Busiri's Burda: an overview and correspondences.

The long poem Burda by Busiri--a widely disseminated and recited religious poem--is made up of two parts and an introduction. The first part praises the Prophet; the second is a poetic address to the Prophet followed by appeals to him. The introduction includes, besides the traditional amorous opening, an act of self-purgation exemplified in a confession. This act of moral cleansing is analogous to ablution to attain an unpolluted state before entering into the demanding task of articulating a panegyric for the Prophet. The poem thus follows the process of Islamic prayer. In varied tones, from sad to proud, the poem's details and style flow smoothly. Following the analysis of the poem, the article establishes its relation with earlier poems and its correspondence with later poems inspired by it: Barudi's and Shawqi's.