Reflection of Social Values and Cultural Ethos in Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry: A Study

الملخص

In this paper an attempt has been made to explore the social values depicted in the pre-Islamic Arabic poetry. It also aims to uncover the significance of these values, providing a deeper understanding of the cultural and moral framework of the pre-Islamic Arab society. The anthology Dîwān al-Ḥamāsa by Abū Tammâm serves as a testament to this ethical richness, featuring a diverse array of virtues such as generosity, hospitality, kindness, compassion, sincerity, honesty, respect, equality, righteousness, and justice. One of the chapters of this anthology Bāb al-Adāb meticulously documents the noble conduct of pre-Islamic poets, highlighting qualities like generosity, kindness, and a strong sense of cooperation. Apart from this, other anthologies like Mu‘allaqāt, Kitāb al-Aghāni, Mufaḍḍaliyāt, Jamhara Ash‘ār al-‘Arab, and ‘Iqd al-Farîd, serve as invaluable sources of wisdom, safeguarding a wealth of poetic verses that celebrate ethical and moral principles. These collections carefully preserve numerous poems that reflect values such as honesty, generosity, equality, kindness, respect, virtuous conduct, justice, compassion, forgiveness, righteousness, and sincerity, thereby contributing to the literary heritage with lasting and profound insights.