The Island of Animals

Title

en_US The Island of Animals

Description

en_US Adapted from an Arabic Fable by Denys Johnson-Davies

Creator

en_US Johnson-Davies, Denys

Contributor

en_US Khemir, Sabiha

Date

2016-01-25T19:13:01Z

en_US 2002-08

en_US 1994

Date Available

2016-01-25T19:13:01Z

Date Issued

en_US 1994

Abstract

en_US This landscape-formatted paperback book of some xx+76 pages seems to be called a fable because it is a moral tale with some animal actors. It is an adaptation of The Dispute Between Animals and Man, one of the Islamic Epistles of the Brethren of Purity, written in the tenth century AD. It is a strong statement of Islam's respect for animal rights. The long introduction argues this Islamic position. Muslims, for example, have apparently never--except possibly under European influence--supported hunting for sport or killing animals except for self-defense or food. The argument here is that humans have mastery over animals not because of some superiority but because they alone are answerable for their deeds at death, with an afterlife depending on their conduct. A storm at sea brings humans to the island of the animals, where the latter have been living in utter peace. Seventy of the passengers decide to stay on this beautiful island. Soon the humans are trapping, riding, killing, and eating the animals for work, food, and clothing--or even hunting them for sport. The animals take their case to the king of the Djinn, devout spirit-beings. This king questions men and animals. To men's claim of superiority, the animals answer that they were made to help humans, not to be their slaves. The mule is already the spokesman for the farm animals. The king of each of the other six animal groups sends the best spokesman for the group: lion sends jackal for the beasts of prey, simurg sends the nightingale for the birds, the bee is both king and spokesman for the swarming insects, the griffin sends the falcon for the birds of prey, the sea-serpent sends the frog for the water animals, and the dragon sends the cricket for the crawling creatures. The frog argues before the king of the Djinn that man has deceived himself into thinking that he is superior; the reason for his illusion is that he has subdued the harmless farm animals. In fact, all animals are mortal and different. The humans turn out to be different first in needing many kings and secondly in being cruel to the animals around them. Men have developed sciences, but the animals have all the knowledge that they need, e.g., to organize themselves. Men claim accomplishments in food, clothing, and furniture, but the nightingale argues that men's luxuries only cause worry and distress. And men always want more. Animals by contrast are satisfied with what they receive. Man argues that he alone has religion, and the nightingale answers that men need religious rules because they behave so wickedly. Lust, envy, and greed like men's are unknown among the animals. Finally, a man from Mecca and Medina mentions that men alone will have a Day of Judgment. The nightingale reminds him that the judgment can send people to either Paradise or Hell. The man from Mecca and Medina has an apparent trump-card argument: the prophets and especially Muhammad may plead for men to be rescued from Hell and to enjoy Paradise. The king of Djinn considers and renders his verdict that men are superior, but that animals are not men's slaves. Men are accountable to the Almighty for, among other things, their treatment of animals. It is of course interesting that a woman is not mentioned once in this long book. The black-and-white art, well integrated in supple form with the accompanying text, seems to be a throwback to the psychedelic art of the sixties and seventies. Designs sometimes repeat. First published 1994 by Quartet Books Limited.

Identifier

en_US 0292740360 (pbk.)

en_US 4572 (Access ID)

uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10504/80230

Language

en_US eng

Publisher

en_US University of Texas Press

en_US Austin, TX

Subject

en_US PZ8.2.J653 Is 1994

en_US Title Page Scanned

Type

en_US Book, Whole