Large Format for easy reading. Abu'l-Ala Ahmed ibn Abd Allah ibn Sullaiman al-Tanookhy al-Ma'arri (973 - 1057 AD), was a blind Syrian poet and writer. His collections of poetry are The Tinder Spark and Unnecessary Necessity, also called the Luzumiyat. He is well known for his book Resalatu Alghufran which is one of the most effective books in the Arabic heritage and which left a notable influence on generations of writers. In The Diwan of Abu'l-Ala, the author attempts "to render in this book some of the poems of Abu'l-Ala the Syrian" and in doing so brings out the life and genius of the poet.