Comparison between Paradise Eschatology in al-Ma'arri and Dante Alighieri

In the present article, the author Dr. phil. Milena Rampoldi intro-duces some parallels as well as differences between two great works of world literature: the Divine Comedy of the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) on the one hand and the Letter of Forgiveness of the Abbasid poet Abi 'Ala al-Ma'arri (973-1057) on the other. In this context, she also explains the philosophical foundations of this comparison. For Dr. Rampoldi, the topic of these parallelisms and/or differences is ostensibly eschatological or soteriological and concerns the view of paradise. The author is convinced that works such as these at the interface between literature, theology and philosophy can help to renew and advance the dialogue between two major world religions, that of Christianity and that of Islam. If we draw on the literary heritage of the tradition of the two religions and deal with the similarities and differences, we will also be able to avoid pseudo-tolerant attitudes on the one hand and extreme dialectics on the other in the current historical situation as well as in political work today. In this respect, the author writes: "In my opinion, literature and philosophy always deal with universal topics that can be found in many cultures and religions. I would like to support this endeavour with the following article, in which I will discuss, among other things, the biography of the two poets, their religious-psychological standpoints, their subjective attitude towards the transcendent and the tradition of their religion, their fatalism and their skeptical attitude." The author writes: "I would like to make a modest attempt to show some parallels and differences between these two great works of world literature by also briefly explaining their philosophical foundations. For me personally, the topic of these parallelisms is ostensibly eschatological or soteriological and concerns the view of paradise."