The Epistle of Forgiveness: Volume One: A Vision of Heaven and Hell

Contents

ix Table of Contents Letter from the General Editor iii Acknowledgments xiii Abbreviations used in the Introduction and Translation xiv Introduction xv A Note on the Text xxix A Note on the Edition xxxii Notes to the Introduction xxxv The Epistle of Ibn al-Qāriḥ 1 Ibn al-Qāriḥ’s hopes for a meeting with al-Maʿarrī 2 Criticism of heresy and heretics 8 On fate 30 Ibn al-Qāriḥ’s complaints of old age 30 The Prophet at the beginning of his mission 32 Ibn al-Qāriḥ’s weaknesses and self-reproach 38 The Sheikh exculpates himself 46 Praise of al-Maʿarrī 52 On memorizing and forgetting; Ibn al-Qāriḥ complains again 54 The Epistle of Forgiveness 65 Preamble 66 al-Maʿarrī’s description of Ibn al-Qāriḥ’s letter 74 Paradise (I) 76 Description of Paradise 76 A drinking scene 98 The Sheikh’s excursion 102 The conversation with al-Aʿshā Maymūn 102 The conversation with Zuhayr 108 The conversation with ʿAbīd ibn al-Abraṣ 112 The conversation with ʿAdī ibn Zayd 112 The conversation with Abū Dhuʾayb al-Hudhalī 126 x Table of Contents The conversation with the two Nābighahs, al-Dhubyānī and al-Jaʿdī 128 The geese of Paradise 142 The first conversation with Labīd 144 The singing of the damsels 154 An altercation in Paradise 156 The conversation with Ḥassān ibn Thābit 166 The five one-eyed men of Qays 168 The story of Tamīm ibn Ubayy ibn Muqbil 178 The Sheikh’s Story of his Resurrection, the Day of Judgement, and his Entry into Paradise 180 The Sheikh’s conversation with Riḍwān and Zufar, guards of the Garden 180 The conversation with ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 186 The conversation with Fāṭimah, the Prophet’s daughter 188 The Prophet’s intercession 192 The crossing of the Bridging Path 192 The second conversation with Riḍwān; the entry into Paradise 192 Paradise (II) 196 The conversation with “the Camel-herd” and Ḥumayd ibn Thawr 196 The second conversation with Labīd 200 A banquet in Paradise 204 The conversation with the two “Locusts” 208 The conversation with Jirān al-ʿAwd 210 The dance of the damsels 212 Beer, marinated peacock, and roast goose 214 The conversation with the two damsels 220 The tree of damsels 222 Between Paradise and Hell 226 The Paradise of the demons 226 The poetry of the demons 228 Abū Hadrash al-Khaytaʿūr’s heroic deeds 230 Animals in Paradise 244 In the furthest reaches of Paradise; a conversation with al-Ḥuṭayʾah 246 The conversation with al-Khansāʾ 246 xi Table of Contents Hell 248 The conversation with Satan 248 The conversation with Bashshār ibn Burd 250 The conversation with Imruʾ al-Qays 252 The conversation with ʿAntarah 264 The conversation with ʿAlqamah 268 The conversation with ʿAmr ibn Kulthūm 272 al-Ḥārith ibn Ḥillizah 274 The conversation with Ṭarafah 276 The conversation with Aws ibn Ḥajar 280 The conversations with the Hudhalī poets Abū Kabīr and Ṣakhr al-Ghayy 282 The conversation with al-Akhṭal 286 The conversation with Muhalhil 294 The conversation with the two poets called Muraqqish 296 The conversation with the two brigand poets, al-Shanfarā and Taʾabbaṭa Sharrā 300 Return to Paradise 304 A meeting with Adam 304 The snakes of Paradise 308 The Sheikh’s return to his paradisical damsel 318 In the Paradise of the rajaz poets 318 The joys of Paradise 322 Notes 325 Glossary of Names and Terms 370 Bibliography 392 Further Reading 400 Index 404 About the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute 424 About the Typefaces 425 About the Editor-Translators 426 This page intentionally left blank ...