Abstract
This paper will discuss the mask of Farid Ed-Din Al-`Aattar as portrayed in the poetry of Mahmud Darwish with the aim of studying the concatenation between the Sufi mask and intertextuality, and between poetry and meta-poetry.
 To be more specific, this paper will investigate are some questions: Why did Darwish wear the mask of Al-`Attarr? Was it a mere fondness of an influential ancestor? Was it an act of protest against severe spiritual and intellectual deficiency and poverty which modern Arab literature suffers from? Was Al-`Attar simply used as a Sufi mask, or as a signal of inter-textuality? Did Darwish intend to pay homage to an ancient ancestor without whom he could not live his present and lead a successful struggle? In other words, did Darwish intend to resurrect Arab poetry and its revolutionary spirit by using Al-`Attar's heritage? If so, is Al-`Attar a revived Sufi living among us to guide in person the battle for freedom and to promote the level of Arab literature? Or was Darwīsh given life by Al-`Attar, the Sufi saint?
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