SUFISMAND ISMA'ILIDOCTRINE IN THEPERSIAN POETRY OF NIZARIQUHISTANI (645-721/1247-1321)1 By LeonardLewisohn Instituteof smaili Studies, London FOREWORD Arabic grammar, philosophy, literature, and the rudimentsof Sufi theosophy.5In his mid-twenties HIakimNizAri Quhistani (d. 721/1321),2one of the Nizarifound employment at the courtof Shamsal-Din eminent and original Persianpoets of the Mongol Kart(643-76 /1245-77), the rulerof Sistan(and much period,was born in 645/1247 in the village of Ffidaj of theprovince of Khurasan)in northernIran.6 Arriving whichlies in the suburbsof the city of Birjandin south- in Heratin the early 1270s, he workedfor the Kart eastern Khurasan. He was, according to some dynasty (who ruled a large part of Afghanistanon authorities(see below, V), a scion of the last Isma'ili behalfof the Mongols)in variouscapacities both as a Nizari Imam, Rukn al-Din Khurshah (653-54/ tax-collectorand courtpoet.7 But as he becamemore 1255-56). Sincethe onlyreliable facts about his life are intimatewith the responsibilitiesof his job as a tax- those that can be deducedfrom his own works,3it is collector,he graduallybecame disillusionedwith the mostlyto thesethat I will be directingmy attentionin harshand punitive measures adopted by the Kartswho, the followingbrief sketchof his life andtimes. In this under pressurefrom their Mongol overlords,often essay I shall summarise(i) Nizari'sbiography, before obligedhim to exact money and goods by force from proceedingto discuss(ii) his life as a courtier,vizier and local peasants. panegryrist,(iii) the literaryinfluences on his verse,(iv) In 679/1280 he set out on a long journey from his bacchanalianpoetry, (v) varioustheories about the Quhistan,exploring some of the northernand Western origins of his pen-name,(vi) the Isma'ilimotifs and provinces,particularly Georgia, bordering the Caspian (vii) Sufi topoi and symbolism of his homiletic Sea, while recordinghis travelsin a mathnawipoem of mathnawi and erotic lyrical poetry. Finally, some over a thousandcouplets entitled the Safar-nima, generalconclusions (viii) will be drawnto resolvesome "Travelogue".This was his earliestmathnawi poem, of the apparentcontradictions ostensibly present in the dedicatedto a certainSufi masternamed Amin al-Din8 different (Sufi-Isma'ili) religious persuasions and (see below,VII). On his returnto Heratin 681/1282,he spiritual doctrines expressed in his verse, while resignedhis post at the Kartcourt and retiredto his situating his poetry in its historical, literary, and hometownBirjand where he remainedfor nearly a spiritualcontexts. Some reflections will also be offered decade,married and raised a family.Then in 694/1294, on the place and significanceof his poetry in the the local Mihrabanidprince 'Ali Shfihhired him as his pantheonof mediaevalPersian poets, and comments courtpoet, althoughhe managedto keep this position made on the trans-sectariancontext and mystical for only two yearsbefore his outspokenopinions and content of his verse as an expressionof both Sufi polemicspenned against the oppressivenobles at the symbolismand theosophy, and Isma'ili doctrine. prince'scourt, local mullahsand corruptjurists caused offenceto the prince,who exiledhim fromcourt. Fromhis earlyyouth and employmentin the Kart II. NIZARI,POET AND COURTIER administrationin his twenties until his death in retirementin 721/1321 in his mid-seventies,Nizari Of Nizari'searly years until his mid-twenties,very composed volumes of poetry, much of which was littleis known.He was borninto a familywho probably inspiredby the courtsociety and the high socialcircles "belongedto a clan of high-profilenotables of the in whichhe moved.Over the courseof his long career Isma'ilisect in Quhistan,in which they possessedan as a courtier,he also wrote much occasional and eminentleadership role."4 He had threebrothers. He panegryricalverse inspired by the socialcircumstances apparentlyenjoyed a normal education, studying of courtlife and the politicalposition that he held as 229 This content downloaded from 146.198.210.70 on Sun, 16 Aug 2015 06:59:31 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 230 JOURNAL OF PERSIAN STUDIES vizierof the kingsof Quhistan.9After his exile fromthe ignobleconduct. I have a good dwellingin the Street Mihrabanidcourt, he spentthe remainingtwo decades of Contentment,(just like) theminter of money,who of his life, duringhis fiftiesand sixties(from 696/1296 is an alchemist,is the Lordof the cash of fortune... to 721/1321)confined to his smallproperty in Birjand Whatthe scholarhas is only this generalknowledge, wherehe composedmost of his mainmathnawl poems but for us it sufficesthat we can clearlydiscern, by (Munizarashab u raz,"The Dispute Between Night and way of demonstrativeproof (hujjat) (the difference) Day";Azhar u mazhar,"Disclosure and Theophany"; as betweenthe path of the Resurrection(ma 'd) andthe well as his Dastar-nama,"Book of Directives").10 sourceand genesisof creation(mabda). Although I Duringhis finalyears, Nizari - who once claimed am entirely disadvantagedof diverse types of to have composed10,000 coupletsof panegyricverse learning,I am learnedby virtueof my innernature in - like Sana'ibefore him, renouncedthe paid poet's the worldof interiorspiritual significations (c'lam-i professionand retired into a cloisteredexistence in the ma'na).No, no! 0 Nizari.No, no! You are not the hills of Quhistan. Disillusioned by his patrons' man to expoundthis lore. How far wide you are of indifference,he spentthese years bitterly lamenting the knowledgeand learningin your unknowing!For if vanityof composingservile verses in praiseof - to use you knowall the loreof creation,and then do not find Hafiz's phrase - "a lord who lacks beneficence yourself yet more ignorant, you deserve damnation. (makhdim bi 'indyat)."11Nothing better explains What "vision" can possibly exist There; what Nizari's attitudetowards compositionof panegryric "knowledge"can subsistThere; what place is there versethan the followinglines froma long qasida:-12 for interiorspiritual reality (ma 'nai) or forthe external I still am- andalways was - drunkfrom wine and phenomenal form (.sarat)There? As long as you have fromthe icon of beauty.I neverwas, norever will be, not abandonedyour self, He will not enterwithin: swollenwith conceitover status and the highrank of how abhorrentit is for an angelto be the companion greatness.Have ever I praisedanyone, that had two of a devil! So let "yourself'depart entirely from aspects:either it was belabouredceremony, or else a betwixtand between,that "He"alone may remain: formof love. If the formerwas merelip-service, the this is the talethat I havetold you: this is the Wayto lattercome out fromthe depths of my soul:the heart's divine Unity (tariq-i wa~hdat). adeptwill distinguishbetween what's spoken out of socialobligation and what's uttered from conviction. In another poem (1231: 11830-38), Nizari railed I never stretchedout my handin greedtowards any against the ethos of obsequious praise indulged in by base morsel,never sullied the robesof my soul with panegryricalpoets, declaring himself a devotee of the This content downloaded from 146.198.210.70 on Sun, 16 Aug 2015 06:59:31 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions SUFISM AND ISMA'ILI DOCTRINE IN THE PERSIAN POETRY OF NIZARI QUHISTANI 231 religion of love. "I am a word-burnernot word-spinner, Princes and Ministers" (Ndsih al- 'umard' wa 'l- speech-consumer not speech-writer," he cries. wuzard'), demonstratinghow highly he was esteemed Repudiating the profession of paid panegyrist, he by his own immediate contemporaries.13 Shaykh remarks: "Seek Nizari if it's Love you want. If Adhari Tusi (d. 866/1461), the poet laureateof Sultaan panegryricalpraise, go to Anwari": Ahmad Shah Bahmani (reg. 825-37/1421-33), in his Love is the consummationand crownof the world. stillunpublished "Jewels of theMysteries" (Jawahir al- Createdbeings are not worthyof Love's leadership. asrdr), likewise commends Nizari for being a Love is King, and upon all it is incumbentto obey "comprehensive poet" (sha'ir-i jdmi).14 Considering him, be they be pious devoteesor libertines.In fact, the fact that only a decade has passed since the the sultansof theworld behave with devotion towards publication (1993) of Mujtahidzada'stwo-volume Love, actingwith servility.In the expositionof the criticaledition of his Diwan,it is fairto say thattoday Lover, the Beloved and Love, I work magic, and scholars still have not made a proper appraisal of his here'sthe sorcery!I amfree from praising any created poetic oeuvre.Aside from the thousandsof lines of being - may God forbid it - for it would be mathnawiverse that he composed,NizarI's Diwdn degradingfor Jesusto bearan ass'sburden. How can represents a monumental achievement, totalling one who is drunkout of his senses pretendto be altogether 1408 ghazals and qasidas, amounting clever?How can a man devoidof accomplishments altogetherto 13,646couplets. His Diwdn,which is the comprehendpoetry? I am a word-bumer,not a word- basis of the preliminaryresearch carried out in this spinner,a speech-consumer,not a speech-writer: essay,proves him to be the mostprolific Isma'ili poet in iconoclasmis differentfrom iconolatry.Although the Persianlanguage - and certainlythe greatestpoet Qanbarwas the freedslave who belongedto 'Ali, it in Persianliterature of the Isma'ili persuasionafter does not suit 'Ali to behave like a slavishbaboon. Nasir-iKhusraw (d. 470/1077). Seek Nizari if it's Love you want, but if it's panegryricalpraise you desire,seek