Arabic literature
Arabic literature comprises poetry, prose, drama, and other literary works written in Arabic across diverse periods and regions.
Pre-Islamic poetry: Arabic poetry composed before the rise of Islam, preserved chiefly through later oral and written transmission. The celebrated odes and oral culture of this period shaped Arabic poetic conventions.
Arabic poetry: Poetry composed in Arabic, shaped by classical metrical traditions as well as modern experiments. Poetry is among the tradition's oldest and most influential forms.
Imru' al-Qais: A sixth-century Arabian poet traditionally credited with one of the most celebrated pre-Islamic odes. His poetry helped establish the prestige and conventions of the classical ode.
Persian literature: Literary works written in Persian across poetry, prose, and other forms. Its close historical exchanges with Arabic literature make language and literary influence distinct questions.
Arabic literary criticism: The study and evaluation of Arabic literary works through historical, formal, and theoretical approaches. Criticism traces how Arabic works are interpreted across changing cultural and intellectual contexts.
Qur'an: The Islamic scripture in Arabic, regarded by Muslims as divine revelation and renowned for its distinctive language and style. Its language transformed Arabic literary expression and became a lasting stylistic reference.
Qasida: A long Arabic ode traditionally organized around a single meter and rhyme, with a sequence of thematic sections. The qasida became a central classical form and a model for poetic craft.
Al-Jahiz: A ninth-century Basran prose writer and thinker known for works on language, society, and natural history. His lively essays exemplify the intellectual range of Abbasid prose.
Hebrew literature: Literary works written in Hebrew across ancient, medieval, and modern periods. Its history offers a comparison with another literary tradition shaped by religious texts and diaspora.
Arabic literary translation: The translation of Arabic literary works into other languages or of works into Arabic. Translation carries Arabic writing across languages while raising questions of style and cultural context.