This type of poetry is love poetry that centres on spiritual, platonic, love rather than erotic relationships. One of the most famous ʿudhrī stories inspiring poetry is that between Majnūn and Laylā. This story is that of the poet Qays Bin Al-Mulawwah who fell in love with Laylā, but her father did not allow their marriage. He is said to have gone crazy (‘mujnūn’ in Arabic) and exiled himself into the wilderness where he spent his time composing ʿudhrī poems for her.
- ʿĀliyyah Mamdūḥ (1944-, Iraq) – Gharām Prāgmātī (‘Pragmatic romance’, 2010). The famous Iraqi singer Rāwiya lives in Paris, France, and has a romantic relationship with Iraqi poet and photographer Baḥar who lives in Brighton, England. The problem is that they do not see each other often, which Rāwiya solves by recording Baḥar’s voice and writing letters that she doesn’t send. When she misses him, she listens to his voice and reads her letters to him. The novel thus portrays Rāwiya’s pragmatic relationship with an absent lover (reference).
Refrences:
In order of appearance
- Interview with author by Nizwa Magazine. 2011. “ʾĀliyah Mamdūḥ: Taḍaʿ Yadaha ʿalā ʿAtharāt al-Rajul wa Tantahik Khuṣūṣiyātihi fī Rīwāyah ‘Gharām Bragmātī.” www.nizwa.com, 1 October, 2011 https://www.nizwa.com/%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%85%d9%85%d8%af%d9%88%d8%ad-%d8%aa%d8%b6%d8%b9-%d9%8a%d8%af%d9%87%d8%a7-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%b9%d8%ab%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d8%ac%d9%84-%d9%88%d8%aa/ (last accessed 21 November 2021)