Abu'l Ala al-Maarri (973-1057) was one of Islam's most famous poets and philosophers, and one of Baghdad's leading intellectuals. Blind from an early age, he lived the great part of his life in Ma'arrah, Syria, which gave him his nickname al-Maarri "of Ma'arrah." Abu'l Ala was a freethinker, and his poetry brought literary reform during the tenth century. In this book, Henry Baerlein brings out the life and genius of this poet and gives samples of his works in English translation.