Iranian Studies

Abstract Epic literature has long provided a platform for representing moral and cultural thought. The story of Rostam and Sohrab in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and its re-creation in Matthew Arnold’s narrative poem Sohrab and Rustum serve as examples of the connection between epic and ethics. This study conducts a comparative analysis of moral virtues and vices in these two works, showing how both poets—despite temporal and cultural distance—shape their narratives according to different moral frameworks. It also explores how a shared narrative can, within distinct cultural contexts, convey divergent ethical messages. The research method is descriptive–analytical, based on both quantitative and qualitative study of the texts. Moral virtues and vices were identified through the intellectual sources of each poet, then tabulated, and their frequency and application examined. Findings reveal that Ferdowsi, by emphasizing courage, family loyalty, dignity, and benevolence, creates a moral world in which good triumphs over evil. In contrast, Arnold focuses on family affection, friendship, and love, while also highlighting vices such as pride, ill temper, and misconduct. The ethical approach of Ferdowsi and Arnold influences the rhetorical and narrative structure of their works. Both writers organize their retelling of the story in line with their moral systems, making ethics central to genre and narrative style

Abstract Geometry plays an integral role in the architectural production of all cultures. Islamic scholars classified it into categories. In treatises of scholars and professionals, volume geometry was one manifestation of this science. Understanding the relationship between thinking about volume and geometry among Muslim mathematicians in different eras is important for understanding volume geometry in Iranian architectural works. This research focuses on the beginning of Islam until the 5th century Hijri. Its purpose belongs to the basic-theoretical category. Interpretive-historical research has been used to answer: Geometry is classified as a science according to what basis? How have Muslim mathematicians viewed volume geometry in light of this classification? Al-Farabi divided geometry into theory and practice, and Akhwan al-Safa attributed mystical aspects to Pythagorean thinking. Emphasis on practice in Islamic classification reflected the importance of applying theory. This transformed volume geometry from abstract topics—such as creating volumes of the universe—into philosophical, trigonometric, computational, and conic foundations. Volume calculation evolved from comparative methods to numerical techniques. References to volume ranged from sculptures to spatial dimensions.

Abstract The spiritual heritage of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province includes a number of native anthropomorphic dolls that are inextricably linked to the rituals and, of course, popular beliefs and oral literature of various ethnic groups (Persian, Qashqai, Bakhtiari and Lor); some of these rituals related to dolls are being forgotten due to neglect and it is necessary to research and study them as a page in the historical culture book. The present study attempts to identify the rituals associated with the native dolls of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari by examining 12 dolls using a descriptive-analytical method and answering the question: What rituals of the culture of the people of this region do the native dolls of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari reflect? Initial studies in the field of field studies and documents indicate that the native anthropomorphic dolls of the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari region are a remnant of the tribal and nomadic life of the inhabitants of these areas, which have undergone few changes in terms of raw materials, tools of manufacture, and changes in modern social trends.They play an important role in the two categories of good and evil in order to achieve the aspirations of humans in the heart of a traditional society. Dolls have had a ritual function and have been important in times of illness, drought and poverty, girls' weddings, the birth of children, and protection from supernatural beings and, of course, potential enemies, as well as in other stages of life.

Abstract This article examines Aramesh Doostdar’s critical concept of “religious culture” and proposes Daryush Shayegan’s later intellectual framework as a viable response to the cultural and identity deadlocks Doostdar identifies. Doostdar argues that the permanent dominance and hegemony of religious culture lead to inevitable cultural stagnation and the impossibility of independence, individuality, subjectivity, and human resistance. In his view, culture is a closed, static, homogeneous entity devoid of dynamism, in which the individual is dissolved and rendered incapable of innovation or agency. This conceptualization leaves no conceivable path for progress or escape. The article addresses two central questions: First, what are the identity-related consequences of Doostdar’s notion of religious culture? Second, can Shayegan’s reflections on intercultural relations and the connection between tradition and modernity offer a solution to these impasses? The analysis argues that the outcome of Doostdar’s rigid framework is best understood as an identity crisis or even an “absence of identity.” In contrast, the article suggests that Shayegan’s framework—which emphasizes a world characterized by a rhizomatic and fractured ontology—provides resources to overcome these deadlocks. Shayegan contends that no single culture can meet the needs of contemporary human beings. Modern individuals possess fragmented forms of consciousness and are multi-identified. They are therefore capable of moving freely between diverse cultural spaces and modes of being, actively choosing from various possibilities, and ultimately rediscovering and reconstructing their own identity.

Abstract The study of Khusrawani wisdom, also known as the wisdom of ancient Iran, encompasses all cultural conceptions. It serves as a means to gain a more accurate understanding of Islamic-Iranian culture, tracing back to the second century of the Hijra. This culture predominantly consists of mystical mythology and philosophy. Iranian wisdom summarizes the various schools of thought, religions, and worldviews of the Iranian peoples. These traditions evolved in Iran for centuries both before and after the advent of Islam. Sheikh Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi referred to this wisdom as "Eshraq/Khusrawani wisdom." Iranian philosophers and sages emerged within Iran's rich intellectual and cultural milieu, drawing from the vast seas of wisdom and philosophy from both the East and the West. Among these sages was Nasser Khosrow Qubadiani, an Ismaili Da'i and Hujjat in the 5th century AH. While previous analyses of his works have been approached from a Western perspective, focusing on the influence of Greek philosophy, this research delves into fundamental questions. It explores Nasser Khosrow's relationship with the ancient world of Iran and whether he drew from the legacy of Iranian philosophy/Khusrawani wisdom, and to what extent. Nasser Khosrow's impact on Iranian culture and literature, spanning both ancient and Islamic eras, can be divided into two main aspects. In the first part, Nasser Khosrow was influenced by the heritage of ancient Iranian culture. This influence is evident in his references to figures like Zoroaster, Avesta, Zand, and Pazand, as well as mentioning great kings such as Anusharvan and Sam in his Diwan. The second part reveals Nasser Khosrow's assimilation of the culture of the Abbasid era, including its writers and poets. This article investigates the role and significance of Iranian/Khusrawani wisdom in Nasser Khosrow's intellectual framework. By highlighting the importance of reason and authority in his intellectual structure, it compares, interprets, and analyzes the key aspects of Khusrawani wisdom and Nasser Khosrow's wisdom concerning reason and authority.