Poem Types Used in Arabic Literature from the Beginning to the Present

When considering Arabic literature, the first genre that undoubtedly comes to mind is poetry. In the age of Jahiliyyah, poetry has yet to complete its evolution but has become a tool that enables Arabic society to adhere to its values. Thanks to poetry, Arabians have recorded the successes they have achieved in wars in previous periods and preserved their customs, glory, and traditions. The factthat poetry has served as a media organ and that it has been used as the strongest tool of propaganda is the simplest proof of how important poetry is in Arabic society, especially in previous periods. Championing poetry as a source of pride, the encouragement of past period’s rulers, literary assemblies, and various competitions have ensured that poetry remains in high regard throughout all periods. Poems have transfigured from different types and shapes over time, as they have garnered raw material from general society. Arabic poetry has followed this same course. The needs of society and the relationships established with different nations in various regions have led to the emergence of different verse forms, such as al-Urjûza, el-Qasîde, ar-Ramal, al-Silsile, al-Dûbeyt, al-Kûmâ, al-Kâne and Kâne, el-Mavâliyâ, al-Muwashshah, az-Zajal, eş-Şi‘ru’l-Hurr and Kasîdetu’n-Nesr, where various meters and rhymes are used. Arabic poetry is assumed to have commenced with ar-Rajaz and al-Qasîd in the age of Jahiliyyah. In this study, various research has been sourced as to where and when the verse types used in Arabic literature from the past to present emerged for the first time, by whom the first examples were written, and in which meter and what rhyme scheme. This study aims to introduce these genres by presenting at least one example of each type of form.