Celestial Dining to Entice: An Arab Food Contest in Paradise

By Leila Salloum Elias

In the celestial realm of Paradise, the atmosphere has grown somber. Nightly discussions among Arab scholars, spanning from the classical to the medieval periods and even the present day, have reached an impasse. Conversations aimed at finding solutions for the earthly world below seem increasingly futile, as if history’s lessons have been forgotten or ignored. The vibrant mood once prevalent in Paradise has given way to listlessness and gloom.

But what if the key to reigniting joy and inspiration lies in an age-old universal tradition: sharing a meal? That’s right, a food contest! Celestial Dining to Entice: An Arab Food Contest in Paradise aims to shift the narrative from despair to delight. Scholars present their chosen medieval Arab dishes, each accompanied by personal stories that reveal who they are and why they’ve selected their dish.

The contest does more than just brighten the atmosphere; it serves as a poignant reminder that history may have its lessons, but food possesses the timeless power to unite and uplift. Experience a celestial gathering where heavenly flavours meet earthly concerns, and discover how even in Paradise, the simple joy of sharing a meal can transform the spirit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Apr 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9781035812615

Leila Salloum Elias

Leila Salloum Elias resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. She holds an M.A. in Middle East and Islamic Studies from the University of Toronto, specializing in literature and Arab history. She is author of The Dream and Then the Nightmare—The Syrians who Boarded the Titanic. She is co-author of The Sweets of Araby (W.W. Norton, 2011); Sheherazade’s Feasts: Medieval Arab Cookery (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013); Sweet Delights from a Thousand and One Nights (I.B. Tauris, 2013); and The Scent of Pomegranates and Rosewater: Reviving the Beautiful Food Traditions of Syria (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2018). She is currently completing a new edition of the original study of English words of Arabic origin initiated by her father, the late Habeeb Salloum. Muna Salloum resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She holds an M.A. in Middle East and Islamic Studies from the University of Toronto, specializing in socio-economic history of the Arabs in Spain. She is co-author of The Sweets of Araby (W.W. Norton, 2011); Sheherazade’s Feasts: Medieval Arab Cookery (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013); Sweet Delights from a Thousand and One Nights (I.B. Tauris, 2013); and The Scent of Pomegranates and Rosewater: Reviving the Beautiful Food Traditions of Syria (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2018). Muna is currently completing a research study of Spanish words of Arabic origin co-authored with her father, the late Habeeb Salloum.

Book preview

Foreword

There is much to tell in the little told history of Arab and Islamic civilization and its contributions to world history. It is unfortunate that when we were in middle and high school, the curriculum did not include or even allude to the contributions and impact the Arabs made on the development of intellectual thought and scientific practice.

In our case, no high school syllabus for ‘world history’ class ever suggested the presence of the Umayyad and Abbasid Empires in the East and on the Iberian Peninsula, a period when West came to East for the power of knowledge and learning. Seemingly, the agenda had long been set.

The repercussions of the Crusades and its crusading spirit and the wars of occupation, colonization and mandates pitting West against East moulded a Western world negativity and stereotypical image of a people in the lands where the history of the world began and flourished. The history and civilization of the Arab and Islamic worlds and its contributions were stifled.

So many Arabs and Arabic-speaking peoples who, through their research and writings, through scholarly patronage and translations, laid the foundation for many of today’s disciplines in the sciences, arts, and technology. But credit has not been given where it was due.

Da Vinci we learned of—Ibn Firas we did not. Ibn al-Haytham was ignored while Copernicus and Sir Isaac Newton were in the forefront. Darwin’s evolutionary theory was credited to the Englishman and not to the Arab al-Jāḥiẓ.

We read Robinson Crusoe since we were not offered Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān; that under the 11th century Normans in Sicily, a Christian-Islamic culture flourished and that the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula under the banner of the Umayyads and the establishment of an Arab/Islamic civilization on European soil was never taught, this despite it being unparalleled in human history.

Secondly, pride. Any individual who understands and is aware of the story of their ethnicity will want to share those parts of its rich cultural heritage. For us, our ancestry is just that.

The Arab/Islamic world from the 7th to the 13th centuries was a period of intellectual activity. This included the pursuit of knowledge of the past to add to their present, part of which was the great translation movement into Arabic of the great minds who came before them. The works of the ancients were translated to and preserved in Arabic.

So important was this movement that we find in early 9th century Baghdad, the creation of the House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Ḥikmah), the repository of the great works written by the ancients. Scholars from the Bayt were told to go anywhere in the world and pay any price to collect manuscripts on astronomy, medicine, philosophy, and the natural sciences. At the House of Wisdom, they were translated from the original Greek and Syriac into Arabic. Intellectual activity was aggressively set in motion and the Arabic language was the vehicle.

From these translations along with corrections and commentaries on them, original advances were made by Arab scientists who put theories to practice by experimentation; all taking place centuries and centuries before Europe’s Scientific Revolution.

These all led to the establishment of libraries with massive collections across the Arab and Muslim world such as those in Baghdad and Cairo as well as the Caliph al-Ḥakam II’s voluminous library in Córdoba, symbolizing the merging and expansion of intellectual traditions from across a variety of cultures and nations: a type of cultural birthing.

This led to the establishment of universities producing physicians, philosophers, engineers, mathematicians, astronomers, astrologers, geographers, musicians among others; many who would come to be the pioneering element in many of the sciences, technology, and the arts that we use today. It was a time of intellectualism and discovery.

These ideas all served as a basis for this book. The great scholarly works of Early Modern Europe did not emerge from a nothingness. It is this void that needs to be examined and acknowledged. Not only did the intellectual activity of the Golden Age of the Arab/Islamic world return to Europe its ancient scholarship but also added by introducing new ideas in scientific research, technological development, and new concepts in architecture, in philosophy and even in literature. To ignore this and to stifle otherwise historical facts is to allow history to fall by the wayside so that events and individuals be forgotten.

And this is where our story begins.

Enter Celestial Dining To Entice: An Arab Food Contest In Paradise, in which participants in a food competition present their favourite medieval Arab dish in the hopes that it be chosen as the winner of the contest. The story is a light-hearted approach where the protagonist of each presentation has a tale to tell after having witnessed the problems on Earth below.

It is a history of fact and a scenario of fiction—a presentation, if you like, of creative non-fiction in which we introduce characters from the past in the ultimate of environments—Paradise. Here the great minds of those who spoke and wrote, for the most part, in Arabic, have their chance to ‘change the subject’ for a new outlook on life and happiness.

Food culture may indeed be a contributing factor in bringing a sense of community and camaraderie on both sides of a dining table.

Leila Salloum Elias and Muna Salloum

Introduction

Things were getting boring, on the verge of tedious monotony. For what had seemed to be a perpetual ritual, seated together night after night, sometimes over dinner, at times before but many times after, the great scholars, the outstanding men of letters, of leadership and the polymaths of the classical and medieval Arab world had been meeting to partake in meaningful discussions analysing the past and contemplating the future. This is not to say that others from elsewhere did not participate.

From China, from India and Persia, from Greece and Rome, from Assyria and Babylon, even as far as the lands of Europe and beyond, physicians and philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers, historians, emperors, caliphs, sultans, politicians and ambassadors, inventors, authors of prose and poetry and even cooks, sauntered in from time to time, to listen, discuss and peacefully debate the rise and fall of civilizations and what the future would bring for humankind.

Many times, those from other areas of the world would be drawn into the discussions, offering their individual perspectives from their own histories and life experiences. Yet, despite the popularity of the nightly discussions, recently the Arabic-speaking contingent was reconsidering. There seemed to be no purpose. All seemed for naught.

This was all because of the reality of the situation on Earth below, a true and honest perception of the present. It was what it was and all they could do was to shake their heads in disbelief and lately in disgust, at the decisions being made by the living powerful whose detrimental and unequivocal choices appeared to be affecting all humanity.

Millennia had passed on Earth and man, who had evolved intellectually in mind and spirit, still did not appear to have grasped the lessons of the past. The fight for supremacy and the need to mark territory continued to dominate, albeit by few but by those who held more power. More today than ever, unethical actions seemed to be taking precedence over morality. The unity of moral and political principles need only to have been applied in decisions that affected the entire world. Instead, humankind today had lost touch with humanity.

Paradise was the ideal vantage point and perfect venue for retrospect. This they had come to realize over centuries. In this Heavenly Home, one could ponder and comment, analyse and evaluate situations and decisions made by rulers and common folk alike—all within the perspective of history and the groundwork it laid for the future.

Sometimes, it was interesting but more than anything, depressing. For instance, a decision to go to war—what positive consequences would actually come to pass when it ended? From up here, all one could see was that dormant anger and covert bitter animosity would follow and then fuel the way for other hostilities to begin. An easy observation up here but for those below, reason, thought and logic had been overpowered by the need to control.

To achieve power and dominance, these leaders and their governments, conniving and devious appeared to be doing whatever could be done to overpower, manipulate and even destroy and decide the fate of others. The scene on Earth was reaching a point of no return. And what was worse, this all seemed now to be the norm.

The human race was on the road to destruction allowing itself to be divided by religion, politics and power. No one’s words could sum things up better than those of the Arabic-speaking assembly’s English friend and colleague whom they affectionately called ‘Shaykh Zubayr’.

Over and over, night after night, after watching the events of the day on Earth unfold, the great William Shakespeare would close the evening’s discussions with a troubled face and frustration.

Ah, what fools these mortals be! Everyone knew that the evening had not ended without his having uttered his famous words in summing up what was happening below.

Yet, despite the inevitable corrosive nature of man and the cyclical centuries of his unfettered lack of judgment, there had to remain hope for the survival of human civilization. The nightly discussions were proof of this possibility. Up here, where things were right, one could think, one could contemplate, and one could put two and two together and come up with possible solutions.

In expressive, yet intellectual in-depth conversation and debate men and women met, night after night, deliberating and pontificating as to why the world below was now such a land of confusion. And each evening concluded in harmonious agreement that there still remained the perplexing question-would humans ever learn the lessons from their histories? Indeed, those who did not know the past were doomed to repeat it.

The group of Arabic-speaking thinkers and writers was determined to find a solution. Many had written great histories and compendiums that would alert their generation and future ones in making decisions. There were volumes about events and individuals, of survival and destruction, of good times and of the bad – all lessons to be learned from the past.

From all over, the sages of time, those previous and those present, agreed. From among them was the Native American Haudenosaunee who had put it the best, for within their law was the principle that in every deliberation, one must consider the impact of any decision made on the next seven generations.

Just as a good parent’s mission is to guide from experience the child in the right direction, to clarify that actions lead to consequence, that behaviour is accountable and to teach what is right and what is wrong, the lessons of history should have done the same.

But they did not. The words of advice and wisdom that could have been discerned from the records of the past, today, were hidden away in those closed and clouded books of history. All it would take was that these masterpieces be opened from their stagnant state and studied. It was just that simple.

But that was optimism at its best. No one seemed to respect the advice of the ancients.

It was the 9th century Ibn Qutaybah who had first voiced his concern. He recalled the wise words of the Caliph cUmar al-Khaṭṭāb: ’Men resemble their times more than their forefathers’ (Irwin, 101; Ibn Qutaybah, 143) relying instead on the circumstances of the present and disregarding those of the past.

Tonight’s discussion was concentrated on this point. Apparently, so very few on Earth had delved into the great books of history. There was so much to discover, to absorb and to understand from what had taken place and by whom and why. If one thought rationally, then it could be determined that the past is the impact for anything related to the future. He looked over at Lupercio¹ and remembered the Spaniard’s wise words to heed: ‘Books have won more battles than weapons.’ ¹

Richard the Lionheart and Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn had just made the same point when one turned to the other and pointed below.

Here we go! Another world leader speaking! It’s just another long-winded speech with a message of incoherent facts and misconstrued details to convincingly legitimize the drums of war, irrespective of truth or tale. Day after day, power begotten by force or by fraud and deceit under a veil of political or religious validity continues to take precedence over truth, so much so that it is almost impossible to distinguish what is fact and what is not.

This only leads to needless bloodshed, Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn reminded his listeners of the advice he once gave his son, I warn you against shedding blood, indulging in it and making a habit of it, for blood never sleeps.²

While everyone nodded in agreement, the two former leaders noticed that Otho de Lagery, tonight’s visitor, seemed to be a bit uneasy; perhaps because he felt the words were directed towards him.

Unscrupulous politicians and their politics had made victims of nations and people. It was either because they had become far too convincing in their power of speech thus, manipulating the minds of others or because of sheer apathy and lackadaisical concern from the general public. As a result, blatant aggression, whether psychological or physical, appeared to have transformed into self-proclaimed defence and honour. Immoral behaviour by those who held power was steaming ahead regardless of consequence and ultimate outcome. Indeed, humankind was in danger.

While the rantings of this world leader continued, the group in Paradise listened, anticipating yet another twisted validation for invasion of some region or some country. It was a simple platform-all others were wrong. It was both experience and intelligence that enabled this group to see the danger of desperation for power and control. Yes, the group in Paradise nodded, as someone recited the Arabic lines of verse—arà kull insān yarà cayb ghayrihi wa yacmà can al-cayb al-ladhī huwa fīhi.³ It was so true. Indeed, everyone is critical of the flaws of others but blind to their own.

Within a few hours, they knew that this leader would begin the game of chess; moving pieces by sending, under the pretext of salvation, young men and women to lands beyond their own to fight, despite those lands belonging to others.

Unfortunately, time had not told, the pensive and remorseful once Pope, Otho de Lagery, decisively stated in a solemn voice. Convincing inflammatory words to persuade a rally of hysteria among the masses for the sole purpose of claiming control; along with manufactured lies to vindicate mass killing and destruction, have continued until these times.

The group was silent, especially Richard and Ṣalāḥ, once pawns in this political game. All turned their heads to the man who was once called Pope Urban II, the instigator of the Crusades.

Apparently, the lessons of history were far and in-between.

They have been disregarded, Ibn Qutaybah added. There still remain those that no matter what they have, are not satisfied and thus seek more. (Irwin, 101; Ibn Qutaybah, 144). Al-Ghazāl, who was still focused on the rhetoric being presented below, interjected with the old Arab adage.

An intelligent deaf-mute was better than an ignorant person who could speak.

Yet, the nightly discussions continued. What they were witnessing below were dangerous risks, from nuclear proliferation to climate change, the loss of biodiversity, deforestation, worldwide pandemics, water and air pollution, water shortages and the draining of natural resources. Everything was pointing to increased global disorder and the threat of Earth’s survival.

The cohesion and harmony so needed to preserve humanity, la convivencia, was clearly veering towards the non-existent. Ibn Khaldūn had warned for centuries of this danger—that the destructive forces of human nature must be reined in, so that humankind could co-exist and help one another. To study the past is a valuable tool that will guide the future of man.

Ibn Qutaybah realized that every point made sense. If only there was some way to channel the wisdom of Paradise to those below. He was tired and decided it was time to take a break and find some type of self-solitude. After all, tomorrow night’s discussion would be the same and he would be there joining those with resolutions of how to save humanity.

As he began to walk away, he heard something odd, something he told himself, he had not heard and seen for centuries. Laughter, giggling and smiles, the sounds of happiness. The group of participants were suddenly chattering away in an upbeat manner. Many had their eyes on Ḥabābah and Sallāmah who were fawning over the Caliph Yazīd II, each trying to entice him with a spoonful of harīsah.

Ibn Qutaybah noticed Wallādah and Ibn Zaydūn standing off on the side, snuggling together as they had done centuries earlier. She was feeding him some type of succulent lamb and before each bite, he whispered poetic words of his desire. Everyone seemed cheerful. Būrān, in another corner, was ‘making her man happy’ with another new eggplant dish, its aroma attracting smiles and applause.

There was Ḥunayn, the ‘Shaykh of Translators’ and Thābit ibn Qurrah, surprisingly without their volumes of books, enjoying a deep conversation with a group of Greek elders, each group trying to convince the other that their yogurt-based dish in which they were dipping pieces of bread, was the best. It was an odd twist to what had become a ritual of deep thought and serious discussion.

Ibn Qutaybah quickly retraced his steps and came closer so that he could listen, to find out what had triggered the change. Yes, these great scholars and benefactors of Arab civilization were still discussing the past and their memories of it, but many were, at this moment, roaring in laughter. The 10th century al- Mascūdī, the Herodotus of the Arabs, seemed to be the centre of attention with his interjections of anecdotes.

Reading from his book Murūj al-Dhahab, he had his audience in stitches with many of the humorous incidents that had taken place in his time and before. The earlier 9th century al-Jāḥiẓ was doing the same-relating funny events and satirical criticism of individuals and their actions, especially those whose legacy had been stinginess. And over there was the physician Ibn Buṭlān with his dish of greens trying to convince al-Jahshiyārī that veggies were healthier than the meat he was eating.

Even the poets were joining in with their words of flowery bliss and elegant verses overpowering the present events of the 21st century. Ibn al-Rūmī held his listeners in awe as he recited one poem after another, if not for the love of a woman, then for his love for the sweet mushabbak.

The bleak atmosphere had become cheerful. Here were the reminders of what was once a period of life of comfort, fun and near stability. Granted not everything was perfect but there was a purpose in those times—learning, knowledge and creativity, cultural interactions, a sense of community, culinary festivities, and a time for fun.

Then began the memories of the feasts and banquets during which individuals would come together, many at the dining tables of caliphs and notables, enjoying the tasty and unique dishes of luxurious dining and occasionally, simple peasant and Bedouin fare. Recounting these times of culinary festivities, everyone agreed that nothing, after all these centuries, could compare to those joyous occasions.

The beauty of all this, as Ibn Qutaybah contemplated his burgeoning idea, is that this group of intellectuals from all facets of knowledge and experience, could contribute to a new topic, pleasing to the senses, catching to the eye and ‘tasteful’. Why not turn the focus of the nightly conversations, to food and the long culinary history of the Arabs? Food was part of man’s being. It was tasty, fun and an essential of living.

Ibn Qutaybah weighed out the situation. The constant disturbing conditions below were making Paradise’s evening discussions sombre and disheartening. Something had to be done, something to lighten the mood. After all, this was Paradise and in Paradise, there should be serenity, beauty, and delight.

What common denominator could bring his table companions together in universal thought and meditation, all for the sake of pleasure and fun? What one subject would unite them, so that a thought-provoking discussion could ensue with a rewarding outcome? What is it that would make everyone here forget the misery below? As if reading his mind, one of the group, Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mahdī, called him over.

The scenario up here in Paradise has become tense. Everything is so negative thanks to the mess below. This isn’t the way things are supposed to be. Rather, those who had been awarded a place in Paradise are here for a reason-to learn about each other, their accomplishments and why they did what they did to merit a place above.

Ibrāhīm had been a part of Abbasid Baghdad’s upper-class social milieu where he was constantly surrounded by persons of belle-lettres-never a dull moment during his short reign as caliph. This is how Ibrāhīm had spent his time on Earth. He was moved with his memories, of the dinners he hosted where music and song, poetry, and intellectual discussions—be it politics, literature, people, or good food—life had been happy and everyone’s spirits high. There had been laughter.

Both men thought long and hard. There had to be something they could do to alleviate the situation.

Ibn Qutaybah looked over at Abū al-Faraj and considered his voluminous works on literature, song, and poetry. The author was eating a concoction of honey and dates. To his left sat Ibn al-cAdīm, munching on fried fritters soaked in syrup with Ibn al-Rūmī by his side sneaking one here and there, both almost oblivious to the arguments going on around them.

Then, there was the 13th century cookbook compiler al-Tujībī licking his fingers after each bite of his garlic-sauced Cornish hen with no concern in the world and trying to convince that his dish was better than any type of sweet. Even the Andalusian Arab writer, whose name continued to remain anonymous, was totally engrossed in his dish of lamb and spinach. The problems of the world were many and growing and yet, these intellectuals seemed more involved in their palates.

Suddenly, it dawned on Ibrāhīm that the answer was right in front of them. He turned to Ibn Qutaybah.

I know what to do! I know how to bring back ‘life’ to Paradise.

Ibrāhīm presented his proposal explaining that Paradise could once again be a place of optimism with lively intellectual discourse. If one could direct attention to something that would include all personal tastes and judgments-a common link that would encourage debate and discussion under an umbrella of fun, then let it be so.

Ibn Qutaybah raised his head. He was interested.

And now Ibrāhīm’s plan unfolded. A contest, a celestial banquet of the sort a favourite dish from Arab history that the participant could embellish and laud as the best. Food had been the centre of literary debate in the past and today, amid the beauty and harmony of Paradise, a contest should be held.

Yes, this would bring one and all together in one common gastronomical thought process, all in congenial argument. If these banquets of the past were made up of fun and lively discussion, they were also an indication that culinary debate could bring one and all together.

An enjoyable challenge of unity, he explained, and a tasty one.

The contest would take place over a series of evenings with contestants having each their own night to present, the only condition being that those who enter the contest provide their credentials in relation to why their dish be the best. Participants would formulate their own strategies, each having to introduce themselves and prove somehow to the others that their dish was the best. What better than this battle of the taste buds?

Ibn Qutaybah and Ibrāhīm walked arm-in-arm back to the group with a little pep in their steps. They stood and motioned for everyone present to take their seats as they both had an announcement to make. After a bit of arguing about who should announce the competition, Ibrāhīm concluded that Ibn Qutaybah, author of more than 60 books, a master of philology, a linguist, and a literary giant, should take the forefront.

Clearing his throat, Ibn Qutaybah announced to the prestigious entourage that as of the next evening and those following, each person sitting would be invited to participate in this contest of dishes from the past.

With no dissension, the crowd agreed loudly and in unison declared.

Let the contest begin!

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¹1559-1613. Lupercio Leonardo de Argensola, Spanish poet, historian, and playwright.↩︎

²ﻳﻧﺎﻢﻻﺍﻟﺩﻡﻓﺈﻥﻟﻬﺎﻭﺍﻟﺗﻗﻟﺩﻓﻳﻬﺎﻭﺍﻟﺩﺧﻭﻝﺍﻟﺩﻣﺎﺀﻣﻥﺃﺣﺫﺭﻙ . Ḥayāk, 23↩︎

³ﻓﻳﻪﻫﻭﺍﻟﺫﻱﺍﻟﻌﻳﺏﻋﻥﻭﻳﻌﻣﻰﻏﻳﺭﻩﻋﻳﺏﻳﺭﻯﺇﻧﺳﺎﻥﻛﻝﺃﺭﻯ↩︎

The Presenters

Presenter: cAllawayh, Abū al-Ḥasan cAlī ibn cAbd Allāh ibn Sayf (cAllawayh al-Acsar)

Place and date of birth: circa 800

Place and date of entry into Paradise: circa 854

Presenter: Author of Liber de Coquina

Place and date of birth: near Naples, 13th century

Place and date of entry into Paradise: 13th century

Presenter: Bidcah

Place and date of birth: 9th century

Place and date of entry into Paradise: 9th