Prophetic eulogies in Arabic literature

In this book, Zaki Mubarak presents a distinguished study of panegyric literature dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad, tracing its origins and chronicling its stages of development and the prominent poets of each. Among the earliest examples are the poems of Hassan, Al-A'sha's Dalya, and Ka'b's Lamiyya, followed by the emergence of panegyrics to the Prophet's family. The author then examines the works of Al-Kumayt, Di'bil, Al-Sharif Al-Radi, and Mihyar, each of whom brought about a qualitative shift in the art of panegyric and enriched Arabic literature with a range of refined spiritual themes, culminating in Al-Busiri's Burda and Al-Hamawi's Badi'iyyat. The author concludes his book with a discussion of the Prophet's birthday and the flourishing of prose and poetry associated with it.