Poem: by Al-Mutanabbi
Recitation: by Saif

This is an excerpt from a poem by the legendary Arabian poet Al-Mutanabbi. His full name was Abū al-Tayyib Aḥmad ibn al-Husayn al-Mutanabbī al-Kindī (Arabic: أبو الطيب أحمد بن الحسين المتنبّي الكندي; c. 915 – 23 September 965 AD) from Kufa, Abbasid Caliphate, was a famous Abbasid-era Arab poet at the court of the Hamdanid emir Sayf al-Dawla in Aleppo, and for whom he composed 300 folios of poetry.[1][2][3] His poetic style earned him great popularity in his time and many of his poems are not only still widely read in today's Arab world but are considered to be proverbial.

Source: Wikipedia

Translation:

When the lion bares his teeth,
do not fancy that the lion shows to you a smile.

I have slain the man that sought my heart's blood many a time.
Riding a noble mare whose back none else may climb,

Whose hind and fore-legs seem in galloping as one
Nor hand nor foot requireth she to urge her on.

And O the days when I have swung my fine-edged glaive
Amidst a sea of death where wave was dashed on wave!

The steed, the night and the desert know me well
As do the sword, the battle and the paper, and the pen

Al-Mutanabbi - The Steed, the night and the Desert Know Me Well

The 700-year period of Muslim courts and conquerors in Medieval Spain (711-1492) leaves behind many mysteries. In the first of a three-part look at the musical legacy of Andalusia, this program presents period recreations of medieval Spanish music and considers the lasting influences the era would have on Europe. This program takes a provocative look at instruments--the lute and the violin--at the tradition of troubadours, European poetry and vocal styles, and much more, all informed by the insights of Al-Andalus scholar Dwight Reynolds (University of California, Santa Barbara). Many enigmas remain, but you may never hear European music in quite the same way after this venture into the heritage of Al-Andalus. This is part of Afropop Worldwide's "Hip Deep" series exploring the historical roots of musical cultures of the Afro-Atlantic world. Produced by Banning Eyre.

APWW #432

The Musical Legacy of Al Andalus, Part 1 - Europe

A Sonic Poem, written, composed and produced by Ali Moraly
قصيدة صوتية. كتابة ، تأليف وإنتاج علي موره لي

ما بين العذوبة والعذاب واو، ألفٌ وتاء
أما الجذر فواحد
وكذا المنتهى.
تستمد العذوبة عذابها من حتمية زوالها
وحقيقة طروئها.
ويستمد العذاب عذوبته من أن لُقياه
إدراكٌ للحياة.
واو
واو الوعي، أوّل موانع اتحاد العذاب بالعذوبة 
إذ تَحوْل مرويّات الوعي دون تذوّق عذوبة العذاب
وعذاب العذوبة
فالوعي حيال البقاء
مجبورٌ على صونه
والبقاء يقتضي
ألا نذوق من العذوبة سوى العذوبة، فنرنوا إليها دوماً
وألا نذوق من العذاب سوى العذاب
فننآه أبدا    
ألف
ألف الأنا، ثان الموانع الحاصلة
إذ تحوْل تأوّلات الأنا دون تذوّق عذوبة العذاب
وعذاب العذوبة
فحضورها حائلٌ بينهما
إما أن تحتضن الأنا العذاب
فترتاح النفس ضحيةً
أو أن تَغمُر الأنا النفسَ عذوبةً
فتُلهيها عن عَوْد العذاب
تاء
التاء، ثالث الموانع ومُنتهى العذوبة
في آنٍ واحد
فالظاهر منها مانعْ
والباطن منها مانحْ
الظاهرُ المانع تاءُ التصوّر
إذ يُغلِق التصوّر مجال الوعي
حاجِباً المدى أمام الرؤيا
الباطنُ المانحُ تاءُ التجاوز
تسود،
حينما تؤول الحدود
معابرَ الأزل اللامنتهي
هناك
حيث مقابر الكلمات
ومنابت جذورها

An English interpretation of the Arabic prose

The two Arabic words, عذوبة, which means sweetness, and عذاب, which means suffering, stem from the same triconsonantal root, that is (عَذَبَ (ع ذ ب

Thus, the two meanings share the linguistic root and the twig tips. What sets them apart are three letters:

واو (waw),
ألف (alif),
and ت (ta’).

This prompts a semantic correlation between the two words ;
sweetness derives its suffering from the inevitability of its demise,
Whereas suffering derives its sweetness from the fact that; to suffer, is to be alive.

واو (Waw)
The first letter in the Arabic word for ‘awareness’ (وعي) . It represents the first obstacle to the union between sweetness and suffering.

The narratives constructed by awareness hinder you from savouring sweetness within suffering and suffering within sweetness.

For awareness, ought to maintain survival. 

Survival necessitates that you savour sweetness as nothing but sweetness, thus always yearn for it, while savouring suffering as nothing but suffering, thus, avoiding it for ever.

ألف (alif)

The first letter in the Arabic word Ego أنا, is the second obstacle.
The various interpretations of reality made by the Ego hinder you from savouring sweetness within suffering and suffering within sweetness.

Alas, the Ego could either embrace suffering, allowing the self to find solace at the altar of victimhood, or it could immerse the self in sweetness, diverting its attention from the relentless cycle of suffering.

تاء (ta')
The third obstacle, and simultaneously the utmost sweetness, since it is also the last letter in the Arabic word equivalent (عذوبة) . Its outward aspect serves as a hindrance, while its concealed nature acts as a benefactor.
The outward hindering aspect manifests in the ‘ta’ which is the first letter of the Arabic word ‘perception’ (تصوّر). Since perception draws barriers around consciousness, it blocks the expansion of vision.

The concealed benefactor is represented by the initial letter of the Arabic word ‘transcendence’ (تجاوز). It becomes apparent when finite barriers are viewed as gateways to endless infinity.
There,

where the graveyard of words lies,
and their roots sprout.

Between Sweetness & Suffering ما بين العذوبة والعذاب

Umm Kulthum has been called the greatest singer in the Arabic speaking world in the 20th century. Born in 1904 the humble daughter of an Egyptian village imam, she went on to become a glamorous Cairo celebrity in her 20s, and soon after that, a cultural icon whose monthly live radio broadcasts brought much of Egypt to a standstill. She turned high poetry into popular culture. She extended musical forms with her virtuoso, extended vocal improvisations. Combining historical, religious, literary and musical passions, she inspired an enduring sense of national pride and left a legacy for the ages. Millions gathered for her 1975 funeral. With Umm Kulthum biographer Virginia Danielson as guide and guest, this program explores the life and music of a musical legend. Produced by Banning Eyre.

APWW #465

Women's History Month: Umm Kulthum - The Voice of Egypt

دعوة من الصديق راداميس  زكي
9ابريل 2024
حللت  ضيفا عليه وضيفا علي الساعة المصرية في الراديو
في آخر فاعلية  عامة  قبل مغادرة كندا والعودة الي القاهرة الأسبوع القادم

Egyptian Program April  9 في الساعة المصرية

العـطر قاطـع طـريق ~ للشاعر مسـعد محمـد أحمـد ~
بصوت خديجة غزيّل

العـطر قاطـع طـريق ~ للشاعر مسـعد محمـد أحمـد ~

~ حارّ جاف صيفًا . . دافئٌ ممطرٌ شتاءً   ~ للشاعر عبد الرحمن تمّام
من ديوان طريق لا تشبه الترومبيت

~ حارّ جاف صيفًا . . دافئٌ ممطرٌ شتاءً  ~ للشاعر عبد الرحمن تمّام

وَقالوا لَو تَشاءُ سَلَوتَ عَنها
فَقُلتَ لَهُم فَإِنّي لا أَشاءُ
وَكَيفَ وَحُبُّها عَلِقٌ بِقَلبي
كَما عَلِقَت بِأَرشِيَةٍ دِلاءُ
لَها حُبٌّ تَنَشَّأَ في فُؤادي
فَلَيسَ لَهُ وَإِن زُجِرَ اِنتِهاءُ
وَعاذِلَةٍ تُقَطِّعُني مَلاماً
وَفي زَجرِ العَواذِلِ لي بَلاءُ

قيس بن الملوح - وقالوا لو تشاء سلوت عنها

..لم أفقدك أيها الحبيب.. ولكنِّي فقدتُ قلبي

قصيدة أتدرين ما كان

A genre-blurring mix weaving deep bass, electronic textures, and live Arabic vocals with spoken word and poetry. This set moves between worlds—drawing from ambient, dub, and experimental sounds while staying rooted in language, memory, and feeling.
Recorded live, raw, and intuitive. For hearts, headphones, and everything in between.

Arabic Ecstatic Soul Flow – Multi-Genre Soundscape ft. Arabic Poetry & Vocals - 2025

Afropop Worldwide is an internationally syndicated weekly radio series, online guide to African and world music, and an international music archive, that has introduced American listeners to the music cultures of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean since 1988. Our radio program is hosted by Georges Collinet from Cameroon, the radio series is distributed by Public Radio International to 110 stations in the U.S., via XM satellite radio, in Africa via and Europe via Radio Multikulti. 

Palestinian DJ | Multi-Genre Explorer | Live Arabic Vocals & Poetry
Blending deep, resonant bass with the soul of Palestine. My sets fuse global electronic sounds with live Arabic singing and spoken word poetry—crafting a space where ancient voices meet modern rhythms. From heavy low-end frequencies to hauntingly beautiful verses. This is music that moves bodies, tells stories, and shares my culture.

Ali Moraly is a violinist, composer, educator, podcaster and writer/critic based in Berlin. Born in Damascus - Syria, where he studied at the Higher institute of Music. He holds Masters degree from the University of Music in Karlsruhe-Germany (Musikhochschule) and was commissioned by documenta14 in Kassel, the theatre of Oldenburg and BACH fest in Tübingen. He performed in the middle-East, Europe and the United States. Former member of the West-Eastern DIVAN co-founded by Eduard Said and Daniel Barenboim. He writes treatises and reviews on arts and culture.

Photos Credit: Alexander Steffens

فسيح الأرض لا يكفي.. فجدراني بلا منفذ!
🇪🇬🇵🇸

Batla House Theatre is an online podcast radio committed to the dissemination of beneficial knowledge. We see "benefit" as a synergy of economic and spiritual benefit.

New tracks tagged #Arabic poetry