LessonsImruʾ al-Qays: The Deserted Campsite and the First Six VersesQuiz

Three words describe different parts of the third verse's scene. Ārām refers to white gazelles; ʿaraṣāt are open, unbuilt spaces; and qīʿān are level or low-lying stretches of ground.

Arabic wordMeaning and function
الآرامWhite gazelles moving through the deserted site
عرصاتهاOpen spaces of the former encampment
قيعانهاIts level, low-lying ground

Together these terms broaden the scene beyond a ruined house: they let the reader see the surrounding courtyard and terrain.

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ʿAraṣāt, qīʿān and ārām: distinct meanings

Imruʾ al-Qays: The Deserted Campsite and the First Six Verses

Three words describe different parts of the third verse's scene. Ārām refers to white gazelles; ʿaraṣāt are open, unbuilt spaces; and qīʿān are level or low-lying stretches of ground.

Arabic wordMeaning and function
الآرامWhite gazelles moving through the deserted site
عرصاتهاOpen spaces of the former encampment
قيعانهاIts level, low-lying ground

Together these terms broaden the scene beyond a ruined house: they let the reader see the surrounding courtyard and terrain.