The Policy of Silence and Deliberate Omissions in Beyhaqi History

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Kowsar University, Bojnourd

10.29252/kavosh.2026.24079.3796

Abstract

Beyhaqi holds a distinctive position in classical Persian historiography due to his meticulous composition, narrative richness, and politico-administrative analyses. During the Ghaznavid period, an era dominated by Ash'arite theological thought predicated on determinism and the acceptance of divine destiny, the straightforward and unvarnished narration of reality devoid of omission or apprehension proved to be untenable. This premise gives rise to the hypothesis that Beyhaqi may have been compelled on certain occasions to make deliberate omission or choose strategic silence. Employing an analytical-historical approach through library-based research and drawing upon primary and secondary sources, this study addresses the fundamental questions ‘In which domains did Beyhaqi resort to deliberate silence or omissions?’ and ‘What motivations underlie them?’ The findings indicate that these omissions and silence cases predominantly occur in the representation of principal actors, the positive services of certain figures, internal court rivalries and conspiracies, suspicious deaths, financial corruption of certain personalities, military defeats, internal insurrections, sectarian and religious activities, the influence of women within the court, and the recounting of his own personal relationships. The silence is not attributable to ignorance or forgetfulness; rather, it constitutes the outcome of ideological, political, and methodological choices within the framework of courtly historiography. They create a latent presence that, through deliberate absence, reveals the author's political and value orientations, functioning as a mechanism for preserving royal legitimacy, navigating courtly competition, and upholding the ethics of secretarial conduct.

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References

Books
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Journal of Kavoshnameh in Persian Language and Literature
Volume 27, Issue 68
June 2026
Pages 105-132

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