Arabic is widely recognised as one of the world’s most beautiful and expressive languages. It boasts a vast vocabulary and a highly complex calligraphy considered an art form. Arabic calligraphy is famous worldwide and requires hard work, practice and patience to master. It is rare to find a language that is not only beautiful and rich in culture but also steeped in history. Therefore, Arabic literature remains famous, popular and highly valued today.
There are many famous literary works in the Arabic language. Some pieces are known and recognised globally. Having a solid background in Arabic language can prove to be helpful. Did you know there is Arabic literature that has won the Nobel Prize? This article examines famous Arab literary icons and how they have contributed to the written word.
Ibn Hazm
Ibn Hazm is a famous Arab writer, philosopher and historian. He was born in Córdoba, now known as modern-day Spain, on the 7th of November 994. Ibn Hazm has Persian ancestry and was the son of a highly educated family, so it is no surprise that he was well educated. He was taught many subjects, such as poetry, literature and even science. Ibn Hazm was one of the leading proponents of Zahiri, which is the school of Islamic thought. It is said that throughout his years, he contributed more than 400 pieces of literary works. Unfortunately, only approximately 40 of these works exist today. His literature covered a wide range of subject matters, reflecting his knowledge and passion for many areas such as ethics, religion, jurisprudence, history and many more. Ibn Hazm brought the systematic structure of logic to the Quran.
During a particular era, many religious scholars interpreted the Quran in different ways. However, Ibn Hazm introduced the Zahiri grammar to interpret the holy texts, which allowed the Islamic sacred texts to be understood in their original and literal form. One of Ibn Hazm’s most famous literary contributions is the Tawq Al-Hamamah, also known as The Ring of the Dove. In this work, Ibn Hazm wrote poetic illustrations of love, which he created during his youth. The dove is a symbol of love in Arabic culture, and this book provides a deep insight into not only the Arabic language and love but also its culture and human psychology. His other notable literary works include Al-Akhlâq wa’l-Siyar (Morals and Behaviour) and Ihkam Al Ahkam fi Usul al-Ahkam, his famous work on Islamic jurisprudence.
Al-Mutanabbi
Al-Mutanabbi is one of the most famous poets in the Arabic world. He was born in 915 in Iraq. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest Arabic poets. He is so famous and renowned that his statue was erected in 1977. Al-Mutanabbi’s real name was Abu al-Tayyib Ahmad ibn al-Husayn al-Ju’fi. During the revolution in Kufah, Al-Mutanabbi became a pretty pessimistic person who rejected otherworldly things. He claimed he was a prophet and led revolts in the Syrian desert, which is how he got the name Al-Mutanabbi.
Al-Mutanabbi means ‘the would-be prophet’. Even though Al-Mutanabbi started writing at nine years old, It was during this time that he began writing poems that were known for their directness. He was a very controversial figure during his time. One of his most famous works is the panegyrics on military victory, considered one of the masterpieces in Arabic poetry. You can find many of Al-Mutanabbi’s works being sold online. There are many videos of his story and works available online that stand as a testament to his literary ability to capture and captivate people with his written word.
Naguib Mahfouz
Naguib Mahfouz is widely regarded as one of Arabic’s most renowned literary figures. He is often referred to as the father of Arabic literature. Mahfouz was an Egyptian writer born on the 11th of December 1911 in Cairo, Egypt. He was the first Arab writer nominated for and awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988. Mahfouz was a prolific author, having written 25 screenplays, 35 novels, and hundreds of short stories during his lifetime.
What makes this even more impressive is that he did this while working full-time as an Egyptian civil servant. This clearly shows his dedication and his passion for the written word. One of his famous pieces of work is the Cairo trilogy, which spans over three generations. These books were scale novels with 1500 pages and depicted the story of three generations of the Abd al-Jawad family. This book was compelling as it was about the daily events of a middle-class Egyptian family. This might not seem like much, but this book was released during one of Egypt’s pivotal moments: its struggle for independence from the British. It was an impressive set of books, as the author had complete control and was a skilled writer. These books were such a hit that they spread like wildfire in the Arabic world and eventually became movies. It was also well received outside of Egypt and the Arab world. Over 250 thousand copies of these books were sold in the United States alone.
Naguib Mahfouz’s The Children of Our Alley is one of his most controversial works. The book deals with religious issues deemed unacceptable for fiction, which led to a clash with religious authorities in Egypt. Even today, the book is not allowed to be sold or purchased publicly in Egypt. Moreover, this book was the reason behind an attack on Naguib Mahfouz in 1994, which left him partially paralysed. Despite all this, Naguib Mahfouz remains one of the most celebrated literary icons. His bold literary work drew the world’s attention and still captivates readers today.
Ahlam Mosteghanemi
Ahlam Mosteghanemi, a contemporary poet and novelist from Algeria, is widely regarded as one of her generation’s most accomplished Arabic writers. She was born on the 13th of April, 1953, in Tunis, Tunisia, when her family was in exile.
The upbringing of Ahlam Mosteghanemi, the daughter of a French teacher who later became an Algerian freedom fighter, greatly influenced her perspective and served as a source of inspiration for her literary works. Being among the initial students in the newly established Arabic schools during Algeria’s independence, she profoundly appreciates her ability to write and express herself freely in Arabic.
In a time when her father faced financial difficulties, Ahlam Mosteghanemi took it upon herself to support her family despite her father’s opposition to her working. He believed she should focus on studying Arabic, as it was the cause he had fought for. Remarkably, she managed to balance both responsibilities. Her daring Arabic poetry initially gained attention, breaking the tradition of Algerian men dominating this form of expression. The audacity she displayed through her Arabic writings sent ripples of surprise and impact throughout the Algerian writing community.
Due to circumstances, she eventually had to pursue graduate studies in a foreign country. With patience and skill, she transitioned from writing poetry to crafting novels over several years. When she finally published her debut novel, it quickly gained immense popularity in the Arab world, as did her subsequent four novels. Exploring themes of human tragedy and unrealised aspirations, her novels possess a universal allure.
The above list includes some of the most prominent literary figures who have contributed valuable to the Arabic language and the world. The Arabic language is renowned for its beauty, and choosing it as an elective in STPM can provide numerous benefits. It will help you better understand and appreciate the language and its rich cultural heritage steeped in history.
STPM is a pre-university qualification students can take in their upper secondary, Form 6. Students can take a minimum of 4 subjects and a maximum of 5 subjects for this qualification. There are two compulsory subjects, and the remaining two to three subjects are up to the students to take based on the elective subjects offered. One of the elective subjects that is quite popular among Malay students is Bahasa Arab or Arabic language, which has a comprehensive syllabus and format.
If you want to learn more about this language, Superprof is where you should head. Superprof is one of the best online platforms that connects students with tutors. Many tutors in Superprof are just waiting to share excellent tips and resources on the STPM Arabic language with you. With its easy interface, you will find it super easy to navigate and find the best tutor that suits you. Superprof’s tutors are flexible in that you can choose if you want a face-to-face class, online lessons or a combination of these two.
With Superprof’s tutor, you will not only get individual attention from your tutor, but you will also get a personalised lesson plan that will not only identify your weak spots and work on them more but also have a solid plan that will help you achieve your goal of scoring well in the Arabic language STPM paper. For example, if you want to know more about the marking scheme for this subject, our tutor will focus on this aspect to help you score better.
This is invaluable if you are a student. You also get to try out lessons, as most offer their first free classes. If you are looking for a tutor for STPM Bahasa Arab, this is undoubtedly the place you should go to.
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