The Symbolical and Mystical Meanings in 'cAbdullah of the Sea and cAbdullah of the Land' (The Arabian Nights)

This article argues that the tale (#163, Nights 940-46)) from The Arabian Nights, entitled ' c Abdullah of the Sea and c Abdullah of the Land' encapsulates highly spiritual and symbolical meanings that appear different on land and on sea. It is divided in three parts. The first tackles the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Islam & Christian Muslim relations 2008-10, Vol.19 (4), p.397-409
Main Author: Zein, Amira El
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Culture
History and sciences of religions
Islam
Literature
Mysticism
Myth
Sufism
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This article argues that the tale (#163, Nights 940-46)) from The Arabian Nights, entitled ' c Abdullah of the Sea and c Abdullah of the Land' encapsulates highly spiritual and symbolical meanings that appear different on land and on sea. It is divided in three parts. The first tackles the view of a simple and clear Islam represented by a fisherman named c Abdullah. Part two deals with a more hermetic Islam embodied by a merman who bears the same name. Part three analyses the complex symbols encoded in the three even numbers, namely, two, four, and 40. The tale as a whole illustrates the difference between exoteric Islam (the Land), characterized by simplicity and clarity, and Sufi Islam, distinctive for its depth and its mystery (the Sea).
ISSN:0959-6410
1469-9311
DOI:10.1080/09596410802335408