Iram (mythical city) is a legendary city of towering pillars mentioned in the Qur’an and Islamic tradition, famously associated with the arrogant King Shaddad. The Malay translation of the Burda references Iram as a symbol of worldly grandeur that is ultimately doomed by divine judgment.
Qur’anic and Classical Sources
Iram is alluded to in the Qur’an (e.g., Qur’an 89:5‑6) and elaborated in early Arabic literature as a city of great wealth and architectural marvels, later destroyed for its inhabitants’ impiety.
Acehnese Literary Context
In the Acehnese Malay version of the Burda, Iram serves as a rhetorical contrast to the spiritual purity of the Prophet Muhammad. Its inclusion reflects the diffusion of pan‑Islamic mythic motifs into Acehnese devotional texts.
See Also
Source
DLP‑54 – Een 16de‑eeuwse Maleise vertaling van de Burda van al‑Busiri, digitised manuscript, pages 73‑79, 20260707_232246_DLP-54-Een_16de_eeuwse_Maleise_vertaling_van_de_Burda_van_al_Bu_s_i_ri_OCR.txt.