Approche sémiologique et historique d'un document hagiographique algérien - article ; n°5 ; vol.44, pg 1205-1228

Annales. Économies, Sociétés, Civilisations - Année 1989 - Volume 44 - Numéro 5 - Pages 1205-1228
Semiology and History in a 16th Century Algerian Hagiographic Document
Though coming under several genres, the maneqib are above all distinguished in the Maghreb as the literary expression of one of the most fruitful forms of its religious life : the worship of the saints. In that respect they are hagiographic. As literary fictions seeking to extol exemplary behavior, they are naturally assigned to produce models to be imitated. Their narrative schemas are almost entirely mobilized and oriented, at least on a superficial level, so as to realize this canonic objective. Historians and anthropologists of symbolico-religious practices cannot neglect their structuration without condemning themselves to not understanding that a hagiographic discourse is first and foremost meaningful because of its narrative effects. Edification is not, however, the only social use mode of them ; there are others as well. One of them — no doubt the most important — consists in regulating the stakes affiliation that involve both the lineage of the saint, his companions and disciples, and the community, all of whom are interested in one way or another in harnessing his good fortune. That is what rnakes these maneqib from the Maghreb regulating discourses, i. e. in the last analysis, they are a way of routinizing the saint's charisma.
24 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.