Al-Basus

Al-Basus (Arabic: البسوس) was a female poet of pre-Islamic Arabia. She is remembered for her poetry which incited her nephew into murdering Kulaib ibn Rabiah, starting the Basus War that lasted for 40 years.

Al-Basus
البسوس
Died	c. 500s CE
Known for	Inciting her nephew to kill Kulaib ibn Rabiah of the Taghlib tribe, starting the 40-year Basus War
Title	Al-Basus
Relatives	Jassas ibn Murrah (nephew)

Biography

Al-Basus was from the tribes of Banu Tamim and Banu Bakr. Her father, Munqidh, was of Bakri descent.^[1] She was also the maternal aunt of Jassas ibn Murrah, who was the chief of the Banu Shayban tribe at the time in the late 5th century.^[1][2]

Role in the Basus War

Al-Basus owned a she-camel that had one day accidentally wandered into and grazed some fields that were the property of Kulaib ibn Rabiah, the chief of the Taghlib tribe.^[1][2][3] Kulaib was unhappy at what had happened to his property, so he shot at the unwelcomed she-camel with arrows, killing it.^[1][2][3] When Al-Basus heard of the plight of her she-camel, she composed a poem which incited her nephew Jassas ibn Murrah against Kulaib.^[1][2][3] Jassas eventually murdered Kulaib as revenge for the killing of his aunt's she-camel; the murder aroused the wrath of the members of the Taghlib tribe including Kulaib's brother, Abu Layla al-Muhalhel.^[1][2][3]

The Basus War which lasted for approximately 40 years was triggered by the murder of Kulaib, which in turn was triggered by Al-Basus' poetry.^[4]

See also

• Kulaib ibn Rabiah
• Jassas ibn Murrah
• Basus War