Mimicry and East–West Hybridity in Najīb Al-Kīlaniy's Ar-Rajulul-Ladzī Āmana: A Postcolonial Literature Study

East and West are two cultural forces that establish contact and influence each other. This condition makes possible the emergence of cultural change (mimicry) and the mixture of Western and Eastern culture (hybridity). As such, questioning the assumption that the West is always superior while the East is inferior is relevant. This study aims to uncover the mimicry and hybridity of Eastern and Western cultures in Najīb al-Kīlāniy's novel Ar-Rajulul-Ladzī, represented by the characters Iryan (Abdullah Carlou), a Christian musician from Rome, and Syamsi, a Muslim singer from Dubai. Postcolonial theory, which seeks to uncover the influences of colonialism on the culture of colonized society, is used to analyze and reveal the two cultures. For this study, the method involved recording data relating to Eastern and Western cultures through the ideas and behaviors of the characters in the work. This research shows that Eastern culture is not as weak or inferior as portrayed in colonial literary works. It has a strong identity and can also influence Western culture, as shown in the ideas and behaviors of the characters in the novel Ar-Rajulul-Ladzī Āmana.