Philosophical and ascetic poetry of Abu-l-Atahiya

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of one aspect of the works of the famous medieval poet Abu-l-Atahiya. The article examines the main motive of philosophical and ascetic poetry of Abu-l-Atahiya. It also contains translations of some poems of Abu-l-Atahiya, which are published for the first time. The article is devoted to the study of one aspect of the works of the famous medieval poet Abu-l-Atahiya. The article examines the main motive of philosophical and ascetic poetry of Abu-l-Atahiya. It also contains translations of some poems of Abu-l-Atahiya, which are published for the first time. Abu-l-Atahiya is considered as a founder of the literary genre zuhdiyyat which is characterized by philosophical approach to life. The appearance of this genre was largely due to social situation prevailing at that time in the country. The lack of stability in the country and the constant political conspiracies resulted finally in two basic aspirations — on the one hand, the search for a fleeting pleasure, on the other hand — the conscious rejection of pleasures that would provide eternal bliss in the next life. That is why poetry of Abu-l-Atahiya contains veiled, but quite strong criticism of manners that prevailed in the country.

Keywords:

Arabic, Arabic literature, poetry, medieval poetry, the poetry of the Abbasid period, philosophical and ascetic poetry