On the occasion of Saadi Commemoration Day (April 21), a two-day conference titled ‘Saadi and al-Mutanabbi’ on the life and works of the renowned Persian poet Saadi and Arab classical poet Al-Mutanabbi, was inaugurated at Tehran’s Book City Institute on Saturday (April 18) in the presence of literary experts.
Focusing on their poems, the conference highlighted the similarities and differences in their works, and analyzed their social and ethical characteristics, ISNA reported.
“As al-Mutanabbi has influenced former Persian poets, especially Saadi, commonalities and similar views are seen in the works of the great classical Persian poet and the renowned Arab literary master,” Ali-Asghar Mohammadkhani, cultural and international deputy of the institute said.
Over 100 master theses and doctoral dissertations, 20 books, and 60 articles have been written in Persian about the life and works of al-Mutanabbi and comparison of his poetic features to those of other Persian poets namely: Hafez, Ferdowsi, Nasir Khusraw, Manuchehri, Khaqani, and Molavi, he noted.
Several speeches were delivered by Iranian lecturers on different issues such as ‘Saadi and al-Mutanabbi, two different methods’, ‘eloquence and wisdom correspondence in ‘Saadi and al-Mutanabbi’, and ‘seeking dignity in Saadi and al-Mutanabbi’s dialogue’.
Sufi Mystic
Saadi (1210-1291) is not only famous in Persian-speaking countries, but has been widely quoted in western sources as well. He is recognized for the quality of his writings and for the depth of his social and moral thoughts.
He is best-known for his books Bustan and Golestan in which he presents a peculiar blend of human kindness and humor in the form of stories and personal anecdotes. He is known as a Sufi master, mystic and metaphysician in the history of Persian literature. His proficiency in Persian literature confers on him the title ‘Master of Prose and Poetry’.
Al-Mutanabbi was an Arab Iraqi poet (915-965). Considered as one of the greatest poets in the Arabic language, much of his poetry revolves around praising the kings he visited during his lifetime. He is well known for his sharp intelligence and wit. Among the topics he discussed were courage, the philosophy of life, and the description of battles.
Previous Conferences
Pointing to a 10-year program (2012-2022) organized by the institute and Saadi Studies Center, Mohammadkhani said: “According to the program, each year a conference will be held in Iran and other countries to pay tribute to Saadi and one of the globally prominent masters in literature”
Over the past three years, the conferences held in Iran, Turkey and Spain included ‘Saadi and Pushkin’, ‘Saadi and Yunus Emre’, and ‘ Saadi and Cervantes’. “The events were considered effective in terms of introducing Saadi to other nations,” he noted.
A joint conference ‘Saadi and Mutanabbi’ is scheduled in Iraq, Lebanon, and Kuwait, by Iranian and Arab experts in collaboration with their respective universities and literary centers.
