Remembering Suḥaym: The Tragic Fate of Arabia's First African-Born Poet

Abstract

One of the most overlooked figures in African diaspora studies is Suḥaym ʿAbd Banī Ḥassḥās (Suḥaym, the slave of the Ḥassḥās clan). His neglect arises from several factors: the general neglect of critical archival research on the African diaspora in Arabia, the unconventional life Suḥaym led, and his personal indifference to Islam. His poetry, which chronicles defiance during the formative years of Arab nationalism following the rise of Islam, challenged the patriarchal chauvinism of his enslavers and resisted erasure by the cultural elite. However, his execution by immolation highlights the violent limits of tolerance in a culture that celebrated his art while undermining his humanity.