On World Poetry Day,聽Dr Karim Javan, Research Associate, and聽Naureen Ali, Cataloguer and Adlib Officer in the IIS鈥檚 Ismaili Special Collections Unit, discover poetry in the walls at the AKC, in the manuscripts housed at the IIS, and in today鈥檚 Nawruz celebrations.
Today marks World Poetry Day, introduced by UNESCO to celebrate linguistic diversity through poetic expression, honour poets and foster the convergence between poetry and other art forms.
A multiplicity of poetic expressions through different art forms can be found at the聽, home to the IIS, in transcriptions and inscriptions of poetry.
Poetry at the AKC
One of the various聽, the Garden of Light, is inspired by the Islamic courtyards of Andalusia in Spain, and includes pattered screens with a ribbon of white marble inscribed with verses by different Persian poets, including the following by Nasir Khusraw:
丕夭 毓賱賲 爻倬乇 讴賳 讴賴 亘乇 丨賵丕丿孬
丕夭 毓賱賲 賯賵蹖鬲乇 爻倬乇 賳亘丕卮丿
Make a shield from knowledge
For there is no stronger shield against calamities
Nasir Khusraw, an Ismaili philosopher, theologian and poet, was born in Qubadyan,聽KhurasanThe northeastern region of early Islamic Persia, immediately south of Transoxania and west of Badakhshan. More, in 394 AH/1004 AD. According to the introduction in his聽Safarnama, at the age of forty, he experienced a spiritual transformation after which he travelled to Fatimid Cairo. He spent four years there and studied Ismaili theology. After being appointed as the聽岣箩补迟聽of聽Khurasan, he returned to his homeland to propagate Ismaili聽dawa. He wrote on different subjects of Ismaili theology and philosophy, both in verse and prose.
Poetry in the IIS Special Collections
At the AKC, the IIS also houses its聽Special Collections, which include the following manuscript of Nasir Khusraw鈥檚聽Diwan.
This manuscript of聽Diwan-i Nasir-i Khusraw聽is transcribed in fine black聽Naskh聽(a style of Arabic and Persian calligraphy) within multiple rulings and gilded frame. The heading on the first page is illuminated in purple, blue and gold and the first two pages have floral decoration in the margins and between the lines. This聽Diwan聽has no colophon so no date and name of the scribe can be identified. Based on the illumination style and the calligraphy, it was produced in Iran in the Qajar period (late 18th/early 19th century).
Poetry and Nawruz
World Poetry Day also coincides with the arrival of Nawruz (a Persian word meaning 鈥渘ew day鈥), which marks the beginning of Spring and is celebrated as the start of a new year by more than 300 million people around the world.
There are various forms of celebration in different regions such as family feasts, exchange of gifts, children playing with painted eggs, and preparation of a Nawruz table with symbolic objects signifying happiness, fertility and abundance. You can discover more about some of these celebrations and rituals in Dr Shiraz Kabani鈥檚 recent book聽Ismaili Festivals: Stories of Celebration. Along with cultural performances, writing and recitation of poetry is also a common feature of Nawruz celebrations.
Nasir Khusraw鈥檚 poetry聽includes various symbols from nature. All signs of transformation in life and nature for him are inspirations to reflect on his faith and beliefs. On the occasions of Spring and Nawruz, he writes:
亘賴丕乇 丿賱 丿賵爻鬲丿丕乇 毓賱賷
賴賲賷卮賴 倬乇 丕爻鬲 丕夭 賳诏丕乇 毓賱賷
丿賱賲 夭賵 賳诏丕乇 丕爻鬲 賵 毓賱賲 丕爻倬乇賲
趩賳賷賳 賵丕噩亘 丌賷丿 亘賴丕乇 毓賱賷
The spring in the heart of Ali鈥檚 lovers, is always illuminated by his love,
My heart is adorned by him, shielded by knowledge,
Such is ought to be the spring of Ali.
噩賴丕賳 乇丕 丿诏乇诏賵賳賴 卮丿 讴丕乇賵 亘丕乇卮
亘乇賵 賲賴乇亘丕賳 诏卮鬲 氐賵乇鬲 賳诏丕乇卮
亘賴 丿蹖亘丕 亘倬賵卮蹖丿 賳賵乇賵夭 乇賵蹖卮
亘賴 賱賵賱賵 亘卮爻鬲 丕亘乇 诏乇丿 丕夭 毓匕丕乇卮
The world was transformed as its affairs,
And kindly graced by its Curator,
Nawruz put on its silky dress, as clouds washed away dust from its face.
The last line captures the spirit of renewal ushered in by Spring and Nawruz: it is a time to celebrate and look forward to a fresh, new year鈥攚ith joy and poetry.
An exploration of themes and techniques used by Nasir Khusraw, along with an English translation of some of his poetry, can be found in聽Make a Shield from Wisdom: Selected Verses from Nasir-i Khusraw鈥檚 Divan聽by Annemarie Schimmel.
