Křesťané v Arábii před islámem - Stopy křesťanského života ve staroarabské poezii – Mikulicová Mlada (2023)

There are not many authentic Arabic Christian texts that relate to the pre-Islamic period, and even from those that have survived, it is difficult to discern the authors' own understanding of Christian faith. Fragments reminiscent of events from Scripture or fragmented images of temples, prayers, and monastic life rarely express the author's personal beliefs. The so-called pre-Islamic poetry has taken on a well-known form today in the first centuries of the emerging Islam and reflects its interpretative intentions. This unique book first offers insight into the history of the Arabian Peninsula based on contemporary reports from Greek, Syrian, and Arab authors, followed by a brief introduction to Arabic poetic mastery with short excerpts from ancient Arabic poetry, and finally a reader of verses. The selection of thirty-three excerpts is arranged according to a catechetical key, from reflections on death, eternity, and the fate of the soul to considerations of God's power in creation, human rebellion, and divine mercy. Traces of Christian culture, as if buried by sand, hint at the spiritual richness of the pre-Islamic Arab period, shaped not only by tribal pagan heritage but also by a Christian lifestyle derived from the cultures of advanced neighboring empires.