Umara ibn Aqil
- Died
- 239 AH
- Born in
- -
Umara ibn Aqil (182–239 AH / 798–853 CE) was an Arab poet and linguistic authority of the Abbasid era, noted for composing Bedouin-style verse and transmitting classical poetry .
Lineage and early life
He was Abu Aqil Umara ibn Aqil ibn Bilal ibn Jarir ibn Atiyya al-Khatafi al-Kulaybi al-Yarbu'i al-Tamimi, hailing from the lineage of the Umayyad-era poet Jarir . His ancestor al-Khatafi was named Hudhayfa ibn Badr of the Banu Kulayb branch of Tamim . Umara was born in al-Yamama and resided primarily in the desert encampments around Basra .
Career and reception
He traveled repeatedly to Baghdad, where scholars and literary enthusiasts gathered around him to record his poetry, consult him on linguistic questions, and present verses for his evaluation . He composed panegyrics for Abbasid caliphs, enjoying favor under al-Ma'mun, eulogizing al-Wathiq, and continuing to present poetry into the reign of al-Mutawakkil . He also praised prominent commanders and dignitaries, including Khalid ibn Yazid al-Shaybani, and received substantial financial patronage for his work .
Regarded as the most prolific and skilled poet among Jarir's descendants, he transmitted his great-grandfather's poetic collection and emulated his style in panegyric, satire (hija'), and poetic rivalries (naqa'id) . The grammarians and philologists of Basra relied on him as an authority for authentic Arabic usage . Among those who transmitted poetry and linguistic lore from him were Ibn al-A'rabi, Ibn al-Sikkit, Abu al-Ayna, and Abu al-Abbas al-Mubarrad . Al-Mubarrad evaluated his standing by remarking: "Eloquence among the modern poets concluded with Umara ibn Aqil" . The critic Salm ibn Khalid noted that his verse was exceptionally consistent and free from the occasional lapses found in Jarir's poetry .
Later life and death
In his advanced age, he lost his eyesight and composed verses lamenting his blindness and physical frailty . He died in 239 AH (853 CE), during the caliphate of al-Mutawakkil .
Answer updated
List of Works
This work is a collection of poetry spanning classical Arabic genres, including encomium (madih), satire (hija'), and poetic flytings (naqa'id). The verses document long-running poetic rivalries and exchanges composed in the Bedouin tradition.