Hasan Ibn Thabit | His Life and Poetic Career
Hasan Ibn Thabit | His Life and Poetic Career
Hasan Ibn Thabit | His Life and Poetic Career
Brief Life Sketch: Hasan Ibn Thabit was a popular and famous poet of the early Islamic period. He is famous in history as ‘Shayerur Rasool’ (Poet of the Messenger). He was the only poet during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who responded to the poems written by non-Muslim poets insulting and attacking Islam and the Prophet. He also wrote many poems in praise of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was pleased with his actions and said to him, “O Hasan, your reward from Allah in the Hereafter is Paradise.”Â
Hasan ibn Thabit was born in Medina around 563 AD to the Khazraj tribe. His real name was Abul Hasan Walid Hasan ibn Thabit al Ansari. He was a relative of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on his mother’s side. He established himself as a professional poet in the pre-Islamic period. He recited poetry with the poets Al-A’sha and Al-Khansa at the famous Ukaz Fair in Mecca. He received a regular scholarship for composing poems in praise of the princes and princesses of the Gachsanaid dynasty. He also composed poems in praise of the Hira kings and won many prizes.
After the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated to Medina, he converted to Islam along with other inhabitants of Medina and helped the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in various ways. It is said that he was physically weak and could not help the Prophet in any battle. But he helped spread Islam through poetry.Â
After the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated to Medina, Islam began to rise and then some influential persons of Mecca, such as Abu Safyan bin al-Haris, ‘Abd ibn Muttalib, ‘Abdullah bin al-Jibara, ‘Amr bin al-Ash and Dirar, were alarmed at the rise of Islam and they began to oppose the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) consulted with his Companions and appointed three men-Hasan ibn Thabit, Abdullah ibn Rawaha, and Kab ibn Malik, to respond to their opposition. Hasan bin Thabit and Ka’b bin Malik responded to the poetry written by anti-Islamic poets denouncing the Prophet and Islam. Abdullah bin Rawaha began to write poetry satirizing the superstitions, blind faiths, and corrupted social system of the Quraysh.
It is narrated that the Prophet ordered Hasan bin Thabit to recite poetry by climbing up the minaret of the mosque in Medina. After the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in 632 AD, Thabit almost ceased to compose poetry, but he composed some eulogies and elegies describing the virtues of ‘Umar and ‘Uthman.
Hassan bin Thabit, who served Islam with poetry, died in 674 AD.
Poetic Career: Hassan bin Thabit was a poet by nature and composed many poems by word of mouth. His poems can be classified into five categories: satirical poetry, mourning poetry, praise poetry, love poetry and joyful poetry.Â
Hassan bin Thabit wrote more than two thousand satires and elegies. He is said to have written about 1,000 poems of three to twenty lines. Those poems were composed satirizing Abu Sufyan, Ibn al-Jibara, Amr bin al-Ash, Hatim bin Hisham and Abu Jahl. He belittled them by comparing them to monkeys, goats, ostriches, and foxes.
His poems of mourning were written on the martyrs of the battles of Badr and Uhud. He wrote a long poem mourning the death of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He also composed elegies lamenting the death of Hazrat Uthman (RA), Hazrat Umar (RA), Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib and others.
In some poems, he described the virtues and glories of his own clan.
Before converting to Islam, Hasan bin Thabit wrote many love poems where he portrayed the charming beauty of women.
The poems he composed after his conversion to Islam are entirely based on Islamic philosophy. In a poem he wrote–
”O Lord, Your position is very high and dignified from those who believe in other gods
You alone have all creativity, blessings, and wholeness
We are guided by You alone and we worship You alone.”
The language of his poetry is clear, profound and ornate. In some of his poems, he used unfamiliar and complex words.Â
In short, Hasan bin Thabit represented Islam and the Prophet through poetry in the early Islamic era and protected the Prophet from non-Muslim enemies through poetry. He was undoubtedly a first-rate poet of the early Islamic period. Unfortunately, many of his poems have been lost due to a lack of preservation. This is an irreparable loss to the Arabic language and literature.
Read More: A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Pre-Islamic Period (500 AD-622 AD)
Note: The article ‘Hasan Ibn Thabit | Hasan Ibn Thabit His Life and Poetic Career’ originally belongs to the book entitled ‘A Brief History of the Arabic Literature: Early Islamic Period (622 AD -661 AD)’ by Menonim Menonimus.
The Qur’an: Source of Arabic Language and Literature
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