The language of mystical narrative and its terms, the narrative "Mut Saghir" by Muhammad Hassan Alwan

Abstract

This research examines the narrative language of mystical novels، raising key questions: starting with what defines a mystical novel? Is it historical fiction or a distinct narrative style? Does it have a unique language that differentiates it from contemporary Arabic novels? How is this language structured، and does it vary in the novel itself between the dialogue and the narration language? The study uses Mawt Sagheer (A Small Death) by Saudi novelist Mohammed Hassan Alwan as a case study to address these questions. While acknowledging the contributions of Moroccan scholar and novelist Dr. Abdelilah Ben Arafa، a pioneer of mystical narration، this research focuses on Mawt Sagheer due to the lack of prior studies on it، unlike the widely analyzed works of Dr. Ben Arafa. The research employs a structural narrative approach and is divided into three sections: The first section was theoretically entitled (“The Mystical Novel: Concept and Beginnings” The second section dealt with ، “The Language of Mystical Narration and its Characteristics” ، and the last one is an analytical study entitled “Mystical Language in Mawt Sagheer.” It is worth mentioning that, this study is part of a broader series of studies on the relationship between the Arabic novels and the Arab history and Arab-Islamic mysticism، providing insights into how mystical language shapes narrative fiction.