One of the most unusual books in classical Arabic literature, The Epistle of Forgiveness is the lengthy reply by the prolific Syrian poet and prose writer Abu l-'Alaa al-Ma'arri (d. 449 H/1057 AD) to a letter written by an obscure grammarian, Ibn al-Qarih. With biting irony, The Epistle of Forgiveness mocks Ibn al-Qarih's hypocrisy and sycophancy by imagining he has died and arrived with some difficulty in Heaven, where he meets famous poets and philologists from the past. He also glimpses Hell, and converses with the Devil and various heretics. Al-Ma'arri--a maverick, a vegan, and often branded a heretic himself--seems to mock popular ideas about the Hereafter. This translation is the first complete translation in any language and retains the many digressions, difficult passages, and convoluted grammatical discussions of the original typically omitted in other translations. It is accompanied by extensive annotation and a comprehensive introduction.
Geert Jan van Gelder studied Semitic Languages in Amsterdam and Leiden. He was Lecturer in Arabic at the University of Groningen (1975-1998) and Laudian Professor of Arabic at the University of Oxford (1998-2012). He has published numerous articles and several books on classical Arabic literature. Gregor Schoeler studied Arabic and Islamic Studies in Frankfurt am Main and Giessen (Germany). He was the chair of Islamic Studies at the University of Basel (1982-2009). He has published numerous articles and several books in the fields of Islamic Studies and classical Arabic literature.
