The art of storytelling is amazing, and a large segment of the Quran is about stories of bygone nations where God tells their prosperities and plights. Captivating stories told in the Quran include Prophet Yusuf’s story, which Allah calls the best of stories. Sparked by furious envy aimed at him by his brothers, the prophet ended up in a deep well. They plotted against him and decided to kill him, but the wisest one among them suggested not kill him but ditch him in a deep well if they did not let him live. As a result of that heinous crime, the prophet endured harsh circumstances. The plot of his story is very moving as it takes sharp turns and twists, culminating in both poignant and pleasant conditions. In the end, though, he comes out victorious and comes to the aid of those who planned to get rid of him once and for all. This is a story told by God, who is the best storyteller. “We relate to you ˹O Prophet˺ Muhammad the best of stories through our revelation of this Quran, though before this you were totally unaware ˹of them.” Suratul Yusuf (Verses 1-3)
For humans, storytelling has always been an informative and entertaining phenomenon. Good stories have amused and invigorated audiences. Using both prose and poetry, storytellers have invariably engaged their audiences, helping them relax and ruminate on their conditions in relation to other people’s conditions. Stories either eased or stirred up people’s predicaments. That is why storytellers would utilize stories for different purposes. Different categories of stories appealed to different audiences. Some would find interest in romance, some would be pulled to heroic stories, and some would find solace in historical stories, while others would cherish adventure stories. Storytelling evolved from spoken words and transitioned to books and diaries. Ancient peoples told stories through songs, poems, and drawings. Imbued with pride and delight, they narrated their communities’ heroic and noble stories, emphasizing milestones achieved by the great men and women of theirs. For the ancient peoples, storytelling was a vehicle with which to impart knowledge and heritage to posterity. Because no written documents existed, people memorized poetry by heart and read it from memory. And, of course, some talented men and women shouldered such chores, earning them a reputation and respect in their communities.
Later on, the art of writing emerged, and people told stories by using varied forms of art– including narratives, poetry, and visual arts. Of course, different artists were interested and versed in various forms of art. There were writers, poets, singers, and sculptors who visually displayed spectacular pieces of art. As civilizations developed, so did societies’ art. Eastern civilizations predate Western civilization when it comes to storytelling and its multifaceted forms. For instance, the Islamic world of the 8th and 13th centuries CE saw the flourishing of multifaceted art. That was an era dubbed “the Islamic Golden Age.” Over the course of those six centuries, the Islamic civilization led the world’s art by example. Artists in that era wrote novels, composed poetry, and painted beautiful portraits. “The Adventures of Amir Hamza” serves as an example of the best novels written in that period.
The West emulated the Islamic world and surpassed it. While the West was getting momentum to develop its storytelling culture, the Islamic world was declining; hence, the vice versa transpired because the former civilization receded and began emulating the latter civilization. The whole thing was appended indeed, paving the way for a powerful, enticing Western civilization. Time was changing indeed. Spearheaded by the Gutenberg writing press, Europe found a speedy vehicle with which to use for its storytelling culture, which comprised artists of all kinds. Due to the printing press, artists and their products proliferated. Unlike novels published during the Islamic Golden Age, the first Western novels appeared in the 1700s. Both Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and Pamela by Samuel Richardson were published at that time.
Storytelling has always been part of people’s interests. Today, storytelling engages audiences who hail from different cultures and speak different languages. A multitude number of resources have been allocated for artists to tell stories that attract diverse audiences. Novels and poetry books (written in varied languages) are all over the place.