Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Jahrom University, Jahrom, Iran
2
Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Jahrom University, Jahrom, Iran.
10.29252/kavosh.2026.23443.3737
Abstract
One of the ghazals that appears in some lesser-known versions of Hafez’s collected works is a ghazal beginning with the verse: “Today the assembly of beloveds is one / Even if the beloved were a thousand, the heart belongs to that one.” This ghazal has also been attributed to Amir Khusrau Dehlavi, Jami, and Ismat Bukhari, while some sources have identified it as the work of an unknown poet. This research, employing a descriptive-analytical method and utilizing library resources, introduces six poets who have imitated this ghazal. It then studies these imitations stylistically and compares them with the original ghazal. The findings of this study indicate that most of the imitators of this ghazal were either mystical poets or poets who were also mystics. Furthermore, most commentators have identified its praised subject as God or the Prophet, linking it to the concept of unity of being. The research also suggests that if this ghazal was indeed composed by Ismat Bukhari, then the passage of time, his contemporaneity with Hafez, his lack of fame, and the non-collection of his works would more likely lead to its attribution to Hafez. Given that the majority of imitations occurred in the 8th and 9th centuries AH (14th and 15th centuries CE), it appears that the period of the ghazal’s composition falls within this timeframe, or it gained its greatest popularity during these two centuries. Additionally, as a result of numerous imitations by famous contemporary poets, or the poet immediately following them, remained unknown.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)