The Food of

Paradise
Ibn Amjed
Author
 Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Majid al-
Najdi, commonly known as Ibn Majid.

He is known to be one of the greatest and

most illustrious Arab navigators of all times.

Ibn Majid was the author of nearly forty works of

poetry and prose.
The Food of Paradise is one of his work and an
adaptation that tells
of a man’s quest in vivid detail and rhyme.
He was also known
as the lion of the
sea and "Master of
Astrological
Navigator"
The Food of Paradise
The story is considered as one
of the most important
masterpieces made. It tackles
about the story of hope and
faith in which deals with the
divinity and religious beliefs
towards Allah.
PLOT
 EXPOSITION
The story took off with the introduction of the main character,
Mullah Ibrahim, who taught the religious beliefs of Islam to his
Moslem students in the seminary being built by the Caliph. The
work doesn’t really pay-off for him. He, then, questioned the
goodness of the Holy Allah and why a diligent servant like him
shall suffered. Mullah Ibrahim left the seminary and took a
journey away for the City of Baghdad where he had lived all of
his life.
 EXPOSITION
He stayed and fell asleep in a dry and shady spot beneath a
spreading cypress tree by the riverbank while waiting for the
bounty of Allah but when he woke up, holy silence lay upon
everything so he wondered how he would be fed. Morning
blossomed into day and day into night and still no miracle came
so hungered gnawed at his vitals but he did not lose hope but
prayed with usual fervor. He slept again without eating, and
woke up too faint from hunger to stand.
 RISING ACTION
Stifling from the noontime heat, Ibrahim saw something floating
on the river. It seemed a pack of leaves with food inside. He
waded into the water and reached for it. Back to bank with his
prize, he opened it. Inside was the most delicious halwa, that
famous marzipan, the making of which only Baghdad knows the
secret, a sweet-meat composed of sugar mixed with paste of
almonds and attar of roses and other delicate essences.
 RISING ACTION
With this, he was sure that his prayers had been answered, and
that he would not have to toil anymore. The ambrosial food was
enough for three meals a day, and on each day after the hour
of midday prayer a similar package of halwa came floating down
the river as though placed there by hands of angels.
 CLIMAX
After some months, Ibrahim started to wonder where his daily
ration of food came from. If he could trace the spot on the river
where it was deposited, he might see a miracle so he started a
journey. He walked upstream for some days, keeping close to
the riverbank and fixing his eyes on its surface lest he miss the
package of halwa. But everyday at an even earlier hour, it
floated regularly, just within his reach. On the fourth day of his
journey, Ibrahim came upon a fair castle on an island in the
midst of the river.
 CLIMAX
A hermit saw Ibrahim and they got acquainted. The hermit
narrated to him the history of the castle. The next day, while at
the riverbank, Ibrahim saw a lady of exceeding beauty on the
castle veranda overlooking the river. She threw something into
the river. His eyes followed the object she had thrown. It was
the very package of leaves containing the halwa which he had
been receiving daily.
 FALLING ACTION
As Ibrahim knew that the princess is the one who gives his
foods, he thought to free her. His spirit walked in the land of
the Jinns where he met Adhem, one of the Jinns, who promised
to aid him in breaking the magic spells of the castle. They tore
down the invincible web which hangs around the castle itself.
Adhem and a host of Jinns dueled with giant guards armed with
spears and scimitars. After a terrible strife, the giants fled,
leaving the castle free at last. Ibrahim now tried to see the
Princess.
 FALLING ACTION
An old guard with a bared scimitar ushered him into a
magnificent hall. There, upon a dais, sat the incomparable
Princess whom he has seen from the castle veranda as she
threw the package of halwa into the river. Before her, the
Mullah knelt and told his tale where he believes that the food
came from an angel in a paradise.
 DENOUEMENT
The princess blushed because of what she heard and told
Ibrahim that each morning, it is her custom to take a bath of
milk, after which she anoint and rub in her limbs with essence
of almonds, sugar and sweet scented cosmetics. These, then,
she remove from her nakedness and wrapping them in leaves,
throw them into the river.
 DENOUEMENT
Because of this, Ibrahim realized that Allah surely gives food to
everyone; but its quality and kind are dictated by what man
deserves. Ibrahim died at the end of the story.
CHARACTERS
Mullah Ibrahim

A teacher in a seminary who taught the religious

beliefs of Islam to his Moslem students but because
of the low salary, he left his work and stayed at the
river bank. He was fed by a delicious halwa that he
founds floating on the river.
 Princess

A beautiful girl that lives in a silver castle

for a long time because of the spell
casted by his father, and the one who
throws the "food" on the river.
 Hermit

A person who told Ibrahim about

the tale of the Silver Castle and
the princess who lives there.
 Adhem

One of the Jinns who helped

Ibrahim to breake the magic spells
of the castle.
Allah

The God of the Muslims

Other Characters
Mentioned

Pasha
Pilgrims and travelers
Pasha (Father)
King
Princess (Mother)
An old guard
SETTINGS
 Seminary
City of Baghdad
Riverbank
Silver Castle
Garden City
Publishing Company
Inc. in New York.
CONFLICT
Person vs. Self
POINT
OF
VIEW
Third

Person

Limited

POV
THEME
 Hope
Faith
Jealousy
Acceptance
Regret
 MORAL
LESSONS
 Be happy and contented
Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang
gawa
Everything's happen for a reason
For every actions made, there are
consequences
 “O Compassionate One, isn’t this unjust?
Why should Thy servant be burdened like
an ass in the marketplace, which carries
two panniers both filled to the top and
stumbles at every blow of the driver’s stick?
Isn’t it promised in the Koran, Allah will not
anyone starve?”
 A wise man doth the elixir of life,
Circumspectly and slowly, and heedful.
Thus enjoy thou the riches thou’st won by
the strife:
Never at one time more than needful.”
Excessive greed should ne’er be cherished.
Have greed –but keep it moderate.
The all too greedy jackal perished,
A wooden top-knot on his pate.
T HANK
YOU
 Presentation by:
Angelica S. Aguilar
BSED-English 3A