The Metres of Arabic Poetry: Explained and Exemplified.

GAIRDNER, William Henry Temple.

Published by Cairo: Printed for the Cairo Study Centre at The Nile Mission Press, 1935

About this Item

First and only edition, and scarce, with only five copies listed on WorldCat, none in the UK. This work is by the renowned missionary and Arabic scholar William Temple Gairdner (1873-1928) and is an example of the output from the study centre he established in 1912. "The aim of this small handbook being simply to explain and exemplify the Arabic metres, the pieces were selected solely for their simplicity, and but little recourse was made to the classics. It is hoped that an acquaintance with the latter will be one result of this little book." "Temple Gairdner of Cairo" felt his calling while at Oxford, inspired by General Gordon, "whom he regarded as the embodiment of heroism and Christian service" (ODNB). He decided his destiny lay in Egypt and the Sudan, departing for Cairo in 1899. With missionary work banned in the Sudan, he settled in Cairo, "convinced of Cairo's importance as the publishing and literary centre of the Islamic world." Gairdner believed that the task was not only to explain Christianity to Muslims but also to foster Anglican understanding and sympathy for Islam, making him a key figure in the early 20th-century encounter between Christianity and Islam. Gairdner traveled extensively to update his knowledge of Arabic scholarship, spending time in Hungary with Ignác Goldziher, a pioneer of modern hadith studies. He gained an outstanding reputation as a linguist and teacher of Arabic, focusing his activities at the Cairo Study Centre, which published this work. Octavo, pp. 20. Wire-stitched in the original vivid reddish orange cloth-backed, buff card wrappers, lettered in black- author, title and contents - on the front panel. Text in English and Arabic. Cloth rust-stained and eroded over the staples, wrappers a touch browned, contents toned, a very good copy.

Seller Inventory # 178648

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Metres of Arabic Poetry: Explained and Exemplified.
• Publisher: Cairo: Printed for the Cairo Study Centre at The Nile Mission Press, 1935
• Edition: 1st Edition