Prof. Dr. Muslim Malik Al-Asadi / College of Islamic Sciences – University of Karbala

It is said in ancient times: Michelangelo once depicted in his painting “The Hell” (one of the cardinals he despised). The people protested to the Pope about this, and the Pope could only respond with the following: “I can do anything in the kingdom of heaven, but in the kingdom of hell, unfortunately, I have no authority.” This response was nothing more than an admission from the Pope of his inability to control artistic genius. This is a matter we have always tried, and still try, to achieve, starting with Imru’ al-Qays and al-Nabigha, and ending with the two great poets of the Ta’i, both the big and small. We ignited a war against them, with one praising the beauty of speech, while another sought faults in the structure of creativity. But neither poet saw that the creator speaks what stirs his mind, what moves the emotions, and what passes through his soul. He often says what others may not share in, says what he wants, whenever and however he wishes, with no boundaries to limit him, no obstacles to block his path, and no regulations to confine his work (such as the “poetry meter” or others). He was created as a rebel against the norms of speech, relying on the devil of speech, the surge of creativity, and the moment of clarity, losing himself in an endless timelessness. He brings forth pearls from their shells and displays them to the public, where some receive them swiftly in line with their tastes, while others reject them with disdain.

Then, a critic emerges who, attempting to clarify and analyze, explains the reasons for the bad quality of such expressions, based on frameworks that were made for previous creativity, not for the current age or language of the Arabs. He applies a method that was meant for a different language, different creativity, and a different environment, showing his inadequacy and weakness, which ultimately harms the creative text, darkens its value, and subjects it to accusations of inadequacy. Often, the poet is accused of theft, once of stealing, another time of indulging in wisdom which, for some, has become a flaw, and at times, he is even charged with distortion and hiding the poetry of the ancients, so as to steal their early meanings and resonant words. All of this, Abu Tammam bore on his shoulders long ago, and still does for some modern critics, not because of anything other than the fact that he went beyond the vision of his time. He led a revolution of renewal and brought poetry to a new horizon, to uncharted territories and untrodden paths. He carved the stone and created, but his innovation was met with both admiration from his followers and rejection from the lovers of tradition. They did not give him the justice he deserved; those who supported him often tried to justify his work, intending to praise him but ended up criticizing him instead. This was because he linked his poetry to ancient frameworks and did not create a new “column” just for Abu Tammam, one that would be exclusive to him and those who would follow the path he paved.

In conclusion, I say that perhaps his death at a young age benefited his poetry more than it harmed it. His youth’s revolution may have created for us a being that will never be replicated, and a poetry whose like we have not found since. Some of the mistakes still remain, but as they say, he left us as he sang and was passed on to others without alteration, becoming a distinguishing mark in the history of Arabic poetry. His works continue to reside in the depths of obscurity and the labyrinths of criticism. Yes, the interpretation of the bad verses in his poetry, the great mistake that shook the world, was undoubtedly something Abu Tammam fell into, embodying his restless spirit that would not conform to the standards of these critics. He rebelled against them, broke their decayed structures, driven by a youthful spirit and a mind eager for greatness, striving to break the stagnation that had tarnished poetry and made it languid. He stirred the entire creative system by breathing life into its stagnant sails, making it move, innovate, and create another icon, one that went beyond him in both speech and action. Its reaction brought it further fame and recognition because of its boldness and dignity. Yes, it is the newspaper of Al-Mutanabbi, the one who occupied his time and created poetry, whose sun remains obscured.