Pre-Islamic Iranian features and religious tension in Firdawsi's Book of Kings

Book of Kings 9

FIRDAWSI: BOOK OF KINGS (SHAHNAMA)

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Firdawsi: Book of Kings (Shahnama)

What are the pre-Islamic Iranian features of the story? How do they square with Islam?

The Book of Kings is written in Farsi, unlike the Quran. The Book of Kings celebrates the glory of pre-historical and early historical Persia through its kings. It begins with the legends. Iran is viewed as the fatherland, and the axis of the world. Zoroastrianism is mentioned, especially in the early legends. Firdawsi compares the Zoroastrianism to Islam, which in itself is blasphemous. Unlike the Quran, The Book of Kings is not favorable to the Arabs. First Zahhak was deceived by Iblis, and then the second Rustam foretold that "All our long labors will be in vain, for the stars only befriend the Arabs. & #8230; They shall turn away from honor and truth; lies and baseness shall be honored." This is definitely not flattering, especially when Rustam the second converts to Islam because his future is poor anyway.

2. What is Ferdawsi's attitude?

In The Book of Kings, Firdawsi is not modest. He begins with "… a noble book that achieved fame throughout the world and received universal adulation from all people, high and low." At the end, he says, "henceforth I cannot die; for I live, having broadcast the seeds of my verses. Anyone possessed of sense, good counsel and religion will after my death offer up praise for me." Yet, he's bitter because no one would cooperate with him in sharing the history of the kings. He was also bitter about being a ghostwriter who was not paid, or recognized for his contributions. Ferdowsi's aim in writing the Shahnama is to legitimize the Persian kings, because it legitimizes their dynasties as descended from these others, through farr.

6. What was Ferdawsi's aim in writing the Shahnama?

He's quite blunt in that he had written The Book of Kings in hope of monetary remuneration. At the end of his labors, he is nearly 80, and hopeless that he will ever become wealthy from The Book of Kings.

7. What are the main values reflected in the work?

Humility: One of the first warnings that Firdawsi makes is for humility. As part of humility, Firdawsi talks about how Jamshid, when he still had his farr, "assigned to every living creature the right rank or station proper to it and directed it on its path, so that each might be aware of its place and understand the measure of it." Further humility is described when "each man's occupation displays its worth in its own fashion. When, therefore, one group seeks to perform the other's task, the whole world becomes confused." Later, when he talks about how Jamshid lost his farr, Firdawsi says: "The reason for it was that the king, who had always paid homage to God, now became filled with vanity and turned away from Him in forgetfulness of the gratitude he owed Him." The Greeks would say that Jamshid fell into the grip of hubris.

One type of humility is knowing one's place in the world. At one point, Jamasp says to Isfandiyar's father:

"Who can escape from the turning wheel? Out of it the sharp clawed dragon springs. Who can find deliverance, either by courage or wisdom? What is to be will be, without fail, and wise men do not seek to know the hour of it. His fate will come upon him at the hand of a mighty warrior, were even an angel lying before him as his shield."

This is not just fatalism, but also humility to know that one is not immortal. When the hero Rumstam is dying, he says: "My Farr is no more potent than Jamshid's & #8230; nor is it mightier than Faridun's or Key Qubad's & #8230; sovereigns of Iran… we but follow slowly after." He knows that no matter what, he follows only in the footsteps of great men, heroes who were kings of Iran.

Religiosity: Firdawsi points out that Jamshid lost his farr because he saw himself as a god. After Jamshid, Hushang pointed out that wisdom required worshipping God: "This spark," he proclaimed, "is God-given; if you are wise you will worship it." Someone good is described as "… one who in his fear of the Lord trembled as though shaken by a gale." When Kava confronts Zahhak's courtiers, he calls them "Henchmen of the Devil" and says that they have ceased to fear God. Later, religious people are called noble. Heroes always "gave blessings to the Creator of the world." Being religious also requires "understanding that this was God's will and that he could not evade the clutch of evil."

Generosity: When Jamshid was good, he was described as generous. New kings proclaim their readiness to "deal generously with all men." Good people are "honored for & #8230; generosity." Animals are especially described as generous, as when the Phoenix feeds Sam. Firdawsi also describes a parable about a lioness's generosity, saying "How much kinder to their offspring are the wild and tame beasts of this earth than men!"

Disrespect for women: All the main characters are men, and women are only mentioned as mothers of children, or a brave nursemaid. When women are mentioned directly, Isfandiyar tells his mother: "The wise axiom which told one never to utter secrets before women, hit the mark truly. Once you have spoken a word to her you will find it in the street. In no matter ought you to listen to a woman's behest, for you will never find her counsel to be wise."

Wisdom/Honesty: When Jamshid lost his far, he's described as taking "to crooked paths and folly." Evil is the opposite of truth, in the Book of Kings. Firdawsi describes "….an era during which the ways of rational men disappeared and the wishes of the devil-possessed everywhere prevailed." Education is valued, when a line says that something is "as appropriate as knowledge to the mind." Wisdom is described as a path, when "in great fear that he might become the butt of ridicule, he strayed from the path of wisdom…" Heroes are often described as wise, and in favor of truth, as when Rustam says "Any speech for whose utterance there is no basis is a tree devoid of fruit and scent."

Courage: Especially heroes, but everyone good will have courage. Kava is described as a "stout-hearted man" rallying an army against Zahhak. Even baby heroes can have courage: "he shows himself to be of sturdy nature." One with courage is often compared to a lion: his "courage was that of a lion," "when stirred to anger he will be an aggressive lion," and "for courage [he equaled] any lion on Mount Bisitun." Rustam wants to show his courage by doing "battle against them, fiercely enough to make you believe that blood was raining down from the clouds over the battlefield."