Arabic-Persian literacy relation

Arabic literature has long been developed in the Persian lands, in particular for theology, law and philosophy. On the other hand it is also observed that Arabic literary expression almost affected the new Persian literary material, both its form and contents. Historically it is obvious that more or less all Islamic data available to the present day readers whether these are Hadith books or mere history and genealogy books were compiled or presented in books date back to 9th century. Ibn Khaldun in his Muqaddimah Part-2 (Fasal number 35) describes that in the beginning of Islamic period Arabs were expert in eloquence and the oral communications being the basis of their customs was sufficient for them, that was why art of literacy could not flourished. In the early days of Islam scholars were known as “Qur’re” plural of Arabic “Qari” and for a Qari it was not necessary to be literate.

Persian literature (Persian: ادبیات فارسی‎) is one of the world's oldest literatures and much of its pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its aftermath shows that Iranians wrote in both Persian and Arabic because after Arab conquest knowledge of Arabic became necessary, for it was not only the language of the new rulers and their state, but of the religion they adopted. Persian for many centuries dominated not only the Arabic literature but also literary circles in most of the Asian regions after collapse of Sassanid Empire.

First Arabic Dictionary

It is described that in the early days of the Prophet’s mission there were very few men in the Quraish tribe, who were able to read and write. In spite endeavors, there was no proper pronunciation system for written words for development of Arabic literature, the problem was overcome in the 2nd half of eight Century when lexicographers al-Farahidi presented the first known Arabic Dictionary Kitab al-Ayn(Arabic: كتاب العين‎).

Literacy Background

Edward G. Browne in his book “A literary History of Persia” writes that the two or three centuries immediately following the Muhammadan conquest of Persia were a blank page in the intellectual life of its people. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, importance and necessity of Hadith was gradually realized. Soon it became necessary for religious scholars to consider hadith as the second authoritative source after the Qur'an for solution of their canonical problems. The importance of hadith grew steadily with time, until it took the shape of a vast science with numerous disciplines. The beginning of Arabic literature can be viewed with recognition to Hadith compilation and appreciation to biographies of the Prophet and Caliphs. According to Sunni Muslims view point, the recording of Hadith starts in the Umayyad Caliph Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz, this view is widely accepted and name of Ibn Jurayj is provided as the first person to compile the Hadith. It is also related that he wrote the book “Musannaf ibn Jurayj”, besides quotation of his narrations; no details about his compilations are traceable

Literacy development

Academic research also suggests that there was a wide association between Arabs and Persian prior to rise of Islamic period and Sassanid civilization had already influenced the Arabic culture and language in pre-Islamic Iran. Academically term “Dewan” was adopted into Arabic from Persian which basically relates to accounting for recording of sate’s income and expenditure. The department of Dewan was first introduced in 20th year of Hijra (642/3 AD) by the Caliph Umar on the advice of Hormuzan (a Persian Chief in the Sassanid Empire, embraced Islam after battle of Qadsia. Caliph Umar awarded him yearly pay of 2000 Driham with accommodation in Madina. Aqeel ibn Abi Talib was the first superintendent of Dewan. However, departments of Dewan were maintained and managed by Syrians (in Roman language) and in Iraq and Persia (in Persian language) in their territories respectively. Afterward Dewan, gradually become the ministerial as well as secretarial department for Arab rulers, having numerous “Katib” meaning who writes or records in the book, as their subordinates. Work of Dewan and Katib was first attempted to be transferred into Arabic by 5th Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. This period, with nepotism for Syrian Arabs, may be regarded as beginning of written communications by the state in the official language and with the participation of local with the appetite of literacy.

Since the beginning of Muslim rule, Christian, Zoroastrian and Jewish Philosophers, physicians, scientists, engineers, musicians and court administrators who were in the first Hijra century were gradually convert or forced out of government services. However, this trend was changed during Abbasid Caliphate, especially in the period of fifth caliph Harun al-Rashid. Under his rule Baghdad became the world’s most important center for science, philosophy, medicine, and education, the caliphate had contact and shared borders with many distant empires, so scholars at Baghdad could collect translate and expand upon the knowledge of other civilization. His successor continued his policies and founded the House of Wisdom, which provided an institute for translators and in many ways, scholars who sought to translate and gather the cumulative knowledge of human history in one place and in one language (Arabic) and in this era important ideas from around the world came together from Greek, Hebrew, Persian and other languages. Consequently the most important books like The Six Book traced out compilation after 8th Century and in the Abbasid Caliphate, similarly The Four Books (hadith collections work from Twelver Shia) also starts during this period.

Philosophy in Arabic

Beginning of marginal philosophical discussion can be seen after translation of some books of Greek philosophy into Arabic in the second century Hijri (722-822 A.D.) by Persians. Half hearted welcome to the philosophical concepts had seen a turning point when a number of philosophical books were destroyed and dumped into ocean in the 3rd century Hijri by fundamentalists on the motivation of rulers of that time for safeguarding their vested interests. Credit for revival of philosophy in the Arabic literature through Hikmat(knowledge) and education during 4th century Hijri went to a Persian origin scholar and doctor of Medieval period Al-Farabi. This endeavor was further boosted by Persian Avicenna and other Islamic thinkers and clergy namely, Shahab al-Din Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi, Ibn Rushad]] (born Hijri 520/AD 1126) etc. After Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Saddaruddin Muhammad Sherazi (979 to 1050 Hijri) is one of Persian Islamic philosopher who established the philosophy in Arabic language on mathematical patterns by removing the lacunas of assumptions with rationality making room for religious and empirical knowledge as branches of Hikmat (Science & Wisdom). Sherazi had written about 50 books and magazines one of his classic book is “Asphar” in four volume. Many of the important scholars of Islamic sciences who influenced Muslim mind in South Asia belonged to Iranian lands, though they wrote in Arabic It was also the official and cultural language of many Islamic dynasties, including Samanids, Buyids, the Mughal Empire, Ghaznavid, Seljuq, Safavid, Afsharids, Qajar, etc. With acknowledging the importance of Arabic as religion basis for literature, Arabic-Persian relation has long history for development simultaneously.

Historiography

History basically covers the writing about the past and gives us knowledge to benefit from the experience of people in past and events they faced with loss or gain. Biography is the opening of the Arabic historiography in the first two century which was reachable in the forms of traditions or Hadiths of the Prophet. During historical development, history was closely linked with hadith and followed in traditionalist method. Original sources and understanding its origins, methods of composition, purposes, credibility, interpretation and usefulness all are perquisites of historiography. Early work allowed the development of more complex narrative forms, Urwa ibn al-Zubayr and al-Zuhri began to assemble chronologies from the various word of mouth reports and scattered documents. However, most of the available historical data in Arabic was literary and oral mixture of traditions, and no sufficient data survived except in the way of quotations for study and references of later authors. The first Hijra century covers a vast series of conquests and gave birth to a new civilization. The second brick of history-writing was description of these conquests and military expeditions, which are called as maghazi (derived from ghazwah means battle). Third genre of historiography relates to genealogy. The historical recording of genealogy in historiography was plus point for Arabic literature because Arabs with their good memory were well versed with the knowledge of ansab (plural nasab in Arabic), the expertise in genealogies. One of the historical sources was Akhbari (meaning informationist). They compiled the traditions in simple events, such as Abu Mikhnaf.

Early developments

The earlier traditional Persian Muslim historian Tabari collected vast quantities of material and set it down in roughly chronological sequence and added a valuable history book into Arabic literature. His book serves the very basis for authors of later periods. al-Masudi with his well known book "Meadows of Gold (Muruj al Dhahab)" collectively presented the history and geography and illuminated the Arabic literature with east and west parts of Asia and provided a detail account for India and Persia, he visited through travelling by sea and road. He was greatly admired of al-Tabri.

Approach to history

Ibn Khaldun laid down the rules of historical criticism and worked out the theories, however, he was himself unable to apply to his own historical work. Nevertheless, he is considered scholar of the greatest exponent for a critical approach to the study of history in Islamic golden age and references for modern critics. Ibn Khaldun gives an historiography account by describing that books written by al-Masudi and Al-Waqidi are not appreciable and valuable but all historians had accepted them and patron of these two writers adopted by all. It depends on wise and a critic to observe and weigh the contents of al-Masudi and Al-Waqidi that which one is acceptable or not, because history relates to socio-political circumstance and influenced with affairs emerged as a result of socio-cum-geological politics.

Religion literature bonding

All over the world Arabic literature in form of Hadith and traditions of Imams and Islamic scholars are accepted as primary source. Arabic (besides Kurdish ) is the official language of Iraq and Farsi of Iran. Islamic Universities at Najaf and Qum has since long been the main bonding between Arabic-Persian inter-relation in literacy and Arabic literature by virtue of Islamic Jurisprudence, history, genealogy, poetry, etc.

See also

• Arabic literature
• Hagarism
• List of Muslim historians

References

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