http://www.al-bab.com/arab/literature/lit.htm
Pre-Islamic literature
Struktur bahwasa Arab kaya dgn pola kata2 harmonis, dgn ritme dan syair yg menyanjung2. The earliest known literature emerged in northern Arabia around 500 AD and took the form of poetry which was recited aloud, memorised and handed down from one generation to another. It began to be written down towards the end of the seventh century. The most celebrated poems of the pre-Islamic period were known as the mu'allaqat ("the suspended"), reputedly because they were considered sufficiently outstanding to be hung on the walls of the ka'ba in Makkah.
The typical poem of this period is the qasidah (ode), which normally consists of 70-80 pairs of half-lines. Traditionally, they describe the nomadic life, opening with a lament at an abandoned camp for a lost love. The second part praises the poet's horse or camel and describes a journey, with the hardships it entails. The third section contains the main theme of the poem, often extolling the poet's tribe and villifying its enemies.
The poets of Arabia - selections
More about Arabic literature:
Wikipedia; encyclopedia.com
Classical Arabic prose
The birth of Arabic prose as a literary form is attributed to the Persian secretarial class who served under the Abbasid caliphs (750-1256) in Baghdad. Ibn al-Muqaffa' (died 757) was a convert to Islam who translated classical Persian works into Arabic. He became famous as the author of Kalila and Dimna, a series of didactic fables in which two jackals offer moral and practical advice.
al-JAHIZ (776-869) developed Arabic prose into a literary vehicle of precision and elegance. Born in Basrah, he was noted for his wit and became one of Baghdad's leading intellectuals during the early Abbasid period. The most famous of his 200 works were:
Kitab al-Hayawan ("The Book of Animals"), an anthology of animal anecdotes.
Kitab al-Bayan wa al-Tabyin ("The Book of Elucidation and Exposition"), ostensibly about rhetoric but also covering history and science.
Kitab al-Bukhala’ ("The Book of Misers"), amusing but perceptive observations on psychology.
Literatur PRA-Islam**
Literatur PRA-Islam**
Last edited by ali5196 on Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
http://www.al-bab.com/arab/literature/lit.htm
The invention of paper
PAPER was introduced to the Arab world long before it became available in Europe - and this partly accounts for the early development of Arabic literature.
Parchment or papyrus was generally used until the 8th century when the first Chinese paper was imported into Iraq, probably along the silk route via Samarqand. Shortly afterwards, the first paper mill was established in Baghdad, and others followed. By the end of the 10th century, paper had replaced parchment and papyrus in the Arab world.
The Muslim conquest of Spain brought paper-making into Europe. The English word "ream" (meaning 500 sheets) is derived through Spanish and French from the Arabic rizmah ("a bundle").
The invention of paper
PAPER was introduced to the Arab world long before it became available in Europe - and this partly accounts for the early development of Arabic literature.
Parchment or papyrus was generally used until the 8th century when the first Chinese paper was imported into Iraq, probably along the silk route via Samarqand. Shortly afterwards, the first paper mill was established in Baghdad, and others followed. By the end of the 10th century, paper had replaced parchment and papyrus in the Arab world.
The Muslim conquest of Spain brought paper-making into Europe. The English word "ream" (meaning 500 sheets) is derived through Spanish and French from the Arabic rizmah ("a bundle").