The Political Poetry of the Abbasid Movement up to the End of the 4th Century AH as a Model: Adapting the Spoken Word to the “Will” of the Speaker

Abstract

This research intends to analyse the poets of the Abbasid court, focusing on the complex relationship between poetry and power. It attempts to identify how the Abbasids used poetry as a persuasive and political tool to understand poetic manipulation of sacred and historical texts, thereby bestowing a sacred aura on the Abbasid Caliphs' rule and justifying their authority.

The study seeks to analyze the poetic fabric of these works to know the dimensions of the acceptance of ideology and its manipulation in their poetry.  It exhibits that this poetry was not merely an expression of individual feelings, but was imposed from outside, reflecting the dominance of power within society.

The research explores how expressing will as intent became a prominent feature in the Abbasid poets, which leads to the production of texts saturated with the ideology of power. It also analyzes the effect of power on the poetic creativity of Abbasid identities and perspectives. Furthermore, the analysis sheds light on the complex interactions between poetry and the diversity of powers that influenced sacred texts, public discourse, and political power, shaping poetic discourse.

The study used the descriptive analytical method to explore the essence of literature, analysing them into cultural and historical context to bridge the gap in literature on this topic through a deep analysis of Abbasid poetry. This is to provide new meanings for the connection between poetry and power.

The results showed that the poetry of Abbasid court poets transformed into a powerful political tool, used to manipulate sacred texts and justify the authority of the caliphs, significantly affecting their creative output and interactions with various powers.