Representations of Death in al-Maqāmāt al-Hindiyya

[This article examines representations of death in al-Maqāmāt al-Hindiyya by Abū Bakr b. Muḥsin Bā ‘Abbūd al-‘Alawī (active in 1715). Death is arguably the pivotal theme of the text, largely derived from religious and popular beliefs. Drawing on anthropological and literary studies, the article discusses how death is explored in different episodes in the text, as well as through the actions of the two archetypal heroes of the Maqāmāt. In analyzing the reception history of popular texts like al-Maqāmāt al-Hindiyya, the article highlights its importance in calling for virtuous behavior and reform for its eighteenth-century readers.