Browsing by Author "Muhammad Anwar Ahmad"

This study investigates the fiction works of Shaykh Ali al-Tantawi which consist of two anthologies of short stories, a series of children’s stories, and a story published in the form of a booklet. The research relies on three methods; inductive, descriptive, and analytical. The research findings reveal that some of these stories are well-known to Arab readers in particular and Muslim readers in general. Some of these stories not only address many important issues related to their era of publication, but also fit the current reality of our time. In addition, most of the stories are presented with distinguished creative components that are considered new, not only during their time, but also at the present time. The study shows that Shaykh al-Tantawi was a committed writer who observed the principles of Islam and its teachings in his creative works. In addition, the themes of his stories are committed to issues of his community at the regional and global levels. The commitment of Shaykh al-Tantawi to the Islamic worldview was clearly shown in his utilization of advice and propagation elements in his creative works. Nevertheless, the use of propagation elements in his stories does not weaken his skillfulness in using artistic and creative components such as plot, characters, style and language, and setting. The utilization of the Islamic and Arabic heritages in the stories using the new method of intertextuality is among his unique ingenuity and creativity. His creativity in adopting the art of intertextuality indicates his outstanding knowledge of heritage. The research also shows that the stories of Shaykh al-Tantawi are realistic stories which are derived from real life, and emerged from the Islamic worldview of the universe, life and Man. Shaykh Ali al-Tantawi has presented wonderfully in his creative works the culture of his time, and the generations that followed, that deserved to be investigated and explored. It is concluded from this study that Shaykh al-Tantawi’s works of fiction are creatively and artistically entertaining, of superior quality of content and strictly observant of the righteousness of Islamic principles and ideas.