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The Story of ‘Antarah and ‘Ablah –A Legend of Love and Chivalry - Learn Arabic Through Short Stories with English Subtitles

Learn Arabic Through Short Stories with English Subtitles - Listen, Read, and Do the Comprehension Quiz

 

Are you learning Arabic and looking for engaging content that improves your listening, reading, and comprehension? You're in the right place!

In this post, I’m sharing a short story in Arabic with English translation, based on the legendary story of ‘Antarah and ‘Ablah, an Arabic legend of love and chivalry.

This story is part of my YouTube series, Learn Arabic through Short Stories for Beginners, with English Subtitles – designed for beginners and A1–B1 learners of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).It includes:

  • 📖 Arabic text with tashkeel (vowel markings)

  • 📃 Full English translation

  • 📺 Subtitled video format for learners

  • 🌍 Real cultural insights + moral reflection

  • 🎧 Clear, slow narration, ideal for learners studying on their own or in class

Why Learn Arabic Through Stories?

Stories offer context, emotion, and repetition, exactly what language learners need! Instead of memorizing word lists, you hear real vocabulary used in natural sentence structures and meaningful themes.

Using comprehensible input through storytelling is a proven way to improve:

  • Arabic listening skills

  • Reading fluency

  • Vocabulary retention

  • Cultural awareness


Step 1: Watch the Full Story Here:



Step 2: Read the Full Story Here:


عَنْتَرَةُ بْنُ شَدَّاد، فَارِسُ قَبِيلَةِ عَبْس، وُلدَ فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ تَحْتَ لَهِيبِ الشَّمْسِ، وَرَبَّتْهُ الْقَسْوَةُ وَالْحُرِّيَّةُ.

‘Antarah ibn Shaddaad, the knight of the ‘Abs tribe, was born in the desert beneath the burning sun, raised by hardship and freedom.

 

كَانَ ابْنَ سَيِّدٍ عَرَبِيٍّ وَأَمَةٍ حَبَشِيَّةٍ، فَذَاقَ طَعْمَ الذُّلِّ وَالْعُنْصُرِيَّةِ مُنْذُ صِغَرِهِ، وَحُرِمَ مِنَ الشُّهْرَةِ وَالِاحْتِرَامِ.

He was the son of an Arab noble and an Ethiopian slave, so he tasted humiliation and racism early in life and was denied fame and respect.

 

وَلَمَّا كَبُرَ وَظَهَرَتْ شَجَاعَتُهُ فِي الْحُرُوبِ، أَصْبَحَ فَارِسًا مَشْهُورًا، وَاعْتَرَفَ بِهِ أَبُوهُ.

When he grew up and showed his bravery in battles, he became a famous knight, and his father acknowledged him.

 

وَلكِنَّ قَلْبَهُ لَمْ يَعْرِفِ الضَّغِينَةَ، بَلْ عَرَفَ الحُبَّ.

But his heart did not know hatred, it knew love.

 

أَحَبَّ عَنْتَرَةُ ابْنَةَ عَمِّهِ، عَبْلَة، وَهِيَ فَتَاةٌ ذَاتُ جَمَالٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ، تَكْتُبُ الشِّعْرَ وَتَتَحَدَّثُ بِرِقَّةٍ تُذِيبُ الْحَجَرَ.

‘Antarah loved his cousin ‘Ablah, a young woman known for her beauty and wisdom, who writes poetry and speaks with a gentleness that could melt stone.

 

كَانَ يُحَارِبُ فِي سَاحَةِ الْقِتَالِ، وَيَكْتُبُ لَهَا أَبْيَاتَ الشِّعْرِ فِي اللَّيْلِ، فَيَقُولُ:

He fought on the battlefield, and by night, he wrote her verses of poetry, saying:

 

"وَلَقَدْ ذَكَرْتُكِ والرِّمَاحُ نَوَاهِلٌ مِنِّي، وبِيضُ الهِنْدِ تَقْطُرُ مِنْ دَمِي، فَوَدِدْتُ تَقْبِيلَ السُّيُوفِ لِأَنَّهَا لَمَعَتْ كَبَارِقِ ثَغْرِكَ الْمُتَبَسِّمِ!"

" I remembered you while the spears were drinking deeply from me,And the fine Indian swords were dripping with my blood.Yet I longed to kiss the blades,For they glittered like the lightning of your smiling mouth!”

 

وَكَانَ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي الْقَبِيلَةِ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ عَنْتَرَةَ يُحِبُّ عَبْلَةَ، وَلَكِنَّ حُبَّهُ كَانَ مُسْتَحِيلًا، فَهُوَ ابْنُ أَمَةٍ.

Everyone in the tribe knew that ‘Antarah loved ‘Ablah, but his love was impossible, for he was the son of a slave.

 

طَلَبَ أَبُوهَا مَهْرًا لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا الْمُلُوكُ: أَلْفَ نَاقَةٍ حَمْرَاءَ مِنْ نُوقِ النُّعْمَانِ!

Her father demanded a dowry fit for kings: a thousand red camels from al-Nu‘maan’s prized herds!

 

فَخَرَجَ عَنْتَرَةُ فِي رِحْلَةٍ خَطِيرَةٍ عَبْرَ الصَّحْرَاءِ، يُقَاتِلُ وَيُغَامِرُ، وَتَحَدَّى المَوْتَ، لِيُثْبِتَ أَنَّهُ تَماماً مِثْلُ الأَحْرَارِ.

‘Antarah set out on a dangerous journey across the desert, fighting and risking his life, and he challenged death to prove that he was exactly like the freeborn.

 

وَبَعْدَ مَغَامَرَاتٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، عَادَ بِالنُّوقِ، وَقَلْبُهُ مَمْلُوءٌ بِالأَمَلِ.

After many adventures, he returned with the camels, his heart full of hope.

 

وَلَكِنَّ الزَّمَانَ كَانَ قَاسِيًا، وَرَفَضَ أَبُو عَبْلَةَ الزَّوَاجَ.

But the times were cruel, and ‘Ablah’s father refused the marriage.

 

تَقُولُ بَعْضُ الرِّوَايَاتِ إِنَّهُ فِي النِّهَايَةِ تَزَوَّجَهَا، وَأُخْرَى تَقُولُ إِنَّهُ مَاتَ دُونَ ذَلِكَ.

Some stories say he married her in the end, while others claim he died without doing that.

 

وَبَقِيَ اسْمُهُ خَالِدًا... فَارِسًا يُقَاتِلُ بِالسَّيْفِ وَيُحِبُّ بِأبْياتِ الشِّعْر.

And his name lived on… a knight who fights with the sword and loves with poetry verses.

 

العِبْرَةُ مِنَ القِصَّةِ:

الحُبُّ الصَّادِقُ يُلْهِمُ الشُّعَرَاءَ وَيَصْنَعُ الأَبْطَالَ، وَلَيْسَ النَّسَبُ مِقْيَاسًا لِلْقِيمَةِ، بَلِ الْقَلْبُ وَالْعَزِيمَةُ.

Moral of the story:

True love inspires poets and creates heroes. Lineage doesn’t define worth, heart and determination do.


Step3: Comprehension Quiz:

Test your understanding of the story!


Multiple Choice Questions:

لِماذا أحَبَّ عَنْتَرَةُ عَبْلَةَ؟

أ) لِجمالِها وحِكْمَتِها

ب) لِمالِها

ج) لِنَسَبِها

 

ماذا طَلَب أبوها مِنْ عَنْتَرةَ؟

أ) ألْفا ناقَةٍ

ب) ألْفَ ناقَةٍ

ج) مِئَةَ فَرَسٍ

 

  

Fill in the Blank

________ أَبُو عَبْلَةَ الزَّوَاجَ.

أ) رَفَدَ

ب) وافَقَ

ج) رَفَضَ


 

Answers:

أ

ب

ج



  • Arabic stories for language learners

  • Arabic short story with English subtitles

  • Modern Standard Arabic listening practice

  • Learn Arabic through stories

  • Arabic moral stories with translation

  • Arabic for beginners with audio

  • Arabic reading with tashkeel

  • Arabic listening practice MSA


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