Ibn Khafaja

Abu Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Abu al-Fath (1058–1138/9), called Ibn Khafajah (إبن خفاجة), a native of Alzira, was a poet of al-Andalus during the reign of the Almoravids.^[1] He was born in 1058 in Alzira (Arabic: جزيرة شقر) near Valencia where he spent most of his life.^[1] He was the maternal uncle of poet Ibn al-Zaqqaq.^[2]

He wrote sophisticated nature poetry.^[3] He remained unmarried but had many friends^[4] and lived to be over eighty.^[1]There is a style based on him afterwards followed by many known as 'khafājī'.

His poetry often uses images to a dramatic function, such as contrasting light and darkness, or humanising the night environment.^[2]

Composer Mohammed Fairouz set three poems of Ibn Khafajah to music in a cycle of vocal chamber music written for the Cygnus Ensemble.^[5]