THE POETRY OF THE BAKR TRIBE IN THEIR POLITICO-TRIBA'L ROLE FROM 1-132 AH, WITH A

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THE POETRY OF THE BAKR TRIBE IN THEIR
POLITICO-TRIBA'L ROLE FROM 1-132 A.H., WITH
A DETAILED STUDY OF FOUR BAKRl POETS
by
Khalil Saleh Saleem Abu-Rahmeh
A thesis submitted for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
the School of Oriental and African Studies,
University of London,
May, 1981
ProQuest Number: 10731469
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ABSTRACT
This thesis is a study of the poetry of the Bakr
tribe in their politico-tribal role from the early Islamic
period up to the fall of the Umayyad dynasty in 132 A.H.,
with a detailed study of four prominent Bakri poets. It
consists of two parts. The earlier part consists of four
chapters, the first of which contains a general survey of
the politico-tribal interrelationship of the main Bakrite
clans on the eve of Islam, including a brief account of
their religion before Islam,and the conversion of the
majority to Islam shortly before the death of the Prophet.
The second chapter is on the role of Bakr in the Riddsth
movement and their poetry in that context. Chapter III
tackles the migration of Bakr throughout the period of the
Islamic conquests and their settlement in the conquered
lands, especially in Iraq and Khurasan where the conquerors
settled in k'hitat designed on tribal lines thus reinforcing
their tribal polarity. Subsequently great tribal blocs
and alliances emerged and were among the major motive factors
of the Umayyad era. This re-emergence of tribalism had a
clear impact upon politics and poetry. Most of the poets
devoted much of their poetry to defending their tribes and
glorifying their heroic deeds. This chapter also studies
briefly tribal factors in the emergence and history of the
Khawarij, which was the only movement heavily dependent on the
Bakr for warriors, leaders and poets. The fourth chapter
examines the poetry of the Bakrites in respect to their
politico-tribal role from the Great Fitnah that culminated
in the killing of the third caliph, ’Uthman, to the fall
of the Umayyad dynasty.
Part Two consists of a foreword’and four chapters
devoted to a detailed study of four well-known Bakri poets.
They are: Nahar b. Tawsi'ah, the most gifted Bakri poet in
Khurasan, al-'Udail b. al-Farkh who was described as the poet
of Bakr, Nabighat B. Shaiban, the only Bakri poet whose
diwan has survived, and ’Imran b, Hittan who embraced the
Kharijite beliefs and was a talented poet. He was the chief
of the Suxfrite sitters and their mufti.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am greatly indebted to my supervisor, Professor
T. M. Johnstone, whose direction, help and encouragement
have guided me through the course of my study and helped
me to finalize this research.
I should like to express my deepest gratitude to my
wife for her support, endurance and constant encouragement
while taking care of the home and children.
My thanks are due to the librarians and staff of the
library of the School of Oriental and African Studies and
those of the British Museum. I have also to acknowledge
help from the University of London library, the University
of Edinborough library and other libraries which provided
me with useful material not otherwise available. I am
grateful also to all my friends for their much needed
encouragement and help in the preparation of this study.
I would like, as well, to express my profound thanks to Yarrnouk
University for providing me with a scholarship which enabled
me to complete this work.
V
Dedicated
to the soul of my late brother, Muhammad,
to whom I was unable to say my final
farewell due to the circumstances of my study.
vi
ABBREVIATIONS AND READING CONVENTIONS
b. (between two names) Ibn
B . Banu
E.I. The Encyclopedia of Islam
S.E.I. Short Encyclopedia of Islam
Abbreviations of book titles are given immediately after
their titles in the Bibliography.
Vll
CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
DEDICATION v
ABBREVIATIONS AND READING CONVENTIONS vi
PART ONE
CHAPTER I : THE POLITICAL AND TRIBAL RELATIONS
OF BAKR ON THE EVE OF- ISLAM 1
CHAPTER II : BAKRI POETRY ON THE SUBJECT OF
THE RIDDAH 59
CHAPTER III : THE MIGRATIONS AND ALLIANCES OF
BAKR 79
Emigration throughout the Islamic
Conquest 79
Tribal Blocs and Alliances 93
CHAPTER IV BAKRI POETRY IN RELATION TO THEIR
POLITICO-TRIBAL ROLE FROM
AL-FITNAH AL-KUBRA TILL THE END
OF THE UMAYYAD ERA 109
PART TWO
INTRODUCTION 172
CHAPTER V NAHAR B. TAWSI'AH 177
CHAPTER VI AL-’UDAIL B. AL-FARKH 214
CHAPTER VII NABIGHAT B. SHAIBAN 281
Al-Nabighah's Religion 293
The Diwan of Al-Nabighah 300
A General Account of the Poetry
of Al-Nabighah and of its Most
Salient Features 306
The Descriptive Poetry of Al-
Nabighah 312
Vlll
The Fakhr Poetry of Al-Nabighah 326
The Madh Poetry of Al-Nabighah 346
The Technical Characteristics
of the Poetry of Al-Nabighah 377
CHAPTER VIII: 'IMRAN B. HITTAN 386
BIBLIOGRAPHY: 431
PART ONE