Karim El Kamli

أعلم أن الحياة خدشت يداك بما فيه الكفايه وأنا هنا لأُقبلها"

- Painting by Franz Guillery (1863)

Hafsa bint al-Hajj al-Rukuniyya (1135–c.1190-1191) was one of the most celebrated female poets of Al-Andalus, renowned for her intellect and literary brilliance.

Romantic affairs

Little is known about Hafsa’s childhood, except that she was born in Granada and that her father was a Berber. Growing up in this vibrant intellectual center, she likely received an excellent education.

Hafsa’s personality shines through her poetry—bold, sharp-witted, and unafraid to speak her mind. She was known for her biting satires and lived on her own terms, never concealing her love affairs.

Around 1154, she became romantically involved with the poet Abū Jaʿfar Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Malik Ibn Saʿīd. Initially, she ignored his advances, as she was involved with someone else at the time. But he persisted, sending her another poem, and she eventually agreed to meet him.

Their relationship, marked by poetic exchanges, was public knowledge, despite the fact that they never married.

Royal poet

That same year, Granada fell to the Almohads, ushering in political changes. Abū Jaʿfar was appointed vizier to the new ruler of Granada, Abū Saʿīd ʿUthmān, who deeply admired Hafsa’s poetry. In 1158, he sent her as part of a diplomatic delegation to his father. Later, Hafsa was granted the town of Rakuna, securing her financial independence.

However, Abū Saʿīd ʿUthmān and Abū Jaʿfar soon became rivals for Hafsa’s affections. The ruler attempted to separate her from Abū Jaʿfar. In 1163, Abū Jaʿfar was implicated in a failed plot against him, arrested, and executed by crucifixion.

Hafsa mourned his death deeply, defiantly dressing in black despite pressure to move on.

From poet to teacher?

Did Hafsa stop writing poetry after this loss? None of her works are recorded for the next twenty years. She found a new path as a teacher. Her talents remained highly regarded, and she was chosen to educate the daughters of Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur in Marrakech.

She passed away there sometime between 1190 and 1191.