Poetry and Poets

“Poetry and Poets” is one of the oldest books compiled on the biographies of poets. It was written by Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Qutaybah al-Dinawari (d. 276 AH/889 AD), one of the imams of the third century AH. He was from the class of al-Jahiz among the Mu’tazilites, a proficient imam with many publications.
“Poetry and Poets” is one of the most important books on poets. It is considered an authentic source and an important reference in its field. It bears a strong resemblance to “Tabaqat Fuhool al-Shu’ara” by Ibn Sallam al-Jumahi. In this book, Ibn Qutaybah was not only keen to include all the poets, list them, and trace their biographies, but also limited himself to the most famous among them. He says in the introduction to the book: “My main focus was on the famous poets known to most literary figures, and whose poetry can be cited as evidence in matters of uncommon language, grammar, the Book of God Almighty, and the hadiths of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him).” Ibn Qutaybah also did not classify poets into classes, as others did. Rather, his concern was translation, collecting poets’ accounts, and selecting a group of their poems to cite as examples or on appropriate occasions. He observed chronological order in his treatment of poets, and most of his biographers were ancient poets. However, he included biographies of some modern poets, such as Abu al-Atahiya, Muslim ibn al-Walid, al-Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf, and others of similar stature. The book features a valuable critical introduction, considered by researchers to be among the first examples of literary criticism accompanied by reasons. In it, he explains the book’s methodology and the purpose of its composition, saying: “This is a book I have composed on poetry. In it, I discuss the poets, their times, their stature, and their circumstances in their poetry, their tribes, their fathers’ names, and those known by their nicknames or kunyas. I also discuss the most desirable accounts of the poets and the most desirable poetry, the errors and mistakes scholars have found in their wording or meanings, and the precedents of those who came before them, which later generations have adopted.” It discusses the categories and classes of poetry, and the ways in which poetry is chosen and appreciated…”