Poets Who Died in Libya (Dibil al-Khuzi and Ibn Hani al-Andalusi as Models)

Abstract

The poet of the Ahl al-Bayt, Di'bil ibn Ali al-Khuza'i, is considered one of the great poets of religious praise, especially for his famous poem in which he spoke of the homes of the Ahl al-Bayt that were emptied of their inhabitants, who were taken by injustice and killing. Their schools became desolate, and the voices that used to recite the Holy Quran in their courtyards were silenced. He is also considered one of the great poets of satire against all who wronged and attacked the Ahl al-Bayt. Sources and references agree that the place of death of the poet Ibn Hani' al-Andalusi was in the land of Barqa in Libyan soil. He was killed politically by some supporters of the government of Cordoba who were opposed to the Fatimids, or he was killed religiously by some religious extremists who smelled in him a whiff of heresy and disbelief. Or his immersion in pleasures and his love of drink and enjoyment made him forget what should be present in his praise in terms of sincerity of thought, truth of experience, and fervor of feeling, and he replaced it with praise that is rejected by taste, reason, and religion. This is what the follower of the panegyrics of the poet Ibn Hani' al-Andalusi finds most often in his tendency towards excessive exaggeration, which leads to a clash with reason, taste, or religion, leading to the Andalusian poet being brutally murdered. These sources and references differ in determining the place of death of the poet Di'bil ibn Ali al-Khuza'i. Through tracing some sources and references, it was confirmed that the poet al-Khuza'i died in the land of Zawila in Libyan soil. This is what the historian and geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi mentioned in his book, Mu'jam al-Buldan (Dictionary of Countries), where he confirmed that the poet Di'bil al-Khuza'i died in Zawila and that his grave is located there. Al-Hamawi cited a verse by a poet who was a contemporary of Di'bil, Bakr ibn Hammad. This was also confirmed—after research and verification—by the late Libyan historian and writer Ali Mustafa al-Misrati in his article entitled: "Di'bil al-Khuza'i the Poet: Where was his end? In Iraq or in the land of Libya?". He confirms that the poet al-Khuza'i died in the land of Libya.