Rebel Poet: Benjamin Zephaniah discusses the life of Abul ʿala Al-Maʿarri (أبو العلاء المعري), the medieval Arab vegan philosopher poet

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Rebel Poet: The Life of Al-Ma’arri

A thousand years ago, Al-Ma’arri was writing Arabic poems of extreme complexity, promoting a rational ideal and most remarkably, making an ethical case for veganism. We tell the story of his life in conversation with fellow vegan rebel poet Benjamin Zephaniah.

We first found out about Al-Ma’arri through a blog by Gary Francione and were both intrigued and surprised more had not been said about him.  Al-Ma’arri’s conversations and opinions seem progressive even by today’s standards. And, like anyone with views ahead of his time, he was questioned by society. The show dramatises his exchange with a leading cleric about veganism.

Benjamin Zephaniah

In this episode Benjamin Zephanaiah, the vegan rebel poet of today, joins us to bring Al-Ma’arri to life.

Benjamin Zephanaiah began as a dub poet and his verses reach people who don’t often enjoy poetry; his rhymes have been celebrated around the world and in a BBC vote to find the UK’s favourite poet he was the only living poet in the top ten. He campaigns in poetry and deed for causes from animals to miscarriages of justice.

He once publicly rejected a royal honour – an “Order of the British Empire” – saying “Whoever is behind this offer can never have read any of my work”. In the show, he finds common ground with Al-Ma’arri.

You can read Benjamin Zephaniah’s poetry and find out more about him at his website.

Thanks

As well as Professor Benjamin Zephaniah, our thanks also to contributors Richard Foltz (who has also written specifically about Animals in Islamic Tradition and Muslim Cultures), Ghazala Anwar, and to voice actors Motaz Al-Shehail (Al-Ma’arri in Arabic), Will Trimble (Al-Ma’arri in English) and Ian Peacock (the Cairo missionary). Thanks also to folk who helped me with research: Sarra Tlili, Sandhya of MEVeg, and at the School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS Radio (who let me use their studio) and Marta of SOAS Veg.

Sources

Because most contemporary sources are in Arabic, and I can’t read Arabic, I relied largely on the work of Victorian Orientalists, particularly David Margoliouth and Reynold Nicholson. Fortunately, much of this is available online, thanks to the work of Google and the Internet Archive.

Reynold Nicholson:

• Studies in Islamic Poetry and Mysticism, 1921
  • Chapter 2, The Meditations of Ma’arri (pp 43-289), which includes a brief biography and selections of his poetry organised by theme
  • Full translation of “I do not steal from nature”  (not, as far as I can tell, a title Al-Ma’arri gave it) pp 134-6
  • “I do not steal from nature” in Arabic (197) on pp 258-9
• A Literary History of the Arabs, 1907
  • Al-Ma’arri pp 313-24

David Margoliouth:

• The Letters Of Abu ‘L-‘Ala Of Ma’Arrat Al-Nu’Man, 1898
  • Biography of Abu ‘L-‘Ala Al-Ma’arri

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society:

• Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1900
  • The Risalatu’l-Ghufran: by Abu’l-‘Ala al-Ma’arri. Summarised and partially translated by Reynold A Nicholson
    • The title directly translates as “The Epistle of Forgiveness”, so called because of the heathen poets who, in the narrative, are forgiven their infidelity and reside in paradise
    • A forerunner of Dante’s Divine Comedy
• Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1902
  • The Risalatu’l-Ghufran: by Abu’l-‘Ala al-Ma’arri. Part 2, including Table of Contents with Text and Translation of the Section on Zandaka and of other passages. Reynold A Nicholson
  • The Risalatu’l-Ghufran … continued from p. 101
  • Abu’l-‘Ala al-Ma’arri’s Correspondence on Vegetarianism. By D S Margoliouth
    • This is the conversation with the Cairo missionary dramatised in the show
  • The Risalatu’l-Ghufran … continued from p. 362

I did check some other more modern sources, but unfortunately those aren’t in a form that I can link to.

Sound

Digital media artist Robb Masters wrote our theme. I also used these actualities and sound effects for atmosphere:

• Cavernscape, donated to the public domain by Blaukreuz
• Niger village muezzin call, donated to the public domain by Felix Blume
• Early Morning Riad by Gazdooks under CC-BY licence
• Essaouira Walkabout by acclivity under CC-BY licence
• Drop Slow Long 1 by Mich 3D under CC Sampling+ licence

In line with the usual artifice of radio, I edited our discussion with Benjamin Zephaniah and re-recorded some dialogue for clarity and flow.