FERDOSI’s life and thought

Ancient heritage is the historical background of every nation that is hidden inside the culture, civilization, books and thinking. It would be a beneficial and bright way for future, if we have a factual, unbiased and analytical view to the past. This point of view has early effects on people’s culture. After the appearance of Islam, a fundamental evolution has been occurred in the political and social life of Iran and Islamic thought combined with Iranian thought.
Those governments which were established after the first two AD centuries, started to adopt their political basis with Iran and on the contrary they reached their independence from caliphs when Iran formed independent governments like SAMANIAN in the middle of third century AD.
HAKIM ABOLGHASEM FERDOSI is a scholar who was the ensign man of Iranian thought and era. In other words, the loop of ancient Iranian thought and Islamic thought has been formed by FERDOSI. The most important thing, in providing FERDOSI’s motivation for the way of rescuing the past thoughts of Iran, are the way of thinking, feeling, social growth, culture level, interest, financial development and fear of removing Iranian culture and thought. FERDOSI belongs to farmer’s class and this fact is important for us in analyzing his character and ideas. The rich class of people kept their connection between their thoughts, race and culture with their civilization of ancient Iran.
We can recite all FERDOSI’s thoughts by his masterpiece. In fact he spent his life and wealth on his works. But why did he spend all his money on this? We don’t discuss about SHAHNAME, but for surveying and eliciting his thought that is a reflection of Iranian thought and its history we extremely need this masterpiece because, it is the reflection of Iranians beliefs, culture and customs. FERDOSI’s perseverance revived this dynamic and live thinking and leaded it. God, religion, wisdom, purity of mind, speech and manner are the basic topics of his thought. In other words FERDOSI, pays a special attention to his mind plan towards these topics and expressions. None of Iranian scholars value wisdom like FERDOSI. Wisdom is the main pattern of thought and mind. From this view point he is a creative and thoughtful scientist.
Wisdom is the best among all blessings
Wisdom shows you the best way
If you see, wisdom is your body and soul
You cannot see the world happily, without your eyes
Wisdom is the guide and joy
Wisdom is the way to the universe and hereafter
Some expressions like God and Country can be found more than anything else in FERDOSI’s thoughts. He took his important responsibility in a sensitive circumstance of the society and he rescued the inherited ancient Iranian thinking. The analysis of the combination of Islamic, patriotic, religious, political and social thinking in pre and post period of Islam had been done by FERDOSI. In this case, the mutuality and negotiation of the governors like Mahmoud GHAZNAVI and FERDOSI and his wise defense of Iranian culture and achievement is exemplary. In his perspective, every social change, from bad one to pleasant one, rooted from the beginning. His protest and the king’s invitation toward fine manner and humanity are making him a desirable scientist that seeks ideals. In his idea every person, even the king is as the same level and they are attached to each other like a system and any damage in one part, hurts the other parts of the society.
I would be happy the time that
I solve oppressed people’s problem
He was committed to Islamic basis and Shia thinking as much as he was worried about ancient history. His sincere will for God and prophet’s inmate never hide in his thoughts. He doesn’t want to express an idea with his own interest; he shows himself according to his own character, though.
If you are interested in hereafter
Place yourself near the prophet and Imam Ali
Therefore FERDOSI is the first scholar of Iran that combines these two parts of the history. So we can find dialectic that everything is in contrast in his mind. Demon has been criticized against God as badness against goodness. In other words, the beginning point, thought movement and the end of thought end in unity. The Almighty God is the one who lighten the moon and sun and the entire universe is in his hands and this fact is beyond our description and mind; and it has placed in religion’s beliefs. FERDOSI’s realistic view point is the reason why racial conflicts never combined with religious believers. Hence, loving Iran’s civilization never stops him from worshiping prophet’s inmate.
If science and knowledge left you
You should be found by wisdom
If you don’t want to be dejected
And be always poor
You have to listen to your prophet’s speech
Clean you darkness with this water
FERDOSI’s performance is also appreciated in political thinking. Every dimension of political system in ancient Iran has been imagined by him. He elicits political thinking that is called God, King, and homeland from events, occurrences, political and classified structures and he beautifies it. The king was the head of the society in the political system of Iran before Islam presence and even after that; and people were considered as his vessels. The king was considered as a father of people. In fact, God entrusts his power as a fiduciary in order to help the king for managing the land and its people. In FERDOSI’s considered political system, there is no difference between the king and people. People can immediately talk and make connections with the king. A kind of king that makes difference between himself and people is disgusting for FERDOSI. For instance, KEIGHOBAD in his advice letter to his son, KEIKHOSRO, emphasized on justice and abstinence of governors.
KEIKAVOUS was called
He had been blamed because of his sharp tongue
He had been told that if you believe in justice
You will get paid hereafter
But if you engaged with pride
You will find a sharp blade
FERDOSI sees people as superior creatures. This human prevents dishonesty and murder and hates violence against another human. His actions are optional not compulsory; therefore, he is worthy to get awarded or get punished. Human and the universe are not eternal but the fine name. For reaching the greatness, we should sacrifice ourselves. The main criteria and foundation of a family that forms also a society is a true upbringing and parents and children’s connection. A dynamic and healthy society preserves moral aspects. FERDOSI wishes a utopia. He is worried about the loss of such society and he believes that ancient Iran was a utopia but it had been twisted by stupid priests that injected their Zoroastrian beliefs and destroyed some Iranian civilized governors. FERDOSI never accepts class community but he believes that justice that places everything in a right spot can improve the society. Everybody should follow this sequence and stand in his own place.
Dear pure man know that
You should try to reach justice
Build your world by justice
And make people happy
FERDOSI believes that the manner refinement, Monotheism, God and the holy prophet and his inmates praise, wisdom and knowledge base, growth, justice, Determinism and freedom, world and human’s right, political dependence, human civil law and freedom and all other contents that are necessary to be done in the society, should help in managing the community; thought, he deals with these concepts from every dimensions.
Women
FERDOSI knows real women base and he dedicated a vast part of his ideas to this field. Women have an important role in reaching to the idealistic goals. Women should not forget to follow their husband and keep hijab but in the meantime they cannot keep the secrets. Women’s law is supported by him but this doesn’t mean debauchery. If there is an element like chastity in their souls, they can cause the ascension of men and they can go to heaven. So the destiny of society engaged with their positive performance. Women play an important role in structuring an idealistic city.
From purity of women
That they are sympathetic and advisor
And if there is a pure one
She is like a treasure
The features known as ornament and treasure for women in Eastern society are hijab, taking care of husband, chastity and a good children upbringing; and FERDOSI emphasized on these factors. Holy Fatima and ZEINAB are considered as ideals characters in SHAHNAMEH.
The Ruler
FERDOSI extremely criticizes a proud, unconcerned, independent and ignorant Ruler and he rejects him. In fact he is splendor-less. A kind of power that legalizes king’s realm and if a ruler or a king wouldn’t obey these rules not only he loses God’s splendor and right but also people would uproar against him and they discharge him because he has no merit for governing Iran.
There are a lot of examples like this in FERDOSI’s thought in SHAHNAMEH. Uprising against JAMSHID, ZAHAK, GHOBAD, and so on. These are the stories of their removal: JAMSHID reached to a lot of achievements but he claimed to be the almighty God; and ZAHAK the cruel because of using Iranian youngsters’ brain for feeding his snakes and finally, GHOBAD SASANI, because of causing drain, hoarding grain, anger and people uprising against him. So there was a root for Islamic thought in Iranian minds.
Generally, FERDOSI was concerned about the homeland, religion and past of Iran. He didn’t want to lose the small amount of remained resources and documents and in fact he saved them. He respected the other nations and beliefs and he never insulted them. Although he was an enormous Iranian avid fan that loved his homeland, he was never defeated by prejudice and this feeling never kept him far away from justice, also he never humiliated other nations and their beliefs and races.
He wants people to improve. Triumph of light over darkness and ignorance, goodness over badness are not the things that FERDOSI can pass them easily. All these paradoxes need human nation. Goodness has no value, if there is no badness but human’s goal and intelligence are eager toward blessings. FERDOSI also wants this. He dreams about the past greatness of Iran that lay on better elements and to remove independent rules. For this reason he is always in oppose with the people or rulers that are immoral, irreligious, without identity and ancestry, thoughtless, and superstitious. He is an avid fan of science, brightness, fine living, and honesty; therefore he believes that any accusation including prejudice and predilection of negative kingdom’s system and blindly ultranationalist are far away of intelligence and logic. He is a scholar that believes in humanity and philanthropy beside of loving his homeland, people, country and national thoughts.