Document Type : Original Research
Author
Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Bonab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bonab, Iran
Abstract
In a Ṣadrian reading of the motif of khaṭṭ [line] in the ghazals of Ṣāʾib Tabrīzī, the line is not merely an aesthetic or calligraphic element, but rather a transcendent symbol of ontological gradation and the metaphysical relationship between the human being sand the Qur’an. The findings of this study reveal that Ṣāʾib transcends the literary conventions of earlier periods by drawing upon the conceptual framework of ḥikmat-e motaʿālīya [Transcendent Theosophy] and offers an ontological reinterpretation of this motif. In this paradigm, the line is no longer just an instrument of writing or an image of beauty; it is a multi-layered being, descending from the realm of intellect (ʿaql) to the corporeal world, bearing the imprint of divine names and the manifestation of the Muḥammadan Reality (ḥaqīqat-e Muḥammadiyya). Among the most significant conclusions of this research is the deep metaphysical connection between the line and the Qur’an—as the divine word—and the Perfect Human—as the embodied expression of that word. In Ṣāʾib’s ghazals, the line is portrayed not only as a mirror of beauty and a bearer of hidden messages, but also as ontologically united with the Qur’an, the calligrapher, and the figure of divine beauty. The interplay of key Ṣadrian concepts—such as tajallī [theophany], ṣudūr [emanation], the union of knower and known, and the fourfold degrees of being—with the motif of line suggests that Ṣāʾib conceives of the line as a microcosmic reflection of the Book of Being, a divine sign (āyat Allāh), and a trace of transcendent presence. Thus, his ghazals become a contemplative space for exploring the unity of beauty, revelation, and existence—a unity in which the line emerges as both symbolic exegesis of the Qur’an and the visible embodiment of the Active Intellect.
Introduction
The Persian lyric tradition has long endowed khaṭṭ [calligraphic line] with aesthetic and symbolic value, yet in the seventeenth‑century Indo‑Persian style of Ṣāʾib Tabrīzī (d. 1086/1675) the motif acquires an unprecedented philosophical density. Building on the conceptual edifice of Mullā Ṣadrā’s ḥikmat‑i mutaʿāliyya (Transcendent Theosophy, 1050/1640), Ṣāʾib reconfigures khaṭṭ as a multi‑layered emblem that mediates the descent of the Qur’anic Word into the sensible realm and its reflex in the Perfect Human. This study situates Ṣāʾib’s poetics at the intersection of literary motif theory and Ṣadrian ontology, arguing that the line in his ghazals functions simultaneously as: (1) a visual‐acoustic trace of divine speech, (2) a condensed map of cosmic gradation, and (3) a hermeneutic key that unlocks the unity of beauty (jamāl), revelation (waḥy) and being (wujūd).
Methodology
The research adopts a comparative, hermeneutic method in three stages.
Textual Corpus Construction: 312 instances of the khaṭṭ motif were extracted from the six critical volumes of Ṣāʾib’s Dīvān edited by Moḥammad Qahramān.
Philosophical Lens: Mullā Ṣadrā’s primary works—al‑Asfār al‑arbaʿa, Tafsīr al‑Qur’an al‑karīm and Asrār al‑āyāt—were thematically indexed to isolate concepts of emanation (ṣudūr), theophany (tajallī), the union of knower and known, and the four degrees of being.
Motif Mapping: Through qualitative content analysis, the poetic occurrences were aligned with the Ṣadrian concepts, enabling a bidirectional dialogue between poetic image and philosophical doctrine. Reliability was ensured by double coding, and validity through triangulation with earlier motif studies (Esmāʿīlī 2014; Dehqān & Taqavī 2009).
Discussion
Ontological Stratification of Line – Ṣāʾib’s lexicon links the physical trace of ink to a descending arc that mirrors Ṣadrā’s schema of al‑ʿālam al‑ʿaqlī [intellect], al‑nafsī [soul], al‑mithālī [imaginal] and al‑māddī [corporeal]. The line is said to “plunge from emerald tablet to dusty page,” echoing the Qur’an’s own journey from the Preserved Tablet (lawḥ‑i maḥfūẓ) to articulate revelation.
Line–Qur’an–Perfect Human Nexus – The motif of khaṭṭ establishes an ontological union in which the calligrapher, as a manifestation of the Perfect Human, embodies the essence of the Qur’an, and the written line serves as its outward hypostasis. This unity is grounded in Ṣadrā’s doctrine of the inseparability of form and meaning, wherein corporeal expression and metaphysical content coalesce seamlessly.
Semantic Polarity and Hermeneutic Depth – Ṣāʾib emphasizes the paradoxical nature of khaṭṭ, which simultaneously discloses and conceals. While its sensory form appeals to the superficial gaze, its esoteric dimension demands a deeper unveiling (kashf). This duality mirrors the Qur’anic interplay of ẓāhir and bāṭin and resonates with Ṣadrā’s dialectic of manifestation and concealment in ontological terms. Motif as Epistemic Medium – The poet expands the repertoire of Qur’anic calligraphy into cosmology: “ink” becomes primordial matter, “pen” the Active Intellect, “paper” the substratum of contingent being. Thus, the line is not decoration but ontic narration; it writes the world into existence.
Findings
Philosophical Transcoding: Ṣāʾib transposes abstract Ṣadrian doctrines into imagistic language, enabling lay access to metaphysical truths.
Motif Re‑signification: The traditional Persian topos of the beloved’s hair‑line evolves into a vehicle for explicating emanation and return; khaṭṭ is promoted from ornamental sign to hierophany.
Dialogic Intertextuality: Poetic allusions to Qur’anic phrases (e.g., nūn wa’l‑qalam) reveal an intertextual network whereby Ṣāʾib comments on scripture through metaphor, while Ṣadrā’s exegesis retroactively validates the poet’s imagery.
Exegetical Model: The study proposes a four‑step reading protocol—motif identification, Ṣadrian mapping, Qur’anic echo detection, and hermeneutic synthesis—that can be transferred to other Persian motifs (rose, mirror, garden).
Conclusion
By fusing Indo‑Persian poetics with Transcendent Theosophy, Ṣāʾib Tabrīzī reconceives the motif of line as a palimpsest where aesthetics, ontology and revelation converge. The khaṭṭ in his ghazals dramatizes the descent of the Qur’anic Word, the ascent of human cognition, and the perpetual dance between seen and unseen. This synergy transcends ornamental convention, granting the motif epistemic authority and theological resonance. Consequently, Ṣāʾib’s oeuvre offers a paradigmatic case of how literary creativity can operationalize complex metaphysics, positioning the poet as both scribe and seer. Future research may apply the same hermeneutic apparatus to Safavid visual arts, where calligraphy likewise mediates doctrinal subtleties.
References
Dehqan, E., & Taqavi, M. (2009). What is a motif and how is it formed? Naqd‑e Adabī, 2(8), 7–31. [In Persian]
Esmaʿili, E. (2014). Comparative study of the motif of line in Naẓīrī’s Dīvān and Ṣāʾib’s ghazals. Motāleʿāt‑e Zabānī va Balāghī, 9, 7–28. [In Persian]
Keywords
Subjects
Literary Criticism