War in Ka’ab Ibn Malik’s Poems

Abstract

The paper analyzes war poetry in selected poems authored by an early-Islam fighter, poet, and defender, Ka’ab Ibn Malik. Ka’ab has been known to have defended Islam in both his words and his sword as he spread the word of faith and supported the cause of this religion. Known for his overzealousness, defense, and support for Islam, Ka’ab wrote poems hailing the wars waged by Muslims while fighting infidels and unbelievers under the Prophet Mohammed’s leadership. This paper, therefore, finds that Ka’ab poems are full of war-related similes, references, and metaphors. These poems, additionally, praised war, making it a tool and an end in the lines he wrote.