Ferdowsi

Farnaz Rezaii

Abū al-Qasem Ferdowsī (born c. 935, near Ṭūs, Iran—died c. 1020–26, Ṭūs),  the renowned Persian poet is known  and admired by Iranians and by other lovers of profound and meaningful literature for his devotion to good and to sublime humane, ethical values.

His masterpiece, ‘Shahnameh’ (“Book of Kings”), the Persian national epic, to which he gave a final and enduring form, although he based his poem mainly on an earlier prose version is indeed, according to himself “Reviver of the Persian”. He wrote beautifully and with commitment to the values presented by religion of Islam. In Shahnameh, he has successfully strived to present such praiseworthy values as bravery of men and chastity of women in the form of poems and stories which reflect the face and devotion of the Iranian society to a path on which a man is esteemed and admired, not for his wealth and worldly positions, but for his courage in the face of the oppressors, for his manliness and his love of the truth, and likewise, a woman is valued and respected for her modesty, chastity and loyalty. Look for example at (the translation of) a verse he composed in his masterpiece:

“I am Manizheh, the daughter of Afrasiab

Sunshine has never seen my body uncovered.”

Attaching value to a woman’s chastity and her covering by Ferdowsi can be observed in various parts of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, indicating the profound belief of the Iranians in religious and ethical values even in periods when their land was ruled by tyrants. Elsewhere Ferdowsi presents humane behavior, advising his fellow human beings to avoid causing harm and trouble even to an ant:

“Do not hurt an ant laboring for its subsistence,

For it has a soul and enjoys the sweetness of life.”

“Do not hit the hand of oppression on the weak,

You may fall before his feet like an ant.”

These and many other poems composed by Ferdowsi reveal one of the outstanding religious and moral principles adhered to by the Muslims, namely the principle which forbids the least bit of oppression even towards animals. No wonder the Islamic Revolution took place in Iran so brilliantly. The Muslim people of Iran and their devoted leaders are against oppression. As the great leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (ra) has said: “We neither oppress the others, nor let the others oppress us.”

In Islamic Republic of Iran, the 25^th of the month of Ordibehesht (15 May) is named the day for the commemoration of Ferdowsi, that man of faith and wisdom.