A Matter of Fate: The Concept of Fate in the Arab World as Reflected in Modern Arabic LiteratureDalya Cohen-Mor examines the evolution of the concept of fate in the Arab world through readings of religious texts, poetry, fiction, and folklore. She contends that belief in fate has retained its vitality and continues to play a pivotal role in the Arabs' outlook on life and their social psychology. Interwoven with the chapters are 16 modern short stories that further illuminate this fascinating topic. |
Contents
| 3 | |
The Agent of Corrosion | 47 |
The Prison of Life | 79 |
The Yoke of Tradition | 105 |
The Female Experience | 131 |
The Trap of Poverty and Tyranny | 159 |
The Random Arbiter | 189 |
8 To Wish or Not to Wish? The DoubleEdged Sword | 219 |
9 Conclusion | 239 |
Notes | 259 |
Glossary | 285 |
Select Bibliography | 287 |
Permissions | 307 |
Index | 309 |
Other editions - View all
A Matter of Fate: The Concept of Fate in the Arab World as Reflected in ... Dalya Cohen-Mor No preview available - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
action appears Arab society Arab world Arabic literature Arabic poetry asked become began Beirut belief blood Cairo cause chance character concept continued critical cultural custom death decree determined divine Egyptian example existence expression eyes face fact fate father followed force freedom girl give God’s hand happened head heart Hfiusayn human Ibid idea important individual Islam learned leave light literary literature lives look matter means mind Modern Arabic mother Muslim nature never night novel past peasants person play poet political predestination present Press Qura¯n reality religion religious remained role Shaykh short social society story things thought traditional trans Translation turn University village wife wish woman women writers
Popular passages
Page 105 - that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.
Page 110 - The despotism of custom is everywhere the standing hindrance to human advancement, being in unceasing antagonism to that disposition to aim at something better than customary, which is called, according to circumstances, the spirit of liberty, or that of progress or improvement.
Page 23 - We are no other than a moving row Of Magic Shadow-shapes that come and go Round with the Sun-illumin'd Lantern held In Midnight by the Master of the Show.
Page 110 - The human faculties of perception, judgment, discriminative feeling, mental activity, and even moral preference, are exercised only in making a choice. He who does anything because it is the custom, makes no choice.
Page 110 - This is the case over the whole East. Custom is there, in all things, the final appeal; justice and right mean conformity to custom; the argument of custom no one, unless some tyrant intoxicated with power, thinks of resisting. And we see the result.
Page 160 - Men, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you might get to know one another
Page 14 - Influenced by their belief in predestination, the men display, in times of distressing uncertainty, an exemplary patience, and, after any afflicting event, a remarkable degree of resignation and fortitude, approaching nearly to apathy, generally exhibiting their sorrow only by a sigh and the exclamation of 'Allah Kereem
Page 51 - By (the Token of) Time (through the Ages), verily Man is in loss, except such as have Faith and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy
Page 160 - It is He Who hath made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He hath given you