Most recent articles by Abdulrahman Afif
-
DenaturalisationKuwait is stripping its leading intellectuals of citizenship
Up to 300,000 people in Kuwait have lost their citizenship in the last two years. What the authorities describe as a "correction" is leaving stars of the national cultural scene stateless. Among them is Talib al-Rifai, the "father of the Kuwaiti novel".
-
Author Taleb AlrefaiA window into the Kuwaiti soul
Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
-
Islamic historyThe critic of Sufism who became its archivist
In the 12th century, the scholar Ibn al-Jawzi wrote "Talbis Iblis" or "The Devil's Deception" to expose Sufism as heresy. Today, his text is read in two ways: as a critique and as a captivating snapshot of Sufi teachings.