Literary Tawqīʿāt and Their Artistic Features in Classical Maghrebi Prose

التّوقيعات الأدبيّة وسماتها الفنّيّة في النّثر المغربيّ القديم

Abstract

This study seeks to examine tawqīʿāt (official marginal endorsements or concise written decrees) in classical Maghrebi prose, a genre that has not received an independent study highlighting its aesthetic dimensions. The research traces their development across different historical phases of Maghrebi states, while identifying their principal motivations, general themes, and artistic features, particularly in terms of language, imagery, conciseness, citation, and intertextual incorporation. It also investigates their historical significance in depicting aspects of social and political life, clarifying matters of governance, and documenting major events experienced by Maghrebi states in times of both peace and war. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the modes of thought adopted by rulers, as well as the opinions and independent judgments they advanced in pursuit of justice and the safeguarding of rights. The study also explores the sources of Maghrebi tawqīʿāt and their interaction with their Eastern counterparts. The paper considers selected excerpts from the tawqi'a literature of the Maghrebi leaders. Special attention will be paid to the role of the rhetoric function, which will be enhanced with the help of different stylistic devices and techniques.