Islam has given special attention to the good word, considering it the primary weapon against the evil word and in eradicating the seeds of evil from the depths of the soul, society, and human relationships. The word holds a distinguished and elevated place in sacred Islamic texts and within the connections and relations of the Islamic society, a status it had never achieved in pre-Islamic civilizations. Thus, we find that the good word has played a pioneering and effective role in establishing the first Islamic society in Medina and in the achievements of the Islamic call and conquests.
Role of Islamic Literature
Islamic literature has always stood at the forefront in every stage of the development of the Islamic society, defending the principles of this religion, contributing to the call to Islam, and portraying the bright, truthful picture of the society and the civilization that Islam seeks. Here, we intend to pause briefly to understand the Islamic concept of literature and its dimensions within the scope of the relationship between humans, the universe, life, and human relations.
Literature in the Islamic Perspective
Islam views literature, like all arts, as an expressive form of living values and human concerns that resonate with the artist's conscience or the poet's soul. These values may vary from person to person, environment to environment, and era to era, but they always stem from a specific perception of life, the connections between humans and the universe, life, and between humans themselves.
Therefore, literature, in the general sense or according to the Islamic vision, is a comprehensive expression of life in its various moments and different states, or an emotional reimagining of various phenomena, states, and human and psychological interactions.
Types of Literature
In this context, it is good to distinguish between two types of literature:
- Negative Literature: This type tries to depict humans in their subjugated, submissive, and resigned state—moments of weakness. It continuously tracks human slips, stumbles, and falls, including those stemming from human nature. It attempts, by various means, to tarnish virtue and corrupt the pure natural relationships between people, viewing morals, modesty, and dignity as shackles that should be removed. This can be called "black literature" or "decadent literature."
- Positive Literature: This type depicts humans in their realistic states, recognizing that humans are neither angels floating in the air nor animals groveling on the ground. Instead, humans occupy a special position that distinguishes their humanity and unique existence as responsible beings carrying the message of succession and construction. This literature expresses the reality of human beings, describing their true nature without exaggerating it to bring them closer to angels or lowering them to the level of animals. It strives to be an honest expression of the balance and moderation of human life. The Islamic concept of literature undoubtedly belongs to this latter type.
Sayyid Qutb's Insight
The distinguished literary figure, Sayyid Qutb, stated: "Literature or art arising from the Islamic perspective is directed literature or art because Islam is a continuous movement of renewal and elevation of life. It does not accept reality at any moment or generation, nor does it justify or beautify it simply because it is reality. Its main task is to change and improve this reality, constantly suggesting creative movement to generate new forms of life.
Islamic Literature's Function
The function of this literature or art is not to falsify human personality or vital reality or to present human life in an idealized, nonexistent form. Instead, it honestly portrays the latent or apparent potentials in humans and accurately depicts the objectives of life suitable for a world of humans, not a pack of wolves."
The Mission of Islamic Literature
Thus, it is understood that Islamic literature or literature as desired by Islam is literature that pushes humans forward, frees them from their fetters and illusions, depicts realistic life with its hopes and pains alike, instills determination in souls, enlightens minds with sound knowledge, and calls for compassion, standing by truth, goodness, justice, and beauty. Literature that collides with the Islamic perspective and finds no place in the reality of a society that genuinely embodies Islam is literature that flatters the truth, trades in people's emotions, fails to appreciate their feelings, and depicts the human being only in their degrading moments of weakness or necessity, not in moments of elevation and nobility.
Authenticity in Islamic Literature
This literature is false because it distorts the reality of human nature in all its manifestations and forms and neglects essential aspects embedded in human nature and its natural composition.
Content in Islamic Literature
Some detractors of Islamic literature argue that it lacks artistic and aesthetic aspects due to its moral foundation, considering these aspects the most vital achievements in literary work. In reality, Islamic literature meticulously cares for its intellectual content, stemming from Islam's deep-rooted values and its perceptions of humans, the universe, and life. It integrates content and artistic form into a unified, genuinely expressive whole. It heavily relies on the impact or impression left on the recipient, which interacts with them and contributes to shaping their sentiments and influencing their attitudes. This literature encompasses all aspects of life, addressing its various issues, manifestations, and problems from a correct Islamic perspective.
Broader Scope of Islamic Literature
Islamic literature, in all its purposes and horizons, does not necessarily revolve around religious and doctrinal concepts and their details, what these concepts approve or disapprove of. This is not an absolute necessity for Islamic literature, as its scope is undoubtedly thousands of times broader than religious concepts. Even if some detractors see it as literature of morals, virtue, and direct preaching, believing it to be far from the true nature of literature and art and the essential aesthetic aspects that must be present in literature and art.
Misconceptions about Islamic Literature
Those who believe that today's Islamic literature pioneers are confined to a narrow scope of direct religious concepts in their literary approach are mistaken and far from truth, objectivity, and fairness. The novels of the prominent writer Dr. Naguib Al-Kilani, may God have mercy on him, are the best evidence to counter these baseless criticisms.
Mohammed Qutb's Perspective
The great thinker Mohammed Qutb, may God have mercy on him, explained the correct conception of Islamic literature through a specific form of literary art—poetry: "Poetry that speaks of the enchanting beauty of nature, of strength, of the unleashing of human energy for work and production, of pure human emotions, that pushes and moves forward, that opens hope before humanity, that makes people feel the beauty of life, that it is worthy of being lived by humans, that speaks of human pains, that calls for the removal of injustices, and the reform of social, economic, and political corruption, that describes life as it should be... all of this is Islamic poetry because it expresses clean nature, even if the name of religion or direct religious concepts are not mentioned once in it."
Directed Literature
We conclude from this that Islamic literature is directed literature that speaks to human nature and the chaste conscience, addressing the yearnings of the spirit. It forms a general perception of life, the relationship of humans to this life, and the relationship of humanity to one another. However, it does all this with its unique style and distinctive approach to handling and appreciating subjects. In short, it is the clean emotional reactions to the psychological and spiritual influences concerning advanced human aspirations, all with special attention to artistic dimensions and harmonious aesthetic images with a moral content of universal or general human nature.
No Constraints
Thus, there are no constraints or barriers to the breadth of content in Islamic literature or Islamic arts in general. Islamic literature can address any topic of human life without limitation or restriction but has its distinct method in handling all its subjects. It does not view phenomena detached from their civilizational context, nor isolated from their universal truth, nor separated from their psychological, social, and economic backgrounds. Instead, it is a coherent, integrated perspective based on a grand doctrinal and civilizational backdrop that is the objectives, essentials, and aspirations of the noble revelation.
The Role of Islamic Literature in Civilizational and Social Foundation
Islamic literature cannot embark on the process of civilizational construction and social foundation unless the Muslim writer is aware and understands the nature and limits of their true role in this process. This requires a comprehensive understanding of the reality in which they operate and insightful knowledge of the intellectual struggle that our nation is compelled to engage in due to various factors beyond the scope of this article.
Active Engagement
The Muslim writer cannot stand apart from current events. Instead, they must take their place and contribute within their capacity to social and cultural reform, addressing negative and pathological phenomena and countering them to achieve the common good for their community, nation, and all humanity. The Muslim writer can engage in social action in its broadest sense, making Islamic literature a tangible reality that everyone can feel. The expansion of charitable work undoubtedly provides the opportunity to practice this action and elevate it to the level of active and influential civilizational behavior.
Supporting the Muslim Writer
On the other hand, attention should also be given to the Muslim writer because, by doing so, we can offer them advice and guidance. We remind them of their duty to society: to live its issues, express its aspirations and hopes, and establish the foundations of truth and goodness within it. This involves pioneering diverse and integrated horizons that build their emotional foundation, with selflessness and a principled distance from seeking attention and fame, considering all this as worship to Allah.
Balancing Rights and Duties
Today, the Muslim writer is required to understand the balance between rights and duties, which is the correct path to awareness, commitment, and achievement. This path appears theoretically clear in its milestones and landmarks because it leads to the ultimate satisfaction in the hereafter and benefits humanity today in this life.
The Role of Critics and Thinkers
Insightful critics and thinkers in these fields have a sacred duty imposed by their religious conscience and pure feelings: to support the Muslim writer in conveying their message, enlightening them with ideas, opinions, advice, and suggestions that assist them and open vast horizons. This enables the writer to proceed confidently and steadily, with a determined spirit. In this holistic and wonderful manner, great messages are conveyed, noble missions excel, and truth, justice, and beauty prevail.
Theory of Islamic Literature
Evolution to Theory: It is worth noting that Islamic literature has moved beyond concepts and terms at this stage and has reached the level of "theory." The theory of Islamic literature is based on commitment rooted in divine faith and the comprehensive Islamic perspective on humans, the universe, things, knowledge, and life. The theory of Islamic literature strives to Islamize literature and criticism in form and content, aiming to transform humans and guide them correctly by adhering to the overarching objectives of Islam and building a balanced life in harmony with natural disposition, combining worldly and hereafter aspects.
Distinguishing Features: The Islamic theory is neither existentialist, nor libertine, nor Marxist-Communist, nor a surrealist anarchistic theory without goal or principle. Islamic literature means all literature that stems from the Islamic conception of the universe, life, and humanity, or at least aligns with this conception and does not oppose or contradict it.
Some prominent pioneers of Islamic literary theory include:
- Naguib Al-Kilani in his books "Islam and Literary Doctrines" and "Introduction to Islamic Literature."
- Mohammed Qutb in his book "The Methodology of Islamic Art."
- Imaduddin Khalil in his books "Theory of Islamic Literature" and "Contemporary Islamic Criticism."
- Abdulbaset Badr in his book "Introduction to the Theory of Islamic Literature."
- Adnan Radwan Al-Nahawi in his book "Islamic Literature: Its Humanity and Universality."
- Mohammed Ahmed Hamdoun in his book "Towards a Theory of Islamic Literature."
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Footnotes:
(1) Sayyid Qutb, "The Idea and Method in History," Dar al-Shorouk, Beirut, p. 11.
(2) Sayyid Qutb, "Social Justice in Islam," Dar al-Shorouk, Beirut, p. 284.
(3) Najib al-Kailani, "Introduction to Islamic Literature," Book of the Nation, Doha, p. 34.
(4) Muhammad Qutb, "The Battle of Traditions," Dar al-Shorouk, Beirut, p. 134/135.
(5) Muhammad Marah, article "In Islamic Literature," Al-Alam magazine, London, issue 288.
(6) Muhammad Adel al-Hashimi, "In Islamic Literature: Experiences and Stances," Dar al-Manara, Beirut, p. 33.
