Poetic Invective of Lineage in the Poetry of Ḥassān ibn Thābit

Abstract

Hassan bin Thabit took the lead and the authority in defending the person of the Prophet ﷺ and the right of Muslims to believe, have faith, and live. Given Hassan's literary legacy and historical symbolism in the Arab poetic memory, he strove to find ways of defending by searching for and investigating the flaws of individuals in particular and criticizing the polytheists in general, for a noble purpose: to remove the threat and treachery from the foundation of the Islamic religion. This was done in a way that would limit the polytheists' insistence and their pursuit of harming the person of the Prophet ﷺ as a symbol, firstly, and to diminish the value and entity of the polytheists, secondly. Therefore, this research came with this title, with the aim of revealing the meanings upon which he based the construction of his poetic text as a axis from which he launched his defense and response, and his demolition and construction. He would defend and demolish what came and went, and respond and build with what he had of news that would harm the opponents and strengthen the internal morale in the community of the Companions..