The myth of the flood in Arabic literature

Abstract

« The Flood» is a universal myth, the records of which are found in such ancient civilizations as the Greek,  Babylonian, or African—to mention but these. It is also a religious theme. The Bible and the Koran referred to this issue in narratives that tell of the misdeeds of the faithless and heathen punished with God’s Great Flood, which actually purified their profane land. This paper attempts to bring to the fore the theme of the Flood in mythology, theology, and ancient as well as modern Arabic literature (poetry and fiction). The aim is to examine the elements of change and permanence in this theme to depict Arab authors’ use of it in discussing social, political, and religious issues.