Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Alchemical Poetry in Almohad Morocco: The Shudhūr al-dhahab of Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs *

Alchemical Poetry in Almohad Morocco: The Shudhūr al-dhahab of Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs * Although historically recognised as one of the major landmarks in post-Jābirian Arabic alchemy, the Shudhūr al-dhahab ( Shards of Gold )—a dīwān of alchemical verse by the sixth/twelfth-century Moroccan poet and preacher, Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs—has hitherto received little scholarly attention. The present article aims firstly to place the Shudhūr within its literary context, identifying those features which—unusually for Arabic didactic verse—earned it praise for its style as well as its content. Then some of the key alchemical theories set forth in the Shudhūr are both analysed and contextualised. In particular, Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs’s thought is placed in relation to Jābirian theory, and possible links with Andalusī alchemy are also explored. Finally, his work and public career are examined against the backdrop of the philosophical climate fostered by the Almohads. Also included, for the first time, are a critical edition and annotated translation of one of the Shudhūr ’s constituent odes. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Oriens Brill

Alchemical Poetry in Almohad Morocco: The Shudhūr al-dhahab of Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs *

Oriens , Volume 44 (1-2): 116 – Jan 1, 2016

Loading next page...
 
/lp/brill/alchemical-poetry-in-almohad-morocco-the-shudh-r-al-dhahab-of-ibn-arfa-3KMd9bI1oR

References

References for this paper are not available at this time. We will be adding them shortly, thank you for your patience.

Publisher
Brill
Copyright
Copyright 2016 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
ISSN
0078-6527
eISSN
1877-8372
DOI
10.1163/18778372-04401006
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Although historically recognised as one of the major landmarks in post-Jābirian Arabic alchemy, the Shudhūr al-dhahab ( Shards of Gold )—a dīwān of alchemical verse by the sixth/twelfth-century Moroccan poet and preacher, Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs—has hitherto received little scholarly attention. The present article aims firstly to place the Shudhūr within its literary context, identifying those features which—unusually for Arabic didactic verse—earned it praise for its style as well as its content. Then some of the key alchemical theories set forth in the Shudhūr are both analysed and contextualised. In particular, Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs’s thought is placed in relation to Jābirian theory, and possible links with Andalusī alchemy are also explored. Finally, his work and public career are examined against the backdrop of the philosophical climate fostered by the Almohads. Also included, for the first time, are a critical edition and annotated translation of one of the Shudhūr ’s constituent odes.

Journal

OriensBrill

Published: Jan 1, 2016

Keywords: Arabic alchemy; Jabir; Ibn Khaldun; Ibn Bishrun; didactic (poetry)

There are no references for this article.