ANAHITA JOURNAL

L.R. Krishna (1982) Sultan Bahu Sufi Poet of the Punjab

2026-01-16T06:46:49+00:00

Mystical teachings made their way to the Indian subcontinent through some Sufis. Their most significant influence in this regard was the promotion and spread of Islam in this region. One of the Sufi orders that was received with great enthusiasm in this land was the Qadiriyya order. One of the famous mystics of this order is Sultan Bahoo (1040-1102 CE), who has numerous works in Persian and Punjabi languages, but not all of his works have been edited and published. One of the reasons for this is the difficulty and late discovery of his writings and compositions. The correction of his works is necessary to become familiar with the branches that have branched out from the Qadiriyya order. This paper, while introducing him in a descriptive-analytical manner, analyzes one of his works titled "Aql e Bedar" The analysis of this work reveals that it is a concise and brief compendium of Sufi knowledge, as the author has almost touched upon all theoretical issues.

Mystical Thoughts of Attar in the Ghazals of Qased

2026-01-16T06:51:43+00:00

Attar Nishapuri is one of the most influential poets and writers of Persian literature, holding a distinguished position in the development of mystical poetry. One of the fundamental concepts in the spiritual journey and mystical path is the passage through the seven valleys, which Attar Nishapuri elaborates particularly in his works. The present study examines the mystical tendencies of Qased in light of Attar Nishapuri’s seven valleys of spiritual journey, with the aim of exploring Qased’s intellectual perspective and approach to the major themes of mysticism. Using a descriptive and content-analysis methodology, the study demonstrates that Qased presents Attar’s seven valleys in a simple, intimate, and accessible language, avoiding excessive rhetorical and artistic ornamentation. The analysis of his poetry reveals a strong emphasis on ascetic and pious mysticism, in which he rejects worldly attachments and material desires and chooses the path of spiritual purification and eternal love as a means of attaining truth and spiritual knowledge.

EXEMPLARY HUMAN RELATIONS AND DEVOTION IN THE AXIS OF SHAMS AND MEVLANA

2026-01-30T04:54:06+00:00

The bond between Shams al-Din Muhammad Tabrizi and Mawlana Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi in 642 AH in Konya marks an unparalleled turning point in the history of Islamic mysticism and mystical literature. This bond went beyond a conventional relationship between a spiritual guide and his disciple; rather, it became a manifestation of two fundamental principles of practical mysticism: “human love” as an awakening and transcendent love, and “self-sacrifice” as a method of spiritual journeying and voluntary self-annihilation.

Using a descriptive-analytical method and drawing upon primary texts such as Maqalat-e Shams, Masnavi-ye Ma'navi, Divan-e Kabir, Fihi Ma Fih, and Manaqib al-Arifin, this article seeks to demonstrate how Shams, through his mirror-like and selfless love, transformed Mawlana from the realm of mere discourse (qāl) to the realm of spiritual experience (ḥāl). It further explores how both of them, through the conscious sacrifice of their knowledge, social standing, and even their very existence, brought this love to eternal fruition.

The Motif of Immortality in the Shahnameh and the Ancient Iranian Mythological Tradition: Kayumars, Gaokerena, and the Water of Life

2026-09-23T06:48:07+01:00

The quest for immortality is one of the oldest and most persistent motifs in the mythological, religious, and literary traditions of world cultures. The human desire to overcome death, restore youth, and transcend the natural limits of life has been represented through various symbols, including the Water of Life, rejuvenating plants, sacred trees, supernatural beverages, and invulnerability. In the Iranian mythological and epic tradition, immortality is not represented through a single homogeneous concept; rather, it appears in several distinct semantic models. The vegetal motif associated with Gayomard, the older religious and mythological prototype of Kayumars, signifies not individual immortality but the continuation of life through the emergence of humankind. By contrast, Gaokerena and the White Haoma in Zoroastrian tradition are associated with the final renovation of the world and the eschatological abolition of death. In Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, the clearest representation of an individual quest for immortality is found in the episode of Alexander, Khidr, and the Water of Life. Employing source-critical, comparative-typological, and semantic methods, this study examines the relationship among these three models and compares them with the traditions of Gilgamesh, Achilles, and Esfandiyar. The findings demonstrate that directly identifying the vegetal motif connected with Kayumars as a “Tree of Immortality” is neither source-critically nor terminologically precise. A clear distinction must therefore be made among the Kayumars/Gayomard tradition, the Gaokerena/White Haoma complex, and the Water of Life motif.

Exaggerated Behaviors in the Court of Mas'ud of Ghazni Based on Tarikh-e Beyhaqi

2026-10-21T07:18:14+01:00

Tarikh-e Bayhaqi is one of the most prominent works of Persian prose that, beyond its linguistic and narrative values, reflects the power relations and courtly behaviors of the Ghaznavid era. Among the notable aspects of this work is the presence of behaviors and actions imbued with exaggerated and hyperbolic meanings, which are manifested in the court of Sultan Mas'ud of Ghazni and function symbolically in consolidating the grandeur and superiority of the Sultan.

The present study aims to elucidate the nature, types, and functions of exaggerated behaviors in Mas'ud’s court and to analyze their relationship with the structure of power. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on the study of a primary source—particularly Tarikh-e Bayhaqi—this article examines and classifies exaggerated courtly behaviors based on textual evidence from the work.

The findings indicate that ritualistic and physical actions such as kissing the ground, hand-kissing, bowing, and stepping down from one’s position served to reinforce the symbolic distance between the Sultan and others. Furthermore, the atmosphere of competition, mistrust, and political fear within the court contributed to the intensification and repetition of such behaviors.

Accordingly, exaggerated behaviors can be understood as part of the mechanisms for reproducing authority and regulating hierarchical power structures in 11th-century Khurasan, thereby enabling an analytical and interdisciplinary reading of Tarikh-e Bayhaqi.

The text-forming role of semantic repetitions in Shahriar’s Persian Divan

2026-10-21T07:37:43+01:00

This study examines the text-forming function of semantic repetition in Shahriar’s Persian Divan. In literary discourse, repetition is not merely a device for structuring the poem or creating rhythm; it also operates at the semantic level to foreground key ideas, maintain thematic coherence, and intensify emotional resonance. Semantic repetition refers to the recurrence of words, phrases, or images that share identical or closely related meanings within a poetic unit. Unlike syntactic repetition, it is grounded in semantic proximity and may re-present the same idea through different lexical forms, thereby reinforcing the central message while enriching the poem’s expressive capacity.

In Shahriar’s poetry—rooted in classical tradition yet marked by innovative vision—semantic repetition contributes to the deepening of major themes such as love, separation, homeland, humanity, and spirituality. The semantic repetitions in the Divan function not only as aesthetic embellishments but also as mechanisms that strengthen imagery, focus thought, and expand meaning. Based on the analyzed examples, semantic repetition can be grouped into key patterns, including the use of synonymous or near-synonymous words across both hemistichs of a couplet, and the restatement of the same meaning in different lexical forms across separate hemistichs, which allows the poet to rearticulate a single idea from multiple angles.

Overall, the findings indicate that semantic repetition is a central stylistic strategy in Shahriar’s Persian Divan. It enables the poet to restate a theme through varied poetic techniques, highlight subtle semantic nuances, draw the reader’s attention to the poem’s core meaning, and create deeper spiritual, philosophical, and psychological layers. The frequency and effectiveness of these repetitions reflect Shahriar’s profound command of language and classical rhetorical tradition, where semantic repetition functions as a deliberate aesthetic tool for shaping both meaning and emotional impact.

The world needs Rumi's thoughts

2026-10-22T05:39:08+01:00

The study of the scientific and spiritual life and the explanation of the thoughts and character of the great mystic, sage, and preacher Jalaluddin Muhammad Maulvi, known as Maulana and nicknamed God, and the introduction of this great Iranian and Islamic mystic scientist and the expression of his points of view to Iranians and the world are essential. The more we talk about him, the more he will attract many Taliban, and his lofty meanings and worldview will spread tolerance and tolerance, and will reduce prejudice, harshness, and diversity and disagreement. He made Sharia, ethics, and the path as means to achieve truth, which is the desired goal and the principle of existence, his ideology, and he has outlined a good way for human life. This article deals with this issue and it is appropriate to thank the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for honoring the study of Maulana's thoughts on the 800th anniversary of his birth and giving it an international dimension.

Examining the reasons for the fusion of the mythical face of Jamshid and Suleiman, by examining two preserved carpets in the Iranian Carpet Museum in number 277 and 1692

2026-10-22T05:55:42+01:00

The present study examines some reasons for the fusion of Shahnameh myths and Semitic mythology, focusing on two characters, Jamshid and Suleiman. In Persian literary and historical texts, we often witness the fusion of Iranian mythology and Semitic mythology. For example, in a narrative of Bal’ami's history, "Gayumarth" - which is referred to as the first human creation of Ahura Mazda or human prototype in sources such as the Avesta and Bundahishn- is identified with "Adam" - as the first human according to the Torah and the Qur'an-. Jamshid and Suleiman also have such a fate. As in the literary texts, sometimes we witness identifying or attributing the characteristics of these two characters to the other or mentioning each of these characters by a different name. This paper, while examining the images of two preserved carpets in the Carpet Museum of Iran[1] related to Jamshid and Suleiman, by referring to mythological, historical and literary sources, seeks to answer the question that between Jamshid (as a mythical character of Iranian mythology) and Suleiman (as a historical-mythical character in the Semitic culture and the people of Bani Israel) What are the story similarities and common behavioral characteristics and how and why are these two mixed together? Some researchers have considered the reason for this issue to be the "confusion" of the two, but the authors believe that in addition to the unconscious confusion of these two Iranian and Semitic characters, these two have been consciously have been considered as one; that this was due to "adaptation" and reconciling national figures with religious figures in the old Iranian society.

[1]. The present paper was written following the conclusion of the MOU between the Center for Chinese Research of Allameh Tabatabai University of Iran (CCR) and the Carpet Museum of Iran on 13/7/2024. With thanks to Mr. Mohammad Javad Inanlu Shahverdi, head of the Carpet Museum of Iran, for providing the pictures of these carpets.

Study and Analysis of the Transtextual Relationship of Fatullah Arif's Fotoohat-i Jamileh with Ferdosi's Shahnameh

2026-10-22T06:20:20+01:00

The reflection of Shahnameh in most of his works after him is undeniable. This influence can be observed both in Iran and in works created outside Iran. In this article, we aim to analyze and evaluate the components and propositions of the transtextual relationship between Ferdowsi's Shahnameh and a lesser-known work titled Fotoohat-i Jamileh, based on Genet's theory.The basic premise of the present study is that although the Fotoohat-i Jamileh is a historical-religious epic and its sources are different from the Shahnameh, the mystic used the Shahnameh as a model in various aspects in composing it, and the extent of the influence of the great work of ferdosi as a subtext on this system as a supertext can be assessed based on transtextual relations, especially at the intertextual and supratextual levels. His goal is to glorify the position of Sultan Suleiman the Just, increase his glory, and legitimize his conquests and territorial claims. Discovering and understanding the types of these relations will be useful for understanding the characteristics of this unknown system of the Shahnameh of the Ottoman court.

A TREATISE ON LITERARY CRITICISM: “KARNAMA BY MUNIR LAHORI"

2026-10-23T06:46:54+01:00

Abul-Barakat Munir Lahori is a great scholar of the Persian world. He is considered one of the most renowned orators, Accomplished writers, and proficient poets of the 11th century Hijri in the Indian subcontinent. He had great Prestige and Reputation among all his contemporaries in Persian poetry and prose. All his works, both in prose and poetry, are testimony to his scholarly greatness and literary eminence. Munir was also a great and famous critic; indeed, he should be regarded as the founder of literary criticism. He holds a lofty and exalted position in the Persian language and literature. He was the first scholar who produced fundamental treatises on the subject of literary criticism in the field of criticism; his most important, memorable and Exceptional work, titled "Karnama-e-Muneer", has gained great fame and popularity. In this book, he criticised about 60 verses of four Iranian poets’ poetry belonging to the fresh-speaking style (Sabk-e Taza Goi or Sabk-e Hindi). Evidence shows that Munir Lahori was a follower of the style of the ancients (Sabk-e Mutaqaddimin), and therefore did not favour the new style. For this reason, he targeted the poetry of the fresh-speaking poets for his criticism. This work is historically very important because it was the first time an Indian scholar challenged Iranian poets on their own linguistic ground and won the debate, which proved that Persian scholars in Lahore and Delhi were equal to those of Isfahan.

After Munir, Persian literary criticism flourished greatly in India and Iran, and the sense of superiority among Iranians subsided. The native speakers of Iran acknowledged the value and importance of Indians. They confessed that the scholars of the Indian subcontinent are in no way inferior, but rather stand on an equal footing with the native speakers. In this treatise, Munir Lahori acts like a pious and just critic, observing fairness and impartiality, and expresses whatever comes to his mind regarding language and expression without omission. For this reason, this treatise holds a sublime place in Persian literary criticism; its value and importance remain to this day, and it has always been a source of benefit for researchers and literary critics

PERSIAN LAMP FACED TO THE BLOW OF WIND

2026-10-26T07:27:55+00:00

The Persian language, with all its literary richness and its historical and cultural importance, is currently experiencing weakness and stagnation in Pakistan۔ This language has disappeared to some extent in state educational institutions, and it is possible that in the near future Persian language and literature will be faded due to disruption and lack of inclination of the authorities in educational institutions of KP Province. This article discusses the current state of the language and ways to get out of it, and offers suggestions for reviving and keeping the language alive. What you are reading in this article is a kind of complaint۔