Symbolic Allegory of the Character of the Wife with 10 Animals in the Nasihat al-Muluk and Taj al-Muluk Texts

Abstract

The text of al-Tibr al-masbuk fi nasihat al-muluk by Abu Hamid al-Ghazali is a collection of advice to the rulers but could be also benefited others. Nasihat al- Muluk is not solely limited to the matters of rule and administration, but also comprises guidance in finding the perfect wife. Speaking on the area, al-Ghazali quotes a passage from an unknown source depicting the characters of the wife presented in symbolical analogy with 10 animals which are a hog, monkey, dog, mule, snake, scorpion, rat, bird, wolf, and goat. This analogy also could be traced in the text of Taj al-Muluk al-murassa' bi al-durar wa al-jawahir al-manzumat which is regarded by scholars as a book full of occultism, Gnosticism and fortune telling. The Taj al-Muluk of an unknown writer albeit there are some suggestions of names by the scholars consists of Malay royal advice and guidance that could also be used by the public. This article examines the motives of the symbolism of the animal with the women characters as quoted in the passage of both texts.