Naser Khosrow
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Naser Khosrow comemmorated on 1975 Iranian stamp. |
Naser Khosrow Qobadiani (
1003 –
1088), the
Persian traveller, theologian and philosopher, was born to a rich family in the town of Qobadian, near the present day city of
Balkh.
He studied various sciences such as Koranic exegesis, mathematics, Greek philosophy, astronomy, geography and theology, and received a position in the “Justice Court” of the
Seljuk Empire.
Until
1046, he was a senior secretary and a successful accountant, but a vision during the night changed his life. He sensed that he couldn’t stay home and decided to visit other lands and become acquainted with other peoples. Thus, Naser went to the capital city of
Merv and resigned his job to pilgrimage to
Mecca. He left Merv and started his 19000- kilometer journey through the
Islamic World from
Iran to
Sudan.
In
Egypt he met the
Fatimid Caliph Al-Mustansir (ruled
1035 –
1085) and was respected for his science and intelligence.
Al-Mustansir was an
Ismaili and presented his sect to Naser Khosrow. Naser researched a lot about this
Islamic denomination and finally converted to Ismailism.
He came back as a missionary to convert people of
Greater Khorasan to Ismailism. Naser was an eloquent man, an expert writer and his mission was too successful in the eyes of some
Sunni clerics and the king, who opposed him. Naser had to leave his birthplace again and emigrated to
Yamgan Valley near
Badakhshan Mountains (now in
Afghanistan). He spent his last years there and wrote most of his books.
Safarnameh (The Itinerary) is his most famous work. He visited tens of cities in about seven years (
1046,
March 6 –
1052,
October 23) and wrote comprehensively about them: colleges, caravanserais, mosques, area, population, scientists, kings, usual people and his interesting memories. After 1000 years his “Safarnameh” is still readable for
Persian-speaking people.
Among his other books are:
*Divan (the collection of odes and short poems)
*Sa’adat Nameh (The Book of Happiness)
*Zaad al-Mosaferin, written in
1061 about
Ismailism beliefs
*Vajh-e Din (The face of religion)
* E.G. Browne.
Literary History of Persia. (Four volumes, 2,256 pages, and twenty-five years in the writing). 1998. ISBN 0-700-70406-X
* Jan Rypka,
History of Iranian Literature. Reidel Publishing Company. ASIN B-000-6BXVT-K
*
List of Persian poets and authors*
Persian literature*
Naser Khosrow in jazirehdanesh(persian)
