{"product_id":"the-epistle-of-forgiveness-9780814771945","title":"The Epistle of Forgiveness","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the most unusual books in classical Arabic literature, \u003ci\u003eThe Epistle of Forgiveness\u003c\/i\u003e is the lengthy reply by the prolific Syrian poet and prose writer, Abu l-''Ala'' al-Ma''arri (d. 449\/1057), to a letter by an obscure grammarian, Ibn al-Qarih. With biting irony, \u003ci\u003eThe Epistle of Forgiveness\u003c\/i\u003e mocks Ibn al-Qarih'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. He also glimpses Hell, and converses with the Devil and various heretics. Al-Ma''arria maverick, a vegan, and often branded a heretic himselfseems to mock popular ideas about the Hereafter. \u003cbr\u003eThis second volume is a point-by-point reply to Ibn al-Qarih's letter using al-Ma''arri's characteristic mixture of erudition, irony, and admonition, enlivened with anecdotes and poems. Among other things, he writes about hypocrites; heretical poets, princes, rebels, and mystics; apostates; piety; superstition; the \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVan Gelder and Schoeler present one of the most complex and unusual texts in Arabic literature, by al-Ma'arri (d. 1057 AD), maverick, poet and vegetarian. * Banipal Magazine *\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New York University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49405906190679,"sku":"9780814771945","price":33.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780814771945.jpg?v=1730493856","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-epistle-of-forgiveness-9780814771945","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}