The Literary Heritage of the Arabs samples some of the finest literature produced by Arab writers from pre-Islamic times to the Abbasid Dynasty. The selection of poetry and prose spans many genres and styles, from the tragic to the comic, the wistful to the mystical, and the courtly to the lowly.



The Literary Heritage of the Arabs samples some of the finest literature produced by Arab writers from pre-Islamic times to the Abbasid Dynasty. The selection of poetry and prose spans many genres and styles, conveying the full range of Arab experiences and perspectives - from the tragic to the comic, the wistful to the mystical, and the courtly to the lowly. This volume includes Arabian odes (or Mu'allaqat), the pre-eminent poetic form in pre-Islamic tribal society; selections from the Holy Qur'an, which revolutionized Arab spiritual and poetic sensibility and contributed a literary exemplar and inspiration that has endured to this day; samples of Hadith that testify to the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad; and examples of poetry produced during the Umayyad dynasty. The anthology concludes with a cornucopia of poetry and prose that flourished during the Abbasid period - the fruit of vibrant cross-cultural interaction and influence - such as the poetry of rivalry, love, adventure and mystic transcendence, as well as prose conveying scientific innovation, philosophical inquiry, theological disputation and historical analysis