Ahwal Al-Ma'rifa – Special

The Mu'allaqa of the Arab poet Tarafa ibn al-Abd contains 104 poetic verses, including 33 verses devoted to describing the she-camel, its beauty, speed, and vitality. The she-camel is the ship of the desert, capable of enduring the hardships of long journeys and traveling from one place to another with patience and perseverance. This is why poets paid particular attention to describing it and highlighting its ability to endure hardship and bear the burdens of travel.

Interestingly, it was the movement of the she-camel that inspired Arab poets in the development of poetic meter. The movement of its four legs as it traveled led to the invention of the Rajaz meter: Mustaf'ilun Mustaf'ilun Mustaf'ilun, arranged in two hemistichs. Through huda', the traditional chanting and singing performed by Arabs during nighttime journeys, Arabic metered poetry emerged. The number of Arabic poetic meters derived from the Rajaz meter eventually reached 16 prosodic meters.

The she-camel of Tarafa ibn al-Abd is the most famous in Arabic poetry, as no other Mu'allaqa contains such an extensive description of a she-camel in such a large number of verses.

The portrayal of the she-camel in Tarafa ibn al-Abd's Mu'allaqa is considered the finest and most famous example in pre-Islamic poetry of describing a mount. The poet devoted a substantial portion of his Mu'allaqa to describing his she-camel with extraordinary precision, highlighting her strength, speed, and robust physical structure. He regarded her as a companion who helped dispel his worries and overcome the dangers of the desert.

Among the most important characteristics of Tarafa's she-camel are her strength and solid build. He compared her bones and powerful body to the wooden boards of a coffin or a ship, emphasizing their exceptional durability and firmness. She was also characterized by speed and vitality, possessing an extraordinary ability to travel continuously and cross vast stretches of barren desert without fatigue or exhaustion. She was also beautiful in form, described as having a keen sense of hearing, sharp eyesight, wide eyes, a long neck, and prominent lips.

The she-camel was a companion against loneliness during travel, as Tarafa expressed. She represented an alternative to family and companions for the poet as he confronted the solitude and unfamiliarity of the desert. She also provided relief from his worries, serving as a means of easing anxiety and driving away sorrow through long journeys and movement across the vast open space.

Tarafa ibn al-Abd begins his description of his she-camel as follows:

And indeed, I drive away my worries when they arise,
upon a swift, long-striding she-camel that travels morning and evening.

A steadfast one, like the planks of a ship, which I have set
upon a clear road, as though it were the back of a striped garment.

A beautiful, broad-cheeked she-camel, rushing forward as though she were
a swift vessel cutting through the dust and reddish earth.

She races against noble, surviving steeds, while one leg follows another
along a well-traveled and clearly marked road.

The verses continue by describing everything related to the she-camel, including her movement, speed, and physical features. He explains that this well-built she-camel can be trusted in her walking and running, with bones as strong as the boards of a great coffin. He portrays her moving along a clear road that resembles a striped garment spread across its width.

In doing so, Tarafa presents a vivid poetic visual composition, establishing pioneering aesthetic qualities for the poets who came after him in describing one of the animals that has accompanied the Arab people from ancient times to the present day: a companion on journeys, a source of comfort in solitude, an inspiration for poetry and song, and a creator of beauty.