SIGNS OF THE NIGHT IN IMRI AL-QAYS S POEM AND MALAY STUDENTS PERCEPTIONS OF THEM

Poetry in Arabic literature is a work that refers to an expression that has wazn (rhythmic meters) and qafiyah (rhyming) and has meaning. The beauty of poetry lies in its delivery which is opposed to the style of everyday expression. It lies in the poet s ability to interpret his imagination in delivering ideas by using poetic words. The poetry of Imri al-Qays, which is about night, is thus analysed. The study seeks to highlight the expressions used in the poem to convey meanings to the public. A content analysis approach is used to analyse information from a variety of relevant sources related to the poetry of Imri al-Qays about night. In addition, a semiotic approach is used to analyse signs found in the poetry of Imri al-Qays which revolves around night. A textual analysis of signs found in the poem such as icons, indexes and symbols reveals that such signs are used to show the poet’s fear of the night which he feels is endless. He uses phrases such as curtains hanging down and morning star as signs to describe the night. The choice of words and phrases in the verses is influenced by his surrounding namely the desert that he inhabits. This is evident in such expressions as a night accompanied only by his female camel, as well as a static star like that of a tent set up firmly in the ground. In regard to the poem, the study finds that most respondents found the text difficult to understand and that it needed to be translated into Malay for purposes of teaching and learning. Owing to the difficulty, respondents failed to understand the signs that the poet used. However, the majority of respondents agreed that the text is helpful in identifying the correct use of grammar, recognizing the rhetoric of style, as well as increasing their vocabulary. Most respondents also believed that the text is suitable for teaching Arabic literature to Malay students.