Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

Religious Themes in Nasir Khusraw's Odes and Their Correspondence with Seljuk Inscriptions and Calligraphy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Elham Rezaian Varmazyar 1
Majid Azizi 2
,Mohammadreza Ghari 3
1 PhD student in Persian language and literature, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran
2 Assistant Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran
3 Associate Professor Department of Persian language and literature,Arak Branch, Islamik Azad University,Arak,Iran
10.22034/ias.2023.402003.2220
Abstract
Literature, particularly poetry, has always served as a medium for expressing ideological, emotional, and religious sentiments, as well as social aspirations. Poets who intended to propagate or convey their beliefs to others have made extensive use of poetry. Nasir Khusraw, a poet from the fifth century AH, committed to Islam and the Ismaili sect, utilized his poetry after his spiritual transformation to promote his faith and beliefs. His odes are didactic poems that, while expressing heartfelt emotions, touch upon specific religious elements and sectarian beliefs. In most of his poems, Nasir Khusraw employs imaginative imagery to discuss Islam, Shiism, religious dignitaries, and the principles and branches of religion. This study examines these images using the first thirty odes from his divan as its statistical sample. The result shows that Nasir Khusraw predominantly used similes, characteristic of the Khorasani style, to express his emotions, with religious elements often serving as the compared elements. The religious elements in these odes include the Quran and religion, Shiism and Ismailism, rejection of fate and destiny, avoidance of materialism, and the superiority of the soul over the body. These themes are also extensively used in the inscriptions and calligraphy of the Seljuk period.
Research Objectives:

To investigate Nasir Khusraw's use of religious elements in his imagery.
To examine religious themes in Seljuk inscriptions and calligraphy.

Research Questions:

How did Nasir Khusraw use religious elements in his imagery?
What role do religious themes play in Seljuk inscriptions and calligraphy?
Keywords
Nasir Khusraw
Odes
Imagery
Religious Elements
Seljuk Inscriptions

Subjects

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