An Arab humorist : Al-Jahiz and 'The Book of Misers'

Abstract

Before the advent of Islam and the subsequent collection into one volume of those formal utterances which Muhammad accepted as being divinely inspired, the Koran, there was no prose literature in Arabic. Poetry, however, - and poetry of a high standard - had made its appearance by the 5th century of our era, and, apart from a temporary setback during the early days of Islam when poets came into a certain disrepute since they were regarded as being inspired by jinn, it was to progress steadily, finding new themes and new styles. Although for some time the Koran remained the sole example of Arabic prose literature, it was soon to be followed by other prose literature, and its influence on this latter was to be tremendous. It was due to the flexibility given to it by the Koran that 'Arabiya (High Arabic) could be quickly developed and adapted to different literary needs.