Between History and Fictionality: The Telescoping Advice in Ibn Ẓafar’s Sulwān al-muṭāʿ and Its Reception

Abstract

The first part of the article focuses on the opening and closing chapters of Sicilian born polymath Ibn Ẓafar’s (d. ca. 566 /1171) mirror for princes, Sulwān al-muṭāʿ, which are devoted to “trusting [God]” (tafwīḍ) and “self-denial” (zuhd) respectively, and analyzes the combination of historical narratives and animal fables contained therein. In the complex “telescoping” structure devised by Ibn Ẓafar, both types of narratives represent an essential tool for reflecting on political circumstances related to the role of a local ruler. From this perspective, the analysis targets the relationship between history and fictionality set by the author and the transition from one dimension to the other. The final part of the article considers the reception of the Sulwān al-muṭāʿ by Ayyubid and Mamluk authors and their different approaches to various types of narratives when quoting (more or less substantial) parts of Ibn Ẓafar’s work.