Zuhdīyāt

work by Abū al-ʿAtāhiyah

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

The Zuhdiyyat is a collection of ascetic poems by the Arab poet Abū al-ʿAtāhiyah (748–825/826 CE). These poems, collected by Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, focus on the theme of death and the leveling effect it has on the rich and powerful. Abū al-ʿAtāhiyah was known for his simpler, more direct poetic style, breaking from earlier conventions. The Zuhdiyyat gained popularity among both the masses and the court, and was often set to music. The term zuhd itself refers to asceticism in Islam, encouraging a simple and pious life by shunning luxury.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

7 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Abū al-ʿAtāhiyah
…of his later years, the Zuhdīyāt (Ger. trans. by O. Rescher, 1928), collected in 1071 by the Spanish scholar Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr. The Zuhdīyāt depicts the leveling of the rich and powerful by the horrors of death; these poems found an enthusiastic following among the masses, as well as being…
Read More
…of his later years, the Zuhdīyāt (Ger. trans. by O. Rescher, 1928), collected in 1071 by the Spanish scholar Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr. The Zuhdīyāt depicts the leveling of the rich and powerful by the horrors of death; these poems found an enthusiastic following among the masses, as well as being…
Read More