Nimr Ibn Adwan
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Nimr bin 'Adwan or Nimr Al-Adwan (, 1735–1823) was a prominent
Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
, chieftain, and a famous knight of the
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
. He is celebrated for his poetry, which combines themes of love, loss, and tribal pride. His life story and poetic have earned him a lasting place in Arab folklore, particularly in Jordan and the
Levant The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...
. Nimr's nickname is Abu Oqab (), and he is Nimr bin Qablan bin Nimr bin Hamdan bin Adwan bin Fayez bin Hammoud bin Shaheel bin Fawaz bin Hammoud bin Adwan Al-Adwan Al-Zafiri (). He was renowned for his nobility, generosity, and commendable traits. Nimr belongs to the Adwan tribe of Jordan, which was centered in central Jordan and was among the leading tribes of Balqa. Nimr bin Adwan is considered a
sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
of the Adwan tribe in the early 13th century BH (1785) and passed away in 1823.


Personal life


Family and Upbringing

Nimr Al-Adwan was born in Balqa region of present-day Jordan in the early 18th century, most of historians said in 1745. He was born in the encampments of the Adwan tribe. He was raised by his uncle, Barakat, after his father’s death; his uncle later married his mother, and he was mistakenly attributed to his uncle. It is noted that his birth name was Abdul Aziz (), which later changed to Nimr. A French tourist who visited the region at the time played a role in educating Nimr Al-Adwan in
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
as she admired his character. He spent five years studying in Jerusalem’s schools. He then spent approximately six years at
Al-Azhar Al-Azhar Mosque (), known in Egypt simply as al-Azhar, is a mosque in Cairo, Egypt in the historic Islamic core of the city. Commissioned as the new capital of the Fatimid Caliphate in 970, it was the first mosque established in a city that ...
when it was a non-formal university. Researchers estimate his age upon returning to his tribe to be 18 years. Nimr played a significant role in consolidating the Adwan authority in Balqa, notably in the Marj Abu Aisha incident near Hasban.Nimr Al-Adwan (Poet of Love and Loyalty, His Life and Poetry), Rukhs bin Zayed Al-Uzaizi, Third Edition-2012, page 34 He remained the absolute leader of Balqa until he abdicated leadership to his cousin Hamoud bin Saleh Al-Adwan. He married Wadha bint Falah Al-Sbaila (), whom he loved deeply. His marriage to Wadha initially caused discontent among his tribe, as she was from outside the tribe and belonged to the
Bani Sakher The Beni Sakhar confederacy is one of the largest and most influential tribal confederacies in The Kingdoms of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Its founder, Sakher bin Tha'labah al Tayy, a great-grandson of Jalhamah, likely lived in the 3rd century AD, m ...
tribe, which was not part of the Adwan alliance. The Adwan alliance included the tribes of Balqa and Salt, while the opposing side included the tribes of Bani Sakher and Al-Abbad. Both alliances competed for influence in Balqa and central Jordan during that era. The disputes between Nimr Al-Adwan and his cousin Hamoud Al-Adwan eventually led Nimr to leave his tribe. He initially sought refuge with Ibn Mallak, the sheikh of the Al-Saqr tribe in Ghor Beisan, and later moved to the Bani Sakhr tribe under the protection of its sheikh, Awad Al-Mouh (). After the Adwan tribe faced defeats at the hands of the Khreisha clan from Bani Sakhr, Hamoud Al-Adwan sought the help of his nephew Nimr, who returned to restore the Adwan's authority over Balqa. Hamoud sought Nimr's assistance through a poem beginning with: Nimr replied with a poem starting with:


The death of Wadha

Wadha passed away around 1783 due to cholera while Nimr was traveling to Jerusalem and Nablus on some business. It was the turning point in Nimr's life, which plunged him into grief. His poems from this period express raw emotion, sorrow, and a longing for her presence. One of his most famous lines translates as: ''"I see her image in the stars and hear her voice in the wind, yet my heart remains shattered by her absence."'' In the historical context of this type of elegy will find something remarkable. The value of women in that era was neither small nor nonexistent. Men did not respect their wives, but Nimr loved his wife and praised many aspects of her. There was a rebellion Nimr expressed when he fell in love with his wife during her life and then lamented her in death, describing her with lines like: O sweet scent of musk, the fragrance of her body,''' or his verse: And much more, scattered throughout his poems, which people have memorized and continue to circulate to this day.


Other marriages

Nimr married three women after Wadha's death. The first was Watfa (), Wadha's sister, whom he later divorced. He then married Seeta Al-Shararat (), but she tried to take Wadha's place in his heart, which led him to separate from her without divorcing her, continuing to care for her and her child. His last wife, whom he outlived, was Al-Jaziya Bani Sakhr (). Nimr passed away at the age of 78 in 1823, and he was buried in Yajouz.


Poetry

Interest in Nimr Al-Adwan's poetry dates back to earlier times. The consul of
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
in
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, Mr. Cessitin, translated one of his poems into
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
in 1860. The German Oriental Society published his poems translated by an American orientalist named Spoor. Additionally, Professor Settmann selected and translated four of his poems into German. An Italian priest of Spanish origin, Antoine Vergalli, also showed interest in his work. Nimr's strong emotions for his wife Wadha were the primary reason for these orientalists' fascination with his poetry. On the Arab front, there is considerable interest in Nimr's poetry, with many authors focusing on his works. Rukhs bin Zayed Al-Uzaizi showed clear interest in Nimr's poetry and life through his books and TV series. Nimr is credited with many poems, earning him the title "Prince of Poetry" in Jordan. During that time, Jordan lacked poets composing in classical Arabic but excelled in Nabati poetry. His poetry is known for its diverse themes, including praise, love, and enthusiasm. However, elegy remains his most significant contribution, highlighting his poetic talent and personality, especially after Wadha's death. His grief sparked a flow of elegiac poetry, starting with the poem that immortalized him in the hearts of Bedouins, beginning with: A famous attributed poem includes:


In drama

A series depicting the poet’s life was produced under the name Nimr bin Adwan in 1976, directed by Salah Abu Hanoud. It consisted of thirteen episodes.Nimr Al-Adwan (Poet of Love and Loyalty, His Life and Poetry), Rukhs bin Zayed Al-Uzaizi, Third Edition-2012, page 273 A new version was produced in 2007 by
Arab Telemedia Group Arab Telemedia Group is an independent commercial media enterprise, founded by Adnan Al Awamleh in 1983. Arab Telemedia creates and produces quality multiplatform content and since its establishment has been evolving to become on the forefront of ...
and aired during Ramadan of that year. Actor
Yasser Al-Masri Yasser Al-Masri () (22 November 1970 – 23 August 2018) was a Kuwaiti-born Jordanian-Palestinian actor. Biography Yasser Al-Masri was born in Kuwait City to a family of seven brothers and sisters. He graduated from Al-Rumaithiya Secondary Sch ...
played the lead role of Nimr bin Adwan, alongside actress
Saba Mubarak Saba Ahmed Soliman Mubarak El Siouf (; born April 10, 1976, in Anjara, Jordan) is a Jordanian actress and producer. She graduated from Yarmouk University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in Theater acting and Directing. In 1998, she started her a ...
as Wadha. Nimr also appeared in the series
Epic of Love and Departure "The Promise" Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...
, portraying the life of the knight Khalaf bin Daijaa, with actor Rouhi Al-Safadi playing his role. Additionally, a radio drama about Nimr bin Adwan, consisting of thirty episodes, aired on Jordanian Radio in 1975.


Biographies

Many writers, historians, and enthusiasts of folk poetry have documented Nimr Al-Adwan’s life. Among these works is the book "Nimr Al-Adwan (Poet of Love and Loyalty, His Life and Poetry)" by Rukhs bin Zayed Al-Uzaizi.


Legacy

His works were transmitted orally for generations before being written down, ensuring their preservation in Jordanian cultural memory. Today, his poems are studied as exemplars of Nabati poetry and have been adapted into songs and plays.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:adwan, nimr 1735 births 1823 deaths Arab poets Bedouins in Asia People from Balqa Governorate