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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books History of Shi'ism: From the Advent of Islam up to the End of Minor Occultation Lesson 29: Elegy-Recitation Another important arena about which the Shi‘ah poets have recited poetry and delivered speeches extensively is the commemoration of the tragedy experienced by the descendants of the Prophet (S) and elegy-recitation for the martyrs among them. This arena came into being after the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn ( ‘a ) in 61 AH.

In this regard, two parts may be discussed and examined: Elegies for Imam al-Husayn (‘a) and the Other Martyrs in Karbala’ From the beginning of Islam, no tragedy more serious and painful than the event of Karbala’ has happened in the history of Islam, and after the lapse of one thousand and four hundred years, it still has the greatest impact upon the hearts of the devotees of the Prophet’s ( ‘a ) descendents.

Since then, anyone who has the love of the Prophet’s (S) and talent in composing poetry has recited poetry in this regard. The pioneering poems pertaining to the event of Karbala’ have been recited from the end of the first century AH and the commencement of the Umayyad decline. As Abu’l-Faraj al-Isfahani says: Many of the latter poets have recited poetry in mourning for Imam al-Husayn ( ‘a ) about which we do not tend to complain as we are fond of long speech.

Yet, on account of the harshness of the Umayyad’s atmosphere of strangulation, the earlier poets during the Umayyad period have recited fewer elegies about the tribulation of Imam al-Husayn ( ‘a ).[^1] For example, ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Hurr was chased by ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad for reciting elegy for Imam al-Husayn ( ‘a ) and was forced to flee.[^2] Of course, many poems have been composed during the first century AH about the tribulation of the Doyen of the Martyrs ( ‘a ) though they are lesser in number compared to the quantity of poems that have been recited since the second century AH.

The bereaved women of Banu Hashim were among the pioneering people who have recited elegies in lamentation of their lost loved ones.