All the World Is Awry by R. Kevin Lacey

Author:R. Kevin Lacey [Lacey, R. Kevin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Middle East, General, Religion, Islam
ISBN: 9781438479460
Google: yyD0DwAAQBAJ
Publisher: SUNY Press
Published: 2021-12-01T02:42:14+00:00

Thus, according to the thrust of Nicholson’s argument, one can understand al-Ma‛arrī as meaning in the lines of the second passage just quoted above either (1): he would have put to death, had he been capable, people who say that God did not send Jesus and Moses as prophets, because these people say what they say only to profit from their God and to use their religion to gain power; or (2) he would have worked to see the demise, had he been capable, of Jesus and Moses (and by extension, all prophets) because they were not in reality messengers of God sent by God to humankind, but only claimants of such for the sake of self-aggrandizement; that is, it is they who seek to profit from their God and religion.

The second option admittedly sounds scandalously extreme, even with respect to someone like al-Ma‛arrī. But Nicholson’s only point is alerting one to the type of Ma‛arrian ambiguity that opens the door to scandalous inferences.95 Having ample examples elsewhere of al-Ma‛arrī’s criticism of prophets, prophecy, and revelation, and knowing in general what to make of his seemingly unorthodox or blasphemous remarks, especially when expressed through innuendo-laden metaphor or enigmatic allusions, discreet readers of Luzūm other than Nicholson may feel that they can’t totally dismiss his interpretation as the real meaning intended by al-Ma‛arrī in L II.22.12–13; 23.1–2 (accepting, that is, the Leyden manuscript wording of these lines as opposed to the Zand’s redaction).

As for Judaism as viewed by al-Ma‛arrī, briefly, it, too, is accused of relating historical events that are highly improbable (L I.158.11). Its adherents are accused of being incapable of arguing convincingly for their articles of faith (L I.174.11–12). More bluntly put, the Jews are said to be confused falsifiers who are just as much in error as the adherents of other religions (e.g., Christians, Mazdeans, and Muslims [in this instance Muslims are designated by “al-ḥanīfah”/الحنيفة]) (L I.260.14–15; II.201.5; the latter line is followed by that more commonly cited instance of al-Ma‛arrī’s verdict on the reason vs. revelation debate: اثنان أهلُ الأرضِ ذو عقلٍ / بلا دين وآخر دَيِّنٌ لا عقلَ له: “There are two types of people in the world: the rational without religion and the religious who are not rational”). Jewish religious scholars (aḥbār/أحبار) are said to make a science out of studying the Torah (denominated by al-Ma‛arrī as a complete fabrication, and—rather infelicitously, perhaps dictated more by required sound than sense—a “disease of the liver”; L I.288.12) only for the sake of making a handsome living (L II.241.6–9). The hoped-for Jewish Messiah is a preposterous idea promulgated by people who have been “beguiled” (L I.105.3–5). Al-Ma‛arrī declares in L I.108.7 that in fact the Messiah will never come; this is a false promise.

To what has been cited above in the way of al-Ma‛arrī’s hostile and critical attitude toward Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and religion in general, obviously there are exceptions. Otherwise, centuries ago it would have been a foregone conclusion among most commentators that the poet was

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