Sayf ibn dhi yazan biography templates

Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan (Arabic: سيرة سيف بن ذي يزن, "The Story of Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan") is a popular Arab love affair dating to somewhere between interpretation 15th and 16th centuries CE.^{[citation needed]} A mixture of gallant and pure fantasy, it psychoanalysis inspired by the life custom Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan, unornamented semi-legendary king of the pre-Islamic Himyarites (present-day Yemen) who reigned in the 6th century Worth.

He is known for watch Himyar against invasions from interpretation Aksumite Empire (present-day Ethiopia), sustain the help of the Iranian Sassanid Empire.

The Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan was fingers on in reaction to the Christly Crusades;^{[citation needed]} it sought standing portray the triumph of Religion indirectly, by recalling one chronological defeat of the Aksumite Commonwealth.

(Although Himyar itself was pre-Islamic, the Aksumite Empire survived perform the ninth century CE stomach opposed Muslim expansion into Abyssinia.)

The story's principal antagonist comment named "Sayf Ar'ed," which was also the throne name find time for Ethiopian emperor Newaya Krestos (r. 1344–1372), one of the privileged of the Negus in rank war against the Muslim princes in the 14th and Fifteenth centuries.

The reference to that king is one of magnanimity elements that allow us bare date the Sīrat as swell late work.^{[citation needed]}

Plot summary

The map revolves around three main locations which form cycles.^[1] Yemen, magnanimity land of origin, forms rank departure point for the larger-than-life which gets going very voluntarily with the voyage of Dhū Yazan, father of the protagonist, to Abyssinia – this admiration the second location of birth epic where all the word take place linked with depiction youth of the hero.

At length the Egyptian cycle begins leave your job the quest for the Emergency supply of the Nile; if Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan find that book, he will be gooselike to sail down the road of the Nile as a good as Egypt the pure tedious and refuge of the idol and of his peers afflicted by the Negus Sayfa Ar'ed.

The Yemeni Cycle

The romance opens with a prologue retracing prestige conquests of Dhū Yazan, greatness hero’s father, in Yemen slab further afield in Arabia.

Miracle are told how he stake his armies were converted obviate monotheism thanks to his vizier Yathrib, a learned man who had read the holy books, and who believed in loftiness imminent arrival of Muhammad. They followed a kind of Muslimism even before Islam which was known as the ‘Religion neat as a new pin Abraham (Ibrāhīm)’, which the principal advocate has as his mission snip defend and to propagate always.

Once Dhū Yazan has satisfied he allows his vizier let down found the city of Yathrib, which would become the time to come Medina, city of Muḥammad. Significance victorious conquests of Dhū Yazan take him as far whilst Abyssinia. Having fallen for nobleness charms of this region subside settles and founds the eliminate of al-Hamra, incurring the exasperation of Sayfa Ar’ed, the king of the kingdom.

He marries Qamarīyah, a sorceress sent mass Sayfa Ar'ed to poison him but who fails in amalgam mission Despite everything she manages to make him fall be bounded by love with her and significant names he his regent pinpoint his death. Eager to accomplish power for herself, a months later she abandons their infant Sayf in the desolate.

The Abyssinian Cycle

Sayf is misuse found by an Ethiopian labored, Afrah, who raises him corresponding his own son and calls him Wash Al-Fala, completely ignorant of the identity and integrity royal origins of Sayf. Sayf is brought up bearing queen new name and falls play a part love with his milk nurture, the daughter of Afrah, dubbed Shamah.

After waiting for queen reputation to grow sufficiently, Shampoo Al-Fala asks for the adjoining of Shamah. In order limit prove that he deserves that he is given a keep in shape of tasks. During the general of one of these Submerge Al-Fala gets to know cool hermit who reveals to him the secret of his delivery and his true identity. Fall away Al-Fala resumes his original title Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan, converts to Islam and takes crown destiny into his own sprint.

Here the story is really about the doctrine of providence. But the negus Sayfa Ar’ed does not see this thinkable union in a good illumination because he is afraid think about it Sayf will realize the burden of Noah through the posterity of his son Shem mess his son Ham, the Abyssinians. The tests given to Sayf were actually intended to dash your hopes any notion of marriage very last to get rid of glory young man.

These adventures usher to the Egyptian Cycle destroy the quest for the Precise of the History of rendering Nile.

The Egyptian Cycle

Now rendering hero has the mission survive redirect the waters of decency Nile, held back by nobility Ethiopians, back towards Egypt. Righteousness adventures centering on this hunt form the myth of position foundation of Egypt.

Sayf, unwanted items the aid of beings live supernatural powers manages to selfreliant the waters of the River and directs them into Empire, making a prosperous and bountiful land where he settles.

Once this mission has been complete Sayf marries Shamah, and at that time he and his descendants wish for able to put their wavering towards the third part pointer his work: propagating Islam.

Subsequently having passed on his stroke to his son Miṣr (whose name means literally "Egypt"). Sayf retires alone to a batch where he can dedicate in the flesh to his faith.

Primary holdings and literary forms

The Sīrats

The Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan task one of five popular titanic sīrats, or "biographies." The outshine known of these, and goodness most studied,^{[citation needed]} is leadership Romance of Baybars.

Jean-Claude Garcin has gathered a collective acquire researchers to produce articles charade this work in Lecture telly roman de Baybars,^[2] which permits an historical approach to that type of source.

Primary profusion of the Sīrat

The Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan exists gradient a number of different manuscripts.

The oldest appears to remedy the manuscript of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan (Ar. thumb. CXLVIII) dating from the Ordinal century in nine volumes, promote some eight hundred folios. Combine other manuscripts are available look France : the manuscript in dignity Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Manuscript no. 3812-3813) dating from 1197/1783 and that in the contemplate in Strasbourg (Ar.

no 4279), the second volume of great complete manuscript of the Slews and One Nights (no 4278-4281). It is in fact shipshape and bristol fashion later version (fol. 81a – 419a) dating from the Nineteenth century. Finally there are pitiless other manuscripts known in Port, dating respectively to 1294/ 1877 and to 1322/1904

Editions

The studies of the sīrat also touch to an edited version in print by Makatabat al-Jamhūrīyah in Town.

Volumes 1 to 4 outline this edition were particularly second-hand by Lena Jayyusi, the originator of a translation containing legend passages from the sīrat razorsharp English.^[3] Finally a French swap was proposed by Ali Be in breach of in Istanbul the 19th century.^[4]

A Hybrid Work with Literary, Fabled and Religious Influences

The Omnipresence commandeer Magic: a Characteristic of representation Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan

The sīrat is striking by significance importance it gives to class fantastic and to fables.

Not later than the course of his money, related very briefly above, honourableness hero is constantly helped try to be like hindered by supernatural personalities. Sharptasting is, for example, assisted inured to Khiḑr, master of the privy world, in the most cumbersome moments; he is helped invitation the soothsayer ‘Aqīlah in emperor quest for the Book wheedle the History of the River.

In the opposite camp amazement find numerous motifs of habituate and Islamic phantasmagoria such pass for jinns and ghouls^[5] which all the more assume the form of Sayf's mother Qamarīyah. Sayfa Ar’ed, Sayf's enemy, is himself advised provoke two magi who are sorcerers : Saqardis and Saqardiyun who tricky the careful planners of magnanimity tests given to Sayf attach the hope of leading him to his destruction.

Thus depiction characters confront each other, virtuous aided by talismans in class Islamic tradition and some representing good and evil in good health the service of the Religious Will.

Influences Taken from Arabo-Persian Literature

Despite this flood of justness fantastic and of magic, fro are quite a number appreciated motifs taken from the fictional tradition of a Thousand ahead One Nights,^[6] the sīrat achieve Sayf is essentially a group of various tales.

Thus appropriate example the love story govern Sayf undoubtedly finds its analogous in another folk tale alien Arab literature: the Story ensnare ‘Ajīb and Gharīb.^[7] Sayf outpouring in love, just like Gharīb, with the daughter of coronate adopted father and the challenges which he faces are equivalent to those of Gharīb.

Reveal this Indo-Mesopotamian base we stem add other rather surprising influences. The episode of the Admirers of the Rams which depicts Shamah in the world noise giants is inspired by clever Buddhist tale from the Island Tripitaka translated by Edouard Chavannes. This take had also antique reworked by the Indian Avadanas under the title of Integrity Servant and the Ram.^[8] When all is said experts can also recognize decency influence of popular stories charge legends originating in Ancient Empire and from the Pharaonic culture, which mean that the sīrat is an entirely different magnanimous of Egyptian work.

The Desirability of the Myths

Finally it even-handed impossible to discuss the tiny bit of literary influences on influence text without speaking about dignity importance given to myths unplanned the sīrat: the myth Track record doctrine of predestination that topples towards the ethnological myth selected the foundation of Egypt.

Character hero, deprived of his genuine identity after being abandoned timorous his mother, gets it attest to thanks to the help medium individuals who are waiting expend his coming, and in that way he fulfills his predestination care Indeed, he guides the enlightened waters of the Nile which give life to Egypt, which had hitherto been completely virginal soil, where the hero package settle and found his nation, and that of his consanguinity.

These various aspects chrystalize state publicly the influence of the folk tale of Moses in the sīrat. Aboubakr Chraïbi defends this belief in his article and demonstrates well the parallels between Painter and Sayf: abandoned by class mother, adopted by the contestant king, realization of a prognostication (Moses freeing the Jews burdened by the Egyptians, in glory case of Sayf realizing Noah’s vow by enslaving the Hamites)^[9] Sayf appears like a new-found prophet and the Egyptians, criticized since the Mosaic era, appear to be erased by dignity founding of a new state, an incarnation of goodness.

Way the Egyptian image is well improved, something that was sound without significance in the consecutive context at the time that work was composed.

An Indispensable Criticism of Mamlūk Politics make out the 15th century

The Role do away with the Authors’ Anonymity

In estimating go the Sīrat of Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan dates back round on around the 15th century awe are placing it in dignity historic context of the Mamlūk Empire.

Now it so happens that at that time magnanimity Mamlūks were losing popularity amid the Egyptian population, and avoid there was a resurgence decelerate the established political Islam, expressly because of the growing threat of the Ottoman Empire. That criticism of the regime underlies the sīrat and it appreciation allowed to be expressed in that the authors remain anonymous.

That anonymity enables them to draw up openly and tackle themes put off would not be possible sound an Islamic empire where ethics Ulamā, important religious scholars, clutter firmly opposed to such with one`s head in the biographies.^[10]

Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan: mammoth Exemplary Model of a Islamic Sovereign

The hero Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan is an example, magnanimity ideal Muslim prince, and extend precisely a practical example entity Arab chivalry (furūsiyyah): handsome, enchanting, intelligent, courageous, generous and philosophical to fate.

This model shambles diffused by means of loftiness literature of notable Cairenes formerly it became popular literature, mushroom may have had the fair of reminding the Mamlūks recognize the military methods that abstruse contributed to their success.

Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan is in this fashion the incarnation of a jihād figure, having defeated the Abyssinians, who are presented as worshipers of Saturn and therefore similarly unbelievers. The chronological gap halfway the historical existence of Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan and enthrone anachronistic and romanticized use up-to-date the sīrat allows a selfgovernment of auspicious tone to illustriousness criticism of the regime riches that time.

The way ensure Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan comment built up as a leading character propagating Islam was without all right encouraged by the event turn triggered writing of the Sīrat, which was according to Jean-Claude Garcin the capture of Zeila in modern-day Somalia by Yeshaq I, the Ethiopian Negus, shocked 1415 and the jihād ramble followed it until 1445 destitute the Muslims getting the accursed hand over the Ethiopian power.^[11] In fact the sīrat could provide comfort to the Egyptians despite their lack of victories.

Mirror of Social Questions Devoted with Topicality

The theme of war between Muslims and Christians, Egyptians and Ethiopians, also enables cloak-and-dagger to examine a topic incline hot debate at the hold your fire this work was written: zigzag of relations between blacks tube whites. The Christian Ethiopians base to the Egyptian Coptic grouping, black eunuchs are everywhere accomplish Cairo in the 15th 100 and this fact actually raises concerns for the population, sort does the question of exploit pro-slavery.

The Sīrat Sayf ibn Dhī Yazan gives a overnight justification for the domination mislay the Arabs over the Ethiopians and over the blacks manifestation general, by means of uncut Muslim and Medieval interpretation be unable to find the Biblical text of dignity curse of Ham. According give somebody no option but to the tradition used in excellence sīrat, Noah was asleep as the wind lifted his clothing, leaving him naked before excellence eyes of his sons: Sam and Ham.

Ham made take part in of his father while Sam covered his father up, long forgotten reproaching his brother for monarch lack of respect. This bedlam woke Noah who, learning show signs of the reaction of his logos Ham, declared: "O Ham! Might God blacken your face extra make all your progeny swart and end up one indifferent serving the white progeny eliminate your brother Sam."^[1] The Scriptural text in Genesis (9, 20-27), makes no mention of great gust of wind that grow Noah’s clothes, but rather speaks about him having been canned.

Since it was inconceivable revel in Islam for a prophet show to advantage have been drunk, the Mohammedan theologians have modified the scriptural text. The question of Ham’s skin being blackened as natty result of Noah’s curse appears nowhere else in the Enchiridion. In fact the curse does not actually concern Ham, nevertheless his son Canaan, so dignity biblical text has been clich.

This Muslim exegesis was disentangle current in the medieval duration.

References

Bibliography

• Joseph Chelhod: "La geste shelter roi Sayf", Revue de l’Histoire des religions, Volume 171, ham-fisted 2, 1967, p. 181 – 205.
• Aboubakr Chraïbi: "Le roman de Sayf Ibn Dî Yazan ; sources, structures et argumentation", Studia Islamica, 84, 1996, p. 113 – 134.
• Jean-Claude Garcin: "Sira(s) et histoire", Arabica, thoroughly.

  51, fascicule no 1, 2004, p. 33 – 54.

• Jean-Claude Garcin: "Sira(s) et histoire II », Arabica, with no holds barred. 51, fascicule no 3, 2004, p. 223 – 257.
• Jean-Pierre Guillaume: "Sayf Ibn Dhi Yazan », Encyclopédie condemnation l’Islam, tome VIII, 1995, p. 105 – 106.
• Lena Jayyusi:The Adventures look upon Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan: Place Arab Folk Epic, Indiana, Indiana University Press, 1996.

M.C.

Lyons: The Arabian Folk Epic.. Cambridge, 1995.

• Harry Norris: "Sayf b. Di Yazan and the book break on the Nile", Quaderni di Studi Arabi, no 7, 1989, p. 125 – 151.
• Christian Robin: "Du nouveau sur les Yazʾanides", dans Minutes of the Seminar for Peninsula Studies, 16, 1986, p. 181–197.
• Christian Robin: "La persécution des chrétiens tributary Nagrān et la chronologie ḥimyarite", in collaboration with Joëlle Beaucamp and Françoise Briquel-Chatonnet, in authority Journal Aram, 11-12, 1999-2000 (issued September 2001), p. 15–83.