Neither Belief nor Unbelief: Intentional Ambivalence in al-Maʿarrī’s Luzūm

218 Pages·2022·2.117 MB·English

by  Grigoryan, Sona

Sona Grigoryan
Neither Belief nor Unbelief
Studies in the History
and Culture of the Middle East
Edited by
Stefan Heidemann, Gottfried Hagen, Andreas Kaplony,
Rudi Matthee, and Kristina L. Richardson
Volume 45
Sona Grigoryan
Neither Belief
nor Unbelief
Intentional Ambivalence in al-Maʿarrī’s Luzūm
ISBN 978-3-11-077253-1
e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-077364-4
e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-077389-7
ISSN 2198-0853
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022940537
Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie;
detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de.
© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Printing and binding: CPI books GmbH, Leck
www.degruyter.com
To Mamikon and Sarah

Acknowledgments
This book is mostly based on my dissertation I wrote at the Central European
Universitybetween2012–2018. Iamdeeplythankfulandgratefultomydisser-
tationadvisorAzizAl-Azmehforhissupportandwisdom.Ithankhimforalways
carefully readingdrafts of mychapters in the shortestpossible time, for always
providing me with clear suggestions and questions of inquiry, and for being
available for conversations when I needed them. Most of all, I am grateful to
himforsowonderfullycombininghisdemandingattitudewithpatienceandun-
derstanding.
Iamverygratefultoscholarswhohavereadpartsofthedraftsandconstruc-
tivelycriticizedthem.TheyareTijanaKrstić,Nadiaal-Bagdadi,MusheghAsatry-
an, and Zoltán Szombathy.
IamthankfultoprofessorsAliceCoyke,VolkerMenzeandIstvánPerczelfor
theirconstantencouragement,EstherHolbrookfor alwayscheeringmeup,and
AndrasKraftforbeinganicecolleagueandforprovidingmewithusefulsugges-
tions.
IhaveimmenselybenefitedfrommyresearchvisitstotheOrientInstitut-Bei-
rutin2014and2016.MyregularconsultationswithProfessorStefanLederwere
always enlightening and encouraging. I also thank Dahlia Gubara at the Amer-
ican Universityof Beirut for the enthusiasm she has always shown towards my
research. I warmly thank Alfred El-Khoury and Safaa Ibrahim for their help in
linguisticandliterarymattersandforsimplybeingwonderfulpeople.Myconver-
sations with fellows Veronica Ferreri, Pamela Klasova, Elena Shahin, Lana
Mzhavia,Wendy Hamelink, and Torsten Wollina at the OIB helped me to better
formulate some of my ideas.
There are some people whose encouragement played a crucial role in the
makingofthisbook.IespeciallythankProfessorStefanHeidemannandZaraPo-
gossian for that.
My immense gratitude goes to Simon Watmough who not only extensively
and efficiently edited the manuscript but also showed the most caring attitude
and gave me the much-needed encouragement at the last stage of the publica-
tion. I am thankful to the anonymous reviewer for the invaluable comments. I
thanktheCenterforEasternMediterraneanStudiesattheCentralEuropeanUni-
versityand its director Brett Wilson for supporting the completion of the publi-
cation.
Allthistime,Ihavebeensurroundedbythekindnessandcareofmyfriends
Dora Ivanisevic, Piruz Hayrapetyan, Anri Grigoryan,Jana Bacova,Tatev Bekna-
zaryan, Judit Veres, Lilit Manukyan, Ruben Yengibarian,Tatev Mkrtchyan, and
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110773644-001
VIII Acknowledgments
KristinGrigoryan.Theyknowwhattheymeantome.Mygratitudeandlovetoall
members of my wonderful family, kids and adults, have no limit.
Thisstudyhasbeen,forbetterorworse,ajourneyfortwo.Mamikonshared
myburdenwithcare,andoptimismandhadtodealwithmyanxietiesasmuch
asnoonedid.Ithankhimforever.Iputthelasttouchestothebookwhilewait-
ingforourdaughterSarahtoarriveinthisworldandforthatincrediblefeeling
and energy, I will be forevergrateful to her.
Contents
List of Abbreviations XI
Some Matters of Usage XIII
Introduction 1
Chapter 
Milieu and Life: al-Maʿarrī in Context 15
The Historical Setting 15
The Poet’s Life 24
Social Standing and Network 28
Al-Maʿarrī’s Purported Ismāʿīlī Sympathies 40
Chapter 
Luzūmīyāt 44
A General Description of al-Maʿarrī’s Works 44
The Mannerist Purpose of Luzūm 56
Genre and Meaning 61
Structural Features 68
Thematic Landscape 79
Chapter 
Between Belief and Unbelief—Early Treatments and Responses 83
Allegations and Rejoinders During al-Maʿarrī’s Lifetime 83
Modes of Reception During al-Maʿarrī’s Lifetime and in
Posterity 97
Chapter 
Between Belief and Unbelief—Modern Readings and Receptions 108
Covert Unbeliever 108
Sincere Believer 114
Chapter 
Neither Belief nor Unbelief—Intentional Ambivalence 117
Taqῑya and Concealed Writing 117
Sincerity 128
Intentional Ambivalence 131
X Contents
Chapter 
Contradictions in Luzūmīyāt 134
God 134
Prophecy and Revealed Religions 149
Reason 160
Conclusions 169
Appendix: Verses of Luzūm in Arabic 173
Bibliography 181
Index 197