Paragraphs and Periods

The Paragraphs and Periods (Full name: Paragraphs and Periods on the Glorification of God and Admonitions; Arabic: الفصول و الغايات في تمجيد الله و المواعظ, romanized: al-Fuṣūl wa-l-ghāyāt fī tamjīd Allāh wa-l-mawā'iẓ)^[1] is a collection of homilies in Arabic rhymed prose, authored by al-Ma'arri (d. 1058). The book is noted for being a deliberate imitation of the Quran.^[2]

There is no indication that al-Ma'arri intended his work to be viewed as a genuine competitor to the Quran or to assert any claims of divine revelation.^[2] Many Muslim contemporaries of al-Maʿarrī believed that his book ridiculed the Quran and condemned it. However, in subsequent centuries, many supporters argued that it represented genuine piety and true glorification of God.^[3] Modern scholars hold differing opinions; while some view it as a parody, others see it as a critique of conventional literature.^[4]