(), or The Epistle of Forgiveness, is a satirical work of Arabic poetry written by Abu al-ÿAlaþ al-Maÿarri around 1033 CE. It has been claimed that the had an influence on Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.
The work is a response to a letter sent to al-Maÿarri by a self-righteous grammarian and traditionist, ÿAlë ibn Maná¹£à «r al-Ḥalabë, known as Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ. In the words of Suzanne Pinckney Stetkevych: <blockquote>In his epistle, Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ sanctimoniously flaunts his own learning and orthodoxy by impugning a number of poets and scholars for being s, or heretics. He thereby insinuates a challenge to the religious beliefs of al-Maÿarrë, who expressed in his poetry ideas considered heretical by many. Al-Maÿarrë takes up this challenge in his response, , by presenting a tour de force of his own extraordinary learning, and further by offering an imaginary and derisive depiction of Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ in the Islamic afterworld. There, Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ is repeatedly taken by surprise at the mercy of the Almighty, as he discovers in the heavenly garden poets and men of letters that he himself had condemned as unbelievers. Hence the title of al-MaÿarrëâÂÂs epistle and its abiding message: that man should not presume to limit GodâÂÂs mercy.</blockquote>
In a mixed timeline of events, the story starts with Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ in heaven. Al-Maÿarri depicts heaven, as described in the Quran, as a place of pleasures. Everything forbidden in life becomes permissible and all desires are fulfilled with God's grace. The story then explains how Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ was able to enter heaven. While waiting for his judgement outside the realm of heaven Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ feels nervous about the prospects of his judgement, knowing he has led a life of schmoozing to rich men and bones and sins he decides to write a poem to the guards of heaven. He fails but continues to find ways to evade hell until he manages to get a pardon from the Islamic prophet Muhammad. After going to heaven, Ibn al-QÃÂriḥ decides to visit hell. He finds it to be filled with the greatest of Arab poets. He returns to heaven and there he finds Adam. He asks Adam if he truly said "we are created from earth and shall return to earth". Adam says no.