Description
Book SynopsisWhen first published in 1926 this book aroused much controversy. The theory expounded in the book was that Islamic sources in general, and the writings of Ibn al-`Arabi in particular, formed the basis of Dante's poem Divine Comedy, the poem which symbolised the whole culture of medieval Christianity. The book shows how fundamental Muslim legends of the nocturnal journey and of the ascension of the Prophet Muhammed appear in Dante's writings.
Table of ContentsPART I THE LEGEND OF THE NOCTURNAL JOURNEY AND ASCENSION OF MAHOMET COMPARED WITH THE DIVINE COMEDY I. THE ORIGIN OF THE LEGEND II. FIRST CYCLE—VERSIONS OF THE ISRA, OR NOCTURNAL JOURNEY III. SECOND CYCLE—VERSIONS OF THE MIRAJ, OR ASCENSION IV. THIRD CYCLE—FUSION OF THE VERSIONS OF THE ISRA AND THE MIRAJ V. THEOLOGICAL COMMENTARIES ON THE LEGEND VI. ADAPTATIONS FROM THE LEGEND, MAINLY MYSTICAL ALLEGORIES VII. LITERARY IMITATIONS OF THE LEGEND VIII. SUMMARY OF COMPARISONS PART II THE DIVINE COMEDY COMPARED WITH OTHER MOSLEM LEGENDS ON THE AFTER-LIFE I. INTRODUCTION II. THE MOSLEM LIMBO IN THE DIVINE COMEDY III. THE MOSLEM HELL IN THE DIVINE COMEDY IV. THE MOSLEM HELL IN THE DIVINE COMEDY—continued*V. THE MOSLEM HELL IN THE DIVINE COMEDY (Conclusion) originality VI. THE MOSLEM PURGATORY IN THE DIVINE COMEDY VII. THE EARTHLY PARADISE OF ISLAM IN THE DIVINE COMEDY VIII. THE CELESTIAL PARADISE OF ISLAM IN THE DIVINE COMEDY IX . THE CELESTIAL PARADISE OF ISLAM IN THE DIVINE COMEDY (Conclusion) SYNTHESIS OF ALL THE PARTIAL COMPARISONS PART III MOSLEM FEATURES IN THE CHRISTIAN LEGENDS PRECURSORY OF THE DIVINE COMEDY I. INTRODUCTION II. LEGENDS OF VISIONS OF HELL III. LEGENDS OF VISIONS OF HELL— continued IV. LEGENDS OF VISIONS OF HELL (Conclusion) V. LEGENDS ON THE WEIGHING OF SOULS VI. LEGENDS OF PARADISE VII. LEGENDS OF SEA VOYAGESVIII. LEGENDS OF SLEEPERS I X . LEGENDS OF THE RESPITE FROM TORTURE X. LEGENDS ON THE DEBATE BETWEEN ANGELS AND DEVILS FOR POSSESSION OF THE SOUL PART IV PROBABILITY OF THE TRANSMISSION OF ISLAMIC MODELS TO CHRISTIAN EUROPE AND PARTICULARLY TO DANTE I INTRODUCTION II. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ISLAM AND CHRISTIAN EUROPE DURING THE MIDDLE AGES III. TRANSMISSION OF THE MOSLEM LEGENDS ON THE AFTER-LIFE TO CHRISTIAN EUROPE AND DANTE IV. THE ATTRACTION FELT BY DANTE TOWARDS ARABIC CULTURE CONFIRMS THE HYPOTHESIS OF IMITATION V. THE CLOSE RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN DANTE AND THE MYSTIC, IBN ARABI OF MURCIA, FURNISHES FURTHER PROOF OF THE THESIS OF IMITATION
