Al-Andalus: from regained paradise to essential experience

Abstract

This article analyzes the perception of al-Andalus and its characteristics in the eyes of six Arab authors writing between 1964 and 2010. It looks first at Hussain Monés (1911-1996), who in his Journey through Spain shows it as a kind of paradise regained. The study then turns to the Egyptians Salah Abdel Sabour (1931-1981), who wrote about Federico García Lorca, and Radwa Ashour (1946-2010), who wrote about the Moriscos and al-Andalus. To conclude, the paper analyses some authors who have a vision that shows signs of incipient engagement, albeit incipient, be it social, political or historical engagement. These authors include the Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani (1923-1998), the Syrian-Lebanese Adonis (b. 1930), as an essayist, and the Algerian novelist Waciny Laredj (b. 1954). The study has used the original works of the authors themselves and also theoretical frameworks developed by the main scholars in this area. Regarding the results and conclusions, in addition to showing that the theme of al-Andalus remains valid in modern Arabic literature, the study reveals what could be called the essentialization of al-Andalus and also the greater relevance of this theme in prose writing.