One of the most unusual books in classical Arabic literature,is the lengthy reply by the prolific Syrian poet and prose writer Abu l-ʿAla al-Maʿarri (d. 449 H/1057 AD), to a letter written by an obscure grammarian, Ibn al-Qarih. With biting irony,mocks Ibn al-Qarih's hypocrisy and sycophancy by imagining he has died and arrived with some difficulty in Heaven, where he meets famous poets and philologists from the past. He also glimpses Hell, and converses with the Devil and various heretics. Al-Maʿarria maverick, a vegan, and often branded a heretic himselfseems to mock popular ideas about the Hereafter. This book, the first of two volumes, includes Ibn al-Qarihs initial letter to al-Maʿarri, as well as the first half of. This translation is the first complete translation in any language and retains the many digressions, difficult passages, and convoluted grammatical discussions of the original typically omitted in other translations. It is accompanied by a comprehensive introduction and detailed annotation. Replete with erudite commentary, amusing anecdotes, and sardonic wit,is an imaginative tour-de-force by one of the most pre-eminent figures in classical Arabic literature.

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