The stingy ones Al-Jahiz

The Miserly: Author: Al-Jahiz Language: Arabic Publication date: 2024 Book format: Paperback Publisher: Asir Books for Translation, Publishing, and Distribution Number of pages: 520 Description: And in this book, you have three things: an amusing argument, or a clever trick, or a rare and wonderful benefit. And you can laugh at it if you wish, or be entertained if you are tired of seriousness. Al-Jahiz, Abu Othman Amr ibn Bahr, depicted the Miserly in a realistic and sensory manner, sometimes exaggerated in some places. He drew inspiration from his environment, his acquaintances, and from hearing their stories, especially in his hometown of "Merv," the capital of "Khorasan." He revealed their psyches and analyzed them logically and humorously, portraying their movements and actions, their suspicious looks, their tricks, and secrets of their homes, their temperaments and behaviors, exposing their inner whispers and thoughts. He does not condemn their actions but presents their way of saving and their greed for money. Al-Jahiz divided his book into short humorous and comic stories, recounting incidents or news about the miserly through the words of a brave knight, a caliph, ministers, common people, concubines, favorites, vagabonds, and scoundrels. Al-Jahiz wove with his words a fabric of his society at that time, using colloquial expressions prevalent during his writing period, thus creating a rich picture of his community.