Al-A'sha

Maymun Ibn Qays Al-A'sha, an Arabic Pre-Islamic poet from Al-Yamama, Arabia, was born around the year five hundred seventy. Known for his unique poetic style, he drew inspiration from a jinni named Misḥal and traveled extensively through Mesopotamia, Syria, Arabia, and Ethiopia. Despite losing his sight, which earned him the nickname 'al-A'sha' meaning 'weak-sighted' or 'night-blind', he continued to journey along the western coast of the Arabian peninsula, where he turned to writing panegyrics as a means of support.

Al-A'sha's poetry is notable for its rich sound effects and the use of foreign words, often described as artificial in style. His love poems, particularly those dedicated to Huraira, a black female slave, showcase his emotional depth. His works reflect a familiarity with Christian themes, including beliefs in Resurrection and Last Judgment, likely influenced by his interactions with the bishop of Najrān and the 'Ibādites of Al-Hirah.

His verses are celebrated for their vivid descriptions of the wild ass, praise of wine, and skillful use of satire and various metrical forms. Philip F. Kennedy highlights Al-A'sha's fondness for wine, noting that he nearly converted to Islam in six hundred twenty-nine but was deterred upon learning of the Islamic prohibition against wine just before meeting Muhammad.

One of his qasidah, or odes, is sometimes included in the Mu'allaqat, an esteemed collection of early Arabic poetry, further cementing his legacy in the literary world.