The Lamp of the Arabs

The "Lāmiyyat al-‘Arab" by al-Shanfarī holds a great position in Arabic poetry, and it is a poem issued only by an authentic poet, and therefore it received the attention of Arabic scholars old and new, rarely has a poem received such care. It was explained by each of: al-Tabrizi (502 AH), al-Zamakhshari (538 AH), al-‘Ukbari (616 AH), Ibn Abi Tay al-Najjar al-Ghasani (630 AH), Ibn Malik al-Ta’i al-Nahwi (672 AH), Abu Juma’a Sa’id ibn Mas’ud al-Magusi (1016 AH), Ibn Zakur al-Fasi (1121 AH), and ‘Ata Allah al-Masri (1188 AH). Many Orientalists also took interest in this captivating poem, publishing it from different original manuscripts, translating some into their languages, and studying it extensively. Commentators found in it rich linguistic material, exquisite literary images, and valuable meanings. The Orientalists saw in it a well-crafted document of Bedouin life in the Arabian Peninsula during the Jahiliyyah era, their interest driven by social and historical purposes. The poem consists of 68 verses in the long meter. It is worth mentioning that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was reported to have said: "Teach your children the poem of al-Shanfarī, for it teaches them noble morals." In pursuit of this noble goal and to enhance the status of the Arabic language, I wanted to publish this poem accompanied by a brief explanation and illustrated drawings that clarify the meanings for the reader, in an unprecedented step. I have also included a brief translation of the poet before it. Year of publication: 2018 Language: Arabic Number of pages: 176 Number of parts: 1