Justification in Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry: Al-Mohali ibn Rabi’ah and ‘Urwah ibn al-Ward as Models

Abstract

       Pre-Islamic poetry was not devoid of justification, as it was embedded within the verses through which poets expressed their poetic purposes, including praise, love, pride, satire, and more. The themes of justification are diverse and abundant, often serving as a means for poets to rationalize their actions or those of their tribes as natural reactions aimed at self-defense. Through their poetry, they sought to convince themselves and others of the legitimacy of their deeds. The evidence supporting this theme is extensive, but this study focuses on two prominent pre-Islamic poets: Al-Muhalhil ibn Rabi’ah, who justified warfare, and ‘Urwah ibn al-Ward, who rationalized his transition into brigandage.