STYLISTIC FEATURES OF YUNUS ABDULLAHI'S "YA LAIMI" ARABIC PRAISE POEMS TO PROPHET MOHAMMED

KHALIL MOHAMMED USMAN GBODODOFU AND LAWAL RAHMAN

ABSTRACT


Eulogizing the prophet has generated a lot of controversies among the Muslims just as this genre of poetry has been mostly ignored and seen as having no significant content. In the Islamic era (Al-Asrul Islami), the prophet permitted Hassan bn Thabit, his poet to compose poem to defend Islam and praise him. Later he condemned extoling and over praising him by referring to him as Allah or son of Allah as a form of commendation or praise. The aim of this study is to identify the methods used by the poet being studied to eulogize the Prophet and describe the stylistic features of the panegyric poem. The methods adopted in this paper of research are descriptive and analytic. The author stated and described the methods implored by the author in praising the prophet and then highlighted and analyzed the stylistic features   embedded in the poem.  The results of the study revealed that the author used three major methods to praise the prophet and these include reference to his spiritual status, emphasis on his practices and traditions and describing his religious struggle. The styles adopted by the author include clarity and simplicity in the use of language, use of imagery, Iqtibas (adaptation and citation of Quran verses) and rhetorical questions. It is recommended therefore, that the poems should be completely translated to English and other international languages for the benefit of none speakers of Arabic language and for wider circulation.