Jewish Poets and Arabic Literary Culture in Pre-Islamic Arabia: Origins, Themes, and Questions of Authenticity

Prior to the advent of Islam, Jews had a long-standing presence in Arabia. They migrated to the region and engaged in commercial, political, religious, and especially literary activities. Hence, they both influenced the dominant culture in the region and were influenced by it. Aside from their religious practices, their lifestyle and language were not isolated from the dominant culture. According to historical sources, the Jews of this period composed poems in Arabic, adopting the style of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry. They also did not hesitate to write poems on prevalent themes of the Arabic literary tradition. Although Jewish poets and their poems mentioned in historical sources are limited, many of them have survived. The study of these poems provides insight into the literary and cultural practices of the pre-Islamic Jewish community. Additionally, this analysis addresses the debates concerning the authenticity of poems attributed to Jewish poets.