Ebook Al-Gahiz and his theory of social communication mobi,epub

onference in Piliscsaba, organized by Pázmány Péter Catholic University, and delivered to the Arabic study specialists my speech entitled Entre Al-???i? et Bakhtine.[21] At that time, I took Al-???i?s advice: If you wanted to be occupied with that art (?in?a) [...], you made qa??da, produced oration or wrote a treaty [...], present your work to researchers. And if you see they are listening carefully, their eyes looking at you and [can hear] those who ask for it [...], serve it [...] [B., t. 1, p. 176]. The Arabic literature researchers were surprised to see an attempt at comparing Al-???i?, Arab researcher of the 9th century, with M. Bakhtin, famous theoretician who inspired the modern theory of literature of the 20th century. However, when presented with Al-???i?s texts, I could see fully defended and thoroughly-thought out, coherent theory of social communication, free from ages-old copyists errors, admitted to be more complete and based on broader approach than that of Bakhtins. For the content, if alive - likes to shine, and if obvious - wants to call out.[22] Life and work of Al-???i? Ab? U?m?n Amr Ibn Ba?r al-Fukam? al-Ba?ri, known under the nickname Al-???i? (Boggle Eyes), which he accepted with his inborn sense of humour, was born in Basra ca. 776. His family was probably of Ethiopian origin and taken care of by Arab tribe Ban? Kin?na. He was educated in Basra, which in his young years was one of the two famous centres of Arabic science and literature, the other one being Kufa. Al-???i? felt himself one hundred per cent Arab and throughout his whole life he consistently defended Arabic tradition and culture, both old-Arabic of the al-??hiliyya time (6th century) and Muslim, against the influence of the old culture of defeated Persians (aš-šu?biyya), which, beginning from mid 8th century, was disseminated by Persian origin secretaries of the caliph chancellery, and next, during the rule of Har?n ar-Raš?d (786-809), his viziers of the Persian Barmakid family and their caliph court confidents. Al-???i? was an exceptionally talented pupil of philologists from Basra. Those were famous scientist: Ab? Ubayda (died 825) and Al-A?ma? (died 828), his teachers of Arabic language, old and his contemporary Arabic poetry, history, geography, as well as Arabic customs and traditions. It was not long that, thanks to his talents, brightness and independence of thinking, he was admitted to intellectual elite circles of Mutazilites, inspired by Greek knowledge. Contacts with them broadened Al-???i?s creative and scientific horizons. Mutazilites allowed conducting philosophical discussions of religious or scientific issues. They introduced the rationalist doctrine in order to explain provisions of the Koran and Islam tradition (?ad??). They were adherents of five principles: 1. There is One God and he is the Creator of the world 2. Koran has been created by God [and not ever existing as maintained by Muslim orthodoxy] 3. Koran is splendid as regards the content and form 4. A Muslim who has committed a serious sin [ polytheism, apostasy] is in the middle position between the faithful and non-faithful (mun?fiq) 5. They assumed personal responsibility of an individual - faith involves avoiding sins, specifically serious ones; in the Koran God specified what is good and what is bad, and this is to be observed; thereby rejecting the principle of predestination and promoting differentiating between good and evil on the basis of provisions of the Koran. Mutazilites were named ahl al-adl wa at-taw??d, people of righteousness and of single [God].[23] They were most influential during the time of the ruling of caliphs Har?n ar-Raš?d (786-809) and Al-M?m?n (813-833). The latter one acknowledged their doctrine as applicable throughout the whole caliphate. The most distinguished scientist Mutazili were Ibr?h?m Ibn as-Sayy?r an-Na???m (died ca. 825) and Bišr Ibn al-Mutamir (died between 835 and 840). Their works were lost, or destroyed on purpose, during the time of the ruling of caliph Al-Mutawakkil (847-861), who condemned their doctrine as heretic. Their teaching has remained only in fragments, as quoted in Al-???i?s books. He studied Greek philosophers works at An-Na???ms, specifically Aristotles Logic and Zoology, thanks to which he acquired the skill of precise reasoning and developed his interest in nature. Another master, Bišr Ibn al-Mutamir, made his talented student take interest in art of words and rhetoric, which later on resulted in Al-???i?s original, first time formulated theory of social communication. He truly appreciated scientific terminology developed by Mutazili scientists, which is visualized in preciseness of the terms used by him in his works. First of all, however, he took from his masters deep religious Muslim thinking, seeking justice and truth, and ethical principles, and made them the basis of his thinking. His work is characterized by precision and logic of scientific discourse