Editing Antarah ibn Shaddad (section)

==Life==
[[File:Antarah ibn Shaddad & Abla.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Antarah and Abla depicted on a 19th-century Egyptian tattooing pattern]]
[[File:صخرة عنترة.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A recent photo of what is said to be the famous rock where Antarah used to meet Abla. Taken in [[Uyun AlJiwa Governorate|al Jiwa]], [[Saudi Arabia]]]]

ʿAntarah was born in [[Najd]] in the [[Arabian Peninsula]]. His father was Arab, Shaddād al-ʿAbsī, a respected warrior of the [[Banu Abs]] under their chief Zuhayr.{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} His mother was an [[People of Ethiopia|Ethiopian]] woman named Zabībah.{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} Described as one of three "Arab crows" (''Aghribah al-'Arab'') - famous Arab with a black complexion,{{sfn|Lewis|1992|p=28}} ʿAntarah grew up a slave as well. He fell in love with his cousin ʿAblah, but could not hope to marry her owing to his position.{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} He also gained the enmity of his father's wife Sumayya.{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}}

He gained attention and respect for himself by his personal qualities and courage in battle, excelling as an accomplished poet and a mighty warrior. He earned his freedom after another tribe invaded the lands of the Banu ʿAbs. When his father said to him, "ʿAntarah, fight with the warriors", he replied that "the slave doesn't know how to invade or how to defend, but is only good for milking goats and serving his masters". His father answered him: "Defend your tribe, O ʿAntar, and you are free". After defeating the invaders, he sought to gain permission to [[cousin marriage|marry his cousin]]. To secure allowance to marry, Antarah had to face challenges including getting a special kind of camel from the Northern Arab [[Lakhmid Kingdom]], then under [[al-Nu'man III ibn al-Mundhir]]. ʿAntarah took part in the great war between the related tribes of ʿAbs and Dhubyān,{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} which began over a contest of horses, and was named after them the [[Dahis and al-Ghubra|war of Dāhis and Ghabrā]].

The time and manner of his death are a matter of dispute. [[Ibn Duraid]] has him slain by Wasr ibn Jabir{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} or in battle against the [[Tayy]],{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} while according to Abu Obeida he died a natural death in old age.{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}}

ʿAntarah's poetry is well preserved and often talks of [[chivalry|chivalrous]] values, courage, and heroism in battle as well as his love for ʿAbla. It was immortalized when one of his poems was included in the ''[[Mu'allaqat]]'', the collection of poems legendarily said to have been suspended in the [[Kaaba]].{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}}  His poetry's historical and cultural importance stems from its detailed descriptions of battles, armour, weapons, horses, desert, and other themes from his time.