Waddah al-Yaman born Abdul Rahman bin Isma’il al-Khawlani (Arabic: عبدالرحمن بن اسماعيل الخولاني) (died 708), was an Arab

Arab

Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...

 poet.

Biography

Al-Yaman was born in Yemen

Yemen

The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....

 in the second half of the seventh century. He was famous for his erotic and romantic poems.

He was executed by the Ummayad Caliph

Caliph

The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word   which means "successor" or "representative"...

 Al-Walid I, allegedly due to his over familiarity with his wife. Al-Yaman is now regarded as the national poet of Yemen.

Poetry

Excerpt of one of Al-Yaman's poems:

She said: "Don’t come to our home, my father is deadly jealous."

I said: "I’ll pluck you before he knows it, my sword is razor sharp."

She said: "There’s a whole castle between us."

I said: "I’ll fly my flag over the castle."

She said: "There’s a whole sea between us."

I said: "I’m a strong swimmer."

She said: "My seven brothers keep an eye on me."

I said: "I’m a match for them all."

She said: "Allah is watching us."

I said: "My lord is Merciful and Forgiving."

She said: "I have run out of words, so come tonight when everyone’s floating in dreams, and fall on me like dew, undisturbed."

See also

• List of Arab scientists and scholars