THE CHARACTER OF 'ALĪ IN THE POEMS OF NĀSIR-I KHUSRAW AND SANĀ'Ī GHAZNAVĪ

Abstract

Ali Ibn Tālib was an eminent personality for all times and was focused on by famous gnostic poets. This study focuses on the poetry of Nāsir-i Khusraw and Sanā'ī Ghaznavī among these poets. The main purpose of the article is a particular research of each couplet devoted to 'Alī by Nāsir-i Khusraw and Sanā'ī Ghaznavi and detection of their sympathy for 'Alī. One of the poems written by Sanā'ī Ghaznavī and praising 'Alī is “Adoration for 'Alī ibn Abi Tālib” in the 24th part of the 3rd Section of Hadigat al-Haqiqa va Shari'at al-Tariqah (The Garden of Truth and the Path to Trek). The research includes study of Nāsir-i Khusraw’s couplets in his Diwan, while Sanā'ī’s mentioned poem was chosen as a basis for comparison. After a brief description of life and works of the Ismā'īlī poet Nāsir-i Khusraw and the gnostic poet Sanā'ī Ghaznavī, historical personality and moral features of 'Alī has been subject to research in the article. The two poets’ couplets introducing and praising 'Alī ibn Abi Tālib based on Qur’ān verses and sayings of the Prophet have been subject to the study. It may be concluded that both Nāsir-i Khusraw and Sanā'ī Ghaznavī demonstrated 'Alī’s virtues and magnificence as a person in all spheres and tried to assume that a close approach to 'Alī was necessary to learn and know Islamic rules, religious law and interpretation of the Qur’ān. Nāsir-i Khusraw and Sanā'ī Ghaznavī actually desired that all people take this perfect person an example for themselves.