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Al-Mutanabbi Quotes

Abu at-Tayyib Ahmad bin Al-Husayn al-Mutanabbi al-Kindi was an Arab poet from Iraq. He is considered one of the greatest, most prominent and most influential poets in the Arabic language, and much of his work has been translated into over 20 languages worldwide. Much of his poetry revolves around praising the kings he visited during his lifetime. Some consider his 326 poems to be a great representation of his life story. He started writing poetry when he was nine years old. He is well known for his sharp intelligence and wittiness. Al-Mutanabbi had great pride in himself through his poetry. Among the topics he discussed were courage, the philosophy of life, and the description of battles. Many of his poems were and still are widely spread in today's Arab world and are considered to be proverbial.

His great talent brought him very close to many leaders of his time. He praised those leaders and kings in return for money and gifts. His powerful and honest poetic style earned him great popularity in his time. Wikipedia  

✵ 915 – 23. September 965
Al-Mutanabbi photo
Al-Mutanabbi: 13 quotes14 likes

Famous Al-Mutanabbi Quotes

“The desert knows me well, the night, the mounted men
The battle and the sword, the paper and the pen”

Al-Mutanabbi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O04oUcNXmdI <br class="br">Context: When the lion bares his teeth, do not<br>fancy that the lion shows to you a smile.<br>I have slain the man that sought my heart&#x27;s blood many a time,<br>Riding a noble mare whose back none else may climb,<br>Whose hind and fore-legs seem in galloping as one,<br>Nor hand nor foot requireth she to urge her on.<br>And O the days when I have swung my fine-edged glaive<br>Amidst a sea of death where wave was dashed on wave!<br>The desert knows me well, the night, the mounted men<br>The battle and the sword, the paper and the pen

“Glory in hardship, sloth in comfort lies.”

Al-Mutanabbi

A Young Soul

“Wounded and fleeing, heroes passed you by, while your face remained bright and your lips, smiling.
You surpassed the bounds of courage and understanding, until people claimed that you knew the unseen.
To you belongs the praise for these pearls I pronounce; you are the giver, I the arranger.
Oh, Sword never sheathed, whom none can doubt and from whom there is no refuge.
Blessed are warfare, glory and eminence; blessed are your subjects and all of Islam, for you are safe!”

Al-Mutanabbi

From the poem &quot;To Sayf Al-Dawla&quot; <br class="br">Here &#x27;Sword never sheathed&#x27; refers to &#x27;Sayf Al-Dawla&#x27;, whose name is a laqab meaning &#x27;Sword of the Dynasty&#x27;. http://samarmedia.tv/en/video/295/al-mutanabi-arabic-poem-with-english/

“A young soul in my ageing body […]
Hard biter in a toothless mouth is she.”

Al-Mutanabbi

A Young Soul

“Without hardship everyone would prevail.”

Al-Mutanabbi

A Young Soul

Al-Mutanabbi Quotes about men

“He asks from men all that he has in himself, though even lions would not claim to match that.”

Al-Mutanabbi

From the poem &quot;To Sayf Al-Dawla&quot; http://web.archive.org/web/20140708175325/http://www.princeton.edu/~arabic/poetry/al_mu_to_sayf.html

“Beautiful women, as experienced men know,
Are but darkness wrapped in dazzling light aglow.
A life of friv'lous youth and worried age,
Its futile course to futile death will flow.”

Al-Mutanabbi

A Young Soul

“If all women were like as the one we have lost,
Then women would be preferred to men.
For the feminine gender is no shame for the sun,
Nor is the masculine gender an honor for the crescent moon”

Al-Mutanabbi

Al-Mutanabbi Quotes

“Those with intellect suffer in bliss with their intellect, and the ignorant live blissfully in misery.”

Al-Mutanabbi

Source: From the poem Li-Hawā An-Nufūsi http://www.almotanabbi.com/poemPage.do?poemId=248, Line 8

“A charger's saddle is an exalted throne, the best companions are books alone.”

Al-Mutanabbi

A Young Soul

“One does not attain everything he wishes for.
Winds blow counter to what the ships desire.”

Al-Mutanabbi

From the poem Bima At-Taʿallulu http://www.almotanabbi.com/poemPage.do?poemId=272

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