Witnesses of God: exhortatory preachers in medieval al-Andalus and the Magreb

This article analyzes the rhetorical and ritual characteristics of pious exhortation (wa‘z) as practiced in al-Andalus and the Maghreb, based on specimens from two homiletic sources. The texts are considered in light of hagiographical and juridical data in order to assess the social role of exhortat...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Jones, Linda G.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2007
País:España
Institución:Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Repositorio:Repositorio Digital de la UPF
OAI Identifier:oai:repositori.upf.edu:10230/44856
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10230/44856
http://dx.doi.org/10.3989/alqantara.2007.v28.i1.32
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Muslim sermons
Pious exhortation
Maw‘ia
Majlis al-wa‘
Sufi hagiography
Sermones musulmanes
Exhortación piadosa
Hagiografías sufies
Descripción
Sumario:This article analyzes the rhetorical and ritual characteristics of pious exhortation (wa‘z) as practiced in al-Andalus and the Maghreb, based on specimens from two homiletic sources. The texts are considered in light of hagiographical and juridical data in order to assess the social role of exhortatory preachers and to explain the extraordinary impact of their sermons. The sermon’s affective power derives from the preacher’s personal charisma, rhetorical prowess, and his active engagement of his audience in the production of their own charismatic experience. The hagiographies considered depict the wa‘iz as a witness to God’s omnipotence, precipitating the religious conversion of even the socially marginalized.