The Production of Adab al-Akhbar in al-Andalus from the Fifth to the Ninth Hijri Century: Between Earlier Conventions and New Transformations

Abstract

This study investigates the production and transformation of Adab al-Akhbar in al-Andalus from the fifth to the end of the ninth Hijri century, approaching it as a form of cultural production shaped by the interaction between inherited literary conventions and changing historical realities. It argues that Andalusian literary akhbar were not merely an extension of Eastern Arabic models but developed distinctive modes of production in response to political, social, and cultural transformations within al-Andalus. Drawing on modern theories of literary production, particularly reception aesthetics and the concept of the horizon of expectations, the study employs a historical approach to trace the factors governing the formation of this literary practice. It examines the roles of codifiers, compilers, and translators as epistemic authorities, together with the influence of akhbari writers, cultural institutions, reception mechanisms, and Andalusian literary activity. The findings show that these interacting forces reshaped the themes, structures, and functions of literary akhbar, transforming them from a practice centered primarily on transmitting reports into a creative literary form responsive to contemporary conditions while retaining its roots in inherited tradition. The study ultimately highlights the Andalusians’ conscious endeavor to develop a literature expressive of their distinctive cultural identity.