Desert Songs of the Night

Suheil Bushrui (1931-2015) was a distinguished author, poet, critic and translator, particularly revered as an authority on the works of W. B. Yeats and Kahlil Gibran. A university professor for over sixty years, Bushrui taught at universities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America. He was the founder and former Director of the George and Lisa Zakhem Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace at the University of Maryland, where he held the title of Research Professor Emeritus and where he was also a Senior Scholar for Peace Studies at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management. A Fellow of the Temenos Academy, and the recipient of many international awards, Bushrui's publications are extensive in both English and Arabic, and include The Wisdom of the Arabs, The Prophet: A New Annotated Edition and The Spiritual Heritage of the Human Race. James M. Malarkey is a specialist in Middle Eastern and North African studies. He currently teaches World Classics of literature and philosophy at Antioch University Midwest where he is Chair of Humanities. He previously taught at the American University of Beirut and at the University of Constantine, Algeria.

• Introduction Part I: The Pre-Islamic Period (Jahiliyya) The Mu'allaqat Ode of Imru al-Qais Ode of Labid Ka'b Bin Zuhair, Su'ad is gone al-Aswad Bin Yafur, Ode from the Mufaddaliyat al-Khansa, Lament for My Brother al-Tirrimah, In the Heart of the Desert Jamil, Oh, That Youth's Flower Anew Might Lift its Head Katari of Mazin, To His Own Soul 'Umar Ibn Abi Rabi'ah, Blame Me No More, O Comrades! Part II: The Islamic Age The Holy Qur'an The Opening Surah XIX: Mary Surah LIX: Exile Surah LXXXIX: The Dawn Hadith, Selected Sayings Shaybani's Siyar, The Islamic Law of Nations Part III: The Ummayad Dynasty al-Akhtal, Youth Departed but Often I Enjoyed It al-Farazdaq, Let all weep for al-Hajjaj Jarir, al-Farazdaq Visited the Folk of Hijaz Abd al-Hamid al-Katib, The Art of Secretaryship Ibn al-Muqaffa, The Rabbit and the Elephant Ibn Ishaq, The Prophet's Mission Bashshar Ibn Burd, Will No Emissary Be Found Part IV: The Abbasid Dynasty Rabia al-Adawiya, O My Joy and My Desire and My Refuge Abu Nuwas Four Things Thou Scolder of Grape and Me The Great Offence Hurry, for the Beergardens are Blooming Abu'l Atahiya Vanity: To Harun al-Rashid Surely Shall Fate Disjoint the Proudest Nose Virtue Cast an Eye at Me Coming al-Jahiz, The Book of Proof: Concerning Asceticism Abu Tammam, In Praise of the Caliph Mu'tasim al-Buhturi, Bodies of Water Like Horses Ibn Qutayba, Extracts from Uyun al-Akhbar Ibn al-Rumi The Chess Champion The Compromise He Defends Himself al-Tabari, The Battle of Badr al-Hallaj, Three Qasidas al-Razi, The Repelling of Grief al-Farabi, The City and the Household al-Mutanabbi Parting Has Just Taught Our Eyelids Separation Shame Kept My Tears Away Couplet How Glows Mine Heart Naught Kills the Noble like Forgiveness My Songs Gave Eyes to the Blind, Ears to the Deaf An Induction Here is the Final Stretch Abu Firas al-Hamdani Thy Fiercest Foe is One Thou Dost Not Fight Grief Amasses, Patience Scatters al-Tawhidi, Arabs and Non-Arabs al-Kalabadhi,The Sufi Doctrine of Vision al-Hamadhani, The Assembly of Qazmin al-Ma'arri From the Diwan From the Lazumiyat 'Tis Said That Spirits Remove by Transmigration In the Casket of the Hours Thou Art Diseased in Understanding and Religion Ibn Sina (Avicenna) Concerning the Temporal Origin of the Soul Epistle of the Soul On Prophecy al-Hariri, The Assembly of Damascus al-Ghazzali The Beginning of Guidance The First Duty of Brotherhood Ibn Rushd (Averroes) The Law Makes Philosophic Studies Obligatory Ibn Tufayl Hayy Admires the Work of the Creator Playing with Fire Ibn Arabi The Wisdom of Virtue in the Word of Luqman Whoso Knoweth Himself - Selections from Tarjuman al-Ashwaq Ibnu'l Farid The Meeting Lo, From Behind the Veil Mysterious Ibn Khallikan, Ja'far and al-Rashid Part V: al-Andalus - Arab Spain 195 Ibn Hazm Of Fidelity Of Betrayal Anxiety Twice Times Then is Now Ibn Zaydun, Poem to Wallada al-Mutamid, The Moon, The Stars, and a King Abu'l Hasan Ali ibn Hisn, The Pigeon Abus Salt, The Incense Burner Ibn al-Faras, Moon of Beauty Ibn Said, The Guardians Ibn Maimon (Moses Maimonides), Guide for the Perplexed Solomon ibn Gabirol, The Ethics of Solomon Gabirol Part VI: The Age of Depression Ibn Battuta, Across North Africa Ibn Khaldun Three Extracts from Muqaddimah A Sign of Royal Authority The Romance of Antar Antar Summoned From Mecca To Rescue Shas 'Abla's Treasure Restored The Arabian Nights The Story of the Envier and the Envied Men in the Judgment of their Wives Adventure of the Caliph Haroon al-Rusheed Part VII: al-Nahda - Renaissance of Arabic Literature Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi, The Virtues of the Arabs Ahmad Shawqi From Act I of Majnun Layla The Feast of Time An Andalusian Exile Hafiz Ibrahim, Elegy to Mustafa Kamil Khalil Mutran, The Arab Awakening Ilya Abu Madi Envoi Life and Love Gibran Kahlil Gibran The Poet From a Speech by Khalil the Heretic Ameen Rihani Light 302 Supplication: A Prayer Mikhail Naimy A New Year Comrade! Taha Hussein An Egyptian Childhood From The Stream of Days Abbas al-Aqqad, Drinking Song May Ziadah, Rejoice Mahmud Taymur, The Fare Tewfiq al-Hakim, Song of Death Part VIII: Modern Arabic Literature Abu al-Qasim al-Shabi I Weep for Love To the Tyrant Naguib Mahfouz, An Unnerving Sound Khalil Hawi, The Bridge 'Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati, Apology for a Short Speech Salah 'Abd al-Sabur, The Tatars Attacked Mahmoud Darwish Pride and Fury Promises from the Storm Adonis, Iram the Many-Columned Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, A City Without Rain Yusuf al-Khal, The Deserted Well Muhammad al-Fayturi, Sorrow of the Black City Nazik al-Mala'ika Who Am I? Five Hymns to Pain Mona Fayad, Whisper Salma al-Khadra al-Jayyusi Without Roots In the Casbah Fudwa Tuqan A Prayer to the New Year In the Flux Mai Sayigh, Departure Nizar Qabbani Bread, Hashish and Moonlight Poems May Rihani, The Wedding of My City Antoine Raad, A Poet's Treasure Henri Zoghaib, This Is The Now Notes About the Authors Acknowledgements About the Editors

'Desert Songs of the Night is a wonderful introduction to fifteen centuries of a literature still largely unknown in the West, without which much of our civilizations would not have developed as they have, from the rediscovery of Aristotle by Arab commentators to the lyric poetry of Europe, from the magical world of the Arabian Nights to the modern revolutionary poets of Palestine. Absolutely essential reading for our troubled times.' Alberto Manguel; 'At a time when the world obsesses over violence and bloodletting in the Arab world, this remarkable anthology, which spans 1,500 years of Arab literary genius, is a stark reminder that there exists an untold story we keep missing about the region.' Hanan al-Shaykh; 'An arresting collection ... Dipping into this enchanting anthology one is struck by the sheer variety of voices that have emerged from the Arab world ... Hopefully, Desert Songs of the Night should inspire more English-speakers to study this wonderful language and render afresh its magnificent literary heritage.' Daily Telegraph, 4 Stars; 'This is a beautiful-looking book and inside the romance and beauty continue ... a valuable volume' Sunday Herald