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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Shi'ah and Islamic Disciplines Chapter 13: The Precedence Of The Shi’ah In Various Genres Of Poetry The Shiah founded new techniques which gained the appreciation of poets who then, took after them. The first and foremost genius among Muslim poets is al–Farazdaq about whom Jarir said that he owned the spring of poetry, meaning the most competent of the Muslim poets.

It is worth noticing that some Shi'ah poets like al–Nabighah al–Ju’adi came even before him. The latter composed the following verses about Siffin: It is known to Iraq, Egypt and Syria, That Ali is their paragon of freedom. Magnanimous, hospitable, light in complexion, His mother, the lady with ample dowry. Most generous of those to whom others hold fast, The first band had met you, thereafter, may they never stir! They have a turn and you have a turn , as well, Of which people are cognizant.

To guidance you did drive the folk, But your foes called to unworthiness. Another Shi'ah poet is Ka’ab ibn Zuhayr, the composer of Banat Su’ad in which he says: The Prophet’s son in–law, the best of all people, Whoever vied with him for glory is surpassed. Along with the Unlettered One, he was the first to pray, While the people were still heathens.

Others who preceded al–Farazdaq were: Labid ibn Rabi’ah al–‘Amiri whom the author of Riyad al–Ulama referred to as one of the Shi'ah poets; Abu al–Tufail ‘Amir ibn Wa’ilah, the famous poet and one of the companions whom Abu al–Faraj al–Isfahani considers one of the prominent Shi’ah; Abu al–Aswad al–Du’ali, about whom Ibn Bitriq states in Al–Umdah : “he was one of the best and most eloquent men from the first category of Muslim poets and partisans of Ali ibn Abi Talib (‘a); the most well-known al–Hasan Abu Nu’as and then Abu Tammam, Habib and al–Buhturi who have, in reality, eclipsed five hundred skilled poets who were their comtemporaries.

This fact is recorded in the Umdah of Ibn Rashiq. A poet captures this situation in the following verses: If you want to be a knight be like Ali, If a poet, emulate Ibn Hani. The first poet whose poetry was named ‘the golden chain’ is al–Buhturi. The first one who earned the epithet ‘polisher of meanings’ is Abu Tammam and he was the first to classify his selections of Arabic poetry into eight kinds, the first of which was about enthusiasm ( hamasah ). The third most famous poet is Ibn al–Rumi.

All of them were Shi’ites.