Salih bin Janah
- Died
- 150 AH
- Born in
- -
Salih bin Janah al-Lakhmi (d. c. 150 AH / 767 CE) was an early Arab poet, sage, and moral essayist from Damascus, known for his ethical treatise al-Adab wa-l-muruʾa (Etiquette and Chivalric Virtue).
Life and standing
Affiliated with the Arab tribe of Lakhm, Salih bin Janah lived during the early Islamic era and was counted among those who reached the generation of the Successors (al-Tabi'un) or their followers. Early authorities regarded him as a prominent sage (ahad al-hukamaʾ) whose statements on wisdom, conduct, and ethics were preserved and transmitted across regions, including in Nishapur. His maxims and counsel were cited by literary and intellectual figures of the classical period, notably al-Jahiz and Ibn al-Marzuban.
Thought and poetry
Salih bin Janah's ethical philosophy focused on the cultivation of moral intellect (ʿaql), refined conduct (adab), and chivalric virtue (muruʾa). He defined muruʾa as a person's deliberate avoidance of what brings dishonor and the active pursuit of what adorns one's character, maintaining that chivalric virtue is rooted in resolve (hazm), bears the fruit of triumph (zafar), and cannot exist without proper manners and sound intellect. His surviving treatise, al-Adab wa-l-muruʾa, which was edited in the modern period by Tahir al-Jazairi, synthesizes these ethical concepts through concise prose aphorisms interspersed with didactic verse.
His poetry is characterized by practical wisdom and reflections on human nature. In verses analyzed by literary critics such as Qudama ibn Ja'far, he explored the necessity of balancing forbearance (hilm) with firmness, arguing that while clemency is a virtue, unyielding social realities sometimes require reciprocating ignorance (jahl) or severity to prevent humiliation. He also left exhortations on gratitude, counseling his son to offer abundant thanks to God whenever a day passes with one's religion, physical health, wealth, and family intact.
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Adab wal-Muruwa (Etiquette and Chivalric Virtue) is an ethical and literary treatise dedicated to the cultivation of refined manners (adab), chivalric virtue (muru'a), and moral intellect ('aql). The work defines chivalric virtue as avoiding dishonor and adorning one's character, combining concise prose maxims with poetic verses that summarize key themes.