Aklan State Univerisity

College of Teacher Education

Banga, Aklan

Topic: Persian Literature: Iran and its History

I. Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
a. Identify what is Persian Literature and Iran;
b. Appreciate how Persian Literature contributed to world history, sharing
thoughts through discussions and reflections; and
c. Create and illustrate a timeline of important events in Iranian history,
emphasizing key figures and their works.

Iran

In the west, the country has been known as Persia, from the ancient Greek name for the
heart-land of the empire, Persis. The name Iran which means, “Land of the Aryans”
was the center of a great empire of the ancient world and when we say “Aryans” it
means nobles. Basically they called it Iran, as in, land of the nobles.

Land and resources

Iran is part of the Alpine- Himalayan mountain system. Mount Demavend, an extinct
volcano northeast of Tehran in the Elburz Mountains, is the highest point of Iran. Other
mountains are Elburz Mountain, Talish Mountain, and Zagros Mountain. The
mountainous regions of Iran are prone to earthquakes.

People

The Aryan tribes migrated into the Iranian plateau in the 2 nd millennium B.C. Therefore,
Iran’s official language was Persian or what they call Farsi, which basically is the
Persian language.
 3

Persia’s Traditional Clothing

Religion

Iran is the only Muslim country where Shiism has been the official state religion since
1501. Shiism is the branch of Islam that regards Ali as the legitimate successor.
Furthermore 99% of Iranians are Muslims.

Arts

It includes things such as poetry, music, and architecture which the Persian valued the
most in the past. Persian Literature is not really famous unlike the other literature but
they have a rich literature which flourished for thousands of years.

Architecture of Persians

Government

Theocratic republic means that the government is being ruled by a God or a deity and
the laws and rules are being interpreted by the authorities such as the priest claiming a
divine commission. The constitution of the Islamic Republic gives its leader, which is the
“Faqih”, extensive religious and secular powers, including the right to appoint the
commanders of the armed forces and the head of judiciary and also to confirm the
elected president.

“Faqih”, it means like a jurist. They are the one who are responsible for the government
like confirming the elected president as well as the religious indulgence or rules that
should be followed. They are experts in the “Fiqh” or the divine Islamic Law which was
revealed in their Quran. There is another term “Majlis”, which is the consultative
assembly or the Iranian parliament.

History

During the reign of Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great, it occupied 40% of the world
population. To be more precise, the Persian empire encompassed parts of Asia, Africa
and Europe. Persia is actually one of the oldest occupied territories on the entire
planet. It comprises a history of great proportions, spanning areas from Egypt and
Greece, to India and Turkey.

The most prominent era of the Persian empire, otherwise known as the Achaemenid
empire, began in the 6th century BCE. It was established by Cyrus the Great, who
made it the vastest realm in history up to that point but before the achaemenid empire
there was elamite empire first

The Elamite Empire (2500 – 644 BCE)

Elam was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of modern-
day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of what is now Khuzestan and Ilam province as
well as a small part of southern Iraq. The elamite empire or the Elam was known for
their strength and the ability to hold several of area together under a coordinated
government and they are closely involved with Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria through
peaceful trade, more often through war.

Sassanid empire also known as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire
before the early Muslim conquests of 7 th – 8th century A.D. Named after the House of
Sasan, it endured for over four centuries, from 224 to 651 AD, making it the second
longest-lived Persian imperial dynasty, after the Arsacids (Parthian Empire). It was the
last empire of Persia before the Muslim or Islamic conquests to expand the newly found
religion of Islam.

Saffarid dynasty which controlled Iran between 861 – 900 C.E.

Samanid Dynasty which controlled Iran between 819 – 999 C.E.

In the 11th century, Turkic tribes began to settle in the northwestern Iran. These tribes
established dynasties which lasted until the 13 th century, when the Mongols invaded.
The Mongol Invasion caused the destruction of many cities that resisted the invaders.
The Safavid Empire, which was a militant Islamic order that would convert to Shia Islam,
and spread Islam by force.
Qajar Dynasty
The Qajars were a tribe which lived in modern-day Azerbaijan which set out to reunify
Iran. the Qajars was the dynasty which had the goal to reunify the Iran that we know
today and there was also a dynasty which was the Pahlavi dynasty which has the
ambitious plan to modernize Iran within two decades
Difference between an empire and a dynasty
Empire it is ruled by an emperor or a territory governed by the emperor while dynasty is
ruled by a family or a king which will have a successor with the same bloodline

Prepared by:
BRYLE ABBAH R. DE PEDRO
LONARD PAUL I. IJALO
SHENNA LOYD I. PARMAN
MARC IAN LOUIE D. SOCO

MARIVIC N. DE LA CRUZ
Mentore
Topic: Persian Literature: Characteristics and Figures
I. Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
a. Identify what is Persian Literature and Iran;
b. Appreciate how Persian Literature contributed to world history, sharing
thoughts through discussions and reflections; and
c. Create and illustrate a timeline of important events in Iranian history,
emphasizing key figures and their works.

Persian Literature

It refers to the body of written works in the Persian language. It has a rich history that
spars over a thousand years, with contributions from poets, authors, and scholars from
Persia (modern-day Iran) and other Regions where Persian was widely spoken, such as
Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Some notable works includes the Shanameh (Book of Kings) by Ferdowsi, Rubaiyat
by Omar Khayyam, and the Divar-e Hafez by Hafez. Persian Literature often explores
themes of love, spirituality, and the beauty of Nature.

Characteristics of Persian Literature:

1. Poetry
2. Prose
3. Influence of Mysticism

Persian literature is known for its exceptional prominence of poetry. Poets like Rumi,
Hafez, and Ferdowsi have made significant contribution to Persian History and it is true
that the thematic substance of Persian poetry was love, wine, and enjoyment of life.
Moreover, in the drama, Nizami is considered as the great poet of love and life.

Difference between Prose from Poetry

Prose and Poetry are both forms of writing, but they have distinct
differences. Prose is the ordinary form of written or spoken languages,
without any particular structure or rhythm .On the other hand, poetry is
a more artistic and structured form of writing. It often uses rhyme,
rhythm, and figurative language to convey ideas and evoke strong
emotions.
The source of Prose, like poetry, was in Sammanid Dynasty. Persian Literature also
encompasses a wide range of prose works. Historiography, philosophy, and storytelling
are prominent genres in Persian prose.

Sadi Shirazi or Sadi

( pronounce as Saadi) best known for his works , the Bustan (The
Scented) , and the Gullistan ( The Rose Garden).
Bustan (Scented Garden)
Contains enlightening digressions on justice, government, humanitarianism, human
love, and heavenly love and commendable virtues. The Bustan is entirely in verse (epic
metre) is consists of stories aptly illustrating the standard virtues recommended to
Muslims.

Gullistan (Rose Garden)

Is made up of Prose and verse full of Aphroisms similar to Bustan but treated in less
serious manner. The Gullistan is mainly in prose and contains stories and personal
anecdotes. The text is interspersed with a variety of short poems, containing aphroisms,
advice, and humorous reflections

Influence of Mysticism in Persian Literature.

Persian Literature often explores mystical and spiritual themes The mystic religion of
Iran is Sufism, also known as Tasawwwuf, is a mystic body of religious practice found in
Islam which focuses on Islamic purification, ritualism, and spirituality.

Persian Mysticism or the Persian love tradition is a traditional interpretation of

existence, life, and love, reliant upon revelatory and heart- felt principles in reasoning.
Sufism, a mythical branch of Islam, has greatly influenced Persian literature, with poets
expressing deep spiritual insights and experiences.

Omar Khayyam

He is a Persian poet, mathematician, and astronomer, was born at

Nishapur, in Khorasan , about A.D. 1050 and
died about 1125. Khayyam means “The Tent-Maker in Arabic”. His famous written work
is, “Rubaiyat”.

Rubaiyat “Stanzas” is one of his prominent works. It contains only

manuscript, written at Shiras in 1460, exists in England, it contains one
hundred and fifty-eight quatrains, the, the second, and fourth lines
usually, though not invariably, rhyming together. And about two thirds
if this manuscript was translated into English by EDWARD
FITZGERALD in 1872.
Additionally, a superb edition of this translation was published in 1884
at Boston, illustrated by Elihu Vedder. The central idea or theme of
Rubaiyat is, “Finality of Death”.

Famous poets in Persian Literature

1. KhwājaShamsu d-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez

A Persian lyric poet, and also known as Hafiz. His pen name Hafiz means “Quran
memorizer”, because he have learned the entire Muslim holy book by heart. Quran is
the holy book of Islam.

His most popular book, Divan, is in the peak of Persian literature and mostly found in
the homes of Iranian people. He is also the author of numerous ghazals expressing
love, spirituality, and protest, he and his work continue to be important to Iranians, and
many of his poems are used as proverbs or sayings.

Ghazal in Arabic means talking to women, philandering, narrating about youth, love
making and praising women. Hafiz is known for his ghazals, he wrote and published
500 ghazals. The themes of his ghazals are for his beloved, faith, and exposing
hypocrisy. Hafiz’s first ghazal is entitled as Alāyāayyoha-s-sāqī or in English is
Magian Master.
 Stain the prayer-mat with wine if the
Magian Elder tells you,

Since the traveller is not uninformed of

Magian Master by Hafez the road and customs of the halting-
1 places!

Come, o wine-pourer! Circulate a cup 5

and pass it; The dark night and the fear of the waves
Since love seemed easy at first, but and so terrifying a whirlpool –
soon difficulties occurred. How can the lightly-burdened people of
2 the coasts possibly know our state?

By the fragrance of the musk-pod which 6

finally the morning breeze will open from All my work, because of my egotism,
that forelock; has led to a bad reputation!
Because of the twist of its musky ringlet How can that secret remain hidden
what blood fell in our hearts! which they make public meetings out of?
3 7
For me, in the halting-place of the If you desire His presence, do not be
beloved, what security of living is there? absent from Him, Hafez.
Since every moment the bell is calling
out “Bind on your camel-litters!” When you meet the One you desire,
abandon the world and let it go!
4

2. Abū-Muhammad Muslih al-Dīn bin AbdallāhShīrāzī

Mostly known as Sadi. He’s one of the prominent Iranian poets of the
medieval period. Sadi excels in purity and richness in language and is
stated for the symmetry and balance of his compositions. Sadi is known
for his notable works, the Bustan (Scented Garden) and Gullistan (Rose
Garden). The book contains the fruits of Saadi’s long experience and his judgments
upon life, and is illustrated by a vast collection of anecdotes. The book has ten chapters
regarding the issues of ethics and training. These are: justice, mercy, love, humility,
contentment, devotions, education, gratitude, repentance, and praying.
 Bani Adam by Sadi

Man’s sons are parts of one reality

Since all have sprung from one identity;

If one part of a body’s hurt, the rest

Cannot remain unmoved and undistressed;

If you’re not touched by others’ pain, the name

Of “man” is one you cannot rightly claim.

Bani Adam means Children of Adam. Sadi wants to emphasize that if someone does
not deserve empathy in his or her manner, it would not be appropriate to consider him
or her as a part of “Bani Adam” or children of Adam.

Prepared by:
BRYLE ABBAH R. DE PEDRO
LONARD PAUL I. IJALO
SHENNA LOYD I. PARMAN
MARC IAN LOUIE D. SOCO

MARIVIC N. DE LA CRUZ
Mentore