Research: Texts and contexts of ʾiqtibās (provisional title)
Supervisor: Prof. Antonella Ghersetti (Ca' Foscari University)
Co-supervisor: Prof. Bilal W. Orfali (American University of Beirut)
Title of research project: Texts and contexts of ʾiqtibās
Curriculum: Arabic, Iranian, and Islamic Studies
ABSTRACT:
This research project focuses on the study of a single rhetorical device, called iqtibās, which consists of quoting excerpts from the Holy Books of Islam, namely the Qur'an and Sunna, regardless of the literary genre of the “host” text, which can range from poetry to prose, or in more mannered forms of rhymed and rhythmic prose.
However, this definition is generic inasmuch it does not consider the modalities of reference (allusion, explicit reference, etc.) or the stylistic-textual function performed by the intertextual quotation (paronomasia, euphemism, riddle, etc.).
The second part, on the other hand, focuses on identifying “sacred” quotes within the adab production in the Classical era; in other words, analysing prose works dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, whose themes are profane and facetious in intent.
Research interests:
adab; Qur'an; balāġa; iqtibās fī maʿná hazlī; intertextuality.
Curriculum Vitae
11/2024 - current: PhD student in "Asian and African Civilisations" at the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies (ISO), Sapienza University of Rome
14/04/2025 – 17/04/2025: Training course "An Introduction to Arabic Paleography, Codicology, and Written Artifacts" in Qur'an Manuscripts Initiative, at Sapienza University of Rome
21/12/2024 – 17/01/2025: Arabic language certificate: Advanced low level in Modern Standard Arabic in Anti Atlas Scholarship Programme, at al-Minbar Institute for learning Arabic language (Rabat, Morocco)
03/08/2023 - 31/01/2024: Erasmus Traineeship extracurricular project: introduction to research at the foreign institution "Escuela de Estudios Árabes" CSIC (Granada)
23/10/2023 - 27/10/2023: Intensive Course "Arabic Codicology. The Islamic Manuscript heritage in the El Escorial Collection" in San Lorenzo de El Escorial library, under the direction of François Déroche and Nuria de Castilla (Madrid, Spain)
31/01/2020 - 24/07/2023: Master's Degree in "Comparative Literature and Cultures", University of Naples "L'Orientale".
Arabic-Spanish Language Curriculum
Title of thesis: "Laughing with Islām, laughing at Islām. Humour in the religious literature of the Islamic Middle Ages."
09/2016 - 23/01/2020: Bachelor's Degree in "Comparative Languages and Cultures", University of Naples "L'Orientale"
Arabic-Spanish Language Curriculum
Title of thesis: "Risks and delights of love: the Risālat al-qiyān of al-Ǧāḥiẓ."