Mythsand Local Beliefsin the Novel "Nazif al-Hijr"

Human life is inextricably linked with mythology. These fictional stories which are sometimes rooted in historical facts are intertwined with human life in a way that in some communities they have been accepted as undeniable facts. Integration of mythology and human life has been reflected in literature as a manifestation of human culture and civilization so much so that today myths have a unique status in literatures of the world, including the Arabic literature. Ibrahim al-Kawny is a known contemporary novelist in the Arab world who has utilized mythology, especially indigenous, African myths and local beliefs. In this essay we have tried to review myths and folk beliefs reflected in one of the most outstanding works of Ibrahim al-Kawny called "Nazyf al-Hijr" and hence to introduce the application and function of myths for this famous Arab writer.