The mayor in the art of poetry and its criticism 2m

The Masterpiece in the Virtues of Poetry, Its Manners, and Criticism" by Abu Ali Al-Hassan ibn Rashiq Al-Qayrawani. A precious book, it gathers the best sayings about the meanings of poetry, its virtues, and its excellence. It is the reason for the fame of its author, and his name became well-known and widely spread because of it. This book has gained widespread dissemination and good acceptance, which prompted scholars to praise it, such as Ibn Khaldun, who said: The book "Al-Umda" is the only book that has specialized in this craft and given it its due, and no one before or after has written about it like him. The value of (Al-Umda) in criticism and rhetoric was evident in the topics Ibn Rashiq chose for his book, most of which focused on the critique of poetry itself, its structure, history, and related discussions of meter, rhyme, artistic images, and the relationship between words and meaning. He balanced between them, even though his words tend to favor the latter over the former. He provided examples from both the printed and the crafted, followed by opinions on Abu Tammam, Al-Buhturi, Ibn Al-Mu'taz, and Bashar. Although this book compiles the sayings of predecessors in poetry, rhetoric, and criticism, its author added new insights, indicating his vast knowledge, precise understanding, and pure taste. It makes his book an important starting point for those interested in critical studies based on rhetorical foundations. And now, this is the "Al-Umda" in its new guise, and all we hope is that we have contributed something to the heritage of our nation, as a duty owed to it.