The Princess
Tumaadar bint Amr bin al-Harith bin al-Sharid bin Rabah bin Yaqzah bin Usayya bin Khaffaf bin Imr-il-qais bin Behta was commonly known as “al-Khansaa” (R.A.). She is the greatest poetess of elegiac poems in the Arabic literature. Her “dewan” is still extant.

Khansaa(R.A.) belonged to the tribe “Muzar”. She had two brothers, Mua’wiya and Sakhr. The former was her real brother while the while the latter was her half brother. Her father was the leader of his tribe. She had a well-balanced and a well-groomed personality and her father and her brothers acknowledged her wisdom and regarded her highly. The brothers were the best of the youth of the tribe and the father, like Khansaa (R.A.), had always been proud of the two. He would say: “I am the father of the two best of the youth of Muzar”. (5)

Khansa’s (R.A.) hand was asked for in marriage by the leader of the Hawazun (tribe), Duraid bin Assumma. He was wealthy but quite old and was not a fit match for her. Hazrat Khansaa (R.A.) got married to a youth of her own tribe, Rawahah bin Abdul-Aziz. She had a child, Abdullah from the marriage; her husband died young so, she was married Abdul-Azza who was a spendthrift and was fond of gambling, wine and food. Once he lost everything and was about to leave the house when she went to her brother, Sakhr who gave her half the share from his property.

When destitute for a second time, she went to her brother again and again Sakhr gave her half of what he possessed. When she went to him for the third time, his wife asked him to give Khansaa something inferior fearing her husband would ruin it. But, Sakhr helped her generously in a manner befitting her status of a princess and thus set an illustrious example of generosity in the pre-Islamic era.

After her second husband’s death, Khansaa (R.A.) got married to Mird’as bin Ali Aamir Assalma of her own tribe and had three children from the marriage: Zaid, Mu’awiya and Umar (R.A.).

The Poetess
Khansaa (R.A.) started writing and saying poetry after the death of her brothers. Mua’wiya was the first to go. He had been killed in an inter-tribe battle by Hashim and Zaid of Murrah (a tribe). The task of avenging his brother’s murder fell upon the shoulders of Sakhr. She had started poetry to call upon vengeance of Mu’awiya and then continued it till late in life. Sakhr killed four youths of Murrah; so, he took the revenge of his brother’s blood bravely and honourably as it was a custom prevalent in the pre-Islamic era. He got a mortal wound from the spear of Abu Saur-Al-Asadi from the tribe of Ash’ar during a battle with the people of the tribe. Blood oozed from the wound for three years leading, ultimately, to his death.

Khansaa (R.A.) mourned over Sakhr‘s death; she embraced Islam late in life but continued to lament for her brothers. Hazrat Umar (R.A.), during his caliphate, asked her why she lamented and mourned even after embracing Islam (as mourning is forbidden in Islam). She replied: “Before embracing Islam, I lamented for their (brothers’) vengeance and I lament now for their being in hell”.

Khansaa (R.A.) did not cry for them after embracing Islam but continued writing elegiac poems. In the battle of Qa’dsia, she urged all four of her sons to take part and to fight bravely. When she heard the news of the martyrdom of them all, she exclaimed: “All praise is to Allah who honoured me through their martyrdom.” So, this was the change that Islam had brought in her: on the one hand, we find her urging her tribesmen to avenge her brothers’ death and on the other hand, she, as a mother, sends all her children to the battlefield and is grateful for their martyrdom.

Khansaa (R.A.) died, according to some, during Hazrat Usman’s (R.A.) caliphate in 24 A.H.(644-645 A.D.) and according to some, during Hazrat Mu’awiya’S (R.A.) caliphate in 42ND A.H.(663 A.D.) at her residence in Ba’dia.

Khansaa (R.A.) is the great literary figure of all the times. Although her poetry is subjective yet it is universal in its appeal. She had a keen ear for poetry. She was meticulous about using and choosing words. She has used brief but beautiful and comprehensive words that have rhythmic and musical effect. Her elegies on Mu’awiya, her early work, show the use of heavy and difficult words and they depict her true artistic abilities. These elegies ponder over the philosophy of life, death and grief. The elegies on Sakhr are more spontaneous, simpler and direct thereby touching the readers’ hearts directly. In one of her elegies, she says:

“What have we done to you death
that you treat us so, with always another catch?
One day a warrior,
the next a head of state;
charmed by the loyal,
you choose the best,
iniquitous, unequalling death.
I would not complain
if you were just.
But you take the worthy
Leaving fools for us.”(3)

For Sakhr, she writes:
“Remembrance makes me sleepless at evening
But by dawn I am worn raw by brimming disaster
Because of Sakhr_____ O what young man is like Sakhr
on a day of war when the fighting turns to the cunning spears?”(3)
And also:
“O my eyes, be generous and do not stop crying!
Will you not weep for Sakhr
the handsome youth,
the young chieftain_____
who had high pillars and a long sword?
He undertook the chieftainship of his tribe when a lad.
When his tribesmen went seeking grace,
he, too, sought it.
His hand (status) was far above that of his tribesmen
Yet he kept ascending the ladder of grace and honour.”(1; 5)

For Sakhr, she further writes:
“Sakhr, you are making me cry now.
But, for a long time, you have made me laugh.
I faced my problems with you by my side.
Who will, now, help me face the great calamity that has befallen me?
When mourning over the dead will be considered bad,
Even then, I will cry well over you.”(1; 5)

Khansaa (R.A.) has expressed her grief with the help of beautiful metaphors and personification when she says:

“Time has gnawed at me, bit me and has cut me.
Time has harmed, wounded and injured me,
and has destroyed my men who have died together.
This has made me restless.
They were not a harbour for the cruel
Just like the sun which is no shelter for the people.
We saw horses galloping
and flying dust.
And riders, having lustrous, broad swords and grey spears;
Whose swords turn faces deathly white, whose spears cut bodies.

We defeated those who thought
they would never be defeated.
And whoever thinks that they will not be harmed
thinks of the impossible.
We avoid dishonourable deeds and honour our guests.
And we store the praise (of people).
We wear armour in war
And silk, wool and cotton during peace.”(1; 5)

The Poetess Appraised
Khansaa’s (R.A.) poetry has its own value and her poetical genius has always been acknowledged not only during her life time but even today, not only by the pre-Islamic Arab poets but also by people of all the times and places.

The holy prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) would listen to her poetry. After she embraced Islam, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) would ask her to recite her poetry by saying: “O Khansaa, let us hear you (recite your poetry).”(1; 5)

According to Hina Al-Khori, “Khansaa’s (R.A.) first poetical experience is the echo of death”.(Al-Jadeed fi-l-Adab-ul-Arj; vol. 5; pg 493-94)
Mubarrid, in Al-Kamil, said: “Khansaa (R.A.) and Laila Alkhailia have shown maturity in their verse and have ousted men at it.”

Bashar bin Burd of the Abbassid period once said; “Whenever a woman tried poetry, she made a mistake.” When asked if it was true also of Khansaa (R.A.), he replied: “No. She has defeated many experts at it.”(1; 5)

Abu Zaid, another Arab critic drew the contrast between Khansa (R.A.) Laila (another noteworthy Arabic poetess) as: “Laila’s poetry is varied, deep and her words are lively but no one can compete with Khansa (R.A.) in the art of writing the elegy.”(4)

Khansaa (R.A.) had been appreciated for her poetry at the festival of “Ukka’z” that would be held at Makkah annually. On one of the festivals that was being presided by Naabgha –al-Zabiyaani, Khans’a (R.A.) recited the qasida (ode) that starts off as:

“Are you weeping because something has got into your eyes?
Or because all the residents have left the house?”
On listening to the qasida, Naabgha said: “Had Abu-Baseer Al-A’sha not recited his qasida, I would have declared you the greatest of all the poets of the humans and the jins, the supernatural.”(4)

When Jareer was asked who the greatest poet was, he said: “I had Khansa (R.A.) not been there.” He said this on account of Khansa’s (R.A.) verses which mean

“No doubt time and its movements are strange.
It has left the tail with us taking away the head.
There is no change in the movement of day and night
But they do change the human life.”(1; 5)

Alan Jones remarks about Hazrat Khansaa’s (R.A.) poetry that “her obsession with lament was all-engulfing______ unhinged does not seem too strong a description of her personality.”(3)

One of the websites displays these words about her: “Tamaadir bint Amru bin Al-Harith Bin Al-Sharid, better known as “al-Khansa”, the dauntless poetess of the seventh century, renowned for her eloquence and outspoken courage, remains, to this day, a legend in Arabic literary annals. Her famous “lament for a brother” rings with timeless and poignant immediacy.”(3)

In conclusion, Khansaa (R.A.) was a wise, a fearless person who, although, suffered much but enjoys a remarkable place in the Arabic literature on account of her powerful and moving elegies in which she laments the death of her brothers. In the later elegies, she laments the fate of her dear brothers in the life hereafter. She was a graceful lady who faced every stroke of fate bravely, embraced Islam and sacrificed even her sons in the way of Allah, the Almighty. She was on the zenith of sacrifice and patience. She was a princess and no doubt, she is the princess of the Arabic poetry as well. Her father and brothers respected her a lot and she has made almost all the men, of the various periods, respect her for her poetical genius. Her poetry will remain alive as long as literature and the love for poetry are alive.