Abū l-Ḥārith Ghaylān b. ʿUqba, generally known as Dhū al-Rumma ('the one with the frayed cord', possibly referring to a cord amulet; c. 696 – c. 735) was a Bedouin poet and a rāwī of al-Rāʿī al-Numayrī (died c. 715).Nefeli Papoutsakis, 'Dhū l-Rumma', in Encyclopædia of Islam, THREE, ed. by Kate Fleet and others (Leiden: Brilll, 2007-), s.v. . In the assessment of Nefeli Papoutsakis, 'he stands at the end of a long poetic tradition which, for the most part, expressed the ethos and intellectual preoccupations of the pre-Islamic tribal society of Bedouin Arabs—a fact reflected in the saying of Abū 'Amr b. al-'Alā' that "poetry was closed with Dū r-Rumma" '.Nefeli Papoutsakis, Desert Travel as a Form of Boasting: A Study of Dū r-Rumma's Poetry, Arabische Studien, 4 (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2009), p. 1.
Life
Little reliable information about Dhu ar-Rumma's life is available,But see C. H. H. Macartney, 'A Short Account of Dhu'r Rummah', in A Volume of Oriental Studies Presented to Edward G. Browne, M.A., M.B., F.B.A., F.R.C.P., Sir Thomas Adam's Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge on the 60th Birthday (7 February 1922), ed. by T. W. Arnold and Reynold A. Nicholson (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1922), pp. 293-303. but various later sources suggest the following: his mother was called Ẓabya and of the Asad tribe. He himself belonged to the ʿAdī tribe, which was part of the Ribāb confederation, and therefore probably lived in Al-Yamāma and its vicinity. He had three brothers, who also composed poetry: Hishām, Masʿūd, and Jirfās. He seems to have spent part of his life in the cities of Iraq, notably Basra and Kufa, where it seems he spent time with such poets as al-Farazdaq (d. c. 728 CE), Jarīr ibn 'Atiya (d. 728×29 CE), Ruʾba (d. 762 CE), and al-Kumayt (d. 743 CE), and the scholars Abū ʿAmr b. al-ʿAlāʾ (c. 770×72 CE), ʿĪsā b. ʿUmar al-Thaqafī (d. 766 CE), and Ḥammād al-Rāwiya (d. 772×73 CE). He may have been a professional poet. He fell in love with and later married a woman called Mayya, from the Banū Minqar (Tamīm), but his odes also celebrate one Ḥarqā', of the 'Āmir b. Ṣa'ṣa'a.
Work
Ar-Rumma's extensive diwan was widely studied, attracting commentaries from Abū Naṣr Aḥmad ibn Ḥātim al-Bāhilī (d. 846 CE) and (building on al-Bāhilī's) Abū al-ʿAbbās Thaʿlab (d. 904 CE).David Larsen, 'Towards a Reconstruction of Abū Naṣr al-Bāhilī’s K. Abyāt al-maʿānī,' in Approaches to the Study of Pre-modern Arabic Anthologies, ed. by Bilal Orfali and Nadia Maria El Cheikh, Islamic History and Civilization: Studies and Texts, 180 (Leiden: Brill, 2021), pp. 37-83 , . Its themes and forms included love poetry (in the nasīb and ghazal forms), self-praise (fakhr) about himself and his tribe, eulogy, invective, and riddles (among them the noted Uḥjiyyat al-ʿArab).Nefeli Papoutsakis, Desert Travel as a Form of Boasting: A Study of D̲ū r-Rumma's Poetry, Arabische Studien, 4 (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2009), p. 5-6, et passim. His poetry is particularly noted for its detailed descriptions of animals.Arie Schippers, 'Animal Descriptions in Two Qasīdahs by Dhu l-Rummah: Some Remarks', Journal of Arabic Literature, 23 (1992), 191–207, . The article includes a translation of the entirely of Dhū ar-Rumma's first ode.
In the assessment of Nefeli Papoutsakis, Contemporary views of his poetry were generally negative: he is said to have been incompetent in satire and eulogy (al-Jumaḥī, 551; al-Balādhurī, 10:238; al-Iṣfahānī 18:31), an unjustified criticism, due to the prevalence of travel fakhr in his poetry. He is, nevertheless, regarded as the best poet, in Islamic times, at drawing comparisons (al-Jumaḥī, 549; al-Iṣfahānī, 18:9). Despite all the reported criticisms, his poetry never ceased to be studied and was often quoted in lexicographical and grammatical works, as well as in adab literature, which speaks for its high artistic quality and popularity. Many prominent figures in Arabic letters—such as the poets al-Ṣanawbarī (d. c.334/945) and al-Maʿarrī (d. 449/1058), who wrote commentaries on his work, and literati, including the caliph Hārūn al-Rashīd (r. 170–93/786–809)—admired his talent. Dhū l-Rumma’s poetry represents a mature phase in the development of the Bedouin poetic tradition but also marks the end of its supremacy. This is succinctly expressed in Abū ʿAmr b. al-ʿAlāʾ’s saying that “poetry came to an end with Dhū l-Rumma” (al-Iṣfahānī, 18:9).
Lists of poems and manuscript first hemistichnumber in Abū ṢāliḥʿAbd al-Qaddūs Abū Ṣāliḥ () (ed.), Dīwān Dhī l-Rumma. Sharḥ Abī Naṣr al-Bāhilī, riwāyat Thaʿlab (), 2nd edn., 3 vols (Beirut 1982). Machine-readable version.number in MacartneyCarlile Henry Hayes Macartney (ed.), The dîwân of Ghailân Ibn ʿUqbah known as Dhu ’r-Rummah (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1919).metreما بال عينك منها الماء ينسكب 11basīṭخليلي عوجا عوجة ناقتيكما 264ṭawīlألا حي دارا قد أبان محيلها 369ṭawīlيا دار مية بالخلصاء فالجرد 420basīṭخليلي عوجا اليوم حتى تسلما 579ṭawīlتصابيت في أطلال مية بعد ما 640ṭawīlأقول لنفسي واقفا عند مشرف 753ṭawīlما هاج عينيك من الأطلال 863rajazقفا نحي العرصات الهمدا 914rajazذكرت فاهتاج السقام المضمر 1028rajazقلت لنفسي شبه التفنيد 11أ- هل تعرف المنزل بالوحيد11 22rajazأأن ترسمت من خرقاء منزلة 12أدارا بحزوى هجت للعين عبرة 1352ṭawīlدنا البين من مي فردت جمالها 1468ṭawīlألا يا اسلمي يا دار مي على البلى 1529ṭawīlخليلي لا رسم بوهبين مخبر 1630ṭawīlأقول لأطلاح برى هطلانها 1754ṭawīlألا حي أطلالا كحاشية البرد 1819ṭawīlأحادرة دموعك دار مي 1976wāfirكأن ديار الحي بالزرق خلقة 2018ṭawīlألا حي ربع الدار قفرا جنوبها 218ṭawīlبكيت وما يبكيك من رسم منزل 2243ṭawīlأمن دمنة بين القلات وشارع 2346ṭawīlخليلي عوجا الناعجات فسلما 24خليلي عوجا عوجة ناقتيكما 2548ṭawīlوقفت على ربع لمية ناقتي 265ṭawīlأمن دمنة جرت بها ذيلها الصبا 2711ṭawīlأخرقاء للبين استقلت حمولها 2849rajazأتعرف أطلالا بوهبين فالحضر 2935ṭawīlيا حاديي بنت فضاض أما لكما 309basīṭمررنا على دار لمية مرة 3182ṭawīlلمية أطلال بحزوى دواثر 3232ṭawīlألا حي عند الزرق دار مقام 3378ṭawīlأمن دمنة بالجو جو جلاجل 3447ṭawīlألا أيها الرسم الذي غير البلى 3516ṭawīlألم تسأل اليوم الرسوم الدوارس 3641ṭawīlيا دار مية بالخلصاء غيرها 3725basīṭألا أيهذا المنزل الدارس اسلم 3881ṭawīlأمنزلتي مي سلام عليكما 3910ṭawīlألا لا أرى كالدار بالزرق موقفا 4023ṭawīlعفا الدحل من مي فمحت منازله 4162ṭawīlأمنزلتي مي سلام عليكما 4245ṭawīlألا حي بالزرق الرسوم الخواليا 4387ṭawīlخليلي عوجا حييا رسم دمنة 4483ṭawīlخليلي عوجا من صدور الرواحل 4566ṭawīlيا دار مية لم يترك لها علما 4617basīṭنبت عيناك عن طلل بحزوى 4727wāfirألا حي المنازل بالسلام 4877wāfirلقد جشأت نفسي عشية مشرف4924ṭawīlقف العنس في أطلال مية فاسأل 5067ṭawīlأراح فريق جيرتك الجمالا 5157wāfirأتتنا من نداك مبشرات 5259wāfirأمن أجل دار بالرمادة قد مضى 5350ṭawīlأتعرف الدار تعفت أبدا 5413rajazوجدنا أبا بكر به تقرع العلا 5533ṭawīlخليلي ما بي من عزاء على الهوى 562ṭawīlزرق العيون إذا جاورتهم سرقوا 573basīṭأمنكر أنت ربع الدار عن عفر 584basīṭأتعرف دار الحي بادت رسومها 5984ṭawīlلقد ظعنت مي فهاتيك دارها 6073ṭawīlخليلي عوجا ساعة ثم سلما 6171ṭawīlعليكن يا أطلال مي بشارع 6272ṭawīlلعمري وما عمري علي بهين 6380ṭawīlأللربع ظلت عينك الماء تهمل 6461ṭawīlعفا الزرق من أطلال مية فالدحل 6560ṭawīlأللأربع الدهم اللواتي كأنها 6651ṭawīlتتمة الديوان القسم الأول شرح أبي نصر أشاقتك أخلاق الرسول الدواثر 6739ṭawīlأما استحلبت عينيك إلا محلة 6855ṭawīlعلى الأرض- والرحمن- يا مي غبرة 69لعمرك للغضبان يوم لقيته 70القسم الثاني شرح أبي نصر وغيره تغير بعدي من أميمة شارع 7115ṭawīlفلو كان عمران ابن موسى أتمها 7226ṭawīlلقد حكمت يوم القصيبة بيننا 7331ṭawīlفإن تقتلوني بالأمير فإنني 7436ṭawīlإني إذا ما عجز الوطواط 7544rajazهيماء خرقاء وخرق أهيم 7674rajazلحا الله أنانا عن الضيف بالقرى 77القسم الثالث شرح أبي العباس الأحول لقد خفق النسران والنجم نازل 786ṭawīlيا أيها ذيا الصدى النبوح 7912rajazأصهب يمشي مشية الأمير 8037rajazقلت لنفسي حين فاضت أدمعي 81وجارية ليست من الإنس تشتهى 8285ṭawīlتعرفت أطلالا فهاجت لك الهوى 8386ṭawīlالقسم الرابع لشارح مجهول خليلي اسألا الطلل المحيلا 8458wāfirفهلا قتلتم ثأركم مثل قتلنا 8565ṭawīlألا يا دار مية بالوحيد 8621wāfirأأن ترسمت من خرقاء منزلة 8738basīṭلمن طلل عاف بوهبين راوحت 8834ṭawīlوبيض رفعنا بالضحى عن متونها 8942ṭawīlأأحلف لا أنسى وإن شطت النوى 9056ṭawīlملحق الديوانخليلي عوجا بارك الله فيكما7ṭawīlأخرقاء للبين استقلت حمولها70ṭawīlأعن ترسمت من خرقاء منزلة75basīṭ
The following list of manuscripts is based on Macartney's edition. Macartney’s siglumShelfmarkDate and scribeNotes (numbering of odes is Macartney’s)DIndia Office 1240contains scholia related to C’sCCairo, Khedivial Library, Adab 562contains scholia attributed in the MS to Abu’l FatH al-‘Ā’iDīLLeiden, Leiden University Library, 2028188038 of the longer poemsLugd.Leiden, Cod. Lugd. 28761 and first 20 lines of 81L*Lugd. 2029C(I)C*BMLondon, British Library, MS Add. 7573740 AH (1339 CE), MuHammad ibn ‘Alī ibn MadhkūrConcise scholia, related to C’s, and limited vocalisation. Title page says the recension was by al-Asma‘ī.BM(1)London, British Library, MS Add. 7530contain texts and scholia for odes 1, 52, 67, 75BM(2)London, British Library, Or. 415full vocalisation and exceptionally extensive glosses, probably by al-SikkītConstIstanbul, Faizīyyah Mosque, 1677full and accurate vocalisation and scholiaAmbrMilan, Ambrosian Libraryformerly in San‘ā’
Editions and translations
ʿAbd al-Qaddūs Abū Ṣāliḥ () (ed.), Dīwān Dhī l-Rumma. Sharḥ Abī Naṣr al-Bāhilī, riwāyat Thaʿlab (). Based on the editor's Ph.D. thesis. 1st edn, 3 vols (Beirut 1972), vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3. 2nd edn, 3 vols (Beirut 1982), archive.org scan, machine-readable text. 3rd edn, 3 vols (Beirut 1994). Muṭī al-Babbīlī (ed.), Diwān Dhū l-Rummah (Damascus, 1964). Carlile Henry Hayes Macartney (ed.), The Dîwân of Ghailân Ibn ʿUqbah known as Dhu ’r-Rummah (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1919). Michael Sells, Desert tracings. Six classic Arabian odes by ʿAlqama, Shánfara, Labíd, ʿAntara, Al-Aʿsha, and Dhu al-Rúmma (Middletown CT 1989), pp. 67–76 (first published as 'Dhũ al-Rumma's "To the Two Abodes of Mayya..."', Al-'Arabiyya, 15.1/2 (Spring and Autumn 1982), 52-65). Selections from the Diwan of Gailan ibn ʻUqba Dhuʹl Rumma, trans. by Arthur Wormhoudt ([Oskaloosa, Iowa]: William Penn College, 1982), (text in Arabic and English, on opposite pages; notes in English)
Rudolf Smend, De Dsu r'Rumma poeta Arabico et carmine ejus 'Mā bāl ʻayniki minhā al-māʼ yansakibu' commentatio (Bonn: Weber, 1874)
References