Eloquence and the Pillar of Poetry: Theories Confronting Linguistic and Cultural Changes

This article evaluates the possibility of theorising “poetry as a foundational pillar” – Amoud al-Shear – in accordance with Arabic rhetoric and literary criticism. This metaphorical name regards poetry as a pillar of literature and culture. Arabic scholars consider Amoud al-Shear as a theory which supposes poetry as a foundational pillar of language, literature, and culture. This study aims to answer the following questions: does Amoud al-Shear have the characteristics and functions of a literary theory? What are its intellectual and cultural origins? And what impact did it leave on the corpus of Arabic language and literature? In order to analyse the theorisation of Amoud al-Shear, the study employs six assessment criteria of theory and examines its credibility and efficiency in light of historical evidence. This study relates the theory of eloquence in the Persian language to the Amoud al-Shear theory.
 
Extended Abstract
1.Introduction
This article investigates the possibility of theorising “Amud al-Shear” – or the pillar of poetry – as a literary and cultural theory. It examines this issue in light of the criteria and the six principles of theory. One can classify the contents of Islamic rhetoric and Arabic literary criticism in three major categories: rhetorical features of speech, rhetorical contemplations, and reference theories. Various literary theories, such as word-order theory (inimitability of the Quran) and “the pillar of poetry,” have been proposed in the history of Iranian and Islamic rhetoric. The question is whether these conceptualisations possess the characteristics of a theory. To answer this question, the author investigates the possibility of theorising “ Amud al-Shear” in light of the criteria of a theory. The “Amud al-Shear” concept is associated with the study of poetry and its various elements, including structure, meaning, and aesthetics.
 
2.Methodology
The research is a case study which uses a speculative analytical method. Such a methodology is not based on mere information and citations but concentrates on a methodical contemplation and systematic development of the data provided by the corpora.
 
3.Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework of the research is in accordance with the author's elaboration and investigation of the criteria and the six principles of a theory. As such, there is no formulated or already known theory to be utilised in the article.
 
4.Discussion and Analysis
To answer the above-mentioned questions, this study employs the criteria for evaluating a theory. The evaluation, critique, or refutation of a theory is based on six criteria and is discussed as follows:
4.1 Explanatory
A theory should provide a clear, precise, and transparent description of its subject. “Amud al-Shear” has brilliantly explained the state of Arabic poetry until the third century. This theory sought to protect Arabic poetry (eloquence) from the onslaught of numerous Arabic dialects which entered the Islamic world and aimed to create an understandable poetry that is eloquent, fluent, proportionate, harmonious, and rich in meaning for people all over the Islamic world, from Transoxiana to Egypt.
4.2 Dialectical Approach
A dialectical approach sets these theories apart from other rival theories. The idea of "the pillar of poetry" emerged from the conflict between ancient poets and neoclassicists in Arabic poetry during the third century A. H. (Abbasid era). At that time, new Muslim nations and tribes entered Arab civilisation, and new Arabic poetry moved towards modernisation. As a result, poets distanced themselves from the ancient Arabic discourse and the atmosphere of the desert.
4.3 Durability and Consistency
The conceptualisation of “Amud al-Shear” established a solid framework for Arabic literature such as morphology, grammar, rhetoric, literary criticism, and Arabic literary history, and has also organised and led the creation of poetry and the understanding of Arabic literature for centuries throughout the Islamic world. This concept has retained its effects on Arabic literature, even ten centuries after the death of its founder, Mazrouqi Isfahani.
4.4 The Scope of the Subject
The scope of the application and impact of "the pillar of poetry" does not cover modern and contemporary Arabic poetry, nor is there any mention of this theory in the history of world literature and literary criticism in relation to other languages and nations. However, the theory of eloquence in Persian literature has a close relationship with the concept of “Amud al-Shear,” and the roots of the theory of eloquence in Persian literature can be traced in Arabic rhetoric and literary criticism.
4.5 Prediction
The “Amud al-Shear” theory predicted that the Arabic language and literary taste would transform due to the linguistic and cultural interconnectedness of various Muslims who wrote poems in Arabic. The change in language and taste threatened the foundation of the system of thought, knowledge, and language. This prediction was relatively accurate.
4.6 Problem-solving
A theory should solve the problem of its subject, which in this case was chaos, fragmentation, and variation of literary tradition and the distortion of Arabic language. The concept of “Amud al-Shear” could safeguard the foundation of Arabic culture, namely poetry, which was called "Diwan al-Arab," for twelve centuries (until modern times) and provide a solution for slowing down the distortion and rapid changes in Arabic language and culture by returning to the original form of poetry, clarity, and elegance. Although it was an effective solution for a long time, it could not withstand modernisation.
4.7 Impartiality
A credible theory is the result of impartial observation and contemplation. However, “Amud al-Shear” is not impartial; it is a prescriptive theory. It was established to monitor, protect, and improve Arabic poetry. This theory prevented the entry of foreign vocabulary.
4.8 Origins of the Pillar of Poetry
First theorised in the fourth century in central Iran, the pillar of poetry became favoured in Iranian courts such as those in Isfahan, Rey, Nishabur, and Shiraz. About ten Iranian scholars played a significant role in the formation and popularity of the “Amud al-Shear” theory. The purpose of the theory, which was protecting the principles of Arabic poetry, also continued in Persian literature through Persian eloquence theory. Persian poets investigated all the principles of "the pillar of poetry” theory. For eleven centuries, Persian verse and prose – the language of the courts and the Persian standard language –protected a cultural and aesthetic system called “the old poetry system,” which rose to prominence by a Persian literary movement called "the return” in the 19^th century. At the beginning of the 20^th century, under the Reza Shah regime, the theory became anthologised and played a significant role in promoting cultural achievements and refining the Persian language by the first academics of Persian literature. The Persian language and literature education system still borrows its models and principles from the foundations of the theory of eloquence and the pillar of poetry.
 
5.Conclusion
The theory of "the pillar of poetry" is believed to have several characteristic features, some of which are new lines of thought, impartiality, and universality. However, this article seriously doubts the universality of this theory since it played no role in creating literary tendencies and the modernisation of Persian and Arabic civilisations. It has not opened up much new ground for literature and literary thought. However, it has been employed in preserving literary and cultural traditions. The rather impartial theory of “Amud al-Shear" was designed to prove the miraculous nature of the Quran. The theory also defended the classical Arabic and Persian poetic structures and prevented drastic changes in the language and taste of Arabic and Persian speakers. Furthermore, it played a significant role in preserving the Islamic tradition and the continuity of Arabic and Persian literatures. Although it has some limitations and has not contributed to creativity and innovation in literature, it has been successful in preserving the classical structures of Arabic and Persian literatures, and the fact that Arabic and Persian texts from centuries ago are still understandable today is a testament to its success.
 
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