Ancient Arab poetry was formally categorized into propaganda genres
Evidence
The traditional classification of the different types of poetry includes at least three that have an important element of propaganda: the fakhr or boast in which the poet makes propaganda on behalf of himself and his tribe; the madı¯hfi or panegyric, in which he promotes his ruler or patron, and the hija¯d8 or satire, consisting of negative propaganda against hostile or rival groups or persons. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 464
The traditional classification of the different types of poetry includes at least three that have an important element of propaganda: the fakhr or boast in which the poet makes propaganda on behalf of himself and his tribe; the madı¯hfi or panegyric, in which he promotes his ruler or patron, and the hija¯d8 or satire, consisting of negative propaganda against hostile or rival groups or persons. In its earliest and simplest form, as described by the Arab literary historians, the fakhr is a technique of battlefield propaganda, designed to strengthen the morale of one’s own fighters while undermining that of the enemy. A more peaceful form of propaganda was the mufa¯khara, a kind of friendly contest in which poets and orators from different tribes competed against each other, boasting of their own merits and achievements and belittling their rivals. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 464
Categorization
- DEFINE: Defines the three Arabic poetic genres — fakhr (boast), madih (panegyric), hija (satire) — each with a distinct propaganda target.
- XREF: Parallels the tri-partite structure of praise/blame rhetoric in classical Greek poetry and the tradition of praise-poetry in pre-colonial African and Irish societies.
- corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans: Interpreting…, 464