Jarir ibn Atiyah facts for kids

Jarir ibn Atiyah al-Khatfi Al-Tamimi (Arabic: جرير بن عطية الخطفي التميمي) was an Arab poet and a writer who used humor and criticism in his poems. He lived from about 650 to 728 CE. Jarir was a member of the Kulaib tribe, which was part of the Banu Tamim.

Who Was Jarir?

Jarir was born in a place called al-Yamamah. He lived during the time of the caliph Uthman. A caliph was a leader of the Muslim community. Jarir also spent time in Damascus, which was the capital city of the Umayyad Caliphate. The Umayyad Caliphate was a large Islamic empire. He would visit the caliphs' court, which was like their royal palace or official meeting place.

Early Life and Career

We don't know much about Jarir's very early life. However, he became well-known for his poetry. He managed to gain the support of Al-Hajjaj bin Yousef. Al-Hajjaj was a powerful governor in Iraq. This helped Jarir become even more famous.

Famous Poet Rivalries

Jarir was already known for his poems. But he became even more famous because of his arguments with other poets. His main rivals were Farazdaq and Akhtal. These poets would often write poems that made fun of each other. This was a popular form of entertainment at the time.

Visiting the Caliphs

Later, Jarir traveled to Damascus. He visited the court of Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. He also visited Abd al-Malik's son, Al-Walid I, who became the next caliph. Jarir did not get a very friendly welcome from either of these leaders.

However, he had more success with Caliph Umar II. Umar II was known for being a very religious and good leader. Jarir was the only poet that this caliph welcomed.

Jarir's Poetry Style

Jarir's poems were mostly about two things. One was satire, which means using humor or criticism to make fun of people or ideas. The other was eulogy, which means writing poems that praise someone highly. Many poets of his time wrote in a similar style.