Wednesday, September 19, 2012


And what else?
Spent the morning at the Manuscript Library in interesting discussions with Mohammed(right, our new recruit from the Ecole Normale Superieure), Garba and Yelfa the Archivists. It was with regards to a little manuscript with an intriguing subject matter: an encounter between the Prophet Mohammed and Satan. This was listed under the Heading ‘History’ in our database destined for the British Library. I objected that it could not possibly be termed ‘History’, and a conversation ensued which was quite enlightening on the difference between our cultures- for Garba and Yelfa and many believing Muslims, this could be labelled ‘History’, because they believe it is true!
Mohammed our new recruit sided with me however, and we managed to push through our view that a library should adopt a more academic stance, and therefore ‘History’ should keep itself to the accounts of events in the physical world. Such accounts are normally called ‘Tariqs’, such as the famous ‘Tariq es Soudan’. We came to the conclusion that the encounter between Mohammed and Satan should go into the literature section...

Talking of literature, Mohammed told me he has come across manuscripts at the library with love poetry by a well known poet: the deliciously and improbably named Imroul Kiss!

4 Comments:

Blogger David said...

I love that, the tussle between 'history' and 'literature'. Can imagine similar conflicts with Creationists...

Do hope the water is at bay; the fact you haven't mentioned it suggests all is well so far.

10:15 PM  
Blogger toubab said...

Yes, of course that is true David!
And alas, the water is rising still. Karim and Kassim spent a couple of hours at the water pumps this evening- and I joined them carrying water buckets. But still a few inches away from the critical point reached in 2010...

1:58 AM  
Blogger Susan Scheid said...

David has got in the first word, but I must second it. How interesting, the differences! And is it possible you might show us, along the way, some poetry of this fantastically named Imroul Kiss?

2:44 AM  
Blogger toubab said...

Ah, Susan, what a great idea! I will get Mohammed to do some translation. I would also very much like to know what he has to say on the subject of love...

2:34 PM  

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