Poetry and the Prophetic Tradition: Al-Mushidd's Invocation of Prophetic Hadith of the Fire of Ḥijāz to Interpret the Contemporary Event

Abstract

The eruption of a volcano in Hijaz near Medina in 654/1256 inspired many poets to create praise poems for the Prophet Muḥammad, known as madīḥ nabawī. The article focuses on a poem written by Sayf al-Dīn ‘Alī ibn Qazal al-Mushidd (d. 656/1258) that describes the volcanic eruption in Hijaz as a Prophetic miracle and praises the Prophetic miracle of foretelling that volcanic eruption, as narrated in one of his ḥadīth (tradition), centuries before it happened. By applying the speech act theory formulated by the contemporary philosopher of language John Austin (d. 1960), the article argues that the poet evokes the Prophetic ḥadīth and the event of the fire to praise the Prophetic miracle, perform prayer, and repentance to God. Additionally, the article expands on Suzanne Stetkevych’s application of Marcel Mauss’s (d. 1950) theory of ritual exchange to underscore the spiritual aspect of the ritual exchange in the madīḥ nabawī poem that involves the poet’s "praise/supplication/apology" and the supernatural gift of "intercession" on the part of the Prophet. The poem highlights the deep spiritual connection between the Prophet and his followers and demonstrates the power of faith and belief in the face of natural disasters.