Rabia Balkhi

{{short description|10th-century Persian poet}}

{{short description|10th-century Persian poet}}

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{{Infobox writer

{{Infobox writer

| native_name_lang = fs

| native_name_lang = fs

| language = {{hlist|Arabic|Persian}}

| language = {{hlist|Arabic|Persian}}

| image = RābiʿahBalkhī.png

| image = RābiʿahBalkhī.png

| caption = Modern illustration of Rabia Balkhi

}}

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'''Rabia Balkhi''' ({{langx|ar|رابعة بنت كعب}}, {{langx|fa|رابعه بلخی}}) also known as '''Rabia al-Quzdari''' (or '''Khuzdari'''),{{efn|Also transliterated as Rabi'a Balkhi,{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=205}} Rabe'eh Balkhi (or Qozdari),{{sfn|Dabashi|2012|p=89}} and Rabe'a of Balkh (or Qozdar).{{sfn|Sharma|2009|p=151}}}} was a 10th-century writer who composed poetry in Persian and Arabic. She is the first known female poet to write in Persian.

'''Rabia Balkhi''' ({{langx|ar|رابعة بنت كعب}}, {{langx|fa|رابعه بلخی}}) also known as '''Rabia al-Quzdari''' (or '''Khuzdari'''),{{efn|Also transliterated as Rabi'a Balkhi,{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=205}} Rabe'eh Balkhi (or Qozdari),{{sfn|Dabashi|2012|p=89}} and Rabe'a of Balkh (or Qozdar).{{sfn|Sharma|2009|p=151}}}} was a 10th-century writer who composed poetry in Persian and Arabic. She is the first known female poet to write in Persian.

A non-[[Mysticism|mystic]] poet, her imagery was later transformed into that of a mystic poet by authors such as [[Attar of Nishapur]] (died 1221) and [[Jami]] (died 1492). She became a semi-legendary figure, famous for her love story with the slave Bektash.[[Image:15c green mosque.jpg|thumb|The mausoleum of [[Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa]] (died 1460), where Rabia Balkhi's shrine is located]]Her shrine is located in the mausoleum of the 15th-century [[Naqshbandi]] Sufi [[Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa]] (died 1460) in the city of [[Balkh]], now present-day [[Afghanistan]]. She is celebrated in the [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan province]] of [[Pakistan]], Afghanistan and [[Iran]] through various schools, hospitals, and roads being named after her.

A non-[[Mysticism|mystic]] poet, her imagery was later transformed into that of a mystic poet by authors such as [[Attar of Nishapur]] (died 1221) and [[Jami]] (died 1492). She became a semi-legendary figure, famous for her love story with the slave Bektash. Her shrine is located in the mausoleum of the 15th-century [[Naqshbandi]] Sufi [[Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa]] (died 1460) in the city of [[Balkh]], now present-day [[Afghanistan]]. She is celebrated in the [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan province]] of [[Pakistan]], Afghanistan and [[Iran]] through various schools, hospitals, and roads being named after her.

== Background ==

== Background ==

== Biography ==

== Biography ==

Rabia lived during the same period as the poet [[Rudaki]] (died 940/41), and is the first known Persian woman poet.{{sfn|Dabashi|2012|p=89}} She felt strongly about [[Sufism]], and composed poetry in Persian and Arabic.{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=205}} The 14th-century poet and [[anthologist]] [[Jajarmi]] states that Rabia wrote a Persian poem which used Arabic for the ''[[shahada]]'' and ''lahwalah'', which according to the Iranologist Francois de Blois demonstrates her enthusiasm for bilingual tricks.{{sfn|Blois|2004|p=189}}

Rabia lived during the same period as the poet [[Rudaki]] (died 940/41), and is the first known Persian woman poet.{{sfn|Dabashi|2012|p=89}} She felt strongly about [[Sufism]], and composed poetry in Persian and Arabic.{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=205}} The 14th-century poet and [[anthologist]] [[Jajarmi]] states that Rabia wrote a Persian poem which used Arabic for the ''[[shahada]]'' and ''lahwalah'', which according to the Iranologist Francois de Blois demonstrates her enthusiasm for bilingual tricks.{{sfn|Blois|2004|p=189}}

Rabia appears in the ''[[Lubab ul-Albab]]'', a compilation of Persian poets made by the 12th and 13th-century writer [[Awfi]] (died 1242). The compilation says the following about her: "The daughter of Ka'b, although she was a woman, was superior to men in accomplishments. She possessed great intelligence and sharp temperament. She used to continuously play the game of love and admired beautiful youths."{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=205}} Rabia is amongst the thirty-five female Sufis mentioned in the 15th-century Persian work ''Nafahat al-Uns'', a biographical compilation made by [[Jami]] (died 1492). Referring her as the "daughter of Ka'b", Jami narrates the story through the prominent Sufi master and poet, [[Abu Sa'id Abu'l-Khayr]] (died 1049), reporting that she fell in love with a slave.{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=206}}

Rabia appears in the ''[[Lubab ul-Albab]]'', a compilation of Persian poets made by the 12th and 13th-century writer [[Awfi]] (died 1242). The compilation says the following about her: "The daughter of Ka'b, although she was a woman, was superior to men in accomplishments. She possessed great intelligence and sharp temperament. She used to continuously play the game of love and admired beautiful youths."{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=205}} Rabia is amongst the thirty-five female Sufis mentioned in the 15th-century Persian work ''Nafahat al-Uns'', a biographical compilation made by [[Jami]] (died 1492). Referring her as the "daughter of Ka'b", Jami narrates the story through the prominent Sufi master and poet, [[Abu Sa'id Abu'l-Khayr]] (died 1049), reporting that she fell in love with a slave.{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=206}}

[[Image:15c green mosque.jpg|thumb|The mausoleum of [[Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa]] (died 1460), where Rabia Balkhi's shrine is located]]

A romanticized version of this story appears in the ''[[Ilāhī-Nāma|Ilahi-nama]]'' of the Sufi poet [[Attar of Nishapur]] (died 1221), under a story named ''Hikayat Amir-i Balkh wa ashiq shudan dukhtar-i o'' ("the story of the chieftain of Balkh and his daughter's falling in love"). The story narrates Rabia's love affair with Bektash, a slave of her brother Haris, and concludes with the death of both Rabia and Bektash. Attar does not use the name "Rabia" either when referring to her, and instead calls her ''Zainu'l Arab'' ("the ornament of the Arabs"). He reports that she was so attractive that it was almost impossible to describe her beauty. Francois de Blois dismisses Attar's story, considering it to have "no value as a biographical source" for Rabia.{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=206}}

A romanticized version of this story appears in the ''[[Ilāhī-Nāma|Ilahi-nama]]'' of the Sufi poet [[Attar of Nishapur]] (died 1221), under a story named ''Hikayat Amir-i Balkh wa ashiq shudan dukhtar-i o'' ("the story of the chieftain of Balkh and his daughter's falling in love"). The story narrates Rabia's love affair with Bektash, a slave of her brother Haris, and concludes with the death of both Rabia and Bektash. Attar does not use the name "Rabia" either when referring to her, and instead calls her ''Zainu'l Arab'' ("the ornament of the Arabs"). He reports that she was so attractive that it was almost impossible to describe her beauty. Francois de Blois dismisses Attar's story, considering it to have "no value as a biographical source" for Rabia.{{sfn|Aftab|2022|p=206}}