Mujam Alam Shuara al-Madh al-Nabawi
- Author died
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- Editions
- Dar wa-Maktabat al-Hilal
Mujam Alam Shuara al-Madh al-Nabawi (A Dictionary of Eminent Poets of Prophetic Panegyric) is a biographical dictionary authored by Muhammad Ahmad Durniqa, devoted to poets across Islamic history who composed eulogies in praise of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Background and Purpose
Durniqa compiled the work to provide a comprehensive reference for the figures who distinguished themselves in devotional poetry praising the Prophet ﷺ. Spanning more than fourteen centuries, the dictionary documents approximately five hundred poets, scholars, writers, and historical figures, beginning with early Islamic figures such as Ka'b ibn Zuhayr and extending through modern poets such as Ahmad Shawqi and contemporary figures.
To maintain the focus of the lexicon, Durniqa established specific criteria for inclusion and explicitly excluded certain categories:
- Individuals who praised the Prophet ﷺ exclusively in prose, such as in Friday sermons and articles.
- Vocalists and cantors (munshidūn) who merely performed devotional poetry in gatherings and Sufi lodges (zawāyā) without composing it.
- Authors who composed formulaic prose supplications for sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ.
- Poets whose verses were dedicated solely to praising the Prophet's household (Ahl al-Bayt).
Structure and Methodology
The dictionary is organized alphabetically by the given names of the poets. For each entry, Durniqa provides:
- A concise biographical sketch detailing the poet's life, background, and literary output.
- Selected poetic excerpts focusing specifically on panegyric verses for the Prophet ﷺ, omitting traditional introductory poetic sections such as romantic preludes (nasīb) and travel descriptions.
- Bibliographical references and source documentation appended to each entry.
Reception and Publication
The work includes an introduction by literary scholar Yasin al-Ayyubi, written in Tripoli, Lebanon, in Shawwal 1414 AH / March 1994 CE. Al-Ayyubi reviewed the poetic selections for meter and vocalization, praising the author's accessible prose style while noting that the length of the poetic excerpts varied across entries due to the reliance on earlier biographical dictionaries that prioritized biographical data over verse selections.
The dictionary was published in Beirut by Dar wa-Maktabat al-Hilal (first edition, 2003 CE).
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