ʿAbū Ṭālib ʿAbd al-Salām ibn al-Ḥasan al-Maʾmūnī (; after 953 CE in Baghdad – 993) was an Arab poet, noted for his epigrammatic writing.Bürgel, J.C., 'al-Maʾmūnī', in Encyclopaedia of Islam, ed. by P. Bearman and others, 2nd edn, 12 vols (Leiden: Brill, 1960–2005), .
Life
Al-Maʾmūnī's name indicates that he was descended from the caliph al-Maʾmūn. Though born in Baghdād, he soon moved to Rayy, where he studied with Ṣāḥib Ibn ʿAbbād; falling out with some of Ibn ʿAbbād's circle, he moved to Nīshāpūr, joining the court of Abu ’l-Ḥusayn al-ʿUtbī and his successor Abū Naṣr in Bukhārā through the patronage of Ibn Sīmjūr, a Sāmānid commander. There he met al-Tha'ālibī, who was later to write a biography and record the lion's share of al-Maʾmūnī's surviving verse. Although al-Tha'ālibī reports that al-Maʾmūnī aspired to win (or regain?) the ʿAbbāsid caliphate, this clearly never transpired, and he died of hydropsy in 383/993.
Works
While he wrote in other forms, al-Maʾmūnī's oeuvre is most noted for its short, ekphrastic epigrams, showing Persian influence and characteristic of the Perso-Arabic literary concept of waṣf ('description') on themes such as buildings, utensils (for example, writing implements, scissors, baskets), fruits, and foods. The following, 'fī al-tannūr' ('on a baking oven') is an example (albeit attested only in one manuscript):Wolfhart Heinrichs, review of Johann Christoph Bürgel, Die ekphrastischen Epigramme des Abū Talib al-Ma'mūnī: literaturkundliche Studie über einen arabischen Conceptisten, Nachrichten der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Göttingen. Philologisch-Historische Klasse, 14 (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1965), Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft, 121 (1971), 166-90 (p. 177).
(Here the conceit is that an unbaked piece of bread looks like the moon, and when baked it is like the sun.)
Another example is this five-line verse in three-foot rajaz lines:
Epigram topics + Epigram topics (according to 1983 Beirut edition)first pagetopic (Arabic)topic (transliterated)topic (translation)metrenumber (Bürgel translation)topic (Bürgel)iv 195المنارةlighthouseṭawīliv 196الْكُرْسِيّal-kursīchairmujtathth1Auf den Thronstuhliv 196الْكُرْسِيّal-kursīchairmutaqārib2/3Auf den Thronstuhliv 196طست الشمعṭast al-shamʿcandleholderkāmil4Auf den Kerzenhalteriv 197طست الشمعṭast al-shamʿcandleholderṭawīl5Auf den Kerzenhalteriv 197النَّارal-narfiresarīʿ23Auf das Feueriv 197الْحمامal-ḥammāmbathṭawīl35Auf das Badiv 197السطل والكرنيبal-saṭl wa-l-kirnībbucket and basinrajaz6Auf den Schöpfeimer und das Waschbeckeniv 198حجر الْحمامḥajar al-ḥammāmstone of the bathsarīʿ18Auf den "Badestein"iv 198الليفal-līfpalm-fibrerajaz19Auf die Palmfaserniv 198المنشفةal-minshafatowelmunsariḥ20Auf das Taschentuchiv 198الزنبيلal-zanbīlpalm-fibre basketwāfir7Auf den Palmfaserkorbiv 199كوز أَخْضَر محرقkūz akhḍar muḥarraqburnt, green jugkāmil8Auf einen grünen gebrannten Krugiv 199الشرابيةal-sharābīyawine-jug stand (?)sarīʿ9Auf den Weinkrugständeriv 199الجليدal-jalīdicebasīṭ39Auf das Eisiv 199مَاء بجليدmāʾ bi-jalīdwater with icerajaz40Auf Wasser mit Eisiv 199جلابkaʾs jullābcup of jallabrajaz41Auf einen Becher Rosenwassersiv 200جلابkaʾs jullābcup of jallabṭawīl42Auf einen Becher Rosenwassersiv 200السكنجبينsakanjabīnsekanjabinṭawīl43Auf das Oxymel (Sauerhonig)iv 200الفقاعةal-fuqqāʿabarley-water (foam-bubble)munsariḥ44Auf den Gerstensaftiv 200الفقاعةal-fuqqāʿabarley-water (foam-bubble)rajaz45Auf den Gerstensaftiv 201الأترج المربىal-utrujj al-murabbācitron marmaladerajaz46Auf das Orangengeleeiv 202الإهليج المربيal-ihlīlaj al-murabbāon jellied myrobalanssarīʿ47Auf gelierte Myrobolaneniv 202الترنجبينal-taranjubīnmannarajaz48Auf das Mannaiv 202برنية زجاجglass globesṭawīliv 202برنية زجاجglass globesmujtaththiv 203كعاب الغزال فِي برنية زجاجkiʿāb al-ghazāl fī barniyyat zujājgazelle ankles in a glass jugbasīṭ51Auf die "Gazellenknõchel" in einer Glasschaleiv 203كعاب الغزال فِي برنية زجاجkiʿāb al-ghazāl fī barniyyat zujājgazelle ankles in a glass jugṭawīl52Auf die "Gazellenknõchel" in einer Glasschaleiv 203كعاب الغزال فِي برنية زجاجkiʿāb al-ghazāl fī barniyyat zujājgazelle ankles in a glass jugṭawīl53Auf die "Gazellenknõchel" in einer Glasschaleiv 203بَنَادِق القند الخزائني فِي برنية زجاجbanādiq al-qand al-khazāʾinī fī barniyyat zujāj? in a glass jugbasīṭ54Auf Bolzen von Speicherkandis in einer Glasschaleiv 203أعمدة القند الخزائنaʿmidat al-qand alkhazāʾinīsticks of candied sugarhazaj55Auf Stäbchen von Speicherkandisiv 204اللوز الرطبal-lawz al-raṭbfresh almondsṭawīl56Auf die "feuchten" Mandelniv 204اللوز الْيَابِسal-lawz al-yābisdried almondsbasīṭ57Auf die trockenen Mandelniv 204الْجَوْز الرطبal-jawz al-raṭbfresh nutskāmil58Auf die "feuchten" Nüsseiv 204الزَّبِيب الطَّائِفِيal-zabīb al-ṭāʾifīraisins of the ṭāʾifī typemunsariḥ59Auf die ṭāʾifischen Rosineniv 204[القشمش][al-qishmish]currants or currant-juicerajaz60.Auf die Korinthen bzw. Korinthensaftiv 205الْعنَّابal-ʿunnābjujubemujtathth61Auf die Brustbeereniv 205الباقلاء الْأَخْضَal-bāqilāʾ al-akhḍargreen broad beansrajaz62Auf die grünen Saubohneniv 205الباقلاء المنبوتal-bāqilāʾ al-manbūtgerminating broad beanssarīʿ63Auf die keimenden Saubohneniv 205الْبِطِّيخal-biṭṭīkhmelonṭawīl64Auf die Meloneiv 206الْبِطِّيخ الْهِنْدِيّal-biṭṭīkh al-hindīIndian melonṭawīl65Auf die indische Meloneiv 206الكمثرىal-kum(m)athrāpearwāfir66Auf die Birneiv 206رمانةrummānapomegranatesarīʿ67Auf einen Granatapfeliv 206[الإناء][al-ināʾ]jarkāmil68Auf ein Gefäßiv 207الْملح المطيبal-milḥ al-muṭayyabspiced saltsarīʿ69Auf das gewürzte Salziv 207خبز الأبازيرal-khubz al-abāzīrspiced breadsarīʿ71Auf das Gewürzbrotiv 207الرقَاقal-ruqāqflatbreadsarīʿAuf das Fladenbrotiv 207الرقَاقal-ruqāqflatbreadmutaqārib72Auf das Fladenbrotiv 208الْجُبْن وَالزَّيْتُونal-jubn wa-l-zaitūnwhite cheese and olivesṭawīl73Auf den Weißkäse und die Oliveniv 208البوراني والبطيخal-būrānī wa-l-biṭṭīkhborani and melonṭawīl74Auf "Būrānī" und Meloneniv 209العجةal-ʿujjaomelettemunsariḥ75Auf die Omeletteiv 209الجوذابةal-jūdhābagrain pudding baked under dripping meatrajaz76Auf das Reisfleischiv 209الشواء السوقيal-shiwāʾ al-sūqīgrill in the marketṭawīl77Auf das "Basargebratene"iv 209سَمَكَة مشويةsamaka mashwiyyagrilled fishsarīʿ78Auf einen gebratenen Fischiv 209سَمَكَة مشويةsamaka mashwiyyagrilled fishsarīʿ79Auf einen gebratenen Fischiv 210السفودal-saffūdskewersṭawīl80Auf den Bratspießiv 210الهريسةal-harīsaharissamunsariḥ81Auf die Harīsa (Fleisch und Weizengrütze)iv 210مَاء الْخَرْدَلmāʾ al-khardalmustard waterkhafīf82Auf den Senfiv 210الْبيض المفلقal-baiḍ al-mufallaqbroken eggs (but the correct subject is a mixed dish)rajaz83Auf ein Mischgerichtiv 211الْبيض المفلقal-baiḍ al-mufallaqbroken eggsrajaz84Auf "gespaltene" Eieriv 211أَقْرَاص السّحُورaqrāṣ al-saḥūrloaves at suhurrajaz85Auf die Fladen des Fastenbrotesiv 211اللوزينج الْيَابِسa-lawzīna al-yābisjdry nougatṭawīl86Auf den "trockenen" Nougativ 211اللوزينج الْفَارِسِa-lawzīna al-fārisīPersian nougatṭawīl87Auf den persischen Nougativ 211الخبيصal-khabīṣkhabeessarīʿ88Auf al-Khabiṣ (eine Dattelspeise)iv 212الفالوزج الْمَعْقُودal-fālūzaj al-maʿqūdsweet based on flour, water and honeysarīʿ89Auf das gelierte Fālūzaj (eine Mandelspeise)iv 212مشاش الْخَلِيفَةmushāsh al-khalīfathe caliphateṭawīl90Auf das "Kalifenmark"iv 212أَصَابِع زَيْنَبaṣābiʿ ZainabZaynab's fingerṭawīl91Auf die "Finger der Zainab"iv 212أَصَابِع زَيْنَبaṣābiʿ ZainabZaynab's fingerṭawīl92Auf die "Finger der Zainab"iv 212عدَّة من المطعومات??khafīf93Auf die Diätiv 213الْمَدِينَةal-mudyaslaughter-knifesarīʿ94Auf das Schlachtmesseriv 213مجمع الأشنان بِمَا فِيهِ من المحلب والخلالmajmaʿ al-ushnān bi-mā fīhi min al-maḥlab wa-l-klilālOn the pot of the potash with its ingredients sour cherry and "sweet herbs"mujtathth95Auf das Sammelgefäß der Pottasche mit ihren Ingredienzien Weichselkirsche und "süßen Kräutern". Oder: Auf das Sammelgefäß der Pottasche samt dem, was dazu gehört an [Zahnstochern aus] Weichselkirsche und Speiseresten (d. h., was zwischen den Zähnen hængenbleibt).iv 214طين الْأكلedible claysarīʿiv 214الْجَمْر والمدخنةal-jamr wa-l-midkhanaembers in chimneymutaqārib24Auf die Glut und den Rauchfangiv 214جمر خبا بعد اشتعالهjamrin khabā baʿda shtiʿālihiembers extinguished after burningkhafīf25Auf Glut, die verlöschte, nachdem sie aufgeflammtiv 214الْبردal-baradhailṭawīl26Auf den Hageliv 214التدرجal-tadrujpheasantkhafīf97Auf den Fasaniv 215المحبرةal-miḥbarainkwellrajaz13Auf das Tintenfaßiv 215المقلمة والأقلامal-miqlama wa-l-aqlāmpens and pen-boxṭawīl14Auf das Federkästchen und die Federniv 215السكين المذنبal-sikkīn al-mudhannabpen-knifewāfir15Auf das Federmesseriv 216المقطal-miqaṭṭcutterṭawīl16Auf den "Spitzer"iv 216المحراك وَهُوَ الملتاقal-miḥrāk wa-huwa al-milyāqpokerrajaz17Auf den "Schürer"iv 216الاصطرلابal-asṭurlābastrolabekhafīf27Auf das Astrolabiv 216الاصطرلابal-asṭurlābastrolabesarīʿ28Auf das Astrolabiv 216المقراضal-miqrāḍscissorsrajaz10Auf die Schereiv 217مشطي عاج وآبنوسmushṭai ʿāj wa-ābunūstwo combs, one of ivory and one of ebonybasīṭ21Auf zwei Kämme, einen aus Elfenbein und einen aus Abenholziv 217المنقاشal-minqāshchiselsarīʿ22Auf den "Meißel"iv 217الزربطانةal-zarbaṭānablowpipeṭawīl29Auf das Blasrohriv 217القفصal-qafaṣcagehajaz30Auf den Käfigiv 218قَارُورَة المَاءqārūrat al-māʾflask of waterrajaz31Auf die "Wasserflasche"iv 218اللبدal-libdwool matmutaqārib11Auf die Wollmatteiv 218قضيب الفولqaḍīb al-fūluncertain: literally 'bean-pole'munsariḥ32(?) Wörtlich "Bohnenrohr" Epigrams included by Bürgel but not in the Beirut edition: 12. mā amara b-kitābatihi ʿalā khiwān / Was er auf ein Tablett zu schreiben befahl 33. fī al-turs / Auf den Schild 34. al-manāra / Auf das Minarett 36. mā amara bi-kitābatihi ʿalā fināʾi dār / Was er auf dem Vorhof eines Palastes als Inschrift anbringen ließ 37. mā amara bi-kitābatihi ʿalā fināʾi dār / Was er auf dem Vorhof eines Palastes als Inschrift anbringen ließ 49. al-ruṭab al-muʿassal fī barniyyat zujāj / Auf Datteln in Honig in einer Glasschale 50. al-ruṭab al-muʿassal fī barniyyat zujāj / Auf Datteln in Honig in einer Glasschale 93 al-muzawwara / Auf die Diät
Style Al-Maʾmūnī's style is a good example of the general tendencies of Arabic poetry of the 4th/10th centuries, which, like the New Persian poetry that was emerging at the same time, tended towards florid and sophisticated forms resembling later European mannerism; no verse was complete without incorporating some conceit (Persian nukte). Thus al-Maʾmūnī uses ostentatiously artful language and unusual words, sometimes creating a purposefully comical contrast between the banality of the content and the pathos of the expression. In Bürgel's estimation, al-Maʾmūnī's language is sometimes rather strained, as in epigram 45 (in Bürgel's numbering, on barley-water), but at other times manages to sound both natural and fresh, as in epigram 7 (on a palm-fibre basket). Though not much inclined to use hyperbole or the device of repeating the same word in different meaning, al-Maʾmūnī is fond of word-play and sound-play, making extensive use of assonance and alliteration. He often deploys antithesis, ranging from simple opposites such as standing and sitting (e.g. poems 1, 2, 3, 94), black and white (e.g. 73), or gold and silver (76, 78, 83, 84) to complex forms (and, in 11 and 18, joking pseudo-antitheses).
Metaphor is central to al-Maʾmūnī's epigrams, which often have a riddlic quality: while in some poems, the subject is named explicitly at the outset, others start with the metaphor, challenging the audience to guess the subject matter before being explicit. While all his descriptions are short and pointed and characterised by fantastical metaphors, each poem almost always contains one or more lines that make a literal statement about the subject, for example that the throne has iron posts and a leather cover (epigram 1), that the bucket is made in Damascus and that its handle creaks (6), or that there are brown and white feathers in the pen box (14).