Description: (One of the Best Classical Arabic Poets of All Time)
Al-Ma'arri, an Arab philosopher, poet, and writer from Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, Syria, was known for his insightful and unconventional views. Despite being blind from a young age, he pursued education in various cities and gained local respect for his refusal to commercialize his poetry in Baghdad. He was recognized as a "pessimistic freethinker" who challenged superstition and rigid beliefs, particularly in religious matters. Al-Ma'arri was a strong advocate for social justice, led a simple lifestyle, and followed a vegetarian diet for moral reasons. His antinatalist perspective led him to believe that preventing suffering was a valid reason to question the necessity of having children.