ''imam''.
Theology
*Imamate, in Sunni doctrine the caliphate
:* Naqsh ...
.
He was a schoolteacher at a local mosque until he was encouraged to write poetry instead. He wrote several series of poems including: his ''Mudhahhaba'', his ''Malhama'', and, arguably his most famous series, the ''Hāshimīyyāt''. al-Kumayt was imprisoned by the caliph for his writings and escaped through the help of his wife.
He later received a pardon from the caliph and was allowed to return to Kufa. While going to recite a poem, al-Kumayt was attacked by his Yemeni guards and killed. It is believed that the ''Hāshimīyyāt'' and it's supposedly pro-'Alid poetry led to his assassination. While much of his poetry is controversial, it is generally not disputed that he wrote well of both the 'Alids and the
Umayyads Umayyads may refer to:
*Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031)
*Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
:*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929)
:*Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...
.
His poems, the ''Hāshimīyyāt'', have been edited by J. Horovitz (Leiden, 1904). An account of him is contained in the ''Kitab ul-Aghani'', xv.113-130.
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Criticism
al-Kumayt's poetry has been the subject of critical analysis by his contemporaries and modern scholars. Below are some of things that have been said of his poetry:
*Abu 'Ikrima has said: "But for the poetry of al-Kumayt bn ZaydLanguage would have no interpreter, nor Eloquence a tongue".
*Al-Farazdaq said: "Al-Kumayt was the poet of the first and the last" ("The Great Revolutionary…”)
*An article by van Gelder suggests that al-Kumayt's poetry lacks "concreteness" and "vivid description".[Van Gelder 99]
* al-Mufaddal, said: "Recite to me any of his motifs that you find extraordinary, and I shall give you the same from ealArab .e._bedouin.html"_;"title="bedouin.html"_;"title=".e._bedouin">.e._bedouin">bedouin.html"_;"title=".e._bedouin">.e._bedouinpoems!”.
*al-Hari-ri_said:_"al-_Kumayt_was_one_of_those_who_made_artificial_poetry_and_to_whom_it_does_not_come_naturally".[Van_Gelder_100]
_Controversy
There_is_controversy_surrounding_al-Kumayt_and_if_his_sympathies_lay_with_'Ali_
Ali_is_a_common_unisex_name._
In_Arabic,_Ali_is_derived_from_the_Arabic_root_ʕ-l-w,_which_literally_means_"high",_"elevated"_or_"champion",_and_is_used_as_both_a_given_name_and__surname._Islamic_traditional_use_of_the_name_goes_back_to_the_Isla_...