Arab Adventurers and Their Depiction in Arabic Literature

Authors

  • Kristina Ajimyan Free University of Tbilisi

Keywords:

‘āyyārūn wa-š-šuṭṭār, futuwwa, ‘Alī al-Zaybak, maqāmāt, short anecdote.

Abstract

The present article deals with such historical phenomenon as oriental adventurers – street-wise tricksters or so-called ‘āyyārūn wa-š-šuṭṭār, i.e., “vagabonds and cunning ones”. Among epic pieces widely spread in world literature, particularly noteworthy are the stories about these oriental adventurers.

In the Middle Ages, the ‘āyyārūn were called warriors grouped into brotherhoods – muruwwa or futuwwa (“courage”, “boldness”). They were widespread in Iraq and Persia and later in Transjordan. Initially, these brotherhoods were guild associations, then turned into armed detachments, formally in the service of the Sultan but often opposed to the authorities.

Among the masses, the ‘āyyārūn enjoyed the popularity of crafty tricksters. They robbed the rich, thereby expressing class protest. The people admired and treated them with great sympathy, telling stories, anecdotes, and heroic epics about them that were repeated from mouth to mouth and passed on from generation to generation.

It is interesting that most crafty heroes, considered fantastic characters, are real personalities with historical pasts that do not diverge too much from the artistic one. This historical past is confirmed by historical texts indicating their existence. Among such popular cunning heroes should be mentioned the wily Dalīla (Dalīla al-mutāla), ‘Alī al-Zaybak, and Aḥmad al-Danaf. The stories about them are found in the two most significant collections of Arabic literature about street-wise tricksters – One Thousand and One Nights and The Seerah of ‘Alī al-Zaybak.   

When talking about the oriental adventurers, the genre of maqāmāt that arose in the second half of the 10th century should also be mentioned. It was widely spread in medieval literature of the Middle East and forestalled the European picaresque short story.  

The vast popularity of the various picaresque heroes is also confirmed by the genre of the short anecdote, which exists in Arabic literature and occupies a significant place in One Thousand and One Nights. Initially, the characters of the anecdotes were historical personalities. But the most popular character of the anecdotes should be considered Ğuḥā, who later began wandering from one literature to another, from one folklore to another, permeating Sicily, Serbia, and Tuscany.

It should be noted that adventurous Arabic prose and anecdotes represent an essential part of Arabic literary heritage. Their study and research significantly enrich our knowledge of multiform Arabic literature.

Published

2024-12-24

How to Cite

Ajimyan, Kristina. 2024. “Arab Adventurers and Their Depiction in Arabic Literature”. Free University Journal of Asian Studies, no. 6 (December). Tbilisi. https://journals.org.ge/index.php/asianstudies/article/view/175.

Issue

Section

ARTICLES