Hence, if you look at the art of oratory from this point of...

Hence, if you look at the art of oratory from this point of view, you will feel that this art, too, is related to it. Just as stone-cutters were born in Islam and stone-cutting flourished; glass-makers were born and glass-making flourished; floriculturists were born and mosaic and flower-work flourished, in the same way Islam nourished great orators in its lap. There were many amongst them who became known with the name of Khateeb (Orator).

You will observe that in the books on 'Asma-i-Rijal' (Names of Men) and in their Translations there have been many persons who became known as 'Khateeb'. One of them was Khateeb Razi, and another was Khateeb Basri. There were others who were called Khateeb Damishqui, Khateeb Tabreezi and Khateeb Hasfaki. There were persons who became famous as 'Khateeb' during their life-time or afterwards. Fortunately even today some great religious orators are present among us.

The late Syed Jamaluddin Mghani, besides possessing other qualities, was a great orator. He brought about a revolution in Egypt by means of his speeches. He made the people weep not on account of anything but on their own deplorable condition. Islam has brought up some great orators. It has a history of its own. I only wanted to make a reference to it, because it is not possible here to go into details.

In any case oratory is also related to Islam in the same manner in which other arts are related. Islam has produced various kinds of artists and craftsmen and one group out of them consists of orators and poets. ROLE PLAYED BY ISLAM IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF ORATORY: The direct influence exercised by Islam on the progress and advancement of oratory is another aspect of the relationship between oratory and Islam. Islam not only influenced the art of oratory but also bestowed upon it a high position.

Out of the arts which are associated with the language (i.e. poetry, writing and speaking) the Arabs were conspicuous in composing verses of highest merit. The Arabs are poets by nature. Before the advent of Islam also distinguished poets were present among them. The fact is that owing to their limited information they could express only limited ideas in their verses, but remaining confined to the ideas, which were within their reach, they wrote very good verses.

In the field of oratory, however, the Arabs did not possess such excellence. Although we possess a large stock of verses pertaining to the Age of Ignorance, we come across very few specimens of their oratory.