Diplomat: Popularization of Persian literature a response to Islamophobia
Popularizing Persian literature and poetry overseas is a reasonable response to those who portray an unreal image of Islam and Muslims in the world, said Iran’s ambassador to Bosnia-herzegovina.
Mahmoud Heidari was speaking in a meeting at the Iranian embassy in Sarajevo with a Bosnian author who wrote a book about the school of thought of famous Iranian poet Jalāl addīn Mohammad Rūmī, IRNA wrote.
Rumi was a 13th-century Persian Muslim poet, jurist, Islamic scholar and theologian whose inàuence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions. His poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s languages and transposed into various formats.
The book, titled ‘Molaviyeh; Treasury of Wisdom’, was written by Elvir Music, a Persian language and literature professor and instructor of Hafez-reading programs in Bosnia.
During his meeting with the Bosnian author, the Iranian diplomat said promoting Persian literature would also help develop cultural relations between Iran and Bosnia.
Relations between Iran and Bosnia and Herzegovina are not limited to political and economic ties, said Heidari, adding that intellectual connections between scientists, poets and scholars of the two countries have always existed.
He underlined that publishing of the Music’s book about Rumi is an opportunity for Bosnians to get re-introduced with the theosophy and thoughts of great Iranian poets and theologists.
Heidari added that extremism and excommunication will not emerge in a society where people exemplify Rumi, Sa’di and Hafez (three prominent Iranian poets).
Meanwhile, Music thanked Iran’s embassy in Sarajevo and Avicenna Science and Research Institute for publishing his book and for the support extended to him by the two entities.
He also briefed the Iranian ambassador on actions taken to popularize Persian and Iranian literature and culture in Bosnia-herzegovina.
Turning to the prominence of Persian language and literature in the Balkans, Music added that 32 Bosnian poets have epitomized Iranian poets and also wrote a number of poems in Persian.
He said that the book of Bosnian poets who have created works in Persian will be authored soon and the publishing of that book can be a prominent step toward familiarizing the young Bosnian generation with the thoughts of great Bosnian writers who are inspired originally by Persian literature and theology.
The Bosnian Persian language and literature professor said in order to further encourage Bosnian people to read poems of the ancient Iranian poets, certain sessions are being held in the cities of Tuzla and Sarajevo to recite poems by Rumi and Hafez. The sessions are highly welcomed by the public, he added.
‘Moulaviyeh; Treasury of Wisdom’, is written by Music, prefaced by Ambassador Heidari and published by Avicenna Science and Research Institute.