THE CONTEXTS OF BIOGRAPHICAL TERMS IN CLASSICAL ARABIC POETRY: A DESCRIPTIVE AND ANALYTICAL STUDY

Abstract

Through this research, the researcher aimed to trace the vocabulary of biography and its meanings in the context of classical Arabic poetry, then conduct a descriptive and analytical study, focusing on the poetic style in which it appeared. The research consists of two chapters, and a conclusion. The research began with a chapter in which the researcher introduced the concept of biography and its related terms according to linguistic convention and established terminology. He also identified the sources of this research in the Quran, Sunnah, and collections of Arabic poetry. Then, he devoted a second chapter to discussing the contexts of biography terms in Arabic poetry, dividing it into five sections: the first, biography terms in the context of love poetry; the second, biography terms in the context of satire and invective; the third, biography terms in the context of praise; the fourth, biography terms in the context of elegies; and the fifth, biography terms in the context of describing battles. The research concluded with a number of findings, including the following:

1. Linguists meticulously meticulously established the rules governing the vocabulary of the word "sirr" (travel/path), from its spelling and diacritical marks to its conjugation, while also identifying its origins in authoritative Arabic sources.
2. The most frequently occurring word for "sirr" in the context of love poetry is "mashi" (walking) and its associated imagery, vividly portraying the woman's movements as she walks, including her coquettishness, swaying, and the details and nuances of her limb movements.
3. The wide variety of words for "sirr" in the context of insult and satire, including "sirr" and its derivatives, as well as "mashi" and its various forms, used to belittle and denigrate the subject of the satire.
4. The great diversity of biographical terms in the context of praise, including the word "al-sirr" (the journey) and its derivatives, as well as the various forms of "al-mashi" (walking), used to praise the person being praised, to boast of oneself or one's tribe, or to entreat the praised person.
5. The great diversity of biographical terms in the context of elegy, including the word "al-sirr" (the journey) and its derivatives, as well as the various forms of "al-mashi" (walking), used to lament the loss of a loved one or a calamity, and to depict the state of loss or the profound impact of the loss.
6. The great diversity of biographical terms in the context of describing battles, including the word "al-sirr" (the journey) and its derivatives, as well as the various forms of "al-mashi" (walking), used to describe the size of armies, their armament, the enemy's defeats, and the valor of the knights, both individually and collectively.