The Influence of Arab Culture on Contemporary Spanish Novels Goytisolo as a Model A Descriptive Analytical Study

Abstract

The topic of the influence of Arab culture on contemporary Spanish novels derives its importance from revealing its academic value, particularly in its engagement with the Andalusian Arab heritage as explored by the Hispanist Juan Goytisolo. Through this, we aim to shed light on how Arab-Islamic culture has been incorporated and how it has enriched this specific field of knowledge related to Andalusia. From this perspective, the Spanish novel is considered one of the most refined literary forms, not only in the history of Spanish literature but also within the broader scope of world literature. The Forty represents a narrative experience that blends religious imagination with Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Sufi heritage. It is a literary work in which the protagonist undergoes a post-death experience, drawing inspiration from Arab-Islamic heritage—namely works such as Al-Futuhat, Al-Isra and Al-Mi’raj, Risalat Al-Ghufran, and Sufi poetry. This rich reservoir of Arab-Islamic heritage has been closely connected to Spanish literature, and the relationship between the two literatures has remained continuous from the seventeenth century up to the present day.