Persian tradition Uṣūl al-ḥikam fī niẓām al-‘ālam BY Hasan Kafi Al-Aqhisari

Abstract

This paper analyses the presence of the Persian political and literaly tradition in Uṣūl al-ḥikam fī niẓām al-‘ālam (Principles of Wisdom on the World Order), one of the most prominent works written by Bosnians during the Ottoman reign. This work is written in Arabic language, then translated to Ottoman Turkish with some Persian verses added to it. There are 23 poe- tical fragments in Persian language in Uṣūl al-ḥikam fī niẓām al-‘ālam. The translation and transcription of Persian verses are given in this paper. 16 out of 23 authors of Persian verses are identified. Hasan Kāfī al-Aqhisārī cites the best works of Persian classical literature.

He is familiar with Golestān, Bustān and Gazaliyyāt by Saʻdī Shirāzī. Uṣūl al-ḥikam fī niẓām al-‘ālam is enriched by poetical fragments by Nezāmī Ganğawī, the other great Persian classical poet. Beside Saʻdī and Nezāmi, there are verses that belongs to Molā Hosayn Wāʻez Kāshefī, Ebn Yamīn and Amīr Hosrow, the Persian authors who are not familiar even now in our public. All preislamic and Islamic Persian heroes are taken as models of justice, wisdom, courage and experience. These examples are used to show the Ottoman Muslim sultan the importance of virtues and to teach the sultan how to reign properly. It is an amazing fact how the knowled- ge of ancient Iran passed to Arabic culture then came to the Ottoman tradition and finally found its way to the far away Bosnia.