Hadith of Isa ibn Hisham

The author employs the character of Issa ibn Hisham, the narrator of Badi‘ al-Zaman al-Hamadhani‘s Maqamat, in a style reminiscent of the Maqamat themselves, characterized by its lightheartedness. Issa recounts a dream he had, using this dream narrative as a captivating theme and a simple structure to explain human morality. Through a classical form, al-Muwaylihi addresses a modern theme: the description and evaluation of people‘s morals in society, their interactions, and the nature of their relationships across different social classes. He observes moral shortcomings and what disgraces a person, urging their avoidance and emphasizing the virtues and noble qualities that must be upheld for the elevation of both the individual and society. The story of Issa ibn Hisham is considered a foundational work of the Arabic novel, as it was modern in its approach for its time. It targeted diverse segments of society, addressing writers and intellectuals while simultaneously offering the general public a methodology that elevates the human spirit and upholds individual dignity. All of this is within a beautiful artistic framework, and a musical language characterized by the originality of the rhyme and the soundness of the composition alike.