The Pre - Islamic odes or what is collectively called in Arabic "Mu'alaqat" are long Arabic odes. They are seven , though other opinions say that they are nine or ten by adding two or three other poets. They are considered the best of Arabic poetry written in Arabia before Islam. "Mu'alaqa" or plural (Mu'allaqat) can be literally translated into English as "the suspended odes", since, due to the immense appreciation of them, they were hung on the Ka'ba curtains in Mecca. The Arabs were so interested in poetry and valued it to an extent that they considered the poet as the tongue of the tribe and the defender of its dignity and heroic image. As a result, the Mu'allaqat were written in gold and hung on the Ka'ba curtains. That is why, they are called sometimes "the golden or gilded odes". These poets lived and prospered in the sixth century AD. The earliest of the seven was Imru' Ul-Qais, who is known as the best and first poet who composed the Arabic ode (qaseedah). These odes have no titles; but they are named after the names of their poets who are as follows:

1.Imru' Ul-Qais
2.Antara Ibn Shaddad.
3.Zuhair Ibn Abi Sulma.
4.Amr Ibn Kulthoum.
5.Al-Harith Ibn Hiliza
6.Labeed Alameri.
7.Tarfa Ibn Alabd.

For the English reader, to understand the significance and grasp the beauty of these odes, he/she must transfer himself/herself to that barren land and co-exist theoretically in that atmosphere and ambience. The Mu'alaqa of Imru` Ul-Qais is the most lively and dramatic one. It gives series of the moving and fluctuating desert life, presenting colorful images of the poet's life like surprising the girls bathing in the pond, listening to their speeches at night, or even weeping on the relics of a lost kingdom. The prince has an aspiring soul for life and that is why he strives to get it back at any cost.

The Mu'alaqa of Tarfa might be the weirdest ode for the English reader. The poet talks in very deep details about his camel. He makes an analogy between his beloved that is full of beauty and the camels that are laden with goods. He allots almost one third of the ode for a long and delightful description of his camel. Before feeling indifferent or weird about this, we have too keep in mind the atmosphere of Arabia at that time ,and supposedly till now. Of all the other animals, camels have a special prestige in the Bedouin life. They even have, in Arabic, more than sixty names based on their sex, age, color, physical conditions, and their relation to some historical incidents. Then he goes on with the rest of the ode to say that this life is short and that he must enjoy it fully without worrying about what might happen tomorrow. To the end of the ode, he elucidates his great performance in war.

The Mu'allaqa of Zuhair is characterized by the huge amount of wild metaphors. War is like a frightening monster, or it may be the twin of famine. Another wild metaphor is when he describes the two warring parties in the notorious war of (Dahis and AL-Ghabraa), as camels led to eat poisoned weed, or drink bad water. The ode in general is a celebration of peace and peace makers.

In the Mu'allaqa of Labeed, we touch the rhetorically lyrical eulogy of its verses. All the odes start with the traditional remembrance of the relics and women, but the one of Labeed, in the opinion of many, exceeds all of them due to its beauty of imagination and tenderness of articulation. The reader of this ode will find very brilliant images of the Arabs` life at that time. Broad images that entice him/her to fill with small self imagined details. We see the poet in many places. He is in a pub with his friends drinking wine stored in leather containers, while the female flute player is caressing the strings gently to please them. He sponsors games and allots prizes to the winners. Widows and needy people flock in front of his tent to take what he will generously give. He wakes up in the morning to defend the honor of his tribe against invaders. All these images make the ode an inevitable must read.

The Mu'allaqa of Antara is a mix of the tender and pastoral expressions with the moments of killing and revenge. Through this ode, we come to know of poetic mosaic of the Arabs' life at that time. At one time , we see him remembering the deportation of the tribe and how the tents were demolished. At another, we see the hero poet drinking luxurious wine that he bought with glittering gold coins. There are also many images that though they might seem ordinary, yet they are put in a very delicate frame, like a secret rendezvous with a girl from an enemy tribe, violent encounters with a strong knight, etc…

Different from the other odes, the Mu'allaqa of Amr starts with the poet talking loudly to his wine and praising its qualities. Then, like other poets, he moves to elaborate rhetorically the beauty of his beloved. The rest of the ode is about pride of his tribe (Taghlib), and an arrogant description of their power, great deeds, beauty of their women, and the homage that other tribes give to his. According to many Arab literary critics, this ode has verses about pride more than any poetry written in Arabic.

The Mu'allaqa of Al-Harith came as a defense against the Mu'allaqa of Amr. It has almost the same themes of the previous ode, where the poet claims pride and bravery for his tribe. It is a delicate sample of the fine art of rhetoric and epic poetry. Its great amount of imagery and its historical values make it the best example of political poetry at that time. This ode encompassed uniquely in its lines mind, history, poetry and speech.

The best and most famous poets of that era are Imru' Ul-Qais, Antara Ibn Shaddad and Zuhair Ibn Abi Sulma.

Imru' Ul-Qais is an Arab poet of the 6th century. He is the son of the last king of Kindah. He lived for almost thirty three years. The father-son relationship was not well at all times, due to the luxurious and lustful life that Imru` Ul-Qais used to lead. Yet, the assassination of his father had a major shift in the poet's life, for he determined to seek his father's blood. His most famous saying is when he was informed of the assassination, and he was drunk:" today is for wine, tomorrow is for war". Many historians refer to him as the lost king, for he was overthrown even before he became a king . To seek his revenge, he moved from one place to another. His last place was the court of the Romanian emperor Justinian I. People in the court spread rumors to the emperor that Imru'Ul-Qais is having an affair with a princess. In revenge, the emperor sent Imru' Ul-Qais a poisoned cloak which caused his death very soon.

A translation of an excerpt from Imru' Ul-Qais' ode:
Stop, o my friends, and help me weep,
over the reminiscence of a home and a beloved,
at the edge of the desert between Dakhool and Hawmal.
The vestiges of Tawdih and Miqrat are never gone,
the south wind sweeps and the north one sweeps back.
Do you see now!
The dung of antelopes fill the courtyard and the walks,
Like seeds of pepper

At the morning of that separation day,
I stood bewildered.
Like someone getting the seeds of colocynth out,
I had to shed tears.
Standing beside me while I sit lamenting,
they tell me to stand the pain
or I will die of grief

O, my friends,
my cure lies in tears,
though gushing them will never condole.
When I was with Um Ul-Huwairith and Um Ul-Rabab in Ma'sal ,
the breeze prevails, as they walk,
like a wind blowing on cloves.
So, I cried in a tender passion,
not knowing that the tears have wetted my sword's belt.

(Translated by Safaa Sheikh Hamad )

Antara Ibn Shaddad is an Arab hero and poet from the tribe of Abs. He was neglected by his father at the beginning of his life due to his black color, for his mother was a female slave from Abyssinia. Yet, he got the attention of his father and the tribe when he defended them against some raiders. He participated effectively in the war of Dahis and Al-Ghabraa. He was in love with his cousin Abla, and had to face many challenges to get her. He died in a fight against the tribe of Tai.

A translation of an excerpt from Antara Ibn Shaddad's ode:

O, daughter of Malik !
If you are ignorant of me, ask the knights,
About me when I was on the saddle of a restless horse
that warriors succeeded to wound .
At one time, I take him to lance the foes,
at another, I join the fellow archers.
The knights would tell you
that I indulge relentlessly in war,
but to booty, I turn my back.

An armed knight the valiant feared to fight,
challenged me and there he was .
A quick stab he was gifted
by a lance, ever hard, ever straitened.
I let my lance roam in garments and chest
for the nobles are never forbidden to such
Then I left him a prey for lions
Eroding the beauty of his wrist and fingers.


(Translated by Safaa Sheikh Hamad )

Zuhair Ibn Abi Sulma is an Arab poet who belonged to the tribe of Muzainah. He is descended from a long genealogical line of poets; his two sisters and his two sons Ka'b and Buhair were poets as well. He is considered by many as the philosopher of all Arab poets. He lived for ninety eight years.
A translation of an excerpt from Zuhair Ibn Abi Sulma's ode:

An oath, I take, by the House
the men of Quraish and Juraham walk around.
You, the two noblemen are worthy of honor,
at easy and distressful times.
For you have saved Abs and Dhubyan
after they warred and grinded the perfume of Munshim.
There you said, "let peace prevail among the tribes
By money and good words"

War, indeed, is but what you have seen.
This, my saying, is beyond doubts.
When you stir it up, it will rise.
Beware war and what might entail.
It shall smash you like seeds in grinding milestones

I have grown weary of the burdens of life
He who lives eighty shall never hail.
Like a blind camel in a battlefield,
Death kills whom he meets,
And saves whom he does not.

(Translated by Safaa Sheikh Hamad )

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Safaa Sheikh Hamad.
Writer and translator
Iraq