Love narratives in the poetry of 'Umar Ibn Abi Rabi'ah

Umar Ibn Abi Rabi'ah was a famous ghazal composer of the Umayyad period. He was born in the tribe of Banu Makhzum, a branch of Quraysh. Being the son of a noble and opulent family, the poet's childhood was spent in adolescent luxury and playfulness, and the poet entered adulthood with a reckless and dashing nature. The handsome poet 'Umar was very weak and in love with women. He never hesitated to propose to a beautiful woman when he saw her. Even the beautiful women who used to come as Hajj pilgrims from Madinah, Iraq and Syria attracted his attention. He used to tease them while performing Tawaf and other rituals of Hajj and offered love through poetry. The poet-priest of beauty, 'Umar Ibn Abi Rari'ah has sung the praises of the beauty of beautiful women in his large poems. He never indulged in obscenity even though he gave obscene descriptions of women. He enjoyed the physical and natural beauty of women from afar and described it in his poetry. He focused his poetry on the description of the womenfolk, their mutual conversation and association, and has expressed these subjects in a very charming language and creative style. These remarkable love narratives composed in his poetry are discussed in the following.