Education of Inan al-Natifi
Dublin Core
Title
Education of Inan al-Natifi
Subject
Development of an Intellectual Society
Description
This is the text in which I am referencing:
"According to al-Isbahani, Inan was born a slave in al-Yamama, located on the Arabian Peninsula east of
Najd, where she was raised and educated. She was a muwallada, which indicates she was raised and educated
by an Arab family, and thus learned Arabic and other appreciated skills, which raised her price. She was
purchased in Yamama by a man, one “al-Nati,” who brought her to Baghdad in the reign of Harun al-
Rashid. There, she became recognized for her abilities and, over time, in particular, for her ne poetry and
quick repartee. She might not have possessed the sophistication of the high-society jawari who had received
the best education and were often raised in elite families; her owner, al-Nati, seems to have been a man of
modest position. His name denotes “a vendor of natif,” which was a kind of nougat.
She became friendly with several male poets in Baghdad, who were, unlike her, free men. They used to visit
her, and sometimes she visited them, encouraged by her owner, who hoped that they would spread the word
about her and thus attract wealthy visitors. She is particularly known for her relations with the most famous
poet of them all, Abu Nuwas, but other well-known poets, such as al-Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf and Marwan ibn
Abi Hafsa also visited her and admired her ability to improvise poetry. "
Significance:
The significance of this text in the context of a developing Abbasid society is in the fact that the value of Inan as a slave woman was increased by the fact that she was educated. This is in direct contrast to the United States of America's form of slavery, where the point was to dehumanize the Black race, and where the education of slaves was greatly opposed because it was seen as a threat to the institution of slavery. However, this seems not to be the case in Abbasid Baghdad, as Inan's value as a slave was increased by her understanding of the Arabic language and her other learned skills. The significance of this is in the development and appreciation of intellect in the developing society, as they valued her for her ability to create poetry, which must be done with knowledge and an intellectual understanding of nuanced situations and experiences of the world, and for the poetry to be so famous across Baghdad and those in positions of power and wealth, must mean that Inan was able to create poetry so intellectual and profound that it was able to resonate with those in a diverse amount of positions. This is relevant to the idea of education, and how in this time period, people began combining the development of an Islamic society not only with the idea of religion, but other nuanced factors such as political and heirarchical institutions such as slavery, and the possibilities of being able to rise from such a powerless position to one where their words are being revered by those in power.
"According to al-Isbahani, Inan was born a slave in al-Yamama, located on the Arabian Peninsula east of
Najd, where she was raised and educated. She was a muwallada, which indicates she was raised and educated
by an Arab family, and thus learned Arabic and other appreciated skills, which raised her price. She was
purchased in Yamama by a man, one “al-Nati,” who brought her to Baghdad in the reign of Harun al-
Rashid. There, she became recognized for her abilities and, over time, in particular, for her ne poetry and
quick repartee. She might not have possessed the sophistication of the high-society jawari who had received
the best education and were often raised in elite families; her owner, al-Nati, seems to have been a man of
modest position. His name denotes “a vendor of natif,” which was a kind of nougat.
She became friendly with several male poets in Baghdad, who were, unlike her, free men. They used to visit
her, and sometimes she visited them, encouraged by her owner, who hoped that they would spread the word
about her and thus attract wealthy visitors. She is particularly known for her relations with the most famous
poet of them all, Abu Nuwas, but other well-known poets, such as al-Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf and Marwan ibn
Abi Hafsa also visited her and admired her ability to improvise poetry. "
Significance:
The significance of this text in the context of a developing Abbasid society is in the fact that the value of Inan as a slave woman was increased by the fact that she was educated. This is in direct contrast to the United States of America's form of slavery, where the point was to dehumanize the Black race, and where the education of slaves was greatly opposed because it was seen as a threat to the institution of slavery. However, this seems not to be the case in Abbasid Baghdad, as Inan's value as a slave was increased by her understanding of the Arabic language and her other learned skills. The significance of this is in the development and appreciation of intellect in the developing society, as they valued her for her ability to create poetry, which must be done with knowledge and an intellectual understanding of nuanced situations and experiences of the world, and for the poetry to be so famous across Baghdad and those in positions of power and wealth, must mean that Inan was able to create poetry so intellectual and profound that it was able to resonate with those in a diverse amount of positions. This is relevant to the idea of education, and how in this time period, people began combining the development of an Islamic society not only with the idea of religion, but other nuanced factors such as political and heirarchical institutions such as slavery, and the possibilities of being able to rise from such a powerless position to one where their words are being revered by those in power.
Source
Pernilla Myrne's "A Jariya's Prospects in Abbasid Baghdad"
Date
786 - 809 CE / 170 - 193 AH ; The time period of the caliph Harun al-
Rashid, in which Inan flourished.
Rashid, in which Inan flourished.
Format
Screenshot
Language
English
Type
Text
Files
Collection
Citation
“Education of Inan al-Natifi,” Vazquez, accessed November 15, 2026, https://coloradocollege.website/jvazquez/items/show/30.