al-Hasan al-Hebel and His Poetry

This study endeavors to present, through an academic approach, the life, literary persona, and the fabric of the poems in the divan of el-Hasanu'l-Hebel, a prominent figure in 17th-century Yemeni-Arab literature. Yemen, during this century, was marked by political and cultural complexity, and the society shaped under the rule of Zaydi imams played a significant role in molding both the poet's personal identity and artistic character. The study primarily analyzes el-Hasanu'l-Hebel's life, his ascension to the position of a clerk (katip), and the reflection of his era's political and cultural realities in his poetry. The religious and literary education he acquired from his family laid the groundwork for his incorporation of Zaydi sectarian principles into his poems. The poems in his divan adhere strictly to classical Arabic poetic forms while simultaneously blending a style infused with political and religious discourses aligned with Zaydism. Furthermore, the literary devices he employed in his poetry demonstrate his mastery in reflecting his literary skill. Keywords al-Hasanu'l-Hebel, Yemen, Zeydism ,Poetry, Rhetoric , Qasimids