Criticism of the book of pre-Islamic poetry

Dr. Taha Hussein's book "Pre-Islamic Poetry," published in 1926, sparked widespread controversy in Egyptian and Arab cultural circles. In this book, Taha Hussein presented bold arguments regarding the authenticity of pre-Islamic poetry, pointing out that much of this poetry had been plagiarized in the Islamic era to serve religious and political purposes. Taha Hussein aimed to reread the ancient Arab heritage using a modern scientific approach based on Western critical philosophy, which led him to clash with inherited traditions and concepts. The book provoked a wave of strong responses, and one of the most prominent critics who confronted it was the writer and thinker Muhammad Farid Abu Hadid in his book "Critique of the Book of Pre-Islamic Poetry." Abu Hadid criticized Taha Hussein's approach and ideas, arguing that they ignored the historical and religious context of the pre-Islamic environment. Abu Hadid addressed several topics in his critique, such as Taha Hussein's research methodology, the role of the Qur'an in reflecting the image of pre-Islamic life, and the issue of poetic plagiarism, which he raised. One of Abu Hadid's most important focuses was the relationship between pre-Islamic Arabs and religious, intellectual, and political life, and the role of poetry in embodying these relationships. He also addressed issues such as the influence of the novel and populism on the appropriation of poetry, in an attempt to provide a deeper insight into the history of this literature.