Hesham M. Hassan

A book deals with the history of Modern Greek Communities in Egypt. It can be characterized as a useful "handschriften" for the history of each community and its activities. In nut shell, it could be considered as a quick survey for all established Greek communities in Egypt.

Au coeur de l’Europe, en novembre 2015, Paris a fait l’objet d’une attaque terroriste qui a laissé des dizaines de victimes derrière elle. Les peuples de par le monde ont été choqués et ont réagi face au Mal. La présente nouvelle, écrite en grec et publiée en français et en arabe, tente de sonder le phénomène et de contribuer à un deuil qui se doit de redevenir joie de vivre.

Dealing with Byzantine sources requires great care from researchers to understand their meaning and contextual formulation. This is particularly critical when researchers lack familiarity with the Byzantine Greek and rely on intermediary languages that inadequately convey the author’s true intended meaning. Scholars engaged in the analysis of Byzantine texts pertaining to Islam encounter various challenges, with a prominent hurdle being the understanding of the terminology. Undoubtedly, their understanding of these terms profoundly affects their approach to the analyzed text and thus the validity of their derived conclusions.
        This linguo-cultural study specifically addresses the aforementioned issue when examining the works of Theódorus Abū Qurra and his usage of the morpheme “Μαγαρισμός-Magarismós” within the discourse on Islam. Difficulties arise when attempting to understand the intended meaning of “Μαγαρισμός-Magarismós” in Abū Qurra’s specific context. Upon exploring related studies and research, it becomes evident that previous scholars have only superficially approached this morpheme. This prompts an investigation into its roots, meanings, and applications within the Byzantine Greek language. Additionally, a necessary comparison is made between Abū Qurra’s texts and those of John of Damascus in terms of their formulation.
        Ultimately, this research journey leads to the acquisition of new and precise philological findings, significantly enhancing our comprehension of the term “Μαγαρισμός-Magarismós” as the so-called “ghost-word” employed by Abū Qurra in the discussion on Islam.
        Keywords: John of Damascus, Theódorus Abū Qurra, Magarismós, Islam and Christian Melkites, Byzantium and Islam, Byzantine Philology.

Les influences de l’ancien drame grec sur le théâtre moderne égyptien

Les premières traces du théâtre ont été apparues dans le monde arabe pendant l’invasionde l’armée de Napoléon en Égypte. Les artistes du théâtre accompagnaient l’armée française pour la distraire et toutes les représentations étaient données en langue française. Plus tard, unesérie de traductions des œuvres classiques dramatiques a suivi mais ces traductions n’étaient pas du tout fidèles. Pendant cette période, le théâtre en Égypte imitait le théâtre européen en cequi concerne la forme et le contenu. Tawfīq al-Ḥakīm était le premier qui a introduitl’ancienne mythologie grecque dans le théâtre arabe en adaptant la structure de l’ancien dramegrec à la mythologie islamique. Il a pu exprimer ses idées, la situation sociale et politique deson pays et focaliser sur des sujets modernes en imitant les œuvres classiques. Son influencesur les écrivains arabes est immense. Même aujourd’hui l’ancien drame grec constitue un point de repère pour le théâtre moderne égyptien

The purpose of this paper is to present certain facts concerning the history, etymology and symbolic role attached to the toponym Rabaḍ al-Khandaq -ربض الخندق  short form: al-Khandaq- الخندق - Χάνδαξ, marking an endeavour that will result in a thoroughly new interpretation of the Byzantine and Arabic sources, in an attempt for a deeper comprehension of the historical identity of the Emirate of Crete. This paper assumes that the study of toponyms and their respective etymology can play a decisive role (not as an exclusive source of completely new information, but as an aiding element) in constructing a complete overview of Cretan history during the period of the Arab-Andalusian dominion (824-961 CE). Thus, after examining the etymology, history and course of the word "khandaq" through the ages, we will present its religious symbolism and, as a working assumption, its potential influence on the naming of the Emirate of Crete’s capital. Afterwards, we will examine the word rabaḍ and, while demonstrating the erroneous until today translation of the toponym "Rabaḍ al-Khandaq", we will pass –in light of the information of the sources and the secondary bibliography– to a new interpretation, which we deem able to provide new information on the ideological and religious identity of the Emirate of Crete. Finally, based on this new approach, we will examine a potential link between the Arabic name of the Cretan Khandax –Rabaḍ al-Khandaq– and the revolt of the suburb of Shaqunda “Rabaḍ Shakunda” in Cordoba, which took place in 818 CE.

Key words: Khandax, Crete, Rabaḍ al-Khandaq, Rabaḍ Shakunda

This paper deals with a very important historical period in the history of Arab-Byzantine relations both at the cultural and intellectual levels. It reflects the beginning of the precursors of the Byzantine theological perceptions of Islam as a religion that frames the way of life of the Muslim Arabs in the eighth century AD. John of Damascus is considered a pivotal figure in the history of cultural interaction at a theological level between the Byzantine Orthodox thought and Islam. John lived under the umbrella of the Umayyad Caliphate and attained a high social status there. Also, a number of his works dealt with Islam as a religious entity that established its presence in the areas of the Umayyad Caliphate in his time. These works contribute greatly to the study of the image of the "Other", especially as they reflect an image formed and crystallized by someone who lived in the womb of the Caliphate itself and came into contact with the Islamic faith surrounding him. Accordingly, this research aims to identify points of difference and points of attraction between the Byzantines and the Muslim Arabs in the light of the religious beliefs of both groups. This paper also seeks to shed light on the Islamic philosophical currents that appeared in the Umayyad Caliphate until the era of John of Damascus and left clear echoes in the folds of his theological works. Finally, the importance of this study lies on the fact that it is the first one in the Arabic bibliography to provide an honest translation of the attached Byzantine text as written by John of Damascus based on the last verified edition and its philological commentaries that help in understanding and deconstructing the text. That will help the researchers to explore the theological problems that John considered the basis of the polemic conflict between Orthodoxy and Islam in his time. These are the “same problematic issues” that were transmitted after him by all the Christian writers in the East and the West, who touched on Islam and wrote about it.
Keywords: John of Damascus. Prophet Muhammad, Byzantium and Islam, Islam, Christianity.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Illustrations ...................................................................................... x
Preface........................................................................................................ xi
Pavlína Šípová and Alena Sarkissian
Introduction ................................................................................................. 1
Lorna Hardwick
Chapter One................................................................................................. 8
Tragedy, Metatheatre and the Question of Representation
Eleutheria Ioannidou
Chapter Two.............................................................................................. 38
Greek Tragedy in Australia: 1984-2005
Paul Monaghan
Chapter Three ............................................................................................ 59
Performing the Raging Other. Medea and the Refugee Woman
in Finland, 1999
Linnea Stara
Chapter Four.............................................................................................. 71
The Use of Silence in Tadashi Suzuki’s Electra
Akiko Tomatsuri
Chapter Five .............................................................................................. 83
What Ninagawa Did Next: Notes on Productions Following
the End of Medea in 1999
Conor Hanratty
Table of Contents
viii
Chapter Six.............................................................................................. 102
The Influences of Ancient Greek Drama on Modern Egyptian Theatre
Heshām M. Hassan
Chapter Seven.......................................................................................... 122
Sophocles Interpretations in Turkish Theatre
Dikmen Gürün
Chapter Eight........................................................................................... 132
Different Answers to the same questions: Staging Oresteia in Greek
on the Turn of a Century
Gregory Ioannides
Chapter Nine............................................................................................ 141
The Use of music in Greek Performances of Ancient Drama
in the 20th Century
Angeliki Zachou
Chapter Ten ............................................................................................. 147
Protagonist and Prōtagonistēs: Doubling in Modern and Ancient Theatre
Andreja Inkret
Chapter Eleven ........................................................................................ 161
Contemporary Czech Adaptations of Classical Drama
Daniela Čadková
Chapter Twelve ....................................................................................... 167
The Detritus of Antigone by Roman Sikora
David Drozd
Chapter Thirteen...................................................................................... 176
Antiquity, or Symbolism? King Oedipus in Symbolic Attire
Pavel Klein
Chapter Fourteen ..................................................................................... 183
Translating Greek Drama: Three Czech Electras
Alena Sarkissian
Staging of Classical Drama around 2000
ix
Chapter Fifteen........................................................................................ 200
Ancient Greek Drama on Slovak Theatre Stages
Dáša Čiripová
Chapter Sixteen ....................................................................................... 211
The Open University Reception of Classical Texts Research Project
Data Base
Lorna Hardwick
Contributors............................................................................................. 216
Index........................................................................................................ 222

Summary: Hesham M. Hassan, The poem of Abū Tammām about the
fall of Amorium in 838 A.D.
The article in question deals with a subject , that constituted part of my M.A.
thesis “The Amorium in Byzantine and Arabic Poetry” and was submitted to the
Faculty of Philosophy , Department of Byzantine Philology of the University of
Athens. The aim of the thesis was to carry out a comparative study based on historical
sources with the ulterior aim to pin-point any existing discernable connection between
a folk poem, eminent all over the Greek world, called “The Castle of the Beautiful”
and the poem of Abū Tammām, that treats the issue of the conquest of Amorium.
The article brings to light the importance of Arabic poetry in general as a source of
information in the eight and ninth centuries. These two centuries have incontrovertibly
been characterized by the lack of information provided in the field of relationships
between Arabs and Byzantines. The poem of Abū Tammām, which praises the
conquest of Amorium, is prominent both among experts, but also among non-experts,
since it is considered to be one of the immortal work of arts of Arabic poetry.
This is the first time in Greek, Arabic, and even foreign literature, the translation
and the annotation of the poem is carried out and presented, at least in this particular
way. We feel that it is our obligation to acknowledge that the detailed tracing of the
historical events, hidden in verse and variable poetic motives, as well as their
comparison with the Byzantine sources, will be great assistance towards presenting a
clear and overall picture.

The Journey is a short story that is unique amongst all Yusif Idris's short
stories. It has been characterized as “prophetic”, as it was written 3 months
before Nasir's death (15/1/1918-28/9/1970). With remarkable insight, the
author overwhelms the reader with profound laconic sentences, inducing them
to release themselves and live the experience of a breaking and dying
relationship, and at the same time, the hardships of separation and withdrawal.
The swallow carelessly thinks that it is in control, but the truth is, it's not aware
of what is happening to it, or what is happening around it. This is the first time
that this is published in Greek.

SUMMARY
beit min laÎm by Yusif IdrÐs: this is one of his most distinguished short stories
from the 60’s collection, after his release from the prison and this is why it is brimming
with symbolisms. This is the first short story of his that is published in Greek.

RÉSUMÉ
Les influences de l’ancien drame grec sur le théâtre moderne égyptien
Les premières traces du théâtre ont été apparues dans le monde arabe pendant l’invasion
de l’armée de Napoléon en Égypte. Les artistes du théâtre accompagnaient l’armée française
pour la distraire et toutes les représentations étaient données en langue française. Plus tard, une
série de traductions des oeuvres classiques dramatiques a suivi mais ces traductions n’étaient
pas du tout fidèles. Pendant cette période, le théâtre en Égypte imitait le théâtre européen en ce
qui concerne la forme et le contenu. Tawfīq al-Ḥakīm était le premier qui a introduit
l’ancienne mythologie grecque dans le théâtre arabe en adaptant la structure de l’ancien drame
grec à la mythologie islamique. Il a pu exprimer ses idées, la situation sociale et politique de
son pays et focaliser sur des sujets modernes en imitant les oeuvres classiques. Son influence
sur les écrivains arabes est immense. Même aujourd’hui l’ancien drame grec constitue un
point de repère pour le théâtre moderne égyptien.

Summary: Heshām M. Hāssan, The Arabic Language: Challenges and Solutions.
Modern Arabs have been consciously engaged in the controversial issue of the
Arabic language and its diachrony in an attempt to retain their ethnic identity and
conscience.
Two opposite parties can be discerned: the puritans, who renounce any attempt of
simplifying the Arabic language, and the radicals who try to assert innovation.
The author focuses on attempts made by various educated Arabs to find the “golden
mean” between tradition and modern trends, and evaluate the future of the Arabic
language. The approach of various authors to construct theories for the evolution of the
Arabic language independently from relevant aspects constructed in European and
American universities.

The position of Jesus Christ and Mary in the Qur’Án:
An overall approach


Lately there has been an increasing interest in the dialogue between Christianity and Islam in the East and West. However, the dialogue between Orthodoxy and Islam becomes more constructive, since there were bright sides of particular glamour and splendor in spiritual and cultural level, despite historical conflicts between the Byzantine Empire and the Islamo-Arab world in the past.
The Christology of the Qur’Án was the object of research by many scholars who have contributed to the foundation of an inter-religiological worldview between Christianity and Islam in the context of understanding one another.
Christ in the Qur’Án is not only a venerable figure, like other personae of the Old Testament referred in several points, but it is the very presence of the "Speech" of God on earth through the immaculate Virgin. The Holy Book of the Muslims, which was revealed to Mohammed by the Creator, is considered a basic reference source of knowledge about Jesus. It undoubtedly helps to create a detailed image of His face and plays a part in understanding Him, which reasonably becomes the cause for greater respect and love for Him.