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?Second installation of A Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry launches this week

Dr. Kevin Blankinship

We’re pleased to announce that the second installation of A Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry will be concluding before the new year. We started this project with Dr. Kevin Blankinship of BYU Utah at the beginning of 2021 to introduce to listeners the lives, works and legacies of Arabic language poets from this era.

Poetry in the Arabic language has a greater resonance with wider society than it does in English. Dr. Blankinship in a tone that is both erudite and light-hearted has an engaging story-telling performance of his expertise in these figure and their works.

We will also have a YouTube livestream at the conclusion of the series on Monday 27th December.

You can find the episodes on your favourite podcast provider. Be sure to subscribe to not miss out.

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?New sponsor: Turath Publishing

Turath Publishing

We are very pleased to announce that Turath.co.uk will sponsor a season of episodes by Abbasid History Podcast.

Listeners receive 15% off their fine publications with discount code POD15.

Terms and conditions apply. Contact Turath Publishing for details.

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?NEW FOR 2021: A Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry with Dr. Kevin Blankinship

We’re really excited to bring to our listeners a season of programming fresh for 2021. Former guest, Dr. Kevin Blankinship, BYU Utah, will be giving us a tour of classical Arabic poetry starting with ʿImr al-Qays (d.544CE) and his muʿallaqaḧ ode considered a high point of literary achievement. Despite its ancient origins, its themes of love, loss and friendships retains a freshness even for modern ears.

Here is what to expect:

1. ʾImr al-Qays (501-544 CE): an introduction to the Muʿallaqāt and pre-Islamic Jāhilī poetry [19]

2. al-Farazdaq (c.641-c.730 CE) and his rivals: an introduction to Umayyad poetry [20]

3. Abū Nuwās (c.756- c.814 CE): Life, works and legacy of a hedonist [21]

4. Abū al-ʿAtāhiyyaħ (748-828 CE): Life, works and legacy of an ascetic poet [22]

5. Abū Tammām (c.807-850 CE): Life, works and legacy of an anthologist [23]

6. al-Ḥallāj  (c.858-922 CE): Life, works and poetic legacy of a martyred mystic [24]

7. al-Mutanabī (c.915-965 CE): ‘the Shakespeare of the Arabs’ [25]

8. Abū Firās al-Ḥamdānī (932–968 CE): the prison poetry of a prince [26]

9. Ibn Zaydūnī (1003-1071 CE): an introduction to Andalusian poetry [27]

10. Ibn ʿArabī (1165-1240 CE): Life, works and poetic legacy of a Sufi [28]

11. Ṣafī al-Dīn al-Ḥillī (1278-1349 CE): Life, works and legacy [29]

12. Legacy of classical Arabic poetry: a retrospect of the series with Dr. Kevin Blankinship [30]