Leyla und Majnun

Followed by a discussion with Barbara Winckler, Arabist FU Berlin

An old love epic – new fronts: Qassim Haddad’s critical appraisal one of the classics of Arabic literature and its traditional conceptions of a pure, idealised love is quite provocative. Last year, his adaptation of Leila and Majnun triggered enraged responses in Bahrain: extremist circles demanded that it be banned, intellectuals in the Arab world protested against such moral interference. Haddad says: ‘I do not recognise any authorities. I have a deep love of language’. Haddad, the founder of the extensive web portal for Arabic literature www.jehat.com , is a central figure in contemporary Arabic literature. He will talk about ways of dealing with classical material and about his relationship to artistic freedom.