The Epistle of Forgiveness, or A Pardon to Enter the Garden

Library of Arabic Literature

by Abū al-ʿAlāʾ al-Maʿarrī, ʻAlī ibn Manṣūr Ibn al-Qāriḥ (Contributor), Gregor Schoeler (Translator)

Known as one of the most complex and unusual texts in Arabic literature (Banipal Magazine), The Epistle of Forgiveness is the lengthy reply by the prolific Syrian poet and prose writer, Abu l-'Ala' al-Ma'arri (d. 449 H/1057 AD), to a letter by an obscure grammarian, Ibn al-Qari. With biting irony, The Epistle of Forgiveness mocks Ibn al-Qari s hypocrisy and sycophancy by imagining he has died and arrived with some difficulty in Heaven, where he meets famous poets and philologists from the past. In al-Maarri s imaginative telling, Ibn al-Qari also glimpses Hell and converses with the Devil and various heretics.

Al-Ma'arri a maverick, a vegan, and often branded a heretic himself seems to mock popular ideas about the Hereafter. Among other things, he introduces us to hypocrites, poets, princes, rebels, mystics, and apostates, with asides on piety, superstition, wine-drinking, old age, and other topics. This remarkable book is the first complete translation of this masterpiece into any language, all the more impressive because of Al-Ma'arri's highly ornate and difficult style, his use of rhymed prose, and his numerous obscure words and expressions. Replete with erudite commentary, amusing anecdotes, and sardonic wit, The Epistle of Forgiveness is an imaginative tour-de-force by one of the most pre-eminent figures in classical Arabic literature. "

Geert Jan van Gelder studied Semitic Languages in Amsterdam and Leiden. He was Lecturer in Arabic at the University of Groningen (1975-1998) and Laudian Professor of Arabic at the University of Oxford (1998-2012). He has published numerous articles and several books on classical Arabic literature.

Gregor Schoeler studied Arabic and Islamic Studies in Frankfurt am Main and Giessen (Germany). He was the chair of Islamic Studies at the University of Basel (1982-2009). He has published numerous articles and several books in the fields of Islamic Studies and classical Arabic literature.

Genres: Poetry, Philosophy, Classics, Literature, Middle East, Islam, Religion

530 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1033

About the author

Abul ʿAla Al-Maʿarri (Arabic أبو العلاء المعري Abū al-ʿAlāʾ al-Maʿarrī, full name أبو العلاء أحمد بن عبد الله بن سليمان التنوخي المعري Abū al-ʿAlāʾ Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sulaimān al-Tanūẖī al-Maʿarrī, born 973 CE / AH 363, died 1058 CE/ AH 449) was a blind Syrian philosopher, poet, and writer.

He was a controversial rationalist of his time, attacking the dogmas of religion rejecting the claim that Islam or any other religion possessed the truths they claim and considered the speech of prophets as a lie (literally, "forge") and "impossible" to be true. He was equally sarcastic towards the religions of Muslims, Jews, and Christians. He was also a vegan who argued for animal rights.

In 2013, almost a thousand years after his death, a Jihadist group beheaded the statue of Al Ma'arri during the conflict in Syria. Al Ma'arri remains widely cited among modern Arab atheists.

Al-Maʿarri was a skeptic in his beliefs and denounced superstition and dogmatism in religion. Thus, he has been described as a pessimistic freethinker. One of the recurring themes of his philosophy was the rights of reason against the claims of custom, tradition, and authority.

Al-Maʿarri taught that religion was a "fable invented by the ancients", worthless except for those who exploit the credulous masses.

Do not suppose the statements of the prophets to be true; they are all fabrications. Men lived comfortably till they came and spoiled life. The sacred books are only such a set of idle tales as any age could have and indeed did actually produce.

Al-Maʿarri criticized many of the dogmas of Islam, such as the Hajj, which he called, "a heathen's journey."

He rejected claims of any divine revelation. His creed was that of a philosopher and ascetic, for whom reason provides a moral guide, and virtue is its own reward.

His religious skepticism and positively anti-religious views are expressed in a poem which states, "The inhabitants of the earth are of two sorts: those with brains, but no religion, and those with religion, but no brains."

He was equally sarcastic towards the religion of Islam as he was towards Judaism and Christianity. Al-Ma'arri remarked that monks in their cloisters or devotees in their mosques were blindly following the beliefs of their locality: if they were born among Magians or Sabians they would have become Magians or Sabians.

More: http://www.humanistictexts.org/al_ma&...

http://www.centerforinquiry.net/isis/...

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...

http://futiledemocracy.wordpress.com/...

Reviews

[E. G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letter from the General Editor
About this Paperback
Foreword
Abbreviations used in the Introduction and Translation
Acknowledgments
Introduction
A Note on the Text
Notes to the Introduction

--The Epistle of Ibn al-Qāriḥ

--The Epistle of Forgiveness

Notes
Glossary of Names and Terms
Bibliography
Further Reading
Index
About the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute
About the Translators
The Library of Arabic Literature

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I persevered and made it through, but it was hard work. I think there's a good reason why this book had previously been translated into English only in an abridged form: in order to fully appreciate al-Ma'arrī's grammatical and etymological musings, you would need to read Arabic, so there's little to be gained (and, presumably, much to be lost) in the translation. Even the section that most interested me, the Danté-esque journey into Hell, was punctuated with dense passages of the grammarian's lore, which I felt made it drag.

There are gleams of gold amongst the sand, but surely not eighty dinars' worth. Of course, I place the fault in myself, rather than in the text: the wrong reader for such an erudite work.

[Δανάη Ιμπραχήμ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about this book a while ago, while I was in college and I was very intrigued by pretty much everything. Written by a poet who was considered by many a heretic, due to his unconventional views, during the golden age of Islamic - Arabic history, The Epistle of forgiveness is a reply to a letter and we could devide it in two books. First, we have the protagonist's journey through Heaven & Hell, where he meets poets & holy figures. In the second part, he pretty much responds directly to the person who led to this book. In both parts we get to study his ideas and learn a lot about the structure of arabic language. As a contemporary historian, I appreciated those parts in which we could learn about history or even arabic folklore. All in all, it is a very educational text and the best dark academia book I could start my September with.

[Annette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this is not a work that does well in translation. To understand many of the jokes and criticisms of Arabic poets, you need a thorough understanding of Arabic grammar and vocabulary. This would also be an easier read if you are familiar with the poets mentioned, although this book does contain an excellent glossary of names and extensive footnotes.

[Nathan "N.R." Gaddis]

Listen. There are liv pages before the beginning of Al-Maarri's text ::
Letter from the General Editor
About this Paperback
Foreword
Abbreviations Used in the Introduction and Translation
Acknowledgements
Introduction
A Note on the Text
Notes to the Introduction

The text=propre runs to page 297. Afterwhich we receive, bountifully ::
Notes
Glossary of Names and Terms
Bibliography
Further Reading
Index
About the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute
About the Translators
The Library of Arabic Literature
[I note the lack of a Chronology]

This kind of arrangement is not strange. To some of us. Readers of the Seven Dreams. Without this vor-und-nach- matter, we feel cheated.

[aidan · Rating 1 out of 5]

kinda funny when you skim

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

diss book done god BLESS.
now we move onto the two-part bilingual edition, god help me.

[Swiezakksiazkowy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literatura arabska posiada wiele różnych form i oblicz. Stanowi dla europejskiego czytelnika zagadkę, wyzwanie, ale też nieodzowną inspirację, gdyż w jej niesztampowosci można odnaleźć nie tylko fascynujące koncepty, ale też bliskie człowiekowi w ogólnym rozumieniu pojęcia i sfery, na które może nie zwrócił by uwagi.


Posłanie o przebaczeniu zalicza się na pewno do literackiego wyzwania. Traktuje o Bogu, jego kondycji, stosunku względem ludzkich niedociągnięć. Ten traktat filozoficzny, moralizatorski w iście erudycyjnym stylu wchodzi w dialog poruszający religijny ortodoksyzm i herezję. Czytając ma się wrażenie, że autor poucza, ale też tłumaczy i cierpliwie przedstawia swoje argumenty. Podróż po krainie zaświatów przybiera transcendentalny charakter a wydźwięk przekazywanych nauk jeszcze bardziej jest podkreślony i uwydatniony.


Niezwykle to dzieło. Klasyka literatury będąca inspiracją dla wielu, i nauką dla fascynatów literatury arabskiej. 


Polecam, by zanurzyć się w świat tak nam odległy i postawić sobie intelektualne wyzwanie.

dziękuję wydawnictwu za egzemplarz książki.

[Mills College Library]

892.7134 A165 2016

[Lulu]

c. 1033


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