Qasmūna bint Ismāʿil (Arabic: قسمونة بنت إسماعيل; fl. 11th or 12th century CE), sometimes called Xemone,[1][2] was an IberianJewish poet. She is the only female Arabic-language Jewish poet attested from medieval Andalusia, and, along with Sarah of Yemen and the anonymous wife of Dunash ben Labrat,[3][4] one of few known female Jewish poets throughout the Middle Ages.
Little is known about Qasmūna's life. Both surviving sources say that her father was Jewish and that he taught her the art of verse. Whereas al-Maqqari simply calls him Ismāʿil al-Yahudi, however, al-Suyuti calls him Ismāʿil ibn Bagdāla al-Yahudi, and says Qasmūna lived in the twelfth century CE.[5] It has been speculated that Qasmūna's father was Samuel ibn Naghrillah (d. c. 1056), or that Samuel was otherwise an ancestor, which would make Qasmuna an eleventh-century rather than a twelfth-century poet, but the foundations for these claims are shaky.[5]
Three poems by Qasmūna survive, due to being recorded by two later anthologists: Al-Suyuti, in his fifteenth-century Nuzhat al-julasāʼ fī ashʻār al-nisā, an anthology of women's verse, and Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari, in his seventeenth-century Nafḥ al-ṭīb.[6][5] Al-Suyuti, and conceivably also al-Maqqari, seems to have derived the material from an earlier anthology of Andalusian verse, the Kitāb al-Maghrib by Ibn Sa'id al-Maghribi;[5] but it seems that the verses do not appear in surviving manuscripts of that work.
Just like the sun, from which the moon derives its light always, yet afterward eclipses the sun's body.
The missing word in this verse is assumed to be a word denoting a woman of some kind.[6]
2edit
The most famous of Qasmūna's poems, widely anthologised, is introduced by the comment that she looked in the mirror one day and saw that she was beautiful and had reached the time of marriage.[6] She then utters this verse:
I see an orchard Where the time has come For harvesting, But I do not see A gardener reaching out a hand Towards its fruits. Youth goes, vanishing; I wait alone For somebody I do not wish to name.[7]
Always grazing here in this garden-- I'm dark-eyed just like you, and lonely. We both live far from friends, forsaken -- patiently bearing our fate's decree.[3]
Referencesedit
^ Gottheil, Richard; Montgomery, Mary W. (1904). "Ḳasmunah (sometimes called Xemone)". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 451.
^Weinfeld, Eduardo (1948). Enciclopedia judaica castellana, el pueblo judio en el pasado y el presente; su historia, su religión, sus costumbres, su literatura, su arte, sus hombres, su situación en el mundo (in Spanish). Vol. 6. México: Enciclopedia judaica castellana. p. 201.
^ abQasmuna bint Ismal'il (2007). "Ah, Gazelle". In Cole, Peter (ed.). The Dream of the Poem: Hebrew Poetry from Muslim and Christian Spain, 950-1492. Translated by Cole, Peter. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 364.
^Taitz, Emily; Henry, Sondra; Tallan, Cheryl (2003). "Sarah of Yemen". The JPS Guide to Jewish Women: 600 B.C.E. to 1900 C.E. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society. pp. 57–59.
^ abcdGallego, María Ángeles (1999). "Approaches to the Study of Muslim and Jewish Women in Medieval Iberian Peninsula: The Poetess Qasmuna Bat Isma'il". MEAH. 48: 63–75.
^ abcdefNichols, James Mansfield (1981). "The Arabic Verses of Qasmūna bint Ismāʿil ibn Bagdālah". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 13: 155–158. doi:10.1017/S0020743800055264.
^Qasmuna bint Isma'il (2014). "Seeing Herself Beautiful and Nubile". In Hammond, Marlé (ed.). Arabic Poems: A Bilingual Edition. Translated by Middleton, Christopher; Garza-Falcón, Leticia. New York: Everyman. pp. 130–131.
March 16, 2024
qasmuna, qasmūna, bint, ismāʿil, arabic, قسمونة, بنت, إسماعيل, 11th, 12th, century, sometimes, called, xemone, iberian, jewish, poet, only, female, arabic, language, jewish, poet, attested, from, medieval, andalusia, along, with, sarah, yemen, anonymous, wife,. Qasmuna bint Ismaʿil Arabic قسمونة بنت إسماعيل fl 11th or 12th century CE sometimes called Xemone 1 2 was an Iberian Jewish poet She is the only female Arabic language Jewish poet attested from medieval Andalusia and along with Sarah of Yemen and the anonymous wife of Dunash ben Labrat 3 4 one of few known female Jewish poets throughout the Middle Ages Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 ReferencesBiography editLittle is known about Qasmuna s life Both surviving sources say that her father was Jewish and that he taught her the art of verse Whereas al Maqqari simply calls him Ismaʿil al Yahudi however al Suyuti calls him Ismaʿil ibn Bagdala al Yahudi and says Qasmuna lived in the twelfth century CE 5 It has been speculated that Qasmuna s father was Samuel ibn Naghrillah d c 1056 or that Samuel was otherwise an ancestor which would make Qasmuna an eleventh century rather than a twelfth century poet but the foundations for these claims are shaky 5 Three poems by Qasmuna survive due to being recorded by two later anthologists Al Suyuti in his fifteenth century Nuzhat al julasaʼ fi ashʻar al nisa an anthology of women s verse and Ahmed Mohammed al Maqqari in his seventeenth century Nafḥ al ṭib 6 5 Al Suyuti and conceivably also al Maqqari seems to have derived the material from an earlier anthology of Andalusian verse the Kitab al Maghrib by Ibn Sa id al Maghribi 5 but it seems that the verses do not appear in surviving manuscripts of that work Works editThree poems by Qasmuna are known 6 1 edit One is part of a verse capping challenge set by Qasmuna s father As edited and translated by Nichols he begins Li ṣaḥibun dhu lacuna qad qabalat nafʿan bi ḍurrin wa staḥallat ḥarama ha I have a friend whose lacuna has repaid good with evil considering lawful that which is forbidden to her To which Qasmuna replies Ka shshamsi min ha l badru yaqbisu nura hu abadan wa yaksifu baʿda dhalika jirma ha Just like the sun from which the moon derives its light always yet afterward eclipses the sun s body The missing word in this verse is assumed to be a word denoting a woman of some kind 6 2 edit The most famous of Qasmuna s poems widely anthologised is introduced by the comment that she looked in the mirror one day and saw that she was beautiful and had reached the time of marriage 6 She then utters this verse Aya rawḍatan qad ḥana min ha qaṭafu ha wa laisa yura ḥanin yamudda la ha yada fa wa asafi yamdi shshababu mudayyaʿan wa yabqa lladhi ma lanʾusammi hi mufrada 6 I see an orchard Where the time has come For harvesting But I do not see A gardener reaching out a hand Towards its fruits Youth goes vanishing I wait alone For somebody I do not wish to name 7 3 edit The last of Qasmuna s known poems runs Ya ẓabyatan tarʿa bi rawdin daʾiman inni ḥakaitu ki fi ttawaḥḥushi wa l ḥawari Amsa kila na mufradan ʿan ṣaḥibin fa ʿitabu na abadan ʿala ḥukmi l qadari 6 Always grazing here in this garden I m dark eyed just like you and lonely We both live far from friends forsaken patiently bearing our fate s decree 3 References edit nbsp Gottheil Richard Montgomery Mary W 1904 Ḳasmunah sometimes called Xemone In Singer Isidore et al eds The Jewish Encyclopedia Vol 7 New York Funk amp Wagnalls p 451 Weinfeld Eduardo 1948 Enciclopedia judaica castellana el pueblo judio en el pasado y el presente su historia su religion sus costumbres su literatura su arte sus hombres su situacion en el mundo in Spanish Vol 6 Mexico Enciclopedia judaica castellana p 201 a b Qasmuna bint Ismal il 2007 Ah Gazelle In Cole Peter ed The Dream of the Poem Hebrew Poetry from Muslim and Christian Spain 950 1492 Translated by Cole Peter Princeton Princeton University Press p 364 Taitz Emily Henry Sondra Tallan Cheryl 2003 Sarah of Yemen The JPS Guide to Jewish Women 600 B C E to 1900 C E Philadelphia The Jewish Publication Society pp 57 59 a b c d Gallego Maria Angeles 1999 Approaches to the Study of Muslim and Jewish Women in Medieval Iberian Peninsula The Poetess Qasmuna Bat Isma il MEAH 48 63 75 a b c d e f Nichols James Mansfield 1981 The Arabic Verses of Qasmuna bint Ismaʿil ibn Bagdalah International Journal of Middle East Studies 13 155 158 doi 10 1017 S0020743800055264 Qasmuna bint Isma il 2014 Seeing Herself Beautiful and Nubile In Hammond Marle ed Arabic Poems A Bilingual Edition Translated by Middleton Christopher Garza Falcon Leticia New York Everyman pp 130 131 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Qasmuna amp oldid 1211165860, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
