Qasida (قصیده): A long, formal ode typically composed in praise of a ruler, patron, or a religious or spiritual figure. It features a complex structure, intricate imagery, and often employs parallelism and repetition. Renowned qasida poets include Ferdowsi, Rumi, and Hafez.
Celebrate the enduring relevance of Persian literature, a mirror reflecting the human condition across time and space. #PersianLiteratureRelevancy #UniversalThemesInPersianLiterature
Embrace the diversity and richness of Persian literature, where regional variations and cultural influences intertwine to create a tapestry of literary treasures. #PersianLiteratureRegionalVariations #CulturalInfluences
Honor the pioneers of Persian literature, whose works continue to inspire and enrich generations of readers worldwide. #PersianLiteraturePioneers #LiteraryIcons
Discover the transformative power of Persian literature, where a single poem or passage can spark new thoughts and perspectives. #PersianLiteratureInspiration #PoetryAsTherapy
Embark on a journey through the linguistic wonders of Persian literature, where words weave intricate tapestries of sound and meaning. #PersianLanguage #PersianLiteratureVocabulary
Celebrate the enduring legacy of Persian literature, a testament to the human spirit's ability to create beauty and meaning. #PersianLiteratureHeritage #ClassicalPersianLiterature
Discover the power of Persian storytelling, where tales of love, adventure, and moral lessons transport you to another world. #PersianStorytelling #Golestan #Masnavi
Immerse yourself in the ethereal beauty of Persian poetry, where metaphors dance and emotions flow like a cascading river. #PersianPoetry #Ferdowsi #Khayam
Delve into the enchanting world of Persian literature, a rich tapestry of poetry, prose, and storytelling that has captivated readers for centuries. #PersianLiterature #Shahnameh #Rudaki
One of Hafez’s most famous poems is The Sun Can Rise and Set (or The Sun Never Says), which is often quoted as a message of generosity, gratitude, and service. It is a part of his Divan, a collection of his surviving poems probably compiled after his death. The poem …
Hafez, or Khwaja Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez-e Shirazi, was a 14th-century Persian poet who is widely admired for his mastery of the ghazal, a poetic form that consists of a series of couplets that share a common rhyme and meter. Hafez’s ghazals are renowned for their beauty, elegance, and subtlety, …
Nima Yushij: He was a 20th-century poet who is considered the father of modern Persian poetry. He broke away from the classical style and introduced new forms, structures, and themes to Persian poetry. He experimented with free verse, imagery, and symbolism, and influenced many other poets of his generation and …
Omar Khayyam: He was a 11th- and 12th-century Persian poet, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. He is best known for his rubaiyat, or quatrains, which are short poems that consist of four lines with a specific rhyme scheme. Omar Khayyam’s rubaiyat are remarkable for their originality, wit, and skepticism, and their …
Ferdowsi: He is perhaps Iran’s most famous poet, credited for writing the Shahnameh, the national epic of the Persian-speaking world and the longest work of epic poetry ever written, composed of more than 60,000 verses. The Shahnameh narrates the history and legends of Iran from the creation of the world …
One of Rumi’s most famous poems is The Guest House, which is often recited in mindfulness circles. It is a reminder not to resist the thoughts and emotions passing through you, but to meet them with courage, warmth, and respect. The poem begins with these lines:
This being human is …
Rumi, or Jalal al-Din Rumi, was a 13th-century Persian poet, mystic, and founder of the Mevlevi order of Sufism. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of all time, and his works have been translated into many languages and influenced many literary and spiritual traditions. Rumi’s poetry …
A Cup of Sin: Selected Poems: This is a selection of poems by Simin Behbahani, known as the lioness of Iran. She wrote poems in the classical form, but with a modern and innovative language. She addressed themes such as democracy, human rights, women’s issues, and the Iranian Revolution. She …
Another Birth and Other Poems: This is a collection of poems by Forough Farrokhzad, one of the most influential and controversial poets of Iran. She wrote poems in the free verse style, and expressed her personal and emotional experiences, such as love, loneliness, rebellion, and desire. She challenged the conservative …
The Mirror of My Heart: A Thousand Years of Persian Poetry by Women: This is a new anthology of verse by women poets writing in Persian, most of whom have never been translated into English before. It covers various themes, genres, and periods, from the 10th century to the present …
Simin Behbahani: She was a 20th- and 21st-century poet from Tehran, Iran, who is known as the lioness of Iran. She wrote poems in the classical form, but with a modern and innovative language. She addressed themes such as democracy, human rights, women’s issues, and the Iranian Revolution. She was …
Forough Farrokhzad: She was a 20th-century poet from Tehran, Iran, who is one of the most influential and controversial poets of Iran. She wrote poems in the free verse style, and expressed her personal and emotional experiences, such as love, loneliness, rebellion, and desire. She challenged the conservative norms of …
Parvin E’tesami: She was a 20th-century poet from Tabriz, Iran, who is regarded as the greatest female poet of modern Iran. She wrote poems in the traditional form, but with a social and moral message. She addressed topics such as women’s rights, education, poverty, and justice.
Rābi‘ah Balkhī: She was a 10th-century poet from Balkh, Afghanistan, who is considered the first woman poet in Persian literature. She wrote love poems in the classical style, and is said to have died of a broken heart after being betrayed by her lover.
Modern Persian literature: This is the period of the development of Persian literature in the 19th and 20th centuries, influenced by the social, political, and cultural changes that occurred in Iran and the Persian-speaking world. This period witnessed the emergence of new genres, such as novel, short story, drama, essay, …
Medieval Persian literature: This is the period of the flourishing of New Persian literature, which began after the Arab conquest of Iran and the adoption of the Arabic script and many Arabic loanwords. This period saw the emergence of various genres, such as epic, lyric, mystical, didactic, and romantic poetry, …
Ancient Persian literature: This includes the writings in Old Persian and Avestan languages, such as the Gathas of Zoroaster, the Avesta, the holy book of Zoroastrianism, and the Behistun Inscription of Darius I, the first Persian king. These texts reflect the ancient Iranian myths, legends, religion, and history.
Modern Persian literature: Modern Persian literature refers to the literature that emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, and reflects the social, political, and cultural changes that occurred in Iran and the Persian-speaking world. Modern Persian literature encompasses various genres, styles, and movements, such as constitutionalism, nationalism, realism, romanticism, modernism, …
Rudaki and court poetry: Rudaki, or Abu Abd Allah Jafar ibn Muhammad al-Rudaki, was a 9th- and 10th-century Persian poet and musician. He is regarded as the first great poet of New Persian literature, and the founder of the classical style of Persian poetry. Rudaki was a court poet of …
Nezami Aruzi and literary criticism: Nezami Aruzi, or Jamal al-Din Muhammad ibn Qiwam al-Din Nezami Aruzi, was a 12th-century Persian poet, writer, and literary critic. He is best known for his Chahar Maqala, or the Four Discourses, a treatise on the four professions of secretary, poet, astrologer, and physician. The …
Attar and allegorical literature: Attar, or Farid al-Din Attar, was a 12th- and 13th-century Persian poet, mystic, and hagiographer. He is considered one of the greatest figures of Sufi literature, and his works are characterized by their allegorical and symbolic style, and their exploration of the spiritual journey of the …
Omar Khayyam and rubaiyat poetry: Omar Khayyam, or Ghiyath al-Din Abu’l-Fath Umar ibn Ibrahim al-Khayyami, was a 11th- and 12th-century Persian poet, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. He is best known for his rubaiyat, or quatrains, which are short poems that consist of four lines with a specific rhyme scheme. Omar …
Nizami and romantic literature: Nizami, or Nizami Ganjavi, was a 12th-century Persian poet and one of the greatest representatives of the Khamseh, or the Quintet, a genre of five epic poems that each deal with a different theme. Nizami’s Khamseh consists of the Makhzan al-Asrar, or the Treasury of Mysteries, …
Saadi and moral literature: Saadi, or Abu-Muhammad Muslih al-Din bin Abdallah Shirazi, was a 13th-century Persian poet, writer, and traveler. He is best known for his two major works, the Bustan, or the Orchard, and the Gulistan, or the Rose Garden, which are collections of stories, anecdotes, and aphorisms that …
Hafez and ghazal poetry: Hafez, or Khwaja Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez-e Shirazi, was a 14th-century Persian poet who is widely admired for his mastery of the ghazal, a poetic form that consists of a series of couplets that share a common rhyme and meter. Hafez’s ghazals are renowned for their …
Rumi and Sufi poetry: Rumi, or Jalal al-Din Rumi, was a 13th-century Persian poet, mystic, and founder of the Mevlevi order of Sufism. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of all time, and his works have been translated into many languages and influenced many literary and …
The Shahnameh: The Shahnameh, or the Book of Kings, is the epic masterpiece of the poet Ferdowsi, who composed it in the 10th and 11th centuries CE. It is the longest poem ever written by a single author, and contains over 50,000 verses that narrate the history and legends of …
I have been delving into the Persian literature of the Sasanian era, which preceded the Islamic conquest of Iran and marked the peak of the pre-Islamic Iranian civilization. The Sasanian literature is mostly preserved in the Middle Persian language, and it includes religious texts, historical chronicles, legal codes, and epic …
I have been exploring the contemporary Persian literature of Iran, which reflects the social and political changes and challenges of the 20th and 21st centuries. Many Iranian writers have experimented with new forms and styles, and have addressed issues such as identity, censorship, revolution, war, exile, and human rights. Some …
I have been learning about the Persian literature of the Indian subcontinent, which flourished under the patronage of the Mughal emperors and the local rulers. Many Persian poets and writers migrated to India and contributed to the development of a rich and diverse literary culture that blended Persian and Indian …
I am amazed by the works of Nizami Ganjavi, a 12th-century Persian poet who wrote five epic poems known as the Khamsa, or the Quintet. Each poem is a masterpiece of storytelling, characterization, and imagery, and they cover themes such as love, heroism, history, and spirituality. The most famous of …
I have been reading the Divan of Hafez, the 14th-century Persian poet who is widely regarded as the master of the ghazal, a poetic form that consists of rhyming couplets with a common refrain. Hafez's poems are complex and multilayered, and they can be interpreted in various ways, such as …
I am fascinated by the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, a collection of quatrains attributed to the 11th-century Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet. The Rubaiyat are full of philosophical reflections on life, death, fate, and free will, and they also celebrate the joys of wine, love, and nature. They have a …
I have been enjoying the stories of Nasreddin, a legendary character in Persian literature and folklore who is known for his witty and humorous anecdotes. He is often portrayed as a wise fool, a trickster, or a simpleton, who uses his wit and irony to expose the hypocrisy and injustice …
I recently discovered the works of Forugh Farrokhzad, a modern Iranian poet and filmmaker who broke many social and literary taboos in her short but influential life. She wrote about her personal experiences as a woman, a lover, a mother, and a rebel, and expressed her views on feminism, sexuality, …
One of my favorite Persian poets is Rumi, the 13th-century mystic and founder of the Mevlevi order of Sufism. His poems are full of love, wisdom, and spirituality, and they have inspired millions of people around the world. I especially love his Mathnawi, a collection of six books of stories …
I just finished reading the Shahnameh, the epic poem by Ferdowsi that tells the history of Iran from the creation of the world to the Islamic conquest. It is a masterpiece of Persian literature and culture, full of heroic stories, mythical creatures, and moral lessons. I highly recommend it to …
