I see. Sorry for my ignorance - it's what happens when I hear American's talk about it.
Looked into a bit as well...
AH! So much history I was not aware of!
"Ghaylan ibn 'Uqbah (c. 696 - c. 735), nicknamed Dhu al-Rummah, is usually regarded as the last of the
Bedouin poets. His works had continued the themes and style of the pre-Islamic poets particularly eulogising the harsh but simple desert life, traditionally recited round a campfire. Although such themes continued and were returned to by many modern, urban poets, this poetic life was giving way to court poets. The more settled, comfortable and luxurious life in
Ummayyad courts led to a greater emphasis on the
ghazal or love poem. Chief amongst this new breed of poet was
Abu Nuwas. Not only did Abu Nuwas spoof the traditional poetic form of the
qasida and write many poems in praise of wine, his main occupation was the writing of ever more ribald
ghazal many of them openly
homosexual.
While Nuwas produced risqué but beautiful poems, many of which pushed to the limit what was acceptable under Islam, others produced more religiously themed poetry. It is said that Nuwas struck a bargain with his contemporary
Abu al-Alahijah: Abu Nuwas would concentrate on wine and love poems whilst al-Alahijah would write
homilies. These homilies expressed views on religion, sin and the afterlife, but occasionally strayed into unorthodox territory. While the work of al-Alahijah was acceptable, others such as the poet Salih ibn 'Abd al-Quddus were executed for
heresy.
Waddah al-Yaman, now the national poet of
Yemen, was also executed for his verse, but this was probably due to his over-familiarity with the wife of the caliph
Al-Walid I."
-Wiki!
