Hind bint al-Khuss al-Iyādiyya (Arabic: هند بنت الخس الإيادية, also Hind ibnat al-Khuss al-Iyādiyya) is a legendary pre-Islamic female poet. While older scholarship supposed that Hind was a real person, recent research views her as an entirely legendary figure.[1][2] Stories surrounding Hind focus on her eloquent responses to questions, sometimes in verse, sometimes in sajʿ (rhyming prose), and sometimes in prose, regarding gender, marriage, plants, animals or weather.[1]
Hind is also known in some sources by the nickname al-Zarqāʾ. It is suspected that this is because tales of another legendary ancient Arabian woman, Zarqāʾ al-Yamāma, were conflated with tales of Hind, leading some people to think that the two figures were identical.[1]
The origin of Hind's patronym, al-Khuss, is not clear, but some scholarship suggests that the Arabic word khuss meant 'the son of a man and a jinniyya'. If so, Hind was imagined to owe her exceptional skills to supernatural ancestry.[2]
Stories of Hind's lifeedit
Stories about Hind establish verisimilitude through mentioning real places and, in some cases, supposing a family for Hind.[1]Ibn ʿArabi gives her a fulsome patronym: Hind bint al-Khuss ibn Ḥābis ibn Ḳurayṭ al-Iyādī (al-Iyādiyya).[2]Al-Zamakhsharī's al-Mustaqṣā fī amthāl al-ʿarab imputes to her an unnamed daughter and a sister called Jumʿa.[3]Ibn Abī Ṭāhir Ṭayfūr's Balāghāt al-nisāʾ has Hind and Jumʿa visiting the famous fair at ʿUkāẓ.[4] Abū ʿUbayd portrays Hind having an affair with a slave.[5]
Ali ibn Nasr al-Katib's Encyclopedia of Pleasure tells that Hind, known here as al-Zarqāʾ, loved the Christian woman Hind bint al-Nuʿmān, who was the daughter of the last Lakhmid king of Hira in the seventh century. When Hind Bint al-Khuss died, her faithful lover 'cropped her hair, wore black clothes, rejected worldly pleasures, vowed to God that she would lead an ascetic life until she passed away'. Hind bint al-Nu'man even builds a monastery to commemorate her love for al-Zarqāʾ. This source figures the two characters as the first lesbians in Arab culture.[6]
Worksedit
Literature attributed to Hind tends to take the form of clever responses to questions and proverbial wisdom, reported in adab literature and philological treatises. In the words of Kathrin Müller,
The structure of these anecdotes is characteristic of texts preserving traditional knowledge of Bedouin life and its lexicographical material. Many questions follow the pattern “what is the best thing?—what is the worst?” Sometimes the questioner begins a sentence with “almost,” and Bint al-Khuss completes it, as in “almost, the ostrich is a bird.”[1]
An incantation in the rajaz metre attributed to Zarqā'/Hind bint al-Khuss, characterised by D. Frolov as 'very archaic because of the abundance and diversity of foot variations', runs[7]
If only those partridges belonged to me, And about a half of them were with me In addition to the partridges of my kin, We would have one hundred partridges.
Sourcesedit
The ninth-century CE scholar Abū l-ʿAbbās Thaʿlab had a now lost work called Tafsīr kalām Ibnat al-Khuss ('commentary on the sayings of Ibnat al-Khuss').
Stories about Hind remained in circulation in Algeria into the twentieth century.[8][2]
Editions and translationsedit
Perron, Femmes arabes avant et depuis l’Islamisme (Paris: Librarie Nouvelle; Algiers: Tissier, 1858), pp. 43-46 translates Hind material from al-Suyūṭī's Muzhir (characterised by Charles Pellat as a 'bad translation').[2]
Referencesedit
^ abcdeKathrin Müller, 'Hind bt. al-Khuss', in Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE, ed by Kate Fleet and others (Leiden: Brill, 2007–) doi:10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_30473 ISBN9789004305779.
^ abcdeCh. Pellat, 'Hind Bint al-Khuss', in Encyclopaedia of Islam, ed. by P. Bearman and others, 2nd edn (Leiden: Brill, 1954–2005), doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_2880, ISBN9789004161214.
^Ibn Abī Ṭāhir Ṭayfūr, Balāghāt al-nisāʾ, ed. by ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd Hindāwī (Cairo, 1417/1997), p. 124.
^Abū ʿUbayd, Gharīb al-ḥadīth, 4 vols (Hyderabad, 1384–87/1964–67), I 39.
^Sahar Amer (2 May 2009). "Medieval Arab Lesbians and Lesbian-Like Women". Journal of the History of Sexuality. pp. 215–236. Retrieved 4 April 2011..
^D. Frolov, 'The Place of Rajaz in the History of Arabic Verse', Journal of Arabic Literature, 28 (1997), 242-90 (p. 250); doi:10.1163/157006497x00038.
^R. Basset, 'La légende de Bent El-Khass', Revue Africaine, 49 (1905), 18-34.
October 27, 2023
hind, bint, khuss, iyādiyya, arabic, هند, بنت, الخس, الإيادية, also, hind, ibnat, khuss, iyādiyya, legendary, islamic, female, poet, while, older, scholarship, supposed, that, hind, real, person, recent, research, views, entirely, legendary, figure, stories, s. Hind bint al Khuss al Iyadiyya Arabic هند بنت الخس الإيادية also Hind ibnat al Khuss al Iyadiyya is a legendary pre Islamic female poet While older scholarship supposed that Hind was a real person recent research views her as an entirely legendary figure 1 2 Stories surrounding Hind focus on her eloquent responses to questions sometimes in verse sometimes in sajʿ rhyming prose and sometimes in prose regarding gender marriage plants animals or weather 1 Contents 1 Name 2 Stories of Hind s life 3 Works 4 Sources 5 Editions and translations 6 ReferencesName editHind is also known in some sources by the nickname al Zarqaʾ It is suspected that this is because tales of another legendary ancient Arabian woman Zarqaʾ al Yamama were conflated with tales of Hind leading some people to think that the two figures were identical 1 The origin of Hind s patronym al Khuss is not clear but some scholarship suggests that the Arabic word khuss meant the son of a man and a jinniyya If so Hind was imagined to owe her exceptional skills to supernatural ancestry 2 Stories of Hind s life editStories about Hind establish verisimilitude through mentioning real places and in some cases supposing a family for Hind 1 Ibn ʿArabi gives her a fulsome patronym Hind bint al Khuss ibn Ḥabis ibn Ḳurayṭ al Iyadi al Iyadiyya 2 Al Zamakhshari s al Mustaqṣa fi amthal al ʿarab imputes to her an unnamed daughter and a sister called Jumʿa 3 Ibn Abi Ṭahir Ṭayfur s Balaghat al nisaʾ has Hind and Jumʿa visiting the famous fair at ʿUkaẓ 4 Abu ʿUbayd portrays Hind having an affair with a slave 5 Ali ibn Nasr al Katib s Encyclopedia of Pleasure tells that Hind known here as al Zarqaʾ loved the Christian woman Hind bint al Nuʿman who was the daughter of the last Lakhmid king of Hira in the seventh century When Hind Bint al Khuss died her faithful lover cropped her hair wore black clothes rejected worldly pleasures vowed to God that she would lead an ascetic life until she passed away Hind bint al Nu man even builds a monastery to commemorate her love for al Zarqaʾ This source figures the two characters as the first lesbians in Arab culture 6 Works editLiterature attributed to Hind tends to take the form of clever responses to questions and proverbial wisdom reported in adab literature and philological treatises In the words of Kathrin Muller The structure of these anecdotes is characteristic of texts preserving traditional knowledge of Bedouin life and its lexicographical material Many questions follow the pattern what is the best thing what is the worst Sometimes the questioner begins a sentence with almost and Bint al Khuss completes it as in almost the ostrich is a bird 1 An incantation in the rajaz metre attributed to Zarqa Hind bint al Khuss characterised by D Frolov as very archaic because of the abundance and diversity of foot variations runs 7 ya layta dha l qata liyah wa mithla niṣfin maʿiyah ʾila qaṭati ʾahliyah ʾidhan lana qatan miyah If only those partridges belonged to me And about a half of them were with me In addition to the partridges of my kin We would have one hundred partridges Sources editThe ninth century CE scholar Abu l ʿAbbas Thaʿlab had a now lost work called Tafsir kalam Ibnat al Khuss commentary on the sayings of Ibnat al Khuss Stories about Hind remained in circulation in Algeria into the twentieth century 8 2 Editions and translations editPerron Femmes arabes avant et depuis l Islamisme Paris Librarie Nouvelle Algiers Tissier 1858 pp 43 46 translates Hind material from al Suyuṭi s Muzhir characterised by Charles Pellat as a bad translation 2 References edit a b c d e Kathrin Muller Hind bt al Khuss in Encyclopaedia of Islam THREE ed by Kate Fleet and others Leiden Brill 2007 doi 10 1163 1573 3912 ei3 COM 30473 ISBN 9789004305779 a b c d e Ch Pellat Hind Bint al Khuss in Encyclopaedia of Islam ed by P Bearman and others 2nd edn Leiden Brill 1954 2005 doi 10 1163 1573 3912 islam SIM 2880 ISBN 9789004161214 al Zamakhshari Al Mustaqṣa fi amthal al ʿarab 2 vols Hyderabad 1381 1962 I 67 no 255 Ibn Abi Ṭahir Ṭayfur Balaghat al nisaʾ ed by ʿAbd al Ḥamid Hindawi Cairo 1417 1997 p 124 Abu ʿUbayd Gharib al ḥadith 4 vols Hyderabad 1384 87 1964 67 I 39 Sahar Amer 2 May 2009 Medieval Arab Lesbians and Lesbian Like Women Journal of the History of Sexuality pp 215 236 Retrieved 4 April 2011 D Frolov The Place of Rajaz in the History of Arabic Verse Journal of Arabic Literature 28 1997 242 90 p 250 doi 10 1163 157006497x00038 R Basset La legende de Bent El Khass Revue Africaine 49 1905 18 34 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hind bint al Khuss amp oldid 1176213674, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
