Reciting his own poetry, Yemeni poet Amin al-Mashreqi has a unique take on fighting terrorism. He explains, “Other countries fight terrorism with guns and bombs, but in Yemen we use poetry. Through my poetry I can convince people of the need for peace who would never be convinced by laws or by force.” The following lines exemplify his peaceful verse:
O, you who kidnap our guests,
Your house will refuse you,
These violations are against Islam
University of Wisconsin professor, Flagg Miller, who has studied Yemeni poetry for twenty years, remarks, “Yemen has turned to poets because they are able to speak to diverse groups of people who the literati and the elite cannot reach.”
Yemen Fighting Back
The USS Cole was bombed off the coast of Yemen in 2000. Yemen became the refuge of Usama bin Laden after Saudi Arabia expelled him. Yemen became a haven for violent jihadists. After suffering the reputation as a refuge for terrorism, this small country is now strongly fighting back against extremists who use Islam as an excuse to terrorize and murder.
The Arab world has often relied on poets to spread messages to their people. Professor Miller elucidates, “There is a long tradition of leaders turning to poets right across the Arab world. The prophet Muhammad himself worked with a poet, Hassan ibn Thabit, to spread the word and compose poetry against other poets and tribes who refused to acknowledge Islam.”
Not Always a Poet of Peace
Amin al-Mashreqi did not always compose poems of peace and harmony. At a meeting two years ago, al- Mashreqi was present with a group of Yemeni leaders along with Faris Sanabani, the editor of The Yemen Observer, an English language newspaper. They had gathered in Sanaa to discuss politics and listen to poetry.
Someone turned to al-Mashreqi and asked if he had a poem on terrorism; he obliged with a poem glorifying suicide bombers. After the meeting, Sanabani took the poet aside and invited him to come to his office the next day, where he showed al-Mashreqi a video of an al-Qaeda attack on a French oil tanker off the Yemeni coast in 2002.
Sanabani explains, “I showed him footage of the environmental damage caused by the oil spill and of Yemeni fishermen and their families whose livelihood had been destroyed because their fishing grounds were polluted.”
Change of Heart
Three days later after an apparent change-of-heart, the poet returned with a different kind of poetry which Sanabani describes as “the most beautiful poetry I have ever seen.” A poetry “that now condemned violence and promoted peace and tolerance.”
Al-Mashreqi says, “The Yemeni people are very sensitive to poetry—especially traditional poetry like this. If poetry contains the right ideas and is used in the right context, then people will respond to it because this is the heart of their culture.” The poet and the newspaper editor both claim that poetry has the power to win over the tribal people who are skeptical of what government officials say and do.
No Panacea, But Still Helpful
The following lines appeal to the people’s “sense of pride, honor, and patriotism”:
O men of arms, why do you love injustice?
You must live in law and order
Get up, wake up, or be forever regretful,
Don't be infamous among the nations
Although poetry is no cure-all for terrorism, Yemeni leaders believe it helps: Ahmed al-Kibsi, professor of political science at Sanaa University says, “You have to talk to people about the dangers and effects of terrorism. Education, the media, and the military complement each other.” Poetry complements them all.
Linda Sue Grimes - As a writer, researcher, and SRF devotee, Linda Sue Grimes has studied poetry and practiced Kriya Yoga for over thirty years..
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