Maqamat Al-Hariri are frequently referenced on beautiful pictorial illustrations showcasing aspects of life from the Golden Age of Muslim civilisation. But what were the Maqamat?
A Maqam (plural: Maqamat) is an Arabic rhymed prose literary form with short poetic passages.* The Maqamat, written in a sophisticated rythm, were primarily aimed at educated audience and left us with an excellent showcase of pictorial traditions of the period. According to Alain F George “The text is a masterpiece of Arabic literature”.
Initially appearing in the second half of the tenth century, the Maqamat were invented by Badi al-Zaman al-Hamadhani (d.1008). Later, Al-Hariri (b. 1054 near Basra, d. 1122) elaborated on this genre. He was a scholar of Arabic language and literature and is primarily known for the refined style and wit of his collection of tales, Al-Maqamat
