The name al-Faraj baʿda al-shidda is the title of many works. Among the authors of works of this name we find al-Madāʾinī, Ibn Abī al-Dunyā and al-Azdī. It became the name of a literary genre, which reached its apex with the work of this name by the judge al-Tannūkhī. In a series of lectures we shall focus on the study of this work’s style and its social, religious and historical value.

The genre’s express aim, as formulated by al-Tannūkhī himself, is to encourage those in trouble and to inculcate a belief in divine salvation.

The encounter between religion and adab and between reality and legend gave rise to interesting stories which in a way reflect historical truth and the difficulties and challenges which people of all classes of society faced in their lives. The stories are based on strong religious faith: People in trouble must put their trust in God.

We shall look at ḥadīth-like religious traditions (Ibn Abī al-Dunyā), literary tales (al-Tannūkhī and al-Suyūṭī) and Judeo-Arabic compositions (Ḥibbur yafe min ha-yeshuʿa). To what extent are they meant to amuse, and to what extent do they have literary and religious value?