Beyond Poetry: An Introduction to Classical Persian Prose

While Persian poetry often takes center stage in discussions of Iran’s literary heritage, classical Persian prose boasts its own golden lineage of wisdom, storytelling, and rhetorical mastery. From royal manuals to saintly biographies, moral parables to picaresque adventures, these prose works shaped not only the Persian language but the very ideas of governance, ethics, and identity. Here’s a guided tour through its rich terrain.

1. Early Foundations: From Pahlavi to New Persian

• Pahlavi and Sassanid Chronicles: Before Islam, Middle Persian (Pahlavi) texts like the Khwaday‑nama (Book of Kings) and Zoroastrian doctrinal works laid a narrative and moral groundwork—mixing myth, history, and religious teaching.

• The Rise of New Persian (9th–10th c.): After the Arab conquest, Persian gradually returned as a written language. Early prose appeared in administrative manuals, court correspondence, and translations of Arabic texts (the Qur’an, kalam theology), establishing New Persian script and style.

2. The Mirror for Princes: Politics and Ethics in Prose

Courtly patronage demanded guides to righteous rule and social order. Two landmark treatises set the tone for centuries:

1. Nizam al‑Mulk’s Siyāsatnāmeh (11th c.)

   • Purpose: Advice to Seljuq sultans on justice, administration, and public welfare.

   • Form: Didactic anecdotes—ministers, merchants, poets, and beggars illustrate principles like impartial justice and meritocracy.

2. Nasir al‑Din Tusi’s Akhlaq‑i Nāsiri (13th c.)

   • Blend: Aristotelian ethics woven with Qur’anic injunctions and Sufi insights.

   • Legacy: Became the standard manual on individual and social virtues in madrasas across the Persianate world.

3. Moral Tales and Courtly Wit: Saadi and Jami

Prose didacticism reached dazzling heights when mingled with poetry: …