INTERTEXTUALITY IN ARABIC POETRY OF YORUBA AUTHORSHIP

Abstract

Intertextuality, a relational theory of textual surfaces, is one of the motifs that preoccupy Arabic literary writing in Yorubaland. Existing literary studies of Arabic works of Yoruba authorship focused mainly on syntax and rhetoric, with scant attention paid to intertextuality in their works. This study was, therefore, designed to examine intertextuality in selected Arabic poetry of Yoruba authorship, with a view to determining their literary sources and intertextual approaches. Charles Bazerman and Muhammad Bennis‘s models of intertextuality served as the framework, while the interpretive design was used. Fifteen poetry collections were purposively selected based on their thematic relevance. These were Isa Alabi Abubakr’s (Ar-riyād and Assubāiyyah); Ali Mubaraq’s Bāqah Al-azhār (BA); Abdulrahman Abdul Aziz Az-zakawi’s Ma’ Al-qurān Min Sūrat an-Nās ilā Sūrat Al-A’alāh (MAMSA) and Al-aqyān fī Ahmiyah Ar-rihlah wa Al-’ilm wa At-taknolajiyyah (AMRIT); Daud Adekilekun’s Tahniat Al-imām (TA), Rithā Mūsa Abdul (RMA) and Madih Shaykh Ibrāhīm Niyas (MSIN); Nuh Ibrahim’s Mustaqbal Abnāinā ila ayna ? (MABA); Abdulhafis bin Malik’s Hiwārun Hawla Qandom (HHQ) and Almagnātīs al-muhammadī (AAM); Abdulwahid Ariyibi’s Burdah al-‘Ajam (BAJ); Mashud AlOyowi’s Amlul mafqūd (AM); Tajudeen Al Umar’s Ashi’ār and Afis Oladosu’s Al-layl Al-abyad (AA). The texts were subjected to literary analysis. Four literary sources were identified: religious, historical, artistic and Yoruba traditional sources. Religious sources project the Qur’an, Hadith and Sufi terms. The Qur’an and Hadith were employed to reference admonition, stories of Prophets, good character, health management and war strategy (Ar-riyād, BA, AA,). Sufi terms were deployed to denote praise and sadness (MSIN and Ashi’ār). Historical sources concerned Muslim personalities (Ar-riyād and Assubāiyyah, BA, AAM, BAJ, Ashi’ār and AA). Artistic sources portrayed Arabic poems and proverbs (TA, RMA, BA, AA, Ar-riyād and As-subāiyyah). Yoruba traditional sources reflected admonition, simile, Oku pipe and proverbs (RMA, BA and Ar-riyād). The intertextual approaches were three: deliberation, absorption and dialogism. Deliberation had four forms: iqtibās, tadmīn, talmīh and ‘iqd. Iqtibās involved metaphor of Quran text (AA), comparison with Battle of Badr (TA) and portrayal of Qur’an reciters (As-subāiyyah). Tadmīn involved interplay of poems of Ahmad Shawqī (AMRIT), Ilyah Abu Madī (AA), Abu Al-‘Ala Al-mu’arī (Ar-riyād) and Busayri’’s Burdah Al-madīh (BA). Talmīh reflected allusion to Noah’s Ark (As-subāiyyah), Daud defeat of Jalut (Ar-riyād) and the virtuous woman in Khadijah, the wife of Prophet Muhammad (AA). ‘Iqd portrayed the last hizb of the Qur’an (MAMSA) and muqābala in Hadith (BA). Absorption underpinned hijāh (MABA), vicissitudes of life (BA) and kindness to the aged (As-subāiyyah). Dialogism demonstrated mu’āradah of Burda al-madīh (BAJ), naqīdah (poem of negation) of Qasīdah Qandonm (HHQ) and tarbī ‘(Quadrature poem) of Qasīdah Abdulraman Ath-‘ālabi in (BA). Arabic poetry of Yoruba authorship deploys different literary sources and intertextual approaches.