Cultural Identity and Religious Faith in Ten Selected Poems of the Abbasid Period

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between cultural identity and religious faith in selected Abbasid poems. Abbasid poetry represents a diverse literary tradition in which poets expressed personal experiences, social values, moral perspectives, and intellectual reflections. This study aims to identify the representations of cultural identity and religious faith and to analyze the relationship between these two aspects in ten selected poems by Abu Nuwas, Abu al-Atahiya, Al-Mutanabbi, Abu Tammam, Abu Firas al-Hamdani, and Al-Ma'arri. This study employs a qualitative descriptive method with a literary analysis approach. The findings show that cultural identity is represented through pleasure, urban life, courage, self-glorification, love, dignity, loyalty, and intellectual expression. Meanwhile, religious faith is represented through asceticism, awareness of death, divine guidance, humility, moral values, and philosophical reflection on fate, truth, and human existence. The study also finds that cultural identity and religious faith have a dynamic relationship characterized by interaction, contrast, and dialogue. Therefore, Abbasid poetry functions not only as an aesthetic expression but also as a cultural and intellectual space for negotiating identity, morality, spirituality, and human experience.